HABITAT FOR HUMANITY ZAMBIA

SOLID GROUND: ACCESS TO SECURE LAND AND SAFE HOMES POJECT

End of project Evaluation Terms of Reference

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project background

Habitat for Humanity Zambia (HFHZ) as an Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International network is a non-governmental organization that has been in existence in Zambia since 1984. HFHZ’s mandate is to fulfil a vision where everyone has a decent place to live. HFHZ serves the most vulnerable through the provision and promotion of decent housing, water, and sanitation (WASH), savings and financial literacy and advocacy on land and housing rights with an emphasis on gender equality ensuring that no one is left behind. Habitat has since 1984 provided over 4,000 affordable houses and pit latrines to the most disadvantaged families.  over 50,000 individuals have been served with clean drinking water through the 70 water points constructed in Chilanga, Lusaka, Kabwe and Ndola.

In 2019, Habitat for Humanity Zambia in partnership with Bauleni United Soccer Academy and Zambia Land Alliances started the implementation of the Solid Ground: Access to Secure Land and Safe Homes Project in Makululu, Kabwe in Zambia.

The project envisioned creating a sustainable, vibrant, and healthy community free from the risk of being homeless, hungry, and poor in Makululu slum areas. The project was implemented through 2 key pathways: a community-level impact Pathway and a Local Land and Housing rights governance impact Pathways,

1) Community-level impact pathway: The project aimed to build advocacy and resilience capacity at community level, through the provision of trainings to Change Agents (i.e., representatives of community groups) to form community study circles and money-saving groups as well as using Sports for Change to create awareness. The enhanced community capacity was aimed at promoting inclusive public discussions around land and housing issues and providing knowledge and skills for community mobilization to solve such issues on their own. The savings and financial literacy component of the project premised on enabling community members to be financially resilient, starting to save cash in their own saving groups at the community towards acquiring land occupancy licenses.

2) Local land and housing rights governance impact pathway: The project promoted multi-stakeholder meetings to facilitate constructive discussions between the local government and the communities, with the aim of understanding potential barriers to land security and slum upgrading. Through this pathway it was expected that Local authorities will be encouraged to find and apply most practical ways for slum communities to secure their land tenures and benefit basic services.

1.2.  Project Aim

The project aim was to contribute to the enhancement of land tenure and housing security through mobilizing and equipping most vulnerable communities at risk of homelessness with basic housing rights and money-saving skills and to obtain land licenses and build safe housing in Makululu community.

1.3. Project expected Results/Outcomes:

The project has two outcomes that include.
OUTCOME 1: 1333 households in Makululu community have improved land tenure security and housing units by 30th May 2023
Indicator 1.1: Number of community members with increased knowledge of existing procedure for attaining occupancy licenses and/ or existing policies/ rules/mechanisms related to land tenure security and housing rights 30th May 2023

Indicator 1.2: % of community members acknowledging the importance of land tenure security and housing rights by 30th May 2023

Indicator 1.3: Number of households acquiring occupancy licenses in Makululu Community by 30th May 2023

Indicator 1.4: Number of households improving their housing structures in Makululu Community 30th May 2023

OUTCOME 2: At least 6,000 community members have access to and use financial services in Makululu community by May 30th, 2023
Indicator 2.1: Number of savings group members in newly established and existing SGs with increased knowledge regarding available financial services 30th May 2023

Indicator 2.2: Number of savings group members in newly established and existing Savings Groups reporting to have access to formal and informal financial services (FSPs) 30th May 2023

Indicator 2.3: Number of savings group members using financial services (e.g., savings and loans) to improve their Shelter including acquisition of occupancy licenses 30th May 2023

EVALUATION PURPOSE AND SCOPE
2.1. Evaluation Purpose

The purpose of this end of project evaluation will be to Assess the progress made towards achieving project goal and impact based on project design, scope, implementation status and the capacity to achieve the project objectives. Through a blend of multiple approaches that include Study Circles, Savings PASSA, Sports for change and Advocacy using the 5 evaluation criteria (Relevance, Effectiveness, Impact, Sustainability and Efficiency) to better inform future programming and identify potential gaps and area-specific opportunities/focus for programme planning and improvement. The finding of this evaluation is widely utilised and accede as build up to future funding for current and future projects of a similar approach.

