SOS Children’s Villages Sudan is an international NGO affiliated to SOS Children’s Villages International, and has been operational in the Sudan since 1978. The programs of SOS CV Sudan are focused on addressing the needs of children, with particular emphasis on orphaned and abandoned children.

The programs of the SOS CV Sudan are focused on protection and development of the children without parental care and those threaten by losing it. The SOS CV Sudanis addressing the needs of the vulnerable children through the alternative care and the Family Strengthening Program and the CV and the support provided and preventive works through its Family Strengthening Programs(FSP). The FS program is focused on supporting children who threaten by losing parental care due to loss of head of the care giver (father or mother) due to death, sickness, disappearance, inability to work and other reasons. The children who lost father usually taken care of by mother, uncle, aunt and sometimes by grandmother. Those are in most cases are illiterate and without reasonable livelihood and life skills to enable them to generate sufficient income to sustain decent life for the children. The result is manifested in the school retention of children, school withdrawal because children work to contribute to their families’ income. The FSP is currently implemented in Dar-Alsalam area, Block 48 in west Omdurman town within Khartoum state. The general objective of the program is to contribute to the prevention of child at risk of losing parental care and the specific objective is to enable parents/caregivers and communities to effectively respond to the needs and rights of the children at the long run.

In order to reach more vulnerable children, and in consideration of the increasing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children in Sudan, the organization is committed to expand the coverage of its FS program to cover White Nile (WN) state, 300 km South of Khartoum. The program is planned to be implemented in Kosti locality of White Nile state at the southern part of the country.

The WN state was selected because it is a state bordering South Sudan Republic where the country suffering from civil war that has been fuelling the un-rest in South Sudan state for the last 7 years. The civil war in South Sudan has impacted the socio-economic situation of the WN state. On the other hand, the volatile security situation in the adjacent South Kordofan statewas also affected by the civil war in South Sudan.

The organization is planning to launch a Family Strengthening (FS) program in White Nile State. The area selected for the survey is Kostitown.  An assessment and feasibility study should be conducted in the area that will be selected areainKostitown. It is essential to conduct this assessment to ensure developing a realistic program that will address the exact needs of communities. This assessment will provide the basic information which will help us to identify the families eligible for support. It will further help toselect the appropriate type of support to be provided to ensure sustaining the basic needs of the children of the selected families.

The baseline survey will perhaps help in the future assessment of the proposed program and the changes the program has introduced. In a nutshell, the assessment will eventually provide first-hand information to:

1) Articulating good justification for perspectives, purpose, strategy of implementation and the expected results of the intended project,

2) Ensure selecting the exact families to benefit from the program interventions, their needs and their life skills, the anticipated positive/negative effects of the project,

4)Avail baseline information that will enable identifying indicators to be used as yard sticks for the evaluation of the level of achievements and the interventions to be introduced to rectify implementation,

5) Provide data and information to know the success or failure of theproject and the underlying factors of accomplishments or deficiency.

Objectives of the Feasibility Study

The Overall Objective:

The overall Objective of the FS assessment is to give an objective analysis of the situation of the target group at Kosti in White Nile (WN) state, along with providing empirical data to help SOS Children Village Sudan (SOS CV Sudan) to decide on expanding the FS program to the new proposed location in Kosti at the WN state.

The Specific Objectives:

An in-depth analysis on the socio-economic situation of children (target groups) in Kosti town, by:

 Describing the current state of parents and care givers of the target locations in terms of providing a caring environment for children vis-a-visshelter, care, food, education, and Health.

identifying the basic needs of children at risk of losing parental

 Assess the readiness of Agencies, Government Institutions, NGOS, CSOs, CBOs to provide financial, technical, and professional support for the SOS CV Sudan with the aim of facilitating provision of basic needs to the target children

 determining the feasibility of the FS in addressing the basic needs of the children by suggesting the types of supportto be rendered for those children on basis of the findings of the assessment

To identify the most vulnerable families in terms of social, economic and psychological problems for appropriate program intervention.

To identify relevant strategies to effectively address the needs and priorities of the target community

To identify community initiatives to support vulnerable children (if any) and also identify relevant stakeholders (GOs, NGOs, UN agencies, CBOs and other stakeholders) operating in the target community for future partnership.

To analyse current Response to the needs of target groups at the selected locations in consultation with stakeholders. I.e. what are the strengths and weaknesses of the current response? What are the unmet needs of the target group and where are the gaps? are local stakeholders willing and interested in improving the current response?

To indicate important assumptions and risks which may be decisive for the success or failure of the project.

Geographical locations

The assessment survey will beconducted in a selected residential district in Kosti town, in White Nile State,

Target groups and scope of the survey

The target groups of the program will be the children at risk of losing parental care, orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC). The Organization follows the UNCRC (United Nations Conventions of the Right of Child) definition for the age of a child,

 “any human being under the age of 18 is a child”.

The assessment surveyinvolvesconsulting and discussing with community groups including CBO leaders, religious leaders, youth, women, children, concerned government officials, Agenciesand NGOs.

The assessment is anticipated to pay attention taken to children with single parent, children headed households, families headed with child or sibling, parentally ill headed household, aunt or uncle headed household, street children and abandoned infants.

Time Frame:

The assessment survey will be conducted in a period of four weeks, starting by September 26^th, 2019. The final report shall be submitted in hard and soft copy to the SOS Children’s Villages Sudan, along with the analysedempirical data files in maximum 2 weeks’ time from the date of completion of the assessment.

The above mentioned period is both for preparing and conduct of the survey; and for briefing about the main findings and submitting the final report.

