Terms of Reference to Undertake Baseline Survey for “Sustainable Households Empowerment for Care Action and Networking (SHECAN) Project”

Context And Rationale        About SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia SOS-Children’s Villages (SOS-CV) is a global non-profit-organization established in 1949. SOS CVI consists of 138-member associations all over the world, working in more than 2000 programme locations worldwide. The focus of the organization is to provide support to vulnerable children who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care and their families. In Alternative Care programmes (AC), SOS CV provides a family-like environment to a child or young person and offers quality care and support for their development. Through Family Strengthening Programmes (FSP), SOS CV helps parents and communities build capacities to care for their children and prevent family breakdown.  SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia (SOS CVE) launched its programming in 1974, when the first of currently eight SOS CVE location programmes, was established in Mekele under the Alternative Care Programme (ACP). Since then, SOS CVE Ethiopia has expanded its approach and programme to complement direct childcare provision with support provides through the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP), which uses a community-based approach. SOS CVE engages with a variety of community-managed organizations and local government authorities and supports them to provide an enabling environment for most vulnerable communities and families to access vital social services and protection whether in peaceful times or crises, with the goal of ensuring care and protection for all children and youth living in their community.       Description of programme location and context SOS CVE, Hawassa Programme is the fourth oldest programme location under SOS CV Ethiopia which was established in 1985 due to the drought that occurred in the midst of 1980 in the southern part of the country. We take action for children as an independent non-governmental social development organization. Currently, twelve projects are being implemented by the programme location (PL), categorized under three major programs, alternative childcare, family strengthening and disability inclusion programs. These projects include standard project (FLC, OAC, FFC, SGH, and SIL), from FCSP ARADA Phase II, ECoS-CaR Phase IV, SHECAN, SHASHE Phase II, Grow Equal, WACHAMO, and the Together for Sustainable Future (T4SF) project in Aletawondo, Yirgalem, and Yabello towns. Additional initiatives include advancing the rights of children and young people with disabilities in Hawassa and Hosaena city administrations. Rationale of Conducting Baseline Survey The rationale for conducting a baseline survey is to establish a clear and evidence-based understanding of the initial situation before any intervention begins. It provides critical data on existing conditions, needs, and challenges, ensuring that programmes are designed in a relevant, targeted, and effective way. By defining the starting point, a baseline survey enables meaningful measurement of progress, supports informed decision-making, and strengthens accountability throughout the programme lifecycle. It also enables comparison over time by creating a reference point against which future progress and impact can be measured. Objective of the Study Overall objective The main objective of the baseline study is to measure and set baseline values of the indicators of the results framework at outcome and output level before the start of the project in the target intervention areas in Hawassa city administration. The baseline survey result will help us to set the targets to be attained at outcome and output indicators at the end of the project intervention.  Specific objectives To set achievable targets for each project`s outcome and output. To assess baseline values for all outcomes and outputs indicators. To identify gaps in child protection, education, and livelihoods among target groups. To gather facts and data about the current situation which will assist in deg/updating the project’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan.  Project Outcomes and Outputs The overall objective or goal of the project is “Children and young people around Hawassa community are growing up in a caring family and protective community environment by 2028”.  The summary of project outcomes and outputs are listed as follows:  Outcome 1: Children and young people cared and protected Output 1.1. Children and young people are capacitated to protect themselves from abuse and violence Output 1.2. Children and young people are engaged in decisions that affect their development Output 1.3. Caregivers have improved parental skills to care for and protect their children Output 1.4. KIP CBOs are capacitated to care for and protect children and young people Output 1.5. Relevant government sector offices and mandated bodies are strengthened for childcare and safeguarding Output 1.6. Existing youth centre/s is/are capacitated to sustain psychosocial support for young people Outcome 2: Households and youth have sustainable livelihood to assure children's wellbeing Output 2.1. Saving and credit cooperatives respond to the financial needs of vulnerable households and youth Output 2.2. Caregivers have improved skills, knowledge and resources for entrepreneurship and employment Output 2.3. Youth have improved skills, knowledge and resources for entrepreneurship and employment Outcome 3: Children and youth are educated and skilled Output 3.1. Children have an enabling school environment Output 3.2. Children and young people develop essential life skills Output 3.3. Caregivers are supporting their children's education Output 3.4. Children in partner schools have equitable access to inclusive education Outcome 4: Children and young people are growing up healthy  Output 4.1. Children and young people are protected and treated from infectious diseases Output 4.2. Children are well nourished Output 4.3. Children, young people and families have improved hygiene and sanitation Some of the major baseline study questions: What is the current level of child protection awareness? What are HH income sources and stability?  