Country: Somalia
Closing date: 14 Feb 2016
Terms of Reference for Training Facilitation on Community-Based Drought Early Warning Systems (CBEWS)
Training Location: Garowe – Puntland, Somalia
1.Introduction
Prolonged severe droughts in Somalia have contributed to violent resource conflicts, eroded community livelihoods and increased food insecurity and infant mortality. Despite the repeated occurrence of droughts in Somalia, community’s capacity for anticipating and managing droughts remains weak. Responses to drought in most communities in Somalia are generally reactive. The 2014-2018 Resilience Strategy[1] developed by the Puntland state of Somalia identifies inadequate capacities and vulnerabilities as some of the contributing factors to community susceptible to drought shocks and stresses. They lack access to reliable, drought early warning (DEW) information that would have helped to mitigate the impact of droughts. Because they lack advance warning information, the risk of impending drought remains largely invisible to pastoral populations. The Somali government on its part lacks institutional capacities and early warning systems. Although a number of specialized agencies monitor the drought situations in Somalia and in the Horn of Africa region, information does not adequately trickle down to the grassroots level and normally ends at the national level. Additionally, most of the early warning information is too technical for communities to interpret or comprehend. Training of rural and pastoralist communities on how to be prepared for drought threats, is identified in the strategy as one ways to reduce vulnerabilities and increase communities’ own capacity to identify and respond to drought disasters.
CARE International in Somalia wishes to establish Community-Based Early Warning System (CBEWS) in 3 districts in Puntland. The CBEWS will serves as capacity building for drought prevention and will also be used to strengthen the capacity of the community and government to recognize droughts early enough, so as to reduce its impacts. A training on CBEWS is proposed for CARE and implementing partner staff as initial activity to kick start entire process of establishing the system.
2.Consultancy background
Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Agency (HADMA) of Puntland is the specialized disaster management agency in Puntland, Somalia, that provides early warning functions, such as monitoring, collecting, analyzing and delivering drought related information to the wider community. The consultant will train key staff from HADMA who will in turn train selected community members on collecting information on drought early warning. CARE staff involved in project implementation will also be trained. The direct beneficiaries of the drought early warning system are the pastoralist populations and other rural/settled populations that rely on livestock economy who will need this information in order to identify, prepare collectively and manage common disaster risks and establish risk reduction measures like in cases of drought. The staff from HADMA who will be trained by the consultant, will train identified community members especially from the vulnerable groups, who will be involved in all stages of the community based early warning system and their needs taken into consideration. The project will facilitate the creation of community-based volunteers, who will be responsible for collecting data on key drought trigger indicators to be used in early warning systems. In addition, the project will facilitate the formation of local drought committees from the three (3) target districts which are Garowe, Qardho & Badhan in Bari and Sanaag regions respectively. The committee members will be trained and equipped to enable them interpret drought information. Both community-based drought volunteers and drought committees will have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Local drought committees will take a greater role in the identification of drought risks, dissemination of the warning messages to the wider community and inform them about potential risks. The committees will also participate in formulating the minimum trigger indicators that will be monitored.
3.Training objective
The overall objective of the consultancy is to strengthen the capacity of HADMA and CARE staff on drought early warning systems through a 5-day training in Garowe, Puntland.
4.Specific areas of the training
Upon completion of the training, participants will have learnt:
- Ways to undertake risk assessment for disaster reduction
- Effectively integrate information from specialized agencies such as SWALIM, FSNAU, and FEWSNET etc. into early warning and dissemination system
- Ways to analyse and interpret data from the community and share it into user friendly system
- Develop systems to institutionalize early warning system into existing emergency response and preparedness activities
- Ways to design community based early warning system that are community driven
- Best approaches to dissemination and public education on drought risk reduction.
