TERM OF REFERENCE FOR FINAL EVALUATION ON MEANTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT

Description of Programme Location and Context

SOSCVE Mekelle program location was established in the year 1974 G.C and is mainly working on an alternative care program supporting children to grow up in alternative families in established villages by providing comprehensive care and essential services for their holistic development. Furthermore, SOSCVE Mekelle Program manages and implements various facilities and programs, including Alternative Care (AC), the Family and Community Strengthening Program (FCSP), a kindergarten, and the HGS (Hermann Gmeiner School (which includes both primary and secondary schools).

The AC and FCSP programs are the organization’s core interventions, providing comprehensive care and support to children who are without adequate parental care. Likewise, the Family and Community Strengthening Program is one of the core programs that focuses and has been implemented projects in Mekelle and Adwa. Currently, it has been actively operating in Mekelle. However, SOSCVE Mekelle program expands it intervention areas to Axum, Samre, Kolatembien due to the emergency projects that focus on life saving support and trauma healing activities to reduce the consequences of the war on the life of program participants.

Rationale and overall objective of terminal evaluation:

The primary aim of this project is to provide comprehensive mental health and psychosocial support services to the SOS community in Mekelle, Tigray, who have been severely traumatized by the recent war, siege, and subsequent humanitarian crisis. Through a targeted approach, the initiative seeks to directly benefit 1,670 individuals within the SOSCV Mekelle, including children, youth, former SOS grown youth, Herman Gmeiner school teachers, staff and their dependents and nearby Community while indirectly reaching 4,522 community members in the broader community.

Building on SOS CVE’s existing lifesaving interventions, this project specifically addresses the critical need for trauma healing through a dual approach of group-based training/exercises and individual counselling services. The initiative recognises that before effective community support can be provided, the SOS staff and immediate community themselves need healing from their own traumatic experiences. This project will fill a crucial gap in the current humanitarian response, which has focused primarily on physical needs while mental health services remain severely limited due to damaged infrastructure and resource constraints.

By focusing on psychological recovery and resilience-building, the project aims to not only heal immediate trauma but also restore functionality to the SOSCV Mekelle support system. This will create a ripple effect, enabling participants to better support conflict-affected children who have abandoned education for survival activities, mothers struggling with inadequate nutrition and healthcare, and communities facing WASH-related health challenges. The goal is to rebuild psychological well-being as a foundation for broader recovery efforts in this war-devastated region of Ethiopia.

The terminal evaluation will focus on assessing the overall outcomes, impact, achievements, and lessons learned from the project. It will examine whether the project has met its intended objectives and will evaluate its overall effectiveness, sustainability, relevance, and potential for replication or scaling up. The findings and recommendations from the final project evaluation are expected to inform the design of higher-quality projects in the future. Therefore, this Terms of Reference (ToR) has been developed as a request for proposals (technical and financial) from consultancy firms interested in conducting a terminal evaluation of the MHPSS. This project specifically targets, SOSCV staffs including their dependents, youth in Community , SOS grown up and nearby community.

Objectives of the terminal evaluation:

Overall objective:

The overall objective of terminal evaluation is to assess the results of the SOS Children’s Village Mekelle focusing on educational empowerment projects. This evaluation will measure the achievement of the project’s outcomes, outputs, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. It also measures results against established targets, planned outputs, and activities. Additionally, it will draw lessons learned that can enhance the project’s sustainability and provide insights for improving initiatives related to MHPSS project. The evaluation will also identify good practices and forward recommendations with effective strategies for other similar project implementation in the future.

Specific objectives:

The specific objectives of the terminal evaluation are:

• To assess the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of SOS Children’s Village Mekelle project interventions based on OECD Evaluation criteria.
• To determine the extent to which the project interventions addressed the gaps /challenges identified during the baseline thus meeting the target participants’ and stakeholder’s expectations.
• To assess the performance of MHPSS project in terms of the key performance indicators mentioned in the result framework matrix.
• To draw key lessons learned and good practices to contribute to organizational learning and recommend improvements for the future project interventions.

Project out comes and outputs:

Project Goal: 70% of intensive mental health clients (SOS CVE community including staff, their dependents, and 100%SOS grown up youth) demonstrating improvement,70% improved access of MHPSS support services to the target groups and case management beneficiaries that report receiving needed MHPSS services from programs.

Project Outcomes & Outputs:

Outcome #1: Improved mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of war affected SOS CVE target children, youth and staff in Mekelle.