The assignment of the consultant is to prepare a detailed status report of the white Nile State and the selected assessment area; whereas that clearly indicates about the overall socio-economic conditions of the target communities with particular emphasis on children at risk of losing their parental care and other vulnerable children. The consultant is requested to:

Prepare a plan and for conduct of the assessment survey. In this connection, he/she is requested to:

• Specify the tools and methods that will be used for data collection,
• Identify the main sources of literature to be reviewed,
• List the main stakeholders to be consulted (Children, GOs, NGOs, Community leaders, parents, local authority officials…etc.,
• Plan and design methods of data collection to be used, including the questionnaire which should be shared with the SOS CV Sudan to ensure collecting the exact data and information needed to be answer the questions of the survey,
• Specify the data analysis tool that will be used.

Deliverables:

• The primary deliverable will be the comprehensive report that contains concrete (i.e. realistic and implementable) program recommendation, based on the findings of collected data,
• A secondary deliverable will be a draft report for review by SOS CV Sudan, This will allow the Organization to make comments, suggestions, and recommendations for the final report.

The consultant must have:

5. Practical experience with conduct of research and studies,
5. A good understanding of community development work and acquaintance about the social welfare system in the country.
5. Experience in participatory research methods.
5. Good analytical, research and report writing skills.
6. Good facilitation and interpersonal skills.

In addition, desirable would be:

5. A social science background or related field is an advantage,
5. Previous experience with conduct of studies, surveys, and evaluation is an added value
5. Knowledge about issues of children is often a helpful knowledge,
5. Woking with national or international organization or any other agency concerned with development issues will often considered an asset to qualify the candidates for such consultancy.

The main contents of the assessment survey

The assessment survey should provide answers to the following questions:

• Total number of people residingthe selected area in Kosti town at theWN State in general,
• Total number of households and the average family size of the target community,
• Total number/percentage of children(below the age of 18)to the overall population of the study area,
• Number of children at risk of losing their parental care and why are they at risk of losing the care of their parents?
• Number of children without parental care and child headed households, and why are they without parental care?
• What specific risks and problems are children at risk of losing parental care and without parental care facing? 
• Number of single parents (widow/er, divorced, abandoned, separated) at the selected study area and what the challenges they are facing,
• Number of parents infected with HIV/AIDS or any other malignant diseases.
• Which geographic area/location is in need ofsupport through family strengthening program to be introduced?
• What is the poverty level at the WN State in general andat the selected study area?What criteria was used, in this assessment, to define the level of poverty?
• How much money the families’ need – monthly - to survive and to meet all the basic needs of their children?,
• What livelihood could the family could manage and generate income from?
• Are there NGOs, GOs or other service providers in WN State work in the field of child care?
• What do these organizations and institutions provide for vulnerable children and families?; and what are the gaps that need to be shouldered?
• What constraint and obstacles facing the state government and preventing it to provide essential services to the needy community in general?
• What services and program interventions are required for children to grow in a caring family environment?

The assessment survey should also investigate the following sectors and cross cutting issues:

1.  Food Security

• Proper utilization of food, i.e. do the households properly and wisely manage their food consumption,
• Does the target community has proper food processing and food storingpractices?
• Adequate knowledge and child care skills, and application of nutrition.
• Does the target community observe adequate health and sanitation measures in their houses?

2. Gender equality

Give brief account and highlights about:

5. Women’s role in the community and in the family affairs,
5. Men’s role in the community and family affairs,
5. Women’s access to decision making,
5. Women’s access to financial and other resources and to benefits,
6. Women’s access to health care,
5. Access to education for girls.

3. HIV/AIDS

• The level of awareness and knowledge about methods of transmission and prevention from HIV/AIDS,
• Prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and the possible risks or threats accompanied with.

4. Environment

• Could our project have an impact on the environment in these communities?
• Are there any existing environmental hazards?

5.  Education

• Are there schools (KGs, primary schools, high schools…) in the study area?
• What is the level of school attendance and retention among the school children?
• What is the percentage of girls’ enrolment in schools compared boys’ enrolment?What are the barriers to education?
• Are there any barriers preventing girls from attending to schools?
• If yes, What are these barriers?

6. Health

• Do families have access to health care?
• What are the barriers to access to health care services?
• What are the most common diseases in the study area?
• Are there any barriers preventing girls access to health services? Preventing boys? Preventing men and women?
• If yes, what are these barriers?
• Do the families’ of the assessment area covered with health insurance?
• Do children of these families benefit from health insurance?

Methods to be used:

 As minimum requirements, the analysis process must apply the following methods:

• Analysis of existing documents: Published material, reports of other organizations, government reports and studies of research institutions could be sources of information.
• Consultation with main stakeholders: The main purpose of the consultations with stakeholders is to get an overview on the opinions, strategies, and programs of the main public institutions, concerned government bureaus, NGOs, and individuals with reference to the target community.
• Focus Group Discussion, case studies, interviews of key informants, could be among the data collection methodologies.(Methodologies like FGDs and interview are recommended).

The consultancy fees:

The consultant fee will be decided based on the financial offerthe consultant will submits to the organization upon receipt of the Terms Of Reference (TOR).

The organization will cover the following:

• Cost of food and accommodation for the consultant and her/his assistants. (number to be provided by the consultant)
• The cost of daily stipend and cost of food for the data collectors, (number to be provided by the consultant)
• Will provide a vehicle with driver and fuel,
• The consultancy fees will be agreed upon with the consultant,
• The mode of payment of fees will be agreed upon with the consultant.

Note:

Interested persons are requested to submit their proposed plan to undertake the assessment along with the financial proposal.

Please, send you CV and Plan for the study at email: ayman.khider@sos-kd.org, sabah.mohamed@sos-sudan.org

The deadline for this consultancy work is September 22^nd, 2019.