The training content will include:
Key training areas
Description of training
Early warning systems
Basic terminology and concepts in EWS, Hazards, tools for EWS
Drought detection
Detection, monitoring, forecasting and information for warning –drought
Risk assessment
Risk mapping for early warning, risk communication
Standard operating procedures for EWS
Developing Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for EWS
Monitoring and evaluation of EWS
Monitoring and evaluation of EWS
5.Methodology
The exercise should entail participatory training techniques to ensure full participation of the participants in the training process and create a forum for interactive learning. In particular, the consultant is expected to:
§ Conduct comprehensive desk review of relevant documents to generate up to date and in-depth information to share with the participants.
§ Provide regular feedback/briefs with CARE project staff during the consultancy period.
§ Develop participatory active learning training techniques e.g. Group discussions where participants get into groups to undertake/discuss a concept and come up with group presentations.
§ Strengthen the participants capacity by ensuring participants are building new skills from previous knowledge/ skills
§ Conduct a pre and post evaluation of the learners
However, the consultant and his/her team are encouraged to propose additional methods to conduct the training.
6.Key deliverables
§ Work plan and time table of the training content with details of the methodology to be used.
§ A training guide: - This will aid HADMA and CARE participants to train selected community members (TOT guide)
§ A pre and post evaluation tool
§ Draft report– The consultant is expected to produce a draft report on the training exercise with a comprehensive conclusion and recommendation for future trainings. This will be reviewed by CARE Somalia for initial feedback.
§ Final report– The consultant will produce the Final Report after incorporating all comments and feedback provided by CARE.
7.Duration of the assignment:
The duration of the assignment is ten (10) working days after signing of contract. Days are inclusive of preparation, travelling, actual training and reporting. The actual training is expected to take place from 14th February 2016.
8.CARE’s responsibilities on the assignment:
In support to the consultant(s) to undertake the assignment, CARE Somalia will:
- Provide assistance in facilitating visas in Somalia, and travel expenses (Visa, taxi) upon presentation of receipts.
Make payment in US Dollars at an agreed rate (depending on experience)
Provide all relevant/available materials pertinent to the training
Provide logistical support for field activities.
Provide transport to and from Somalia during the consultancy period
Provide housing, boarding and transportation in Somalia. In case this is not provided while on field trip, CARE will pay per diem based on its rates in the country.
9.Qualifications of the consultant:
The consultant must possess relevant operational experience and qualifications to undertake the work, specifically the following;
- University degree in Disaster Risk Reduction, Disaster Management, Social Sciences or any other related field with a minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting similar work.
- Experience in conducting trainings on drought early warning systems using participatory methods.
- Advanced report writing skills
- Excellent training facilitation skills
- Fluency (written and verbal) in English. Somali language is an added advantage, but not a must.
10.How to apply:
All applications MUST be accompanied by a technical and financial proposal including a brief outline of the proposed methodology, 3 references with contacts and a tentative work plan as well the candidate’s availability. These shouldn’t exceed 10 pages. Deadline for submission of technical and financial proposals is 14**th February, 2016.**
Interested consultants or firms should submit their applications, updated CVs of individuals to conduct the training or profile of applying company to: somconsultants@care.org and copy Muhumed.Dubow@care.org and Wanjiru.wambugu@care.org. Please indicate “TRAINING ON DROUGHT EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS” as the subject heading.
[1] Puntland state of SOMALIA, Resilience Program guidance document, 2014 to 2018 llow"
How to apply:
1.How to apply:
All applications MUST be accompanied by a technical and financial proposal including a brief outline of the proposed methodology, 3 references with contacts and a tentative work plan as well the candidate’s availability. These shouldn’t exceed 10 pages. Deadline for submission of technical and financial proposals is 14**th February, 2016.**
Interested consultants or firms should submit their applications, updated CVs of individuals to conduct the training or profile of applying company to: somconsultants@care.org and copy Muhumed.Dubow@care.org and Wanjiru.wambugu@care.org. Please indicate “TRAINING ON DROUGHT EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS” as the subject heading.