Country: Bangladesh, Somalia, South Sudan
Closing date: 17 Aug 2018
Case Study Title: Cash Based Programming (CBP) and the implication on nutrition intervention in the Bangladesh, Somalia and South Sudan Emergency Responses.
Background:
Globally, malnutrition is an underlying contributor to 45% of child mortality and is a leading contributor to morbidity, which has a negative impact on the national economy and increases the burden on the health system. Cash programing provides targeted communities with resources to meet their needs, access services, and the dignity to decide how to prioritize their specific needs. Cash Based Programming (CBP) is increasingly popular in emergency projects across sectors to support social protection interventions. The assumption is that direct cash input increases household income and improves effectiveness of purchasing power; which increases food diversity and household food consumption that directly translates into nutrition improvement for children.
Purpose:
Learning from cash-based nutrition programming in different country contexts and systematic reviews of cash transfers in humanitarian crises reveal there is little evidence as to how cash-based approaches affect nutrition and health outcomes in emergencies. There is limited and sometimes confusing evidence about the impact of different combinations of modalities on nutritional status and on the importance of the design and implementation. This study will contribute to addressing these information gaps and contribute to the quality of cash based programs for nutritional outcomes.
Objectives:
The objective of this work is to develop a three-country study, documenting lessons and new learning that will enhance effectiveness and efficiency of CBP to address nutritional outcomes. Specifically, the case study will respond to the following key questions;
What key factors were considered when determining the amount of cash transfer in ongoing projects in South Sudan, Somalia and Bangladesh. What has worked well? What has not worked well?
For what needs are households primarily using these funds?
How are household spending priorities determined? By whom?
b) What nutrition services and messaging were integrated as part of the projects and what key messages can be considered in future cash programming
c) What was the proposed pathway by which the cash-based assistance project sought to address or contribute to addressing nutrition outcomes? (Either through increasing access to nutrition specific or nutrition sensitive services)
e) What is the evidence of impact of the CBP on nutrition outcomes? What nutrition related indicators were used and monitored/evaluated and what key outcome monitoring indicators should CBP projects consider in future programming
The findings will identify learnings and recommendations for nutrition- sensitive cash based assistance with a focus on the following outcomes;
Increased quality and quantity of diet, frequency of meals, protein and micronutrient intake, through improved purchasing power, and nutrition education/behaviour change programming
Increased availability of nutritional food production
Increased expenditure on household health and sanitation, access to health services, uptake of treatment and preventative services
Links and opportunities to work on social safety nets to support food security and adequate nutrition and access to essential services.
The learnings and recommendations of this case study will be used to develop field guidance on CBP for nutrition outcomes. The learnings of this study will be shared externally through relevant working groups and publications.
Country Focus:
The study information gathering will be conducted in World Vision’s South Sudan, Somalia and Bangladesh programs.
Methodology:
Desk review of project documentation – project proposals, monitoring, evaluation and monthly reports and other relevant documents.
Interviews and focus group discussion with beneficiaries and project teams as part of the field visit data collection. Where appropriate, questionnaires could be used.
A one-day workshop with relevant WV staff from Bangladesh, South Sudan, Somalia as well as WV’s regional or Global Centre nutrition experts, and other partner agencies, where the consultant will present the findings of the assessment and final report.
The consultant will develop a detailed plan including methodology, timeline and other study details including time for a) secondary document reviews b) field data collection and analysis, including discussions with WV and other partners (nutrition clusters, WFP etc) c) workshop presentation plan
Deliverable:
Upon completion of the consultancy period, the following deliverables will be provided:
Final report including:
Study overview and methodology used
Summary of findings for each country, taking primary data collected and secondary date reviewed into consideration for each country
Detailed findings and analysis for each country
Best practices already being used by World Vision in each country, in relation to cash based nutrition programming
Recommendations for improvements to cash based nutrition programming -country specific and overall
Conclusions from the study – country specific and overall
Any study tools and all raw data collected or analysed to reach the findings and recommendations. List of references / resources used in the study
Recommendations for further research / study aligned with nutrition focused cash programming work.
