Country: Somalia
Closing date: 10 Mar 2016
1.Background/IRC Summary
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers help to people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. At work today in over 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, the IRC serves people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities.
These Terms of Reference relates to a consultancy in support of training IRC Somalia health staff in Optimum Infant and young Child feeding practices (IYCF) which are essential for survival, growth and development of infants and young children. These feeding practices are comprised of breastfeeding, complementary feeding and feeding of the sick child. IRC will also engage the consultant to establish Mother-to-mother support groups (MtMSG) .The consultant will be responsible for engaging group members in discussion about IYCF and providing basic health education in an interactive, participatory manner. The MtMSG program will be health center-based and closely integrated with the clinic-based maternal and child health programs. These includes the fact that the MtMSG program aim at drawing women into the formal health care system who otherwise might not seek services.
2. Overall goal
The training overall goal is to contribute to improvement of the nutritional status, growth, development and survival of infants and young children through promotion and support for optimal IYCF and care practices.
3. Specific objectives
- To train health staff on IYCF counseling and support for caretakers
- To enable health staff demonstrate appropriate use of IYCF counseling skills.
- To provide capacity building to health staff on WHO/UNICEF recommended feeding practices for Infant and Young children from age 0 to 2 years in order to reduce the risks associated with inappropriate feeding practices
- To identify ways to prevent /resolve common breastfeeding difficulties.
- To describe how to feed children in difficult circumstances
- To enable participants understand the importance of family and community support in improving feeding practices.
- To describe the short- and long-term effects of malnutrition of women and children to Mtmsgs
- To explain how exclusive breastfeeding prevents common childhood illnesses and malnutrition to Mtmsgs
- To enhance access to and use of MCH services by building strong linkages between health care providers and peer support networks.
4. Scope of Work:
The assignment is expected to be conducted in the month of April, 2016. From 13th to 22nd: 12 health staff and 20 CHWs are targeted for this training.
The following are key deliverables expected of this consultancy and within the specified period:
- Initial inception report detailing the methodology to be used to train staff
- Updated IYCF Training Package materials, including facilitation guides, power points presentations, handouts and evaluation formats.
- A detailed work plan
- A detailed mother to mother support group strategy
- A full report of the training, lessons learned in process and follow up action plan.
- Staff and Mtmsgs follow up after the training.
5. Education Required Skills and Experience
- Degree in nutrition providing qualifications as a nutritionist is a must. Additional qualifications including masters in nutrition and public health in nutrition re highly desirable.
- Certified IYCF trainer.
- At least 3 years’ experience in field work and coordination with international agencies and organization in the field of emergency nutrition intervention
- Knowledge of main nutrition guidelines and practices is necessary (assessment, treatment, surveillance, monitoring and prevention), including the nutrition guidelines of Somalia.
- Communication skills: Able to speak the local language (Somali), experience and the ability to write professional documents, the ability to deliver effective presentations.
- People skills: the ability to lead staff and promote productivity.
- Training skills: the ability to transfer technical knowledge and skills.
Consultants should include the following considerations in their technical and financial proposals:
- No costs associated with preparing the application will be met by IRC i.e. time used to prepare the training proposal.
- The consultants will ensure the training is done correctly and completed as per the agreed timeline.
- The expected time line may be revised based on consultant/IRC discussions.
Minimum Criteria for submission of the proposal for the BID.
The IYCF specialist /institution should submit a technical and a financial proposal.
- The IYCF specialist /institution is expected to demonstrate that it has a track record of not less than three (3) years of experience executing similar assignments.
- Qualifications as specified in section (4) and proven experience in conducting search trainings.
6. Contractual issues
The IRC will provide the following at no cost to the consultant:
- Travel costs (to and from facilities within Somalia).
- The consultant / team must comply with The IRC rules and procedures related to security and relations with the media.
- The consultant/ team must respect the ethics related to evaluation practice.
- Security would be provided and organized by the IRC team.
7. Others
- The consultant will work closely with the Health Coordinator and Health Coordinator Assistant and liaise with the MoH in Mogadishu
8. Documents of reference (To be availed by IRC)
- Existing nutrition reports and related annexes.
- Current organizational chart/organogram and relevant maps.
- Relevant project documents as deemed necessary.
How to apply:
If you feel you/your organization fit the required profile and are available for the assignment, please submit a short technical proposal providing detailed budget breakdown, along with brief technical bio data of the core team members and evidence of similar work undertaken recently. Submit via email to ircsomaliajobs@rescue.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Application Deadline: 10th March 2016