Consultant - Formative Research at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children International is a 'dual mandate' organisation and as such equal priority will be given to both humanitarian and development work. This is the only way we will be able to ensure that some of the fundamental rights that we believe children have, such as survival, safety and constant access to protection and education can be guaranteed. As part of a commitment to work with children through humanitarian interventions Save the Children will support programmes in both sudden onset and chronic emergency situations.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Formative Research on Sanitation Value Chain Demand and Supply for Ilaje Community, Bariga Local Council Development Area

Location: Lagos

Project Background

• At community levels, Save the Children has sound experience of working with community structures and building relationship between them and health facilities. Through the Stop Diarrhoea Initiative (SDI), Save the Children in partnership with the Lagos State Government and Reckitt Benckiser (RB), aim to fully implement the WHO/UNICEF 7-point plan as a Signature Programme in Shomolu Local Government Area (LGA).
• This four-year programme will contribute to Save the Children and RB’s global ambition of removing Diarrhoea as a top five leading cause of death amongst children by 2020. The Stop Diarrhoea Initiative (SDI) focuses on the treatment and prevention of Diarrhoea in the targeted communities.
• The aim is to contribute to at least 50% reduction in the prevalence of Diarrhoea. The core programme elements include child health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), advocacy, community capacity building/participation, service delivery and partnership.

Background Information
An effective Sanitation improvement intervention requires action around capture, storage, transport, treatment, and reuse or disposal of fecal matter to achieve total sanitation. Each of these segment of the sanitation value chain has posed serious challenge in overcoming by poor countries globally. A well-crafted design should start by mapping the critical sanitation pathways along which the total production of fecal material flows from creation to final disposal and/or reuse (treated or untreated)

The year 2 Household survey report indicates that 95 percent of respondents claim to have access to improved sanitation which usually means groups of households in a compound, sharing the same facility. According to WHO standard, access to improved sanitation connotes a single household having access to a facility they are not sharing with another household.

However, for the purpose of practicality, context and peculiarity, WASH Development agencies and practitioners view shared facilities as a denominator for access, which will continue be the benchmark for minimum acceptable standard in the years to come, as governments’ make effort to improve the socio-economic and infrastructural environment of many poor countries. In Ilaje, the issue of access to a facility may not be the gap generating the increased risk to diarrhoea prevalence and incidence. Fecal matter safe containment and transportation challenges analysis could throw more light on specific areas to work on. Environmental factors such as flooding and high water table as is the case with the target area will tend to worsen the situation.

Communities with same socioeconomic indices as Ilaje have majority of the housing units serviced by on-site sanitation systems or badly constructed toilet, in worst case scenario no toilet at all and hence the “ flying toilet”. Years of facility decay, overcrowding, poor road network, constrained space and unplanned habitation are factors worsening fecal sludge discharge in the environment around the communities.

The SDI Project is seeking to engage a competent consultant to conduct a market research of value chain demand and supply factors with a view to answering key questions like:

• Current sanitation and hygiene practices,
• The factors that influence them
• The types of sanitation products and services needed.

It is expected that the consultant, in the process of carrying out the task, would map household sanitation storage facilities, assess service level of pit emptying and evacuation service provision, and assess human resource and technical know how availability. He/she is also expected to assess existing low cost latrines technologies and identify new latrine options to be used by the targeted communities under SDI project.

Purpose of the Research

• The purpose of this research is to provide evidence that will help determine affordable services/product and business model that would reduce faecal matter discharge to the immediate environment in the community.
• The aim is to support likely design and roll out of a low cost sanitation product that meets the 4 Ps or marketing mix (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) within a potential sanitation marketing pilot in Ilaje slum.
• The essence is to improve community wide sanitation and hygiene behaviour which are key elements of the 7 Point plan for the prevention of diarrhoea and hence contributing to Output 1.2 of the SDI project.