The report primary audience is Comic Relief (project funder), Other international cooperation (JOA, UNDP, etc…)  Local Partners and stakeholders (Government line Ministry such as Local government, Ministry of lands, Kabwe Municipal Council, Medeem) Project level partners (WDCs, community volunteers, project beneficiaries) project coordinating partners (Bauleni United Sports Academy, Habitat for Humanity Great Britain and Zambia Land Alliance)

2.2. Evaluation objectives

To evaluate the project in terms of its effectiveness, relevance, efficiency, sustainability, and impact
To identify key challenges, lessons and potential practices for learning and use in future programme.
To identify potential areas of project sustainability and scalability:

2.2. Evaluation Scope

The evaluation will cover the period from June 2019 to May 2024, to create an accurate and comprehensive picture of the project implementation, generating findings on evaluation criteria and documenting good practices and lessons learned.

The end of project evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the implementation strategy and the results framework. This will include the implementation modalities, coordination, partnership arrangements, institutional strengthening, beneficiary participation, replication, and sustainability of the programme.

The evaluation will include review of the project design and assumptions made at the beginning of the project development process. Project management including the implementation strategies; project activities.

Furthermore, the evaluation is expected to assess the extent to which the project results have been achieved according to the theory of change, ascertain whether there is knowledge increased of existing procedure for attaining occupancy licenses and/ or existing policies/ rules/mechanisms related to land tenure security and housing among community members. The evaluation will achieve these objectives based on the following evaluation questions outlined below.

The Evaluation Questions
The following key questions will guide the end of project evaluation:

The evaluation will examine the project implementation against the 5 evaluation criteria.

Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Questions

Relevance/ Appropriateness

• Did the project’s objectives reflect the needs of the target groups?
• Did the project’s objectives respond to the needs and priorities of the target groups?
• Was the project relevant to the identified needs of the target beneficiaries and the national context?
• Were the project inputs and strategy (including its assumptions and theory of change) realistic, appropriate, and adequate to achieve the results?
• To what extent do achieved results (project goal, outcomes, and outputs) continue to be relevant to the needs of the target communities?
• To what extent has the collaboration between Habitat for Humanity Zambia Project partners (ZLA and BUSA) and the local council contributed to appropriate response of specific needs and priorities of the people of Makululu?

Project effectiveness

• How appropriate were the management process in supporting delivery of project expected results?
• How effective were the strategies and tools used in the implementation of the project
• To what extent were the intended project goal, outcomes and outputs achieved and how?
• To what extent did the project reach the targeted beneficiaries at the project goal and outcome levels? How many beneficiaries have been reached?
• Did the project receive adequate technical and administrative support?
• Was there a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all parties (including partners) involved in the project Implementation?
• How effective were the role of frontline workers (community volunteers) in discharging their functions?

Project Efficiency

• To what extent do the results achieved justify the cost incurred? were the resources effectively utilized?
• Did the project activities overlap and duplicate other similar interventions (funded nationally and /or by other donors? Are there more efficient ways and means of delivering more and better results (outputs and outcomes) with the available inputs?
• Could a different approach have produced better results?
• How efficiently and timely has this project been implemented and managed in accordance with the Project proposal?
• Were the programme activities/operations in line with the schedule of activities as defined by the programme team and work plans?
• Have resources (funds, human resources, time, expertise, etc.) been allocated strategically to achieve outcomes
• To what extend did the digital platform enhance the operation of the saving groups.

