Job Description

DSW Baseline Study for the Holistic Action Project for Young Adolescents 

Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW)

Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Baseline Study for the Holistic Action Project for Young Adolescents

1. About DSW

Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW) is a global development organisation that focuses on the needs and potential of the largest youth generation in history.

We are committed to creating demand for and access to sexual and reproductive health information, services, supplies, and economic empowerment for young people.

We achieve this by engaging in advocacy, capacity development, and reproductive health initiatives, empowering young people to lead healthy and self-determined lives.

2. Background

A young adolescent is a person aged between 10 and 14 years who is in the process of developing from childhood to adulthood. Young adolescents (YA) are in a period of dramatic intellectual, physical, psychological and social transformation. This age group represents a unique sub-group of adolescents undergoing rapid physical, cognitive and emotional changes related to puberty.

It is also at this age that many young adolescents first engage in sexual activity. Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services are therefore crucial for this age cohort. Many young adolescents lack knowledge about the physical changes happening in their bodies and need reassurance and support to deal with them.

However, their parents/guardians and other adults are usually unprepared to deal with such changes. In most African societies, topics on sexuality are considered a taboo and parents lack the skills or time to communicate effectively about them with their children.

In schools, teachers who should provide SRHR education are constrained in terms of skills and time, and typically focus on those subjects that are examinable. Consequently, young adolescents often do not have adequate support from their social surroundings, appropriate information, access to youth-friendly health services, protection, and decision-making power or the life skills that are needed to handle SRHR issues.

3. Project objectives and outputs

DSW Kenya will implement the Holistic Action Project for Young Adolescents (HAPA) in Kilifi and West Pokot County, aiming to increase access to youth-friendly SRHR services and information, create a supportive school and community environment, ensure that young adolescents participate in leadership and decision-making processes, and engage decision makers at the community, county and national level.

Many project activities target pupils, teachers, parents and community members in and around fourteen primary schools. In addition, DSW Kenya will be strengthened as an institution for enhanced programme delivery.

DSW Kenya’s staff will be trained in results-based management (RBM), monitoring and evaluation (M&E), gender responsive programming (GRP) and financial management. Further, the operational procedures and processes including policies and strategies and the effectiveness of the Board of Directors will be strengthened. HAPA is co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Overall, HAPA envisages that young adolescent boys and girls aged 10-14 in Kenya take conscious and informed decisions about leading a healthy and self-determined life.

Project outcome: 7,000 boys and girls aged 10-14 in Kilifi and West Pokot counties have improved Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) by 2022.

The following five key outputs shall be achieved throughout the project period:

1. Targeted young adolescents have increased access to age appropriate SRHR information.

2. A supportive school and community environment is created, promoting young adolescents’ SRHR and access to SRH services, with a focus on tackling gender inequalities.

3. Targeted young adolescents have increased advocacy and leadership skills to participate in leadership and decision-making processes at the community, county and national level.

4. Decision makers prioritise and support young adolescents’ SRHR at the community, county and national level.

5. DSW Kenya is strengthened as an institution for enhanced programme delivery and organisational management.

Project areas and location: Specifically, the project will improve SRHR and protection of young adolescents in (and around) nine primary schools in Kaloleni Sub county – Kilifi county and five primary schools in North Pokot Sub county – West Pokot county, Kenya.

Target group: 7,000 young adolescents in aged 10 to 14 in 14 primary schools.

Direct beneficiaries include

• 630 in-school youth club members who are organised in 14 in-school youth clubs,


• 56 peer educators,


• 6,300 in-school boys and girls,


• 28 YA champions,


• 28 contact teachers,


• 3 Youth Empowerment Centers (YEC),


• 12 youth mentors and


• 28 mentor parents.

Cooperation partners include

• county officials and community leaders,


• 5 Community Action Committees (CACs),


• School Management Committees (SMCs),


• 10 journalists,


• 5 Paralegal Officers,


• 28 Law Enforcement Officers and


• 28 health service providers.

4. Baseline purpose and objectives

The baseline study will be conducted at the beginning of the project, involving the target group and relevant stakeholders.

The objective of the baseline study is to assess, measure, and determine the baseline values of all project indicators and to understand the starting point of key elements of the work against which later progress will be measured. This will enable project indicators at output and outcome level to be measured and tracked.

Broad study areas include:

a) Young adolescents’ knowledge about SRHR and access to SRH services in primary schools.

b) Level of community awareness and support for young adolescents SRHR, prevalence of harmful practices and social norms hindering improved young adolescents SRH.

c) Level of economic vulnerability among target households.

d) Level of awareness of relevant decision makers on young adolescent’s policies, guidelines and budgets supporting their SRHR and Protection.

e) Level of young adolescents’ advocacy and leadership skills in engaging with decision makers.

Specific study objectives based on project indicators:

• Determine the number of girls aged 10 to 19 in project schools who have dropped out of school due to pregnancy related causes.


• Determine the number of young adolescents in project schools who have dropped out of school as a result of causes other than pregnancy.


• Determine the level of existing knowledge on SRHR among young adolescents in project schools.


• Assess the types, availability and content of IEC material accessed by young adolescents in project schools.


• Determine the level of comprehensive knowledge of in-school youth club members on menstrual health.


• Assess the accessibility of sanitary towels and menstrual hygiene information for young adolescent girls in project schools.


• Determine the level of knowledge and information on children’s rights among young adolescents in project schools.


• Assess the access to SRH services at health facilities for young adolescents from project schools.


