Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) Belgium - Drought Mitigation Initiative Project (DMI): Development of Interactive Learning Booklets for Children

Terms of Reference for the Development of Interactive Learning Booklets for Children

Drought Mitigation Initiative project (DMI)

Background

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) Belgium is an international non-profit organization working with disadvantaged communities to increase their standard of living and improve food security through improved animal health and animal production in East Africa.

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF) Belgium jointly with Oxfam GB, Practical Action, VSF-Germany and ACTED have combined their experience in the dry lands management of Northern Kenya and the border regions of neighboring countries to implement the Drought Mitigation Initiative (DMI) project in Northwestern Kenya.

Drought Mitigation Initiative (DMI) Project was funded under EC’s Linking Relief Rehabilitation and Development (LRRD) with an overall aim of building, supporting and strengthening the capacity of local communities in Turkana, Pokot and Samburu to proactively address their own needs in relation to improved disaster preparedness and response.

Rather than providing significant levels of external support the project seeks to enable pastoralists to build on their own knowledge and to utilize their existing assets (both social and capital) more effectively. DMI project, seeks to provide a model for future drought preparedness programming. If successful, this model will be replicated in other arid areas.

This consultancy aims at developing an interactive training booklet for children and train teachers on the use of the booklet. It is one of the activities planned under result 3 improved community based drought preparedness and harmonization of approaches of key stakeholders. The aim is to have 3,000 booklets developed and disseminated to primary schools.

Objectives

The consultancy objective is to develop interactive learning booklets for school children aged 8-12 to educate and raise awareness on range management principles issues, with a strong focus on drought, natural resource management, peace and conflict resolution in the DMI project locations.

The consultancy requires field visits to develop the technical content according to local practices, Knowledge, experiences and social norms with support from VSFB Land Use Planning Officer and the project manager.

Location and timing

The consultancy will take place in North-western Kenya, the areas to be visited include:

• Turkana ecosystem – Oropoi, Lokamarinyang, Kokuru, Loima and Lokori/Katilia locations
• Pokot ecosystem – Alale, Akoret, Nyangaita, Amaya locations
• Samburu ecosystem - Longewan and Nachola locations

Key activities

• Prepare a detailed work plan for the assignment which outlines the methodology to be used;
• Conduct field visits in the project locations spending a minimum of 4 days in each ecosystem in discussion with communities, VLUPC, PFS facilitators, local leaders, teachers, VSF staff and other DMI/LRRD partners.
• Collect any required illustrations (photos) from the field.
• Develop the technical content according to local context.
• Review and improve on the ICRD project learning booklet developed for Somali, Karimojang, and Oromiya ecosystems;
• Design/layout the booklets.
• Submit a draft booklet for review
• Integrate any feed-back into the final product

Execution

The whole mission (Nairobi/Lodwar and field locations) is not expected to take more than 25 days. The final product (translated copies) should be available by December 15th 2009 at the latest.

Deliverables

• Three interactive learning booklets, one for each of the project ecosystems:
• One training manual in English to facilitate awareness sessions not more than 20 facing pages published;
• Three booklets translated in local languages - Turkana, Pokot and Samburu targeting school children aged 8 -12 years of age;
• Pilot awareness raising and education sessions using the developed booklets in at least two schools;
• Hard copies and a its soft copies must be submitted and will remain the property of VSF-B and its partners;

Responsibility

The DMI project Manager based in Lodwar, Turkana will:-

• Have overall responsibility and accountability for the mission,
• Ensure the overall coordination of the mission in conjunction with the project partners,

Qualifications

The consultant should:

• Have a demonstrated experience of working with drought affected pastoral communities in the Horn of Africa.
• Have scientific knowledge and prior experience of/on rangeland management issues.
• Have experience in designing interactive learning materials for children;
• Understand climate change, adaptations and coping strategies in ASALs.

How to apply

Interested expert(s) should submit proposals indicating relevant qualifications and experience as well as a detailed execution plan. They should also indicate daily consultancy rates and possible starting dates. The proposals, CV and letter of motivation as well as three (3) referees should be sent electronically to recruitment @ vsfb.or.ke

Ref: DMI Consultancy 9/09

Closing date: 15th October 2009