Call for Consultancy to conduct CASH AND VOUCHER BASED INTERVENTION Training 63 views

1.    Background

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation (Hereafter HELVETAS) is an independent organization for development that works with communities and local organizations on systematic change to realize a shared vision for a just, gender equitable and sustainable world where all people are agents of their own development

Together with its partners, Helvetas tackles global challenges at various levels: with projects on the ground, with expert advice, and by advocating for conducive framework conditions benefiting the poor. HELVETAS has been working in Ethiopia since 2002 and is legally registered as foreign organization working in 5 Thematic areas: Rural Infrastructure, Inclusive Local Governance, Skills, Development and Employment, Resilience, and Sustainable Livelihoods, and Emergency Preparedness and Response. With its head office in Addis Ababa, Helvetas operates in Amhara, Oromiya, Somali, Southwest, SNNPR & Sidama Regions and 5 regional offices. HELVETAS has been operating in the Amhara region since 2012 with field offices in Sekota, Bahir Dar and Debark implementing different humanitarian and development projects.

2.    About the assignment

In response to the urgent need for humanitarian aid, Helvetas Ethiopia is providing humanitarian assistance through commercial destocking, restocking, provision of veterinary drugs, animal feeds, and multi-purpose cash in Borena zone of Oromia regional state for its drought response programs. In addition, HELVETAS is providing emergency food security and livelihoods, agricultural inputs, provision of multi-purpose cash and NFI kits in Wag Hemra and North Gondar zones of the Amhara region for its humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected target groups.

in recent years, there is significant scope for increasing the use of Cash and voucher assistance in humanitarian responses. In appropriate contexts, this approach allows beneficiaries a wider and more dignified choice of assistance, based on their preferences; and it empowers vulnerable groups. It can be a vital contribution to making affected people the prime agents of response. Furthermore, cash and voucher support local markets and can enhance communities’ economic recovery, preparedness and resilience; and in certain cases, complement existing social protection systems. Cash based assistance recognizes that people affected by crisis are not passive recipients of aid who categorize their needs by sector.

Any provision of direct assistance (whether cash, voucher or in-kind) is a form of income for aid recipients, who must make difficult decisions to prioritize various and changing needs over time. Currently, Cash transfers are the only aid modality designed to offer people affected by crisis a maximum degree of flexibility, dignity, and efficiency commensurate with their diverse needs. As such, cash and voucher assistance encourage humanitarian actors to better understand the local economy and market dynamics in a holistic way, whether the program objective is to meet sector-specific needs or a range of needs that may differ from family to family. Cash and voucher assistance can be used regardless of context – urban and rural, rapid and slow onset, chronic and acute crises, and even natural and complex disasters.

What is essential is a context-specific Situation and Response Analysis that prioritizes a thorough assessments of the appropriateness and feasibility of different humanitarian interventions, including in-kind and other cash-based responses. As such, Cash and voucher can be used alone or alongside other sector-specific interventions, even enhancing the latter’s effectiveness. As people use cash and voucher assistance to meet a multitude of humanitarian needs, cash and voucher assistance therefore requires a multi-sector and often interagency approach to assessments, analysis, programme design and implementation. There is a gap in inter agency resources to deal with cash and voucher, and a need for operational guidance beyond agency- or sector-specific tools.

Helvetas Ethiopia is planning to conduct Cash and voucher-based intervention training for its staff including partners’ staff. The training will be conducted either at Addis Ababa or Bahir Dar for five consecutive days.

3.    Objective of the Assignment

To conduct training that provides comprehensive and practical guidance to Helvetas and Partners’ staffs to assess the feasibility, conceptualize the design and structure the implementation of cash and voucher-based intervention.

3.1. Specific Objectives:

· To equip Helvetas and partners staff with the necessary knowledge, skills, and capacities to consider the use of cash and voucher-based interventions and design and deliver them with quality, effectiveness, and integrity.

· To provide clarity and linkages with sector-specific interventions and how cash and voucher assistance can support sector-specific objectives and interventions.

· To elaborate how those sectors can contribute to the design of the Cash/voucher transfer value and MEB (Minimum Expenditure Basket) on which the Cash programme might have direct and indirect impacts.

4.    Methodology

The trainer is expected to deliver high quality interactive training which combines short presentations, group exercises, case scenario and other participatory training approaches.

5.    Expected outcomes/deliverables

• An inception report detailing the scope of the training, duration, and topics to be covered by the training.
• Delivery of a high-quality training course, using high quality training materials – contextualizing materials as appropriate to the setting and participants.
• Evaluation feedback and training report inputs: Written feedback and recommendations to inform a brief training report.

6.    Tentative Timelines and Milestones

7. Profile of the Trainer

We are looking for a trainer with experience in working with humanitarian partners’ and have advance experience on Cash and voucher programming in acute and protracted crisis context. The trainer should have:

• Minimum 2-year experience working as cash program advisor in Ethiopia and International level experience on cash program advisor is an added value
• Education qualification: Master’s degree in business or related field of study with 3-year experience and bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study and 6-year experience
• Advanced contextual knowledge of Ethiopia humanitarian operations with the focus on Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA).
• Experience of delivering CVA assistance in different contexts.
• Proven record of conducting trainings and workshops on CVA preferably experience and knowledge in the relevant sectors (FSL, WASH, Health and Nutrition, Gender, and Protection)
• Good relational and communication skills (in writing and verbally)
• Advanced facilitation and training skills
• Knowledge of the English language.