Country: Senegal
Closing date: 14 Feb 2016
Purpose
ChildFund intends to engage a consultant with expertise in community health and familiarity with donor strategies to support post Ebola Recovery and Pandemic Preparedness to develop ChildFund’s technical approach to support post-Ebola recovery programming.
As part of this assignment, the consultant will work in collaboration with ChildFund’s technical experts (based in Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Regional and International Office) to conduct an assessment of existing relevant approaches in the region and identify approaches that are in line with donor priorities. The consultant will facilitate internal discussions and decision meetings if needed, to select and further develop regional post-Ebola programming approaches at a country or multi-country level perspective that are in line with ChildFund’s core areas of expertise and program theories of change. The consultant will develop a concept note and capacity statement to be shared with relevant donors to seek funding.
Background
Globally, ChildFund works via local partners at the community level through which we have learned that community engagement and trust are key factors in influencing behavior change. This was especially true in the Ebola emergency response, where ChildFund’s longstanding presence was essential to reducing community resistance to infection prevention and control measures and safe burial practices. Going forward, ChildFund is commissioning a study to build on our deep experience in community health interventions within West Africa in Senegal as well as Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea (which were most affected by the Ebola Emergency) to further promote resiliency within families and communities and strengthen community health referral networks.
ChildFund’s emergency response activities in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea focused on two main programs: 1) social mobilization and awareness raising on Ebola and other basic health issues so as to promote behavior change; and 2) provision of a safe and protective temporary environment for Ebola-affected children who had confirmed contact with an Ebola patient, usually a parent or other primary caregiver, and required monitoring for 21 days for symptom emergence and immediate referral for health or protection concerns. In the latter stages of the emergency period, as schools reopened, ChildFund also focused on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programming in schools, including work with youth and child-led sanitation clubs.
Methodology
The study will consist of four phases of work:
Review ChildFund’s Past Performance: The consultant will work with designated technical experts in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal and Regional/International Office staff to conduct a review of ChildFund’s community health program experiences as well as national donor/NGO/government plans for post Ebola interventions in the most affected countries and Senegal. This review can include a field visit to one of the program countries, if considered necessary. The consultant will conduct an analysis of fit with donor interests, peer organizations’ programs and ChildFund’s community health experience to develop recommendations of approaches for further development.
Hold Technical Approach Decision Meeting: The consultant will present the analysis described above to Senior Management and facilitate a decision on the technical approach that ChildFund will develop further.
Conduct Field Visit: The consultant may travel to West Africa to get a first-hand in-country impression of the community health situation and have discussions with key government officials, sector ministries, community members, peers NGOs, donors and UN agencies, plus ChildFund staff and local partners involved in community health and the Ebola emergency response. Outputs of this phase will be deeper information and understanding on key community health issues and options, and as far as possible to answer questions on longer term needs of children and how to sustain/restore basic community health and social services in the affected countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Develop Concept Note and Capacity Statement: The consultant will be responsible for consolidation of ideas into the concept note and capacity statement. If necessary, additional expertise may be brought in from NO/RO/IO level staff as resource persons to provide advice on any aspects of the study work which requires additional inputs.
Deliverables
- Draw up a methodology to identify types/strengths/gaps in present and past community health programs within the region.
- Consolidate options based on past performance experiences provided by ChildFund technical experts and identified areas of donor interest.
- Produce minutes from the decision meeting.
- Draft the capacity statement concept note, including sample indicators, and a proposal for recommended promising areas of post Ebola emergency interventions in the West Africa region.
Schedule
The assignment is for a 20 days period. The decision meeting must be held before the end of January 2016, and final product should be completed by the end of February 2016.
Skills and Experience
The consultant should have an M.A. or Ph.D. in public health, with 5-10 years field based experience in multiple countries, preferably in Africa. French language skills would be highly valued.
How to apply:
Please apply directly at:
http://childfund-hr.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjob&jobid=302619&company_id=15818&jobboardid=479
