Consultant to Conduct Project Evaluation of Pilot Intervention Phase

Term of Reference For Evaluation of pilot intervention of project “Scaling up hand-washing with soap in ethnic minority in Lao Cai province in Northern in Vietnam”

Background to the final evaluation

The Center for Research, Training and Development of Health Human Resources (CERETAD-Health) and Water Finns Ry organization have been implementing a three year project: Scaling up hand-washing with soap in ethnic minority in Lao Cai province in Northern in Vietnam (from July, 2012 to December, 2015). The project funded by Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Water Finns Ry organization and implemented in two communes (Ta Phoi and Hop Thanh) of Lao Cai city, Lao Cai province

We are looking for a consultant to conduct an evaluation of pilot intervention phase of this project.

Project Objectives

Overall objective: To promote hygiene behavior change and scale up hand-washing with soap (HWWS) in the community, especially in ethnic minority areas, which will ultimately reduce the rates of infectious diseases in the community, particularly among disadvantaged and vulnerable groups such as small children and ethnic minority people.

Specific objectives:

• To investigate and assess the current situation of HWWS, including the examination of availability and accessibility of factors such as sanitation, clean water and soap in and around households among the ethnic minority communities in the mountainous areas of a province in the North-West of Vietnam;
• To propose and apply relevant and feasible consumer-based and community-centered models to promote HWWS in households with different targeted groups, e.g. ethnicity, age groups, levels of socioeconomic status (poor and non-poor household groups), geography status (lowland and highland areas);
• To promote current channels of communication in the education of HWWS in the communities;
• To monitor changes in human health (reflected in helminth infection status) and HWWS behavior during one year of new model application; and
• To multiply good models of HWWS into the whole community of Lao Cai province

To achieve its objectives, the project has carried out the following main activities:

Baseline study:

Qualitative and quantitative research methods (interviews, observations, group discussions, community walk and field surveys) will be applied to investigate the current situation of HWWS and soap utilization in daily life among ethnic minority households in Ta Phoi and Hop Thanh communes, thereby assessing:

• Socio-economic situation of the population in the project scope
• Water and environmental sanitation situation of households
• Awareness of local people about hand washing, using soap and benefits of HWWS
• Health of family member’s status.
• Current situation of students and teachers knowledge and practices about personal hygiene,
• Information on hygiene and communication on HWWS
• Identify the barriers influent to students and teachers about HWWS practices

Pilot intervention study:

• Core groups will be established/formulated in each village/commune. Each group will consist of key people or agents (e.g. head of villages, village/commune health workers or members of the Women Union) who are able to influence the local community in the communication of hygiene messages and promotion of HWWS to local residents. There will be a small allowance granted to these people/agents during the time they participate in the project.
• The core groups will be clearly oriented on their role, responsibilities and benefits in participating in this project. They will be also trained on IEC manners and contents, as well as how to organize community meetings/groups to promote HWWS. The trainings may also focus on the cost-benefit analysis of HWWS, knowledge about human health and disease transmission, food safety, how and when to wash their hands with soaps, etc... These key agents will lead their own community meetings/groups.
• To utilize different means of communication to promote HWWS: existing/successful posters and leaflets about HWWS, separated sessions to propagandize the benefits of HWWS to local governments and staffs, or campaigns to start a HWWS movement in the community.
• To approach key members of the households (e.g. the head or mother of the households) in order to promote households members to change their behaviors.
• To guide/teach local residents to wash their hands with soap properly, how to place soaps or set up the water sources in a convenient and sensible manner (e.g. soaps to be placed in/near water closet, kitchen or food preparation area).
• Social marketing of soap: support (free supply or sale with subsidy) to participating households.

Roll-out intervention:

Successful and applicable models will be rolled out in others villages of two communes of Lao Cai provinces in terms of ethnicity (Kinh and non-Kinh people), socioeconomic conditions (poor and non-poor groups) and geography (lowland and highland areas). The roll-out program will be implemented for 9 months, including the monitoring, periodic evaluations and end-line evaluation. Lessons during participatory application of the model of HWWS will be drawn for future expansion.

Objective of the final evaluation

The overall objective of the evaluation of the pilot intervention phase is to provide an external, independent and objective view, information and assessment of the project. The evaluation is expected to enable the competent authority of the Project managers to evaluate whether the chosen approaches are sound and sustainable and whether the resources made available to the Project are being used in an appropriate and efficient way.

The purposes of evaluation are:

• Survey to assess the proportion of households and schools who have soaps or practice daily HWWS after 12 months of implementation of intervention activities;
• Qualitative studies to assess the perception and change of hand washing behavior during the intervention period.
• Suggest recommendations to ensure sustainability of the project.

Expected outputs

• An evaluation proposal which is detailed the evaluation content and methodology (including evaluation tools) and working plan.
• A completed report (English and Vietnamese) accepted by the Project managers

Tasks of the Consultant

Preparation phase: (3 days)

• The Consultant will study all reference documents of the project provided by the project team, including project documents, yearly/quarterly plans and progress reports, products of the project, and other related projects’ documents.
• Place: Hanoi

Evaluation phase: (7 days)

• Conduct the evaluation work in the project sites in compliance with the plan and content that has been approved by the Project managers
• Well collaborate with project team (project coordinator, project officer…), local officers and related informants to collect relevant information.
• Regularly update the evaluation process and issues merged in the implementation of evaluation (if any) to the Project managers.
• Place: Ta Phoi and Hop Thanh communes, Lao Cai city.

Report phase: (5 days)

• Write and submit draft report to the Project managers (via email) for comments/feedback within 5 days after the field work has been completed.
• Based on the comments given by the project management board, the consultant finalizes and submits final reports (both English and Vietnamese version) to the Project managers within 5 days from the comments given.
• Place: Hanoi

Timing

The field evaluation mission is expected to start from 20st March 2015 onwards.

Requirement of the Consultant

• Must have a Master's degree or higher in the related fields;
• Fluency in writing English Expertise in the field of public health and environment health;
• Experience in result based monitoring and evaluation;
• Good skills in communication and group discussion/workshop facilitation.
• Experience in similar project evaluation is appreciated

Submission of applications

Interested and individual qualified consultants are invited to apply.  Applicants should  submit 1) a  detailed  CV  highlighting  their  background  and  experience  in  conducting  similar consultancy and 2) an evaluation proposal including working schedule,  all forms and evaluation tools and methodology, and tentative budget.

Applications should be sent via email to Mr. Nguyen Dang Tuan at [email protected] ; by 12:00 on 10th March 2015.