1. Introduction

DSW (Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung) is an international development and advocacy organization that seeks to empower young people and communities in low and middle-income countries by addressing issues of population dynamics and health as a key to sustainable development. With its headquarters in Hannover, Germany, DSW runs country offices in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and liaison offices in Berlin and Brussels.

The mission of DSW is to empower young people, promote an enabling environment and foster their meaningful and inclusive participation in socio-economic development. This mission is achieved through a commitment to creating demand for and access to health information, services, supplies, and economic empowerment for youth through advocacy, capacity development and reproductive health initiatives[1].

DSW Kenya’s Strategic Plan (2018-2020) outlines five strategic goals: Foster demand for and access to health information, health supplies and youth friendly services, particularly for sexual and reproductive health; Advance the respect and protection of sexual and reproductive rights, with a focus on eliminating gender-related discrimination and inequality; Empower young people to make their voices heard in decision-making processes at local, national, and global levels; enhance Improved and equal access to socio-economic opportunities of vulnerable young people; and Strengthen and enhance organisational growth, sustainability and visibility.

2. The Project Background

a. The Context

Kilifi and Migori counties are largely rural counties whose residents are dependent on agriculture and related economic activities as the primary source of livelihood. While the government classifies Kilifi county as semi-arid, Migori county, on the other hand, suffers erratic changes in weather patterns characterised by flash floods, seasons of extreme drought alternating with long rains. As a result, both counties are chronically food insecure[2]. The rural areas of Migori and Kilifi counties are additionally characterised by high rates of poverty and high unemployment rates.

While the socio-economic and environmental situations expose all to unhealthy living conditions, women and children are more at risk due to increased vulnerabilities emanating from the additional barriers due to cultural barriers against women’s access to health and economic opportunities.

Kenya has one of the highest numbers of people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. In 2017, the country had 1.5 million cases of PLWHIV/AIDS with 9% of these cases being youth aged 10 – 19 years (Kenya HIV County Profiles, 2016). Kilifi and Migori counties form part of the most affected counties in Kenya, with adolescents accounting for 25% of all new infections. The counties also report significantly low sexual debut among the youth, with 55% of individuals having had their first sexual encounter before age 15 years. Pregnancies and HIV infections among are also as a result of child marriages in Kilifi and Migori counties. The combined experiences of pregnancy, motherhood and living with HIV/AIDS has significant negative impact on the mental and emotional health of adolescents. Additional stressors from parental duties negatively impact the upbringing of such children. Consequently, stakeholders list lack of parenting skills and child neglect as key issues affecting adolescent parents (DSW, 2018). ALMLHIV are at more risk of sexual and gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence compared to their non-pregnant, non-parenting peers.

Through funding from ViiV Healthcare Positive Action, DSW Kenya is intending to implement a 36-month project in Kilifi south and Rongo sub counties of Kilifi and Migori counties respectively. The project aims to help address the societal challenges affecting AMLHIV through a) developing resilience and increasing interdependence among the AMLHIV, b) creating safe and supportive communities, c) sustainable provision of quality integrated HIV/Sexual and reproductive services, and d) create an enabling environment to eliminate socio-cultural barriers affecting AMLHIV.

b. Project Beneficiaries and Geographical Scope

During the implementation of this Reaching the last girl Project, targeted population will include: adolescent mothers living with HIV, young adolescent pregnant and lactating women, adolescents between the ages 15-24 years Rongo in Migori sub-county and kilifi south sub-county*.* Further, all the interventions are aimed to work closely with members of CHMT both in kilifi and Migori County with close support from SCHMT teams with the project areas

3. Objectives of the Baseline Evaluation

a. Overall objective

The baseline survey will provide a detailed reference during program start-up, implementation and at project end line. A comparative analysis of the baseline and end-line will aid in the assessment for program outcome and impact.

b. Specific objectives

i. To give guidance on specific intervention strategies that will be used for the development of advocacy Strategy for the project

ii. To establish baseline information including KAP for benchmarking and to assess impact at the end of the project cycle

The overall goal of MEL is to contribute towards project efficiency and effectiveness in implementation, sustainability and impact of Reaching the Last Girl through continuous feedback, learning sessions, and review of reports and data verification.

Additionally, the baseline evaluation aims to determine the status of the project result areas:

a. Resilience and independence of AMLHIV;

b. Access to integrated HIV, SRHR and nutritional information and services;

c. Agency of AMLHIV to access basic rights as at the beginning of the project, and

d. To identify targets, set milestones and deliverables of the project.