Output #1.1: Systems and structures established to provide need based MHPSS support to the project targets

Output #1.2: SOS CVE community including staff, their dependents, and SOS grown up youth, youth in the nearby community and community have access to MHPSS

Output #1.3: Targets demonstrate psychosocial relationships, awareness of new possibilities, increased personal strength, spiritual enhancement, and deeper appreciation for life.

Major evaluation /research questions:

The commissioned consultant should list relevant and possible evaluation questions by referring to the project document and the project result framework and show the terminal evaluation questions during the inception report presentation.

Scope and project targets:

Geographically, the terminal evaluation is limited to the project participants SOS parents, nearby communities, SOS grown-up youth, youth in the community, staff and staff independents. The MHPSS project at the SOS Children’s Village in in Mekelle implemented across Semen sub city. Overall, SOS Mekelle program location also has been implementing the MHPSS Project in Mekelle in the above-mentioned areas starting from May 01/2024 and will be completed on August 31, 2025.

MHPSS project has the following direct project participants

Direct beneficiaries	Quantity
SOS location Staff	112
Children in the community	210
Herman Gmeiner school (HGS) community	104
Youth in the community	146
SOS location staff dependents	336
HGS staff dependents	312
SOS Grown up youth	450
Total -I	1670
Indirect beneficiaries
School Community (students)	1000
School Community (parents)	850
FS Project targets under our support	1072
Community at Semen sub city	2500
Total-II	5422
Grand total	7092

Terminal evaluation methodology:

The consultant(s) must develop a strong data collection methodology for this terminal evaluation, ensuring the data’s reliability and validity. A mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, is recommended to produce the highest quality and most credible evidence. This study will collect data, disaggregated by sex, age, and disability, for the indicators listed in the result framework (the RF will be annexed for the winner consultant). The chosen methodology must be sensitive to the local context and ensure that all respondents, regardless of their background, have an equal opportunity to participate in the terminal evaluation.

The terminal evaluation environment should be designed to provide safe and inclusive spaces that encourage all participants to respond freely, irrespective of gender, age, disability, origin, or religious beliefs. As far as possible, the consultant should disaggregate data by sex, age, and disability while collecting and analysing data. Furthermore, the consultant should also clearly explain which questions will be answered using which methods. The Consultant should also ensure that the survey and qualitative methods (such as focus group discussion (FGD), key informant interview (KII) and group discussion) with participants are representative of the project’s target groups.

Sampling

The consultant is required to propose statistically sound sampling strategies to ensure representativeness. He/she is required to clearly state the sample size and the acceptable margin of error. The consultant will develop a detailed data analysis plan, outlining the statistical methods to be used for the quantitative data and the thematic analysis approach for the qualitative data. All data collection activities should be conducted following the highest ethical standards, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality, and the safety of all participants.

 

Work plan and expected deliverables

Work plan/timetable

The terminal evaluation task is expected to be finalized within 45 days after the contractual agreement is signed. The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table.

 

Activities	Dates	Time frame	Location

 

Deliverables:

The commissioned external consultant must deliver the terminal evaluation findings within 45 days of the contract signed. Based on the work plan, SOS Children’s Villages of project intervention programme locations (Mekelle) and the national office MEAL and FS teams expect Humanitarian Response program team expect the following deliverables:

• An inception report of 8 pages on the evaluation design, methodology, sampling frame, sampling technique, sample size, assessment tools and work plan
• Draft evaluation report.
• The consultant is expected to analyse the data and present findings (for both draft and final findings) by target groups separately.
• Final report – The findings of evaluation report including an executive summary and data collection tools in both electronic and hardcopy formats should be submitted.
• Raw data, which has been cleaned (both qualitative and quantitative, including original field notes for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and recorded audio material), should be submitted with the report. SOS CVE will have sole ownership of all final data, and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of SOS Children’s Village Ethiopia.

Report criteria:

The reporting criteria for MHPSS project terminal evaluation shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia result based management (RBM) toolkit and should be shared with the winner consultant along with the data review process and/or for the preparation of the inception report.

Child safeguarding and ethical issues.

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to ensuring that all research, evaluation and data collection processes (i.e. evidence-generating activities) undertaken by SOS Children’s Villages and its partners are ethical and respect child safeguarding policy and procedure.

The consultant must respect the rights, dignity and protection of children and other vulnerable population groups and should ensure special protection for children and other vulnerable groups during any data-generating activities to minimize any potential risks. Any research, evaluation and data collection SOS Children’s Villages is directly carrying out or is involved in as a partner.