Impact

• Analyse the contribution of the project to any observed impact (intended, unintended, positive, negative) and analyse what other actors and factors contributed to the impact.
• What real difference has the intervention made to the beneficiaries? How many people have been affected?
• How likely is it that any positive changes may be sustained in the short- and medium-term?
• What are the unintended consequences as a result of the project activities?
• Have these changes contributed to any identified changes in security of tenure, financial literacy and economic strengthening, shelter improvement and Advocacy component to the project?
• Are there any significant changes in the context as a result of the project intervention?
• What are the unintended consequences because of the project activities?
• Are there any significant changes in the context land governance as a result of the project intervention?

Sustainability
–        Were the project’s activities and objectives designed and implemented in the way that factored sustainability.

• How has the project built the necessary capacity of people and institutions (local authority, and community leadership)?
• To what extent has the project-built community ownership and capacity on land governance in Zambia?
• What best practices can be learnt from the project that can be applied to similar future programmes?
• How effective were the exit strategies, and approaches to phase out assistance provided by the project including support to public policy dialogue?
• What are the key factors/areas that will require addition support/attention to improve prospects of sustainability of the project outcomes and the potential for replication of the project approaches?

Evaluation Methodology

The evaluation process will be guided by Habitat for Humanity Zambia and the project partners who shall be responsible for the overall direction and backstopping. The evaluation will combine qualitative and quantitative data collection and evaluation techniques using the following methods:

Desk-base review: The evaluation will review relevant project documents and content produced before and during project implementation including the project proposal, annual and quarterly work plans, project progress reports and annual project reports.
Interviews with Project stakeholders/partners: In addition to the desk review, the evaluation will also conduct interviews with key project stakeholder (particularly Zambia Land Alliance and Bauleni United Sports Academy) using a structured methodology developed by the consultant in collaboration with HFHZ MEAL and Project Staff.
Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): A set of KIIs will also be conducted with selected relevant key informants and institutions (a list of key informants and institutions such as Kabwe Municipal Council staff, MEDEEM Zambia, Community Development Office, WDCs and office of the counsellors in Kabwe and Makululu)
Focus Group Discussions: Data will also be collected using focus groups discussion with project beneficiaries and other project stakeholders using a pre-designed focus group discussion guide.
Survey: Where applicable, sample survey will be conducted in select locations to gauge the perception of the population about the outcome and impact of the project.

3.0 EVALUATION DELIVERABLES AND MANAGEMENT

3.1 Evaluation timelines

The end of project evaluation is expected to start in the last week of September 2023 and will last for 30 working days including fieldwork/interviews and report writing and submission.

Deliverables
Description
Timelines

1. Inception Report
This must define the scope of the work with a proposed work plan and evaluation questionnaires to be submitted 5 days following the official commencement of the evaluation. The inception report will provide the Consortium, its donor, and other key stakeholders the opportunity to ascertain that the evaluator(s) share the same understanding about the evaluation objectives. The inception report should detail the evaluators’ understanding of what is being evaluated and why, showing how each evaluation question will be answered by way of: proposed methods; proposed sources of data; and data collection procedures. The inception report should include a detailed schedule of tasks, activities, and deliverables, designating a team member with the lead responsibility for each task or product.
6th – 9th February 2024

2. Fieldwork Preparation
Training of enumerators, testing of tools and final validation
12th – 16th February 2024

4. Data Collection
Briefing, deployment of enumerators, data collection and post field work debriefing
17th – 26th February 2024

5. Draft Evaluation Report
The evaluator(s) must submit draft report for review and comments by all parties involved after analysis of the field data. Both Habitat and the project partners will review the draft evaluation report to ensure that the evaluation meets the required quality.
4th March 2024

6. Final Report

This will be submitted 5 – 7 days after receiving comments from the project team. The content and structure of the final analytical report with findings, recommendations and lessons learnt covering the scope of the evaluation should meet the requirements of HFHZ and its project partners and must not exceed 30 pages following:

• Executive Summary (not exceeding 5 pages)
• Introduction
• Description of the evaluation methodology
• Situational analysis regarding the outcome, outputs, and partnership strategy
• Analysis of opportunities to provide guidance for future programming. Key findings, including best practices and lessons learned.
• Conclusions and recommendations
• Appendices: Charts, terms of reference, field visits, people interviewed, documents reviewed

19th March 2024

7. Submission of a short version of the report

This will be a summarised evaluation report version.  (intended for external audiences such as local funder and international cooperation current and future funders)
19th March 2024

3.2 Evaluation Management and Arrangements

The evaluation process will be managed by the Monitoring, Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist and will be supported by project manager. The consultant will report directly to the MEAL Specialist for logistics.

