Gorongosa National Park (GNP) is a conservation area with 400,000 ha, located at the southern end of the Great Rift Valley of Southern Africa. Its unique biogeographic features once supported some of the densest wildlife populations in all of Africa, including charismatic carnivores, herbivores, and over 500 bird species. A large number of mammals was reduced by up to 95%, and the ecosystem was deeply shaken during many years of civil conflict in Mozambique, which finally ended in 1992 but has been restored in recent years. The Park is still being rehabilitated, and considerable investments are being made in research and management interventions that promote conservation and the tourist value of the protected area.

The Park is surrounded by a formally declared buffer zone of 600,000 ha. The Buffer Zone is considered a Human Development Zone (ZDS), integrated with the conservation objectives of the Park. The Park and associated development projects are co-managed through a public-private partnership, recently extended until 2043, between the Government of Mozambique and the Gorongosa Restoration Project (PRG), a non-governmental organization (NGO) registered and operating in Mozambique, associated with the Greg Carr Foundation based in the United States.

Health and Wash Sector

The Health and Wash Sector is part of the Park’s Human Development Department and is engaged in PRG’s initiatives to improve access to quality health and sanitation services, especially for women and girls in the ZDS, with a focus on maternal and child health, nutrition, water and sanitation, integrating communities that were under civil conflict and thus contributing to local peace and stability.

The PRG’s Health Sector currently implements four (4) main programs, namely, (1) Digital Health System, (2) Environmental Water and Sanitation, (3) Primary Health Care & Mobile Brigades, and (4) Maternal Child Health and Nutrition.

Digital Health System (mHealth)

Due to the devastation caused by the latest natural disasters, cyclones, and floods, which affected the province of Sofala, including the district of Nhamatanda, the PRG in partnership with GiveDirectly (GD), supports the community of Nhampoca in the Nhamatanda District with a food security initiative, since November 2021. The program aimed to improve the nutrition of 5,000 households through cash transfers, associated with changing nutritional habits based on sending awareness messages about better eating practices, especially focused on the nutritional education of pregnant and breastfeeding women and children up to 5 years of age. Whenever possible, the program encouraged that participating families be preferably represented by women.

SMS Campaign for Behavioral Change

The program participants received messages from PRG about better healthy nutritional habits, mainly directed at maternal nutrition, breastfeeding, continuous feeding in children under 5 years of age, and dietary diversity. This nutrition campaign was systematic and had a duration of 24 months, running parallel with the monthly monetary transfers made by GD.

The massive nutrition campaign made by phone messages used the mHealth platform which would potentially allow, that participants respond to digital surveys embedded in mHealth; and allow families to decide for themselves, i.e., without conditions, to use part of the money received, to purchase non-locally produced food products, but that families needed to improve their diet.

2. OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The objectives of the final project evaluation are:

1. Assess the progress made so far in relation to the objectives defined in the proposal
2. Document the lessons learned about what worked well and areas that could be strengthened if the project is implemented in other areas of the ZDS.
3. Provide recommendations for the development of a program proposal for a second phase of the monetary transfer combined with nutritional messages.

Evaluation Questions Considering the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact of the program (OECD/DAC evaluation criteria), the final project evaluation will focus on, but not be limited to, the following questions:

Relevance

• How do the real needs of the target population reflect the project’s objectives?
• How did local cultural and eating practices conflict with the massive SMS campaign?
• How does the PRG see the relevance of mHealth and communicate with the communities and stakeholders?
• How were community members involved in this project according to its scope?
• How did the project address the persistent challenges and barriers in the community, regarding access to correct information about nutrition and hygiene?

Effectiveness

• To what extent have the project’s objectives and expected outcomes been achieved?
• To what extent was the SMS campaign about health and nutrition timely and relevant for the community?
• To what extent have SMS messages improved knowledge and behaviors related to nutrition and health among the target population?
• What evidence is there that SMS messages led to positive changes in behavior regarding health and nutrition among the recipients of monetary transfers?
• Were there specific messages or topics that were more effective in driving behavior change?

Efficiency

• Were the project activities implemented according to the planned schedule and budget?
• What were the main factors that influenced the efficiency of the project’s implementation?
• How efficiently did the GRP use its resources to develop and send SMS messages?
• What was the cost-effectiveness of this project?
• How effective was combining the money transfer and the massive SMS campaign about nutrition and hygiene?