Ethical practices need to be ensured in the following circumstances:

• Any research, baseline, midterm or final evaluations and data collection SOS Children’s Villages has commissioned for ethical oversight of these processes.
• Any research, evaluation and data collection carried out by researchers/consultants on SOS Children’s Villages programmes and participants.

Hence, relevant Coordinator in SOS Children’s Village Mekelle programme NIPLEE Project will ensure that any researchers, evaluators and data collectors should receive awareness training on, sign and adhere to SOS Children’s Villages core policies:

Obtaining consent from research participants is central to the research relationship and signals respect for the research participant’s dignity, their capability to express their views and their right to have these heard in matters that affect them. Informed consent is an explicit agreement which requires participants to be informed about and understand the research/assessment. This must be given voluntarily and be renegotiable, so that participants may withdraw at any stage of the research process.

Logistical arrangements:

The awarded consultant shall show feasible logistical arrangements for the assignment as part of the technical proposal. National or location-level staff (SOS CVE) will be available to help organize the interviews including contacting SOS CVE, announcing and local preparation of evaluation, and linking to community duty bearers and national authorities if required.

Duration of the contract and terms of payment

Payment will be made only upon SOS Children’s Villages’ acceptance of the work performed in accordance with the above-described deliverables. Payment will be affected by bank transfer in the currency of birr.

Funding and Payment: The consultancy firm will be paid by SOS Children’s Villages as follows:

• 30% on the submission and approval of the inception report/Technical Proposal.
• 30% on completion of the draft report.
• 40% on completion of the final report.

Duration of contract: the contract is effective from the moment it was signed until the acceptance of work by the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia management team.

Notice of delay

Shall the successful bidder encounter a delay in the performance of the contract which may be excusable under unavoidable circumstances; the contractor shall notify SOS Children’s Villages in writing about the causes of any such delays within one (1) week from the beginning of the delay.

After receipt of the Contractor’s notice of delay, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia shall analyse the facts and extent of the delay and extend the time for performance when in its judgment the facts justify such an extension.

Copyright and other proprietary rights:

SOS Children’s Villages shall be entitled to all intellectual property and other proprietary rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, and trademarks, with regard to products, processes, inventions, ideas, know-how, or documents and other materials which the Contractor has developed for SOS Children’s Villages under the Contract and which bear a direct relation to or are produced or prepared or collected in consequence of, or during the course of, the performance of the Contract. The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that such products, documents, and other materials constitute works made for hire for SOS Children’s Villages.

All materials: interviews, reports, recommendations, and all other data compiled by or received by the Contractor under the Contract shall be the property of SOS Children’s Villages and shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to SOS Children’s Villages authorized officials on completion of work under the Contract. The external consultant is obliged to hand over all raw data collected during the assessment to SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia.

Termination:

The termination of the service agreement for the assignment will be in accordance with the contractual agreement to be included at the formal agreement’s actual signing.

Qualification of the Researcher/Research Team

• The applicant consultancy firm shall have at least a master’s degree in a relevant field of study such Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, development studies, Economics, Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation and other related fields per the required assignment
• At least 5 years’ work experience & proven competency in assessments, monitoring, research, terminal evaluations, baseline assessments or organizational/program evaluation (baseline, midterm, and final evaluations). The applicant consultancy firm shall attach at least one sample final evaluation report produced on a similar topic.
• A good understanding of Humanitarian program with particular focus on mental health psychosocial support program
• A good understanding of child/youth rights/safeguarding & other issues affecting vulnerable children in the Ethiopian context.
• proven experience in working with conceptual frameworks and data collection methods (including age-appropriate data collection methods)
• Proven experience in participatory processes and data collection methods
• Strong skills in coordination, good facilitation, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Proven experience in participatory processes
• Strong skills in coordinating teamwork
• analytical and conceptual skills on MHPSS, market and livelihood assessment
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.
• Ability to transfer complex concepts and ideas into practical and simple language.
• Experience in organizing research processes with SOS Children’s Villages or similar child focused organizations.
• Experience in managing baselines, final evaluations and livelihood assignments in respect of the participating communities’ culture, social norms, values, and behaviour; and maintain appropriate relationships with participants of this evaluation.
• Legally registered firms with renewed license, VAT registration and TIN number

Required Skills

• Quantitative and Qualitative research skills