Job Description

ACTIONAID INTERNATIONAL SOMALILAND  

Term of Reference

Media Firm Consultancy for collection, documentation, and dissemination of Stories of Change for The Girl Generation Supported to the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM (TGG-TGG-ALM) Program in Somaliland

Background

ActionAid International Somaliland (AAIS) is part of a global federation working to end poverty and injustice with thousands of communities and millions of people across the planet guided by its Country strategy paper “Transformative Action for a Resilient Future (2025 – 2029)”. With the current strategy, AAIS implements several protection programs through its engagement with communities, women, and youth groups, with the goal of empowering them ensuring safe spaces for them within their communities and providing referral pathways for the survivors of violence. In Somaliland Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is prevalent among 98% of women in their reproductive age, data from the 2020 Somaliland Health and Demographic Survey (SHDS), show that approximately 98% of women and girls (aged 15-49) in Somaliland have undergone FGM/C. Hence, ActionAid’s long-term vision is to see a generation of girls in Somaliland living without the threat of Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting or FGM/C. ActionAid has been implementing The Girl Generation Support to the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM Program in Somaliland since 2022 envisioning acceleration in positive changes in social attitudes towards ending FGM. This program will contribute towards achieving this vision and will build on the lessons learned and successes from previous programs in the country which include offering community dialogues and engaging young girls’ and boys in schools (school clubs) and providing awareness raising sessions. This program has been operating in five communities in Sool and Sanaag regions of Somaliland, where girls are at high risk of undergoing the most severe form of cutting.

Purpose of the Consultancy

From 2022 to March 2026, ActionAid International Somaliland has been conducting structured awareness-raising initiatives targeting communities in the Sool and Sanaag regions (Erigavo, Ceel-afweyn, Fadhigaab, Garadag, and Caynaba). As the program is due to likely come to a close in 2026, AAIS aims to document impactful stories and showcase the meaningful changes experienced by target girls and youth across these districts. This consultancy seeks to collect documentary-style content that includes the perspectives of various stakeholders, including beneficiaries, community leaders, and youth engaged in campaigns. These stories will reflect the benefits realized, the challenges faced, and the steps taken to address them, ultimately highlighting the transformative impact of the Africa-led Movement to End FGM/C program in Somaliland.

Scope of Work

• The consultant will travel to designated program locations to capture photos, conduct interviews with beneficiaries and stakeholders, and document video stories and campaigns led by youth that showcase program interventions focused on girls and women. This will specifically highlight key achievements and evidence of the program’s impact on the community.
• Create compelling video concept, scenarios/scripts, and storyboards in consultation with the TGG-TGG-ALM Program Manager and the AAIS communications focal staff that align with the program's goals and objectives, ensuring they resonate with the target audience.
• Capture b-roll footages of landscapes, community activities, youth clubs.
• To produce a professional, multilingual short document film for broad dissemination (8-10 min)
• Professionally edit content in English, including subtitles as necessary, and incorporate an appropriate soundtrack.
• Present a rough cut of the videos to the AAIS Management and program team for feedback, adjustments, and approval.
• Select a range of high-resolution photographs (approximately 80) and provide detailed captions for each.
• Revise the videos based on feedback from approvers, ensuring all input are integrated.
• Submit the finalized video stories, campaigns, and the short documentary film along with well-captioned photographs and all raw footage.
• Create a detailed work plan and appropriate methodology, with a timeline to be completed within 10 days.
• Deliver a minimum of 20 high-resolution edited and refined photos and 6 videos (2-4 minutes each) of stories of change, complete with clear captions and full metadata (who, where, what, when) for use in various communications and marketing efforts.
• Include Ten (10) stories from community members and beneficiaries that focus on their efforts to drive change, the challenges they face, and the impact the program has had, all conveyed in an accessible and non-technical manner.

Ethical Requirements

·     Photos, and videos from the respondents in the interviews and focus group discussions, must be priorly informed and sign consent form for each respondent.

Branding / Copyright and Intellectual Properties:

·     Copyright solely belongs to AAIS; therefore, all productions and written content will be purely AAIS property.

·     The consultant may not use, reproduce, or otherwise disseminate or authorize others to use, reproduce or disseminate such works without prior consent from AAIS

Deliverables:

·       Submission of work plan and script before execution.

·       Ten (10) high-resolution final Videos of stories of change and human stories edited and with English subtitles submitted, the Video length be 2-3 Minutes long.

·       Capture and submit 80 high-resolution Photos from the field.

·       Produce short documentary five (5) min film with English subtitles

·       Provide raw data to ActionAid International Somaliland.

·       The Videos and Photos should have a consent form signed from all interviewed/pictured personal and submitted.

Duration of the consultancy:

The duration of the consultancy will be 10 days, in consultation with the AAIS TGG-ALM Program team. The Consultant will generate a schedule specifying the implementation of the documentation and editorial process until delivery of the final products.

Experiences and Qualifications

·     Extensive proven experience, with more than five years in producing a documentaries, story of change in 2 to 4-minute short-format films, and professional photography in similar jobs with donors’, entities and humanitarian aid agencies in Somaliland.

·     Proof of expertise in similar work for the cameraman/editors involved should be submitted with the application by submitting relevant links to the work.

·     Ability to access and own dissemination platform including (popular and active social media sites for dissemination of collected stories) and experience in social media

·     Using innovative communication techniques and tools in conducting its work.

·     Ability to express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts through photo shooting and video development.

·     Extensive experience in professional audio-visual recording and editing.

·     Very good knowledge of current developments and practices in communication including digital media, indigenous media, community organization and participation.

·     The Consultant should have the capacity and deliver within the specified timeframe.

·     Familiarity with the context of target locations including the clan dynamics and cultural sensitivities of FGM/C

·     provide a sample of similar work they have completed. Additionally, it is essential that an editor is present on the field to support the team in refining and enhancing the content collected.

Skills Required

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