The evaluation, as part of deliverable under the ViiV Healthcare Positive Action grant will provide baseline values for the following indicators:

Indicator Number

Indicator Selected

Required Indicators

Indicator 1

Direct Reach: Number of people directly reached by Positive Action funded projects**.**

Indicator 2

Number of people linked to HIV testing services

Indicator 4

Number of people linked to HIV treatment and care services

Indicator 6

Number of people accessing mental wellbeing related services and/or programs

Indicator 7

Number of people among priority populations and existing service providers trained

Indicator Number

Indicator Selected

Optional Indicators

Indicator 1

# of people among priority populations and existing service providers trained**

Indicator 2

# of service providers trained

2. Scope of the Baseline evaluation

The Consultant will be expected to employ an agreed methodology to meet the above-mentioned objectives. The scope of the baseline evaluation includes the following

a. Methodology

The baseline evaluation will adopt an exploratory approach with the objective of outlining community knowledge attitudes and perceptions/practices, as well as project specific needs as outlined in the objectives of this evaluation. The consultant is expected to develop and administer questionnaires, In depth interview tools, key informant interview tools and focus group discussion guides. As part of the evaluation, the consultant is expected to carry out a review of existing literature to provide further details on the project deliverable areas.

b. List of expected stakeholders

DSW Kenya Project Manager and M&E team will liaise with the consultant on the nature and stakeholders at the county level to be engaged in the baseline evaluation and through the implementation of the project. The consultant will provide, as an annex, a brief stakeholder analysis matrix for the various stakeholder groups.

3. Tasks and Deliverables of the Consultancy

The tasks and deliverables of the consultant will include:

a. Specific tasks by the consultant

The key tasks for this consultancy that would ensure that the consultants achieve the above will be to:

• Develop an effective inception report clearly demonstrating a full understanding of the ToR, with proposed methodology (including evaluation questions) and relevant instruments to achieve the objectives of the assignment

• Identify key informants and respondents for data collection

• Develop relevant tools for data collection including interview guides

• Pre-test the tools in the field environment

• Train enumerators and coordinate field data collection

• Ensure that data collection is done in a consistent and comprehensive manner

• Analyse the data using appropriate software

• Present preliminary findings of the assignment to DSW for review

• Produce a draft report including findings, conclusions and recommendations.

• Compile a final report. The final version of the report will take into consideration feedback provided on the draft report. Annexes can be used to provide additional information to support the report (see final report outline below)

• Hand over to DSW the survey raw data and data base, soft copy of all survey tools and detailed information about the location (GPS reference points where possible) of the youth clubs included in the survey to allow for replication of the survey at end line

DSW will provide the consultant with the Positive Action Data Collection/M&E protocol as an annex to guide the baseline process, including recruitment of research assistants and engagement of beneficiaries.

b. Administrative and logistical support

The Consultants will be responsible to the DSW M&E team with support from the programmes manger and will widely consult and receive support from the project officer and the project steering committee. In order to support the actualization of this assignment and within stipulated timelines, DSW will also provide the following:

• All necessary program reference documents

• Logistical support including field travel, accommodation and Perdeim will be provided as per DSW Kenya’s policy to facilitate field work processes. Therefore, these should not be included in the quote.

c. Baseline Assessment Schedule **

The evaluation has to be conducted within strict timelines in order to allow for completion so that the findings and recommendations can be disseminated timely. The schedule from the inception meeting to the final report is expected to run from September 2021 – 1^st November 2021 at the latest.

1. Key Deliverables and expected Outputs

a. An Inception report: Upon selection, the consultants shall have an inception meeting with DSW within which he/she shall be briefed on the assignment and provided an opportunity to prepare the inception report, within two days of the assignment. This report will consist of a realistic work plan that will operationalize and direct the exercise. The inception report will articulate how the consultant understands the ToR, a concept on how they propose to undertake the assignment and articulate their methodology. The inception report will address the following elements:

• Relevant documentation which will be reviewed

• Methodology

• Work schedule with deliverables by date and a refined financial proposal

b. Preliminary Findings and a Draft Report: The appointed consultants will be expected to provide a report of preliminary findings, likely recommendations and conclusions which will be presented to program team for comments. Subsequently, a draft report will be submitted to DSW that addresses all issues identified in the Terms of Reference and work plan. The draft report will be informed by feedback processes at all levels.

c. The Final Report - The Consultants will submit a complete final report after incorporating comments and feedback from the draft report. The final report should cover all areas in detail with such an outline:

i. List of acronyms

ii. Acknowledgements

iii. Table of contents

1. Executive summary

2. Introduction and background

a. Objectives of the project

b. Program beneficiaries per thematic area

c. Purpose/objectives of the baseline survey

1. Methodology

a. Data collection methods and tools

b. Evaluation design

c. Sample size determination

d. Sampling technique and respondent characteristics

e. Data Management

f. Ethical considerations

1. Baseline Assessment Findings - per thematic area

2. Conclusions and recommendations

3. List of Annexes including:

a. Terms of reference

b. Data collection tools

c. List of documents reviewed

d. List of respondents interviewed

d. Power point presentation of the survey findings – brief presentation of the key findings and recommendations at the tail end of the assignment.

5. Skills and Experience

The consultant is expected to have the following skills and experience

· Proven minimum 7 years’ experience in HIV, Gender and SRH programming.

• Demonstrable knowledge and experience working in the areas of family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) especially in low- and middle-income countries
• Possess knowledge and experience working with County health infrastructure and stakeholders, experience in the regions under this evaluation will be an added advantage
• Knowledge designing research methodologies and tools for evidence-based advocacy within the Kenyan context **

Compensation

The consultancy fee will be paid in instalments as agreed in contract and is based on deliverables and commensurate with contractual requirements and deadlines.