Rationale

• Community Led Total Sanitation intervention in the community aimed to galvanize communities to take action towards achieving Open defecation free status.
• However, achieving long term sustainable solutions require broad based intervention on key parts of the sanitation value chain.
• Sanitation marketing combines social and commercial marketing strategies to deliver affordable improved sanitation products and services to customers.
• Any sanitation marketing programme has a 7 step process which include:
  • Assessment and Planning,
  • Market Research,
  • Product Design,
  • Test Supply-side Strategy,
  • Test Demand Creation Strategy,
  • Sanitation marketing Program Implementation and
  • Monitoring.
• If implemented, sanitation marketing will enhance improved sanitation uptake in the community and subsequently contribute to the prevention of diarrheal diseases.

Target Coverage:

• Though the research and potential activation of sanitation marketing is targeted at Ilaje Community in Bariga LCDA, lessons and experience gained will support sanitation access delivery in other parts of the state with the same socio-economic indices with Ilaje

Scope of Work
The scope of study for this research will broadly include:

• Design the study by drafting and finalizing a sound research protocol.
• Draft research instruments and revise based on SDI Leads comments
• Pre-test the instruments, sharing and documenting findings.
• Implement and supervise data collection activities in Ilaje to ensure timing is respected and quality standards are met.
• Capture and code data, using agreed upon quality control measures.
• Analyze data, preparing agreed upon tables and analyses.
• Summarize top line findings and present to client and relevant partners and stakeholders (minimum 1 presentation).
• Draft final report and finalize based on client’s comments, meeting international quality standards to enable extensive distribution (up to 3 iterations).

Research Methodology:

• The research methodology (protocol) for the study will be developed by the selected consultant and submitted for review during the inception phase of this work.
• The study will adopt both qualitative and quantitative data collection methodologies, including focus group discussions and household interviews.
• The chosen methodologies should be appropriate for urban areas as well as for literate and non-literate low-income populations taking in to account sanitation and hygiene practices-often culturally sensitive topic in the community of focus.

Key Deliverables and Outputs of this Research

• A detailed technical and financial proposal including implementation work plan
• An inception report, including a final methodology and data collection tools to be reviewed and approved by Save the Children before start of field work.
• A draft report presenting the research findings consistent with the study ToR to be reviewed and signed off by Save the Children
• Conduct a research findings dissemination workshop/meeting of key stakeholders
• Clean and fully referenced electronic data sets for the quantitative position in an agreed format with copies of the original data collection forms.
• All outputs will be presented in both electronic form and paper copies.

Duration of Research:

• This activity is expected to be completed within 4 weeks from the date the contract is signed. It is expected that this work will commence from the first week of October 2017.

Management and Logistical Support:

• The consultant will report to the WASH team in coordination with other technical leads.
• Depending on the terms of the final contract, the consultant is expected to make necessary arrangement for his/her as needed.
• The Consultant is expected to have or arrange for all the logistical means required to carry out the survey.

Key reference materials to be reviewed by the consultant during inception phase:

• Stop Diarrhoea Initiative project proposal
• Stop Diarrhoea Initiative baseline report and KAP survey
• The consultant should also be able to carry out his/her own individual on-line research and browsing on the topics under research.

Educational Background, Skills and Competencies required of refer firm/institution

• Proven experience in WASH programming, policy development, stakeholder’s issues and priorities within the context of WASH access and quality in Sub-Saharan Africa countries.
• Ph.D in Public Health, Development, Engineering, Environmental Sciences or any other related field.
• Experience in quantitative and qualitative research including community based participatory approaches.
• Strong understanding of Lagos state government and community contexts
• At least 10 to 15 years field experience in previous work related to survey or operation research.
• Demonstrable and practical ability indicating good experience in household survey through previous work in rural communities.
• Experience in quantitative and contemporary statistical packages.
• Experience of conducting research in the area of public health and / or water and sanitation;
• Child safeguarding and Ethical considerations regarding data collection, including confidentiality must be clearly highlighted in the methodology. Planning should take into consideration Ethical Checking Requirements in country.

Application Closing Date
17th November, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates/firms should:
Click here to apply online