Impact

• What are the current observable changes in nutritional practices and outcomes in the households covered by the project?
• Did the project have any significant effect on food security, health, and well-being of the beneficiaries?
• How did community members perceive the relevance and usefulness of the information provided through SMS?
• Were there any unintentional positive or negative impacts on the community as a result of the project?

Sustainability

• How will the improved nutritional practices be maintained after the conclusion of the project?
• How did the project build local capacity and ownership among community members and local institutions?

Consultancy Phases Phase 1: Context Analysis

• Conduct an assessment of the most important project documents, proposal, workplans, evaluations, reports, and agreements.
• Describe the type of stakeholders who participated in the project and project those who could have been of more value, but did not participate in this pilot project.
• Describe the conditions for loading phones in the participating community of this project, availability of Mpesa agents, and other businesses, including transport.

Phase 2: Documentation

• Field observations and interviews.
• Organize a meeting with the government and relevant stakeholders, including participants, to present the evaluation results.

3. EXPECTED PRODUCTS

The consultant must deliver the following products:

Phase 1

• Submit to the GRP an initial report that demonstrates the level of understanding of the Terms of Reference of the consultancy, including methodology, tools, and a detailed work schedule of no more than (4) four weeks, considering all the context described in phase 1 of the consultancy.

Phase 2

• Submit a preliminary report of the results and hold a validation workshop with relevant stakeholders, in accordance with all the tasks of phases 2 and 3 of the consultancy;
• Submit a final evaluation report, presented in two languages, Portuguese and English, with a presentation of the main findings in PowerPoint.

4. INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENTS

• The consultant will be responsible for the administrative and logistical part necessary to complete this task. Including all travel preparations, scheduling meetings, secretarial services, preparation of reports, printing, photocopying, and translation services. The Program will only support in extraordinary cases to remove any barriers in the process.
• The PRG will assist the consultant in obtaining any additional program documents and credentials for the smooth conduct of the task.
• The PRG team will provide its strategic direction and guidance throughout the process, including the structure and content of the final work.
• PRG collaborators from different specialties, and volunteers will be involved in the needs assessment, context analysis, and discussion of the final report.
• The main point of contact for this consultancy will be the project manager.

5. EXPECTED TIME / DURATION

• This mission is expected to be carried out over a period of 45 days.

6. QUALIFICATIONS A. Academic Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Nutrition, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related fields.
• Relevant training in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), project management, or public health.

B. Experience

• At least 5-7 years of work experience in public health or nutrition projects, preferably in developing countries and in contexts similar to Mozambique.
• Proven experience in conducting evaluations of health and nutrition projects, particularly those involving mHealth components and cash transfer programs.
• Previous research work in the field of education/development is an advantage.
• Experience in creating and implementing programs aimed at improving literacy levels, especially in rural areas of Mozambique.
• Proven experience working with governmental and non-governmental partners and other stakeholders in human development programs, especially in the health/education area.

C. Skills and Competencies

• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• High level of written and oral communication skills in English and Portuguese.
• Must be results-oriented, work in a team, have diplomacy, and integrity.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal and professional skills in interacting with government and development partners.

D. Skills in facilitating meetings/workshops

• Evidence of having performed similar work.
• Experience in research with a mixed approach (qualitative and quantitative), policy development, program management-related work.

7. PAYMENT MODALITY Payment will be made as follows:

• 20% Against the delivery and approval of the initial report, including methodology, tools, and a detailed schedule of activities. Including methodology, tools, and a detailed work schedule.
• 40% Against the submission and approval of the preliminary results report and the validation workshop with stakeholders.
• 40% Against submission and approval of the final report.

8. APPLICATION PROCESS Qualified and interested consultants are invited to submit a detailed technical proposal, clearly demonstrating a full understanding of these terms of reference and including the following:

i) Proposal for the implementation of the consultancy, including data analysis and management, a detailed schedule of activities, and a work agenda;

ii) Detailed budget, including professional fees and reimbursable expenses;

iii) Detailed CVs;

iv) Names and contact information of three references who can be contacted about relevant experiences.\

Interested candidates should review the Terms of Reference and organize the proposed documents and send to following email: grpconcursos@gorongosa.net

Deadline to send documents is: 30/06/2024