Terms of Reference: Mid Term Evaluation of the Programme “Reinforcing Community Capacity for Social Cohesion through Societal Trauma Healing in Rwanda”

Background and Introduction

Since October 2021, Interpeace, in consortium with Prison Fellowship Rwanda (PFR), Haguruka, Dignity in Detention (DIDE) and in partnership with the Government of Rwanda through Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), has been implementing a programme entitled "Reinforcing community capacity for social cohesion and reconciliation through Societal Trauma Healing" in five Districts, namely: Nyagatare, Ngoma, Musanze, Nyabihu and Nyamagabe. The four years programme funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), uses a holistic and innovative approach aimed at simultaneously providing mental health services, advancing social cohesion, and promoting sustainable livelihoods among the targeted programme participants. Our programme participants include genocide survivors, genocide perpetrators (current and former/ released prisoners) and their families, returnees, ex combatants, youth, and local, grass root leaders. Other target participants include community-based organizations and actors (including formal mental health structures) intervening in mental health (District hospitals and Health centres), social cohesion, and collaborative livelihood initiatives at the community level.

The programme’s overall Goal is to reinforce social cohesion and sustainable peace through scaling up community-based healing initiatives This goal is operationalized through four specific objectives:

• Community-based methods for addressing past wounds and promoting social cohesion are integrated into mental health and prisoner reintegration protocols in 5 Districts.
• Collective healing and socio-economic development activities increase social cohesion in target communities.
• Youth have the skills and spaces to manage past trauma and develop a shared understanding for building a peaceful an inclusive future, including through joint income-generating initiatives.
• National policies and programmes on mental health and social cohesion are informed by lessons learnt from the monitoring and evaluation of this pilot programme.

Interpeace Rwanda programme seeks services of a consultant to conduct a midterm evaluation to assess the progress of the programme implemented in Musanze, Ngoma, Nyabihu, Nyagatare and Nyamagabe Districts. The evaluation will cover the period from the 25^th of October 2021 to 31 December 2023.

The consultant is expected to measure the progressive outcomes of the programme, by analysing the achievements, challenges encountered, lessons learned and adaptations to mitigate encountered challenges. It is expected that the consultant will provide recommendations that will in return contribute to improving the implementation of the remaining programme interventions, and future programme design. Interpeace anticipates that the evaluation will commence on May 1^st, 2024, and ends on June 30^th, 2024. The final timeframe will be agreed upon with the selected consultant.

Objectives and key questions of the evaluation

The main objective of the midterm evaluation (MTE) is aimed to assess the continued relevance of the intervention and the progress made towards achieving its planned objectives and targets. In addition, MTE is expected to document key challenges, lessons learned, and adaptations made, and recommend any modifications required to ensure the achievement of the programme objectives within the lifetime of the programme.

The mid-term evaluation is provided by the grant agreement and will be of interest to the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), as well as Interpeace and its partners in Rwanda.

Key evaluation Questions:

Relevance:

• To what extent is the programme intervention logic/strategy still relevant to the context and the beneficiaries in the five (5) target districts?

Coherence:

• To what extent is the programme still coherent to the defined needs and priorities of national and local stakeholders in the five (5) target districts?
• To what extent is the programme consistent with the grant’s objectives, and the strategic objectives of Interpeace?
• To what extent do the partnerships with Rwandan implementing partners (CSOs) follows IP's partnership policies and contribute to enhancing the capacities of these partners?

Effectiveness and Impact

• To what extent is the programme progressing towards achieving its planned targets and objectives?
• What are the main factors influencing the outcome of the programme, as to whether the programme is reaching its goal or not?
• To what extent is the programme contributing to changes in the context (societal healing and resilience), at the local level?
• To what extent has the programme been coordinated with other programmes in the same field of work?
• Is the programme being implemented as designed?

Efficiency

• To what extent are the programme’s strategies and resources sufficient to reach the desired outcomes?

Gender and youth responsiveness

• To what extent does the programme integrate gender into the programme’s strategy?
• How effective is the programme’s efforts to integrate gender into the programme strategy?
• To what extent does the programme integrate the youth into the programme’s strategy?
• How effective is the programme’s efforts to integrate the youth into the programme strategy?

Learning

• What are the major challenges that emerged during the various periods of programme implementation that affected the achievement of results?
• How did the programme adapt to changes in the context and emerging challenges during programme implementation?
• How do you describe the stakeholders’ engagement in the programme?
• To what extent is the programme adhering to the principles of Do No Harm and employ conflict sensitivity while implementing and adapting the programme strategies?
• What best practices and lessons learnt from the programme should be incorporated into the next phase of the programme?
• What mechanisms should the programme integrate to ensure continued monitoring and relevant adaptation of the programme to changes in the context?
• What should programme partners take into consideration to improve the overall design and implementation of the programme?
• What areas/themes would be most relevant for the programme (and future programme) to focus on?
• What strategies can the next programme phase employ to improve the integration of gender and youth into the overall programme strategy?

Sustainability

• To what extent are the programme’s established processes and systems likely to support the continued implementation of the programme?
• To what extent are the programme achievements sustainable s within the lifetime of the programme, and beyond the programme period?

Interpeace anticipates that these key evaluation questions will be further refined with the selected evaluation consultant(s).

Scope of work

The anticipated duration of the evaluation is 40 days with a maximum of 10 days being spent for field data collection. Thereafter, the first draft report expected by the 27^th of June 2024, with the final evaluation report to be submitted by July 10^th ,2024. The final timeframe will be agreed upon with the selected consultant(s).

It is expected that the consultant(s) will use participatory evaluation methodologies which may include but are not limited to, outcome harvesting, contribution mapping/contribution analysis, individual interviews, focus group discussions, most significant change, etc. These methodologies should also be gender, youth sensitive and respect the principles of Do No Harm. The evaluator is expected to present, agree upon, and apply a conceptual framework of analysis consistent with Interpeace’s procedures.

