Developing – Adapting the Savings and Build Manual on Financial Inclusion for Savings Groups Consultancy

1 BACKGROUND

1.1 Habitat for Humanity Kenya

Habitat for Humanity Kenya (HFHK) is among the 70 country affiliates of HFH International. In Kenya, we were registered in 1982 as Non-Governmental Organization, with the goal of enabling low income families access decent and affordable shelter. In the last 40 years, HFHK has supported more than 56,000 families across 9 counties in Kenya through housing micro-finance and direct construction. Habitat for Humanity considers housing as a long-term, incremental process which builds on cross-sectorial interventions such as construction, water, sanitation, energy, land tenure, and policy change at different levels of governance, actors and regions. Our Business Plan (2020-2025) has outlined four Programmatic Areas namely: Financing for owner-led construction (financial inclusion); Settlement-Based Practice (building resilient settlements); Secure Land Tenure (evidence based advocacy and information sharing); Disaster Risk Reduction & Response (DR3). We are currently operating in Laikipia, Homabay, Kisumu, Tana River and Machakos.

1.2 Laikipia Project

In Laikipia county, 45% of the proposed beneficiaries in Naibor and Juakali villages earn from casual labour while a significant proportion (38%) are not able to earn some income either due to being ill or elderly. The latter are the poor and vulnerable groups forming the beneficiaries of the housing programs traditionally implemented by Habitat for Humanity Kenya (HFHK). High levels of poverty and limited access to additional sources of funds excludes this group from accessing financing for construction. It is for this reason that HFHK has initiated a project aiming to build the economic well-being of low income earners and increase awareness and access to financial products provided by service providers. In the next 2 years, at least 300 individuals within 10 groups the groups shall be linked with financial institutions for housing microfinance loans to enable them improve or construct houses. The program activities revolve around the following:

· Facilitation of capacity development of savings groups to stimulate ability of low-income households to use savings mechanisms;

· Stimulation of the usage of sound housing financing strategies and financial products (online platforms, savings, collective action, loans, etc.) through consumer education and;

· Improve their options for accessing and managing their own financial resources through linkages with financial instruments or institutions in order to increase investment in housing.

HFHK desires to work with low-income earners, the villages of Jua-Kali Center and Naibor, to improve their ability to save and lend through their internal groups for home improvement and incremental housing. This group include those who do casual labour and run small businesses or keep livestock. We intend to identify the financially excluded, organize them into savings groups and provide training on savings and loans, build their capacity in financial literacy and business development, facilitate their access to financial services including savings products, processes and delivery channels of SACCOs (Savings and credit cooperatives) microfinance institutions and mobile operators; and working closely with institutions with housing products to support their needs. The Save and Build Manual is therefore required to support trainings that will enhance their confidence and capacity to manage their own group – based savings and borrowings for home improvements.

2 OBJECTIVE AND RATIONAL FOR THE CONSULTANCY

The objective of this consultancy is to develop a Save and Build Manual with appropriate training materials on financial literacy and conduct a training on the same for both Program Staff and Community Mobilizers. The Manual should contain guidelines on how to mobilize communities for savings accompanied with the criteria and tools for mapping groups. It should also have a training guide for Program staff.

The Save and build approach is being used by Habitat for Humanity Kenya (HFHK) to stimulate savings among low income groups and vulnerable households. The establishment of savings groups is a key outcome of our programmatic area on financing for owner-led construction, aiming to support low income groups and vulnerable households to build assets. We are piloting this in Laikipia through a project targeting to establish 10 savings groups with at least 300 individuals and create an enabling environment for financial inclusion.

3 SCOPE OF THE CONSULTANCY

Habitat for Humanity Kenya is looking for an individual consultant, or a company to develop a Save and Build Manual that will guide the implementation of the save and build approach among savings groups. The consultancy should include the following:

Phase 1: Desk review of existing materials (internally and externally) that support the implementation, management and monitoring of savings groups, within HFH Kenya project areas. The desk review may be supplemented by interviews with key staff and stakeholders providing financial services.

Phase 2: Developing a Save and Build Manual that will guide the implementation of the save and build approach among savings groups. The Manual will incorporate a financial inclusion tool-kits and financial literacy tool kit, with written materials, pictorials, teaching aids, curriculum and interactive learning materials, digital resources (aps) and other resources that can facilitate participatory learning. The module should cover various topics which include and not limited to:

i. Criteria and tools for mapping groups

ii. Savings group culture

iii. Financial management

iv. Linkages to financial service providers

v. Managing savings group risks

vi. Principle of social fund and credit policies

vii. Savings group formation, trainings and group dynamic

viii. Micro-financial services and products

ix. Savings group meeting steps and graduation

Phase 3: Application of the Savings and Build Manual will be through two key stages. First, the consultant will conduct a pre-test workshop and adjust based on feedback. Key target audience will include;

i. County government officials in the department of co-operatives and enterprise

ii. Financial service providers from; banking sector, microfinance institutions and SACCO’s from the project area.

iii. HFH Kenya field staff

Secondly, the consultant will conduct a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for Social Mobilizers recruited from the two villages in the project area (Juakali and Naibor). The workshop will be conducted jointly with HFHK and partners under the guidance of the consultant, suing the training tool kits developed by the consult.

4 DELIVERABLES

PHASE 1: Conducing a desk review of existing materials (internally and externally)

Report of appropriate contents for the Save and Build Manual, 3 day in HFHK Nairobi & Nanyuki offices

PHASE 2: Development of the Save and Build Manual

Manual with financial inclusion tool kits and financial training tool kit, 8 Days, offsite

PHASE 2: Application of the Save and Build Manual

Pre-test workshop and adjusting based on feedback, 1 day – Nanyuki

Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for Social Mobilizers, 3 days 3 days (28th to 30^th June 2022) – Nanyuki

Total – 15 days

5 QUALIFICATION

5.1 Education

Master’s degree in co-operative management, micro-finance, business management, finance, education, economics or related field or a combination of bachelor’s degree and minimum of 5 years of relevant experience.

5.2 Experience

· Experience in Financial Inclusion or Group Savings and Loans

· Experience and track record in curriculum development and providing similar training(s)

· Previous experience in applied research / data collection

· Previous experience in financial sector or digital finance related work

· Ability to communicate in both English and Kiswahili language is an added advantage.

· Excellent writing and editing skills.

· Experienced in producing concise reports and presentations, training modules and materials.