Summary guidance note
2-3 page guidance note with key recommendations from the study final report
Key points for consideration for field offices implementing nutrition focused cash programming work
Facilitate workshop / presentations to share and validate the findings with participants
- Presentation of findings to WV representatives from each country, along with WV Regional and Global nutrition and cash programming technical experts (in person – location TBD, potentially Nairobi).
A preliminary report is to be prepared and shared with World Vision for comments and clarifications prior to finalization or presentation. All deliverables will be produced by the consultant, and approved by World Vision, within the time frame of the consultancy. Final report with four copies of materials and raw data in CD-ROM will be provided.
Source and information:
World Vision country program offices will share datasets and reports with the consultant. This includes:
Cash transfer project/program proposals and reports, market survey, baseline and endline data, and a summary policy brief. Nutrition specific information such as survey reports, database information, baseline documents, including a WVI CMAM dataset based information, project monitoring and evaluation reports and any household survey and a background report as available. Beneficiaries who have participated in World Vision cash based nutrition projects will also be sources of information for this study.
Additional information provided through Inter-Clusters Working Group (ICWG) and collaboration between Global Food Security Cluster and Global Nutrition Cluster, will be collected with support from WV. Other partners, such as WFP, will also be expected to provide information.
All information shared remains the property of World Vision (or the agency providing the information) and cannot be used by the consultant for any other purposes outside of this study without explicit written consent from World Vision or agencies providing the information.
Timeframe and Deadline:
The study will be conducted beginning in September upon signing of a contract and the final report is to be completed and workshop completed. within 14-16 weeks of the agreed upon start date..
A minimum of one week, up to a maximum of two weeks per country field work will be required for each of the three countries during the proposed timeline. Specific timing of travel will depend on consultant’s location and logistical arrangements. Travel may be broken up into several shorter trips or may be combined into a longer period of travel to two or three of the countries on the same trip.
Consultant will be required to provide a detailed work plan on how they propose to manage the data collection schedule and travel during the allotted study timeline. Exact length of travel to be agreed upon by World Vision Canada and the consultant prior to finalizing a contract.
Budget:
Consultant will submit the required consultancy fee to achieve the stated objectives and deliverables. Costs will be broken down to articulate any services provided prior to September 30th 2018 and then services provided from October 1st until the end of the contract. World Vision will be responsible for booking and covering additional costs for field visits (economy airfare, visa and permit costs, modest accommodations in country, in country travel and per diem based on World Vision set rates for food and incidental expenses) and workshop fees. Consultant is required to provide their own travel and medical insurance, including emergency evacuation insurance.
WVC and the consultant will sign an agreement before the start of the study.
Profile of Consultant/Consultancy:
Masters Level University training in public Health, Nutrition, International Affairs, Economics, Agriculture, or Environmental Science with additional years of related work experience.
Experience in cash-based research/interventions and/or humanitarian experience, or working on humanitarian projects/contexts in previous assignments
Technical knowledge or familiarity with cash based programming, food security and nutrition issues through practical exposure to these terms.
Prior work experience in countries such as Bangladesh, South Sudan and Somalia or in other fragile / high risk contexts.
In-depth understanding of malnutrition from nutrition/public health point of view
Sound analytical skills to make observations, and identify lessons and recommendations
Ability to work in a team, and establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds.
Fluent in English and demonstrated skills in survey or evaluation report writing
How to apply:
Interested and qualified consultants are to submit a proposal, including their proposed methodology, detailed timeline and budget by August 17th, 2018 to:
Belete Temesgen, WVI/DM, Senior Technical Advisor - Cash and Market Based Programming, WVUS, belete_Temesgen@wvi.org
Antony Peter, WVI/DM, Emergency Nutrition Specialist, WV Canada, antony_peter@worldvision.ca