Job Description

 Context and rationale 1.1          About SOS Children’s Villages

SOS Children’s Villages is a global federation of 136 national SOS Children’s Villages associations, working in more than 2000 programme locations worldwide. We work together with a single vision: every child belongs to a family and grows with love, respect and security.

SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland is part of SOS Children’s Villages International, the umbrella organization to which all SOS Children’s Villages including SOS in Somaliland Association is affiliated. SOS Children’s Village in Somaliland is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that is not for profit, non-sectarian and non-partisan and which has been in existence since 1999.

SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland is committed to the welfare of children who lost parental care or at risk of losing parental care – often ensuring that children grow up in a loving family environment, and to strengthening families and communities as a preventive measure in the fight against child abandonment and social neglect and upholds child protection policy as part of their commitment to the protection of children and youth from abuse. Uniquely, we provide long-term, family-like care for children who have lost parental care (alternative care service), and we work with vulnerable families and communities to help strengthen them and prevent family separation (family strengthening service, FS). SOS alternative care is usually organised in the form of a cluster of SOS families, where each SOS parent cares for small group of children.

SOS Children’s Villages was established in Somaliland in 1999 and it started first operations in Sahil region. Currently, SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland implements programs ranging from childcare, child protection, youth empowerment and participation, education and emergency interventions. SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland is operational in three regions of Somaliland: Awdal, Marodi-jeh and Sahil, and it had a good relationship with many stakeholders, including government institutions, local authorities at national, regional and district levels, INGOs, LNGOs and local communities, as well as other CSOs who are in and out of the operational area.

1.2          Description of project locations and context

Somaliland is one of the Least Developed Countries (LCD) in the world. Over half of the population lives below the UN poverty line and has one of the highest youth unemployment rates where two out of three young people below the age 35 years are unemployed.

Somaliland has faced consecutive droughts in the past 5 years and the cyclone that hit in mid-2018 affected severely the livelihoods of the people living in the coastal area of Sahil and Awdal regions. With this protracted draughts as well as the effects of the cyclone, pastoralist and agro-pastoralist families lost their livestock, agricultural plots and shelter, and as a result of this, moved to urban areas. In addition, children under 5 years represent more than one-quarter of all those affected and are the most at risk of malnutrition and water and sanitation hygiene (WASH) related illnesses and other childhood diseases.

SOS Children’s villages in partnership with Dutch relief alliance (DRA) is implementing the Somali joint Response Programme (SOMJR) 2024 which will be operating in Marodi-Jeh, Sol, and Togdher Regions, targeting the most vulnerable households, focusing on the following sectors and modalities: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Food Security and livelihood (Agricultural production, Food Distribution, IGA) Multipurpose Cash (MPC) and Protection. The project duration will be from January 2024 up to December 2024

1.3          Rationale and overall objective of the early warning system Assessment

This comprehensive assessment of early warning is to identify the existing gaps and challenges and deliver recommendation towards the identified gaps and challenges in the following target areas: Maroodi-Jeh, Awdal and Togdher regions.

This Assessment is expected to meet the following objectives: -

1.  Conduct a comprehensive mapping and assessment of existing formal and informal early warning systems within the target areas.
2. Identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in current early warning mechanisms, including issues related to accessibility, effectiveness, and inclusivity.

III.              Analyse the coverage, accuracy, and timeliness of early warning information dissemination.

1. Assess the capacity of local institutions and communities to effectively respond to early warning alerts and mobilize resources
2. Conduct community level comprehensive early warning assessment to determine community understanding on climate change threats, their vulnerabilities and exposures and existing climate response capacities.
3.  Propose an integrated early warning system which will help communities to prepare for hazardous climate-related events.

VII.           . Develop tools and knowledge on early warning systems based on the systematic collection of data and disaster risk assessments to generate accurate and timely warnings.

VIII.        Develop a mechanism to clearly communicate & disseminate risk warnings information to all the members of the affected communities.

1. Develop recommendations for enhancing and strengthening early warning systems to improve preparedness and resilience.

SPESIFIC EXPECTTED OUT COMES

• Data on climate change impact, vulnerability and capacity needs, preparedness for the selected communities in
• Recommendations on relevant early warning system climate change and adaptation plans in the project area
• Recommendations on relevant and sustainable climate smart agriculture practices
• Data on relevant and available early warning systems in the project area

2           GENERAL INFORMATION ON REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The bidders are welcome to submit their proposal for comprehensive early warning assessment in Marodi-Jeh, Sahil, Togdher and Awdal regions in Somaliland. This bid is open to all national (independent consultants or companies) who are legally constituted and can provide the requested services. The bidder shall bear all costs of the bid; costs of a proposal cannot be included as a direct cost of the assignment. The proposal and all supplementary documents have to be submitted in English. Financial bid needs to be stated in USD. 

Experiences and Qualifications

The researcher / team of researchers must have:

1. a)proven competency (record of previous experiences) in project
2. b)Higher University degree MSc and/or PhD in disaster risk management, forestry, climate change, natural resource management, socioeconomics or rural development, Monitoring and Evaluation.
3. c) Please send a 1-page application letter outlining your expertise and relevant experience in this consultancy and a 2 - 3 pages CV of the Lead Consultant.
4. d)  A concise maximum of 5-10 pages technical proposal, highlighting the proposed approach, methodologies, brief work schedule, team composition and timings of the process.
5. e) A brief financial proposal, clearly specifying the time, professional fees and proposed implementation costs.
6. f) The consultant must collect relevant literature and reference materials for this assignment. The organization will provide information such as the Project document and the initial list of stakeholders and location.
7. g)a good understanding of development work in Somaliland
8. h)a good understanding of child rights and issues affecting vulnerable children and their families
9. i)proven experience in working with conceptual frameworks and data collection methods (including age-appropriate data collection methods)
10. j)strong analytical and conceptual skills

1.1          Logistical arrangements

The full coverage of costs of accommodation and transport of the assessment must be included into the price proposal.

SOS Staff will provide the contacts of the local communities of the study areas.

Skills Required

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