• Assess the capacity of DSW mentors to deliver the project objectives.


• Assess the organisational capacity of Youth Empowerment Centers (YECs) in the provision of SRH information and services as well as acting as safe spaces for young adolescents.


• Determine quality, quantity and type of activities related to SRH and youth empowerment offered by Youth Empowerment Centres.


• Assess collaboration of targeted YECs with surrounding health centres.


• Determine the types of youth-friendly SRHR teaching methodologies applied by teachers.


• Assess the coverage and content of SRHR topics taught in project schools.


• Assess the level of engagement of school management committee members on young adolescents’ SRH as well as any policy arrangements.


• Assess community structures around project schools involved in supporting SRHR and relevant issues of young adolescents.


• Assess the level of open communication between parents and young adolescents on SRHR.


• Assess parents’ knowledge and information on children’s rights.


• Assess the project area households’ economic vulnerability.


• Assess the level of awareness among key decision makers on prioritising adolescents’ SRH and protection from relevant authorities.


• Determine number and content of county plans and county budgets addressing YA SRH and related concerns.


• Assess knowledge level about Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Policy and National Child Protection Policy among targeted representatives of county administration.


• Assess DSW Kenya Governance and project management practices and policies.


• Assess the proposed interventions’ design and its inclusion of gender sensitive approaches.


• Assess DSW Kenya Board’s capacity related to its governing and oversight role.


• Assess the project M&E plan with the purpose of identifying gaps and suggest areas of improvement.


• Recommendations for any further actions.


• Assess the potential positive and negative impacts of the intervention on beneficiaries and beyond, which were not accounted for by the project (to reduce negative impacts and maximize positive impacts).

5. Methodology

DSW will select a local research consultant to conduct the baseline survey.

The selected research consultant will be required to prepare a detailed research methodology in partnership with DSW.

The baseline survey will be proposed to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods.

The target areas of this baseline study are Kaloleni Sub county – Kilifi county and North Pokot Sub county – West Pokot county, Kenya.

Key methods will be face to face interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviews with sample groups and individuals from the target group and project stakeholders.

Moreover, the consultant team is invited to suggest other groups to be interviewed based on information needs.

Research tools, such as questionnaires for young adolescents, teachers, parents, government representatives, and other project stakeholders shall be carefully designed and be discussed with DSW.

6. Tasks and deliverables

The consultant will be expected to undertake the following tasks;

• To follow the baseline schedule (please see table below)


• Get full understanding of the project proposal, target groups and project’s outcomes.


• Design the survey methodology, and develop comprehensive research tools for data collection – taking into consideration the different target groups.


• Engage in feedback and briefing rounds with DSW project staff.


• Train data collectors and meet with various stakeholders at sub-county and county level.


• Organise adequate supervision and coordination of the survey teams in the field.


• Present preliminary findings to the project team, County Health Management Teams and the county education stakeholders.


• Prepare and submit final survey report.

Baseline schedule: tasks and deliverables and dates / by when

• Project documents shared and desk review conducted – 24th June 2019


• Design and methods of the baseline finalised – 27th June 2019


• Development of research tools and review by DSW conducted – 3th July 2019


• Recruitment of field data collectors and training conducted – 7th July 2019


• Field data collection: school-relevant data – 12th July 2019


• Field data collection: out-of-school data-  17th July 2019


• Field data collection report prepared-  22nd July 2019


• Discussion on data report Preliminary Findings – 31st July 2019


• Final report & power point submitted-  12th August 2019

* Please note that due to the upcoming exam period and public school holidays the consultant is expected to assess all school-relevant data in the first two weeks of July.

7. Supporting documents

DSW will provide supporting documents related to the program design, which will include;

• Logical framework and project concept.


• Feasibility study.


• Any other relevant documents and reports.

8. Skills and Experience

The consultant is expected to have the following skills and experience

• Proven 10 years of experience of conducting research studies on SRHR.


• Theoretical and practical knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research tool development and data collection methods (including focus group discussions).


• Experience in conducting studies in school environments, especially in Kenya.


• Experience in working with/interviewing young people.


• In-depths knowledge of child rights, youth empowerment, gender sensitive programming, WASH, and related sectors, notably in Kenya, desired.


• Very good written and verbal communication skills in English.

Work plan and submission

Your application should include the following:

The assignment is expected to start by 24th June 2019, the first draft report findings to be shared and discussed with staff by 31st July 2019 and the final report submitted by 12th August 2019.

Your application should include the following:

• A detailed resume highlighting the work that the Consultant has undertaken, which is relevant to this assignment and supported by recommendation letter for similar tasks;


• Minimum of two (2) samples of reports developed by the Consultant addressing similar issues;


• A detailed work plan and timeframe, which must be costed (in the local currency) at each stage;


• A brief outline of the methodology the Consultant will use to guide the process; explaining in detail the methodology and tools to be used in carrying out the assignment.


• Technical Proposal: Brief explanation about the Consultant’s professional background with particular emphasis on previous experience in this kind of work; methodology, the task to be accomplished as well as baseline analysis framework and plan.


• Financial Proposal: The financial proposal should provide cost estimates for services rendered including daily consultancy fees, training costs, accommodation; transport cost; stationeries, and supplies needed for training and administrative costs related to the participants during the exercise.

Interested applicants are requested to submit their application with the reference “HAPA” clearly indicated in the email subject line to: “info@dswkenya.org”

Deadline for application: 10th June, 2019.

Ideal start date: 24th June, 2019.

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