What looks like targeted households’ food security situation? The commissioned consultant should further list relevant, tailored and possible baseline study questions for both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. He/she is expected to refer to the project document in detail, log frame and in addition to developing evaluation questions, and data collection tools. SOS CVE Ethiopia will share the project document, log frame/result framework for winner consultancy firm. Scope of the Study SHECAN Project is a three-year project, which will be operated from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028. The project is fully funded by UZHF through SOS Switzerland. A total budget of 502,403,469.12 ETB (FiveHundred Two million four hundred three thousand four hundred sixty-nine and 12 cents) has been planned to carry out this project.  The project will be implemented in Sidama Regional State, Hawassa City Administration, Tulla Sub-City, within the Hawella Tulla community. The project will target Tullo, Almaura, Fenchewa, Gemeto, and Tulla-Geter kebeles, with the overall objective of reducing vulnerability among children and youth while strengthening family systems. Throughout the project period, the intervention aims to ensure that 2,000 children grow up in safe, caring, and protective family environments, and to economically and socially empower 250 youth and 520 target families by 2028. To achieve these outcomes, the project will prioritize capacity building of key duty bearers, including parents and caregivers, seven government schools, and community-based structures. This will be accomplished through strengthening existing community-based organization and establishing one new Community-Based Organization (CBO) and one Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO), increasing the total to six CBOs and four SACCOs. These efforts will enhance the ability of local stakeholders to effectively respond to the holistic development needs of targeted children and youth in a sustainable manner. The project participants (beneficiaries) planned to reach are summarized as follows:  S. No. Project Participatory Category Number of  Direct Participants Number of  Indirect Participants Male Female Total Male  Female  Total  1.1 Children   1114  886 2,000 XXX-XXX-XXXX 1.2 Youth 125 125 250XXX-XXX-XXXX 1.3 Caregivers 96 424XXX-XXX-XXXX 2080   Total program participants  1,335 1,435 2,770 5340 5740 11080 Methodology  The consultancy firm to be recruited is expected to develop appropriate and standard quantitative and qualitative methodologies that can generate the highest quality and most credible evidence. The commissioned consultant should use a mixed method approaches (quantitative and qualitative methods) to answer the baseline study questions. As far as possible, the consultant should disaggregate data by sex, age, disability while collecting and analyzing data. The consultant should also clearly explain which questions will be answered using which methods. Data collection methods proposed by the consultant should be linked to the specific target group question(s). In addition to the data collection methodology, the consultant should refer to the relevant desk review of the project agreement documents. Moreover, the consultant is expected to explain the design and process of data collection tools, data collection plans and data analysis instruments. The consultant is also expected to test data collection tools before the actual utilization.  The Consultant should also ensure that the survey and qualitative methods (such as focus group discussion (FGD), key informant interview (KII) and group discussion) with participants are representative of the project’s target groups and key stakeholders (Community members, Children, youth, care givers (men & women), CBOs.) Sampling The Commissioned consultant is expected to use appropriate sampling techniques and set a representative sample size for both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Based on the project objectives, results, the baseline study equations and the SHECAN project result framework, the consultant should produce appropriate sampling methods and ensure representativeness of the sampled households or respondents, and the sampling frame is from target children, youth, care givers, schools, CBOs and community structures.  Major Assessment Questions The commissioned consultant should list relevant and possible baseline study questions by referring to the project document and the project result framework and show the baseline study questions during inception report presentation. Work Plan and Expected Deliverables  Work plan  The baseline study task XXXX XXXX to be finalized within 45  days after the contractual agreement is signed. The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table. Activities Dates Time  frame Location/study site