REQUIREMENTS

The contract will be awarded to a recognized team of Zambia, which can propose a research team meeting the following criteria:

Team leader should have at least a master’s Degree with a minimum of seven years’ experience in a field relevant to the assignment, for example in development studies, Statistics, Monitoring and Evaluation, Results Based Management related social science fields or business administration.
Experience of project formulation and evaluation and practical experience of end of project evaluation in Zambia or in similar context.
At least 10 years of experience in working with international organizations and donors, evaluating projects with multiple partners with complex implementation modalities.
Experience of effective interaction with local and national organizations, government departments, and marginalized communities in urban areas.
Proven experience of using participatory tools as a means of data collection for project evaluation
Statistical analysis skills and strong proficiency with data analysis packages.
Proven experience in conducting project evaluation.
Relevant subject matter knowledge and experience such as Housing sector, advocacy, financial literacy, gender, and capacity strengthening.
Excellent communication and written skills in English and where possible knowledge of local languages and the ability to present data concisely and clearly.

Disclosure of conflict of interest.

Offers will be evaluated on these criteria as well as the quality of the technical offer (proposed methodology, capacity to mobilise qualified personnel in the field, etc.) and the soundness of the financial offer.

DETAILS OF SUBMISSION

Eligibility of the consultant

Interested, eligible and qualified consultants should submit.

A detailed proposal and a cover letter electronically with a clear subject ‘Expression of Interest for the provision of consultancy service for the End of Project Evaluation of the solid ground: access to secure land and safe homes project in Kabwe outlining the methodology, timeframe, expertise, and budget (for the work of data analysis, report writing and finding dissemination to project stakeholders)
A summarized description of the scope of work and the intended methodology to be used including sampling methods, data collection tools as well as a tentative work plan including activities and timelines.
A financial proposal for the support services outlined in the ToRs.
Names and contacts of three recent professional referees (previous clients) for whom similar work has been conducted.
2 sample evaluation report of a similar work which demonstrates evidence of the skills and experience required and a list of past evaluation produced by the lead consultant/evaluator.
Proof company registration, including tax clearance.
Names and CVs of team members proposed, highlighting their experience relevant to this study and their roles in the achievement of the assignment.

5.2 Ethical standards and Intellectual Property

The consultants shall support the process by ensuring that the study is designed and conducted to respect and protect the rights and welfare of the people and communities involved and to ensure that the study is technically accurate and reliable, is conducted in a transparent and impartial manner, and contributes to organizational learning and accountability. The consultants will also commit to adhering to Habitat for Humanity’s Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. Additional terms and conditions of service shall be spelt out in the contract.

All products resulting from this study will be owned by Habitat for Humanity Zambia and its project partners.  The consultants will not be allowed, without prior authorization in writing, to present any of the analytical results as his or her own or to make use of the research results for private publication purposes.

5.3 Budget

The budget for the consultancy should include all relevant costs including professional fees (consultant team as well as local staff including enumerators etc.), travel, local transport, accommodation etc.). The budget amount should be presented for discussion with HFH. A detailed and easy to follow budget is expected with budget notes.

Tax and insurance: The consultant/s shall be responsible for own tax and insurance during the assignment.

5.4 Application

Application with eligibility documents outlined under 5.1 should be submitted by the deadline of 11:59 pm on 29th January 2023 by using the email Procurement@habitatzam.org.zm copying nchimunyah@habitatzam.org.zm and addressed to.

The National Director,

Habitat for Humanity Zambia,

P.O. BOX 34987,

Plot 9696, 5th Turn Off-Munali Road, Chudleigh,

Lusaka, Zambia.

Office phone: (+260) 211 251087.