Methodology

The planned duration of the evaluation is 30 days, with a minimum of 10 days for data collection in the field in the implementing zones. The final timetable will be agreed with the selected consultant.

The programme was designed using the Outcome Mapping approach, which is also intended to guide the evaluation methodology. As part of this evaluation, the consultant will use various methods to gather information: review of key programme documents; direct observation in the field; interviews with targeted individuals and focus groups. The consultant will also use data collected and reported produced by Interpeace and the partners (including the programme inception report, annual reports, baseline survey report, and the research reports). The consultant will present and apply a conceptual framework for analysis consistent with the participatory and peace-building approach of Interpeace^[1] and its partners. In order to collect the data, the consultant's reference resource will be the Programme's logical framework, which contains the relationship between the Programme's indicators. The evaluation of the programme should be objective, while the learning and reflection exercise should be consultative/participatory.

Document review: The consultant will be able to carry out a results-based evaluation of the programme. To do this, he/she will be able to draw on pre-existing programme data and parts of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. The key documents relating to the programme will be examined, and they include: programme proposal, budget, logical framework, baseline survey report, monitoring reports (including randomised controlled trial and pre-post intervention screening databases, analyses, and visualizations, attendance lists, field reports, debriefings of dialogue and feedback sessions), interim reports (inception phase report and annual reports), and research reports etc., to carry out a first level of evaluation.

Key informants’ interviews: To complement and support these initial findings, and in response to the evaluation questions, the consultant is invited to use participatory and inclusive methods, for example: interviews, focus group discussions, Outcomes Harvesting, Most Significant Change Stories. The methodology used should demonstrate sensitivity to gender, age, conflict and other potential biases in order to do no harm.

Stakeholders’ consultations: Consultations with key programme stakeholders’ groups including relevant central government institutions (MINUBUMWE, RBC, RCS), local authorities (district/sector officials, prisons officials, district hospitals and health centres, schools’ leaders, etc.) in five targeted districts, and any other relevant stakeholder to be discussed and agreed with Interpeace Management.

The methodological process will follow the stages set out below:

1. Preliminary phase:
   1. Initial induction meeting with Interpeace and partners’ staff.
   2. Carry out a review of all relevant documentation (programme documents, monitoring & evaluation reports, research reports, interim reports, and any other relevant documentation).
   3. Finalising the design of the evaluation methodology, data collection tools, and workplan

2. Field work:
   1. Putting together a team: A team will be put together based on the level of professional experience, knowledge of the context, knowledge of local languages, ability to conduct interviews and focus groups and other types of data collection experience. Interviewers must be identified, recruited, and trained locally. Partners will be involved, and the final report will be shared with them for validation.
   2. Field data collection through agreed participatory and inclusive methodology.

3. Data analysis, report writing and feedback:

The evaluation team will analyse the data collected in the field and draw up a first draft report. This report will be submitted and presented to the programme management team for any necessary feedback.

Deliverables & Timeline

The main deliverables of this evaluation are as follows:

• Inception report: The consultant must produce an inception report stating the understanding of the terms of reference, the understanding of the programme and design and objectives, detailed description of the methodology to be followed for data collection and analysis, division of tasks between team members and the evaluation workplan. The inception report should also include the data collection tools (in Word version). The initial report should be produced and submitted within the first 5 days, after the contract has been signed, and will be reviewed by Interpeace for guidance on the continuation of the evaluation.
• Report of preliminary findings: including (i) an interventional framework for the analysis; (ii) a description of the evaluation methods used; (iii) the main findings; (iv) lessons learned; (v) conclusions and recommendations. A presentation of the findings to the programme management team and key stakeholders will be made to provide an opportunity for initial validation of the evaluation findings, and any relevant feedback.
• Final evaluation report: the (team of) consultant(s) will finalise the report, including an executive summary and all appendices, considering the comments and suggestions made by Interpeace and its partners. This will be done in a well-formatted and designed document that can be used for publication. The evaluation report shall include a main text of not more than 40 pages with findings and recommendations (excluding appendices).

Qualifications

The consultant/Team of consultants is/are expected to have the following skills and professional experience:

• At least a master’s degree in social sciences, peacebuilding, conflict studies, evaluation, social research etc.,
• A minimum of 6 years in conducting evaluations/assessments, preferably with healing & peacebuilding programmes/ projects.
• Proof of successful implementation of similar assignments.

General professional experience

• Practical knowledge of results-based management and gender mainstreaming
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong knowledge of and experience in trauma healing, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and reconciliation programmes
• Excellent facilitation skills with the use of certain participative methods.
• Ability to work within tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of Rwandan societal healing context.
• Good quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis and reporting skills.
• Demonstrate good quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis and reporting skills.
• Demonstrate good quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis and reporting skills.
• Solid experience working with Central Government institutions, donors, international organisations, and local communities.
•  Knowledge of Kinyarwanda (by at least some of the evaluation team) and English is a must.

Instructions for the preparation and submission of proposals

To demonstrate their qualifications, each candidate, whether a natural person or a legal entity, must submit a tender which includes the following documents:

For consideration for this opportunity, please submit the aforementioned documents by April 30^th, 2024(11:59 PM, Kigali time) via email to uwase@interpeace.org and copy recruitment@interpeace.org, with the subject of the e-mail: "Consultant for the mid-term evaluation of the Rwanda Societal Healing Programme".

Applications will be examined as they are received. Advanced submissions are therefore encouraged.

Once the applications have been examined by the Adjudication Committee, the successful candidate will be contacted directly by Interpeace. 

[1]http://www.interpeace.org/what-we-do/our-peacebuilding-principles/