TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)
Consultancy to conduct a study on the Contribution of Faith Based Organizations to Social Cohesion.
Summary Table
Assignment Information
Project Title
Shared Futures – Youth Leading the way to peaceful Interfaith coexistence project
Project ID
201017
Project Category
Inclusive Peace and Security
Consultancy Title
Consultancy to conduct a study on the Contribution of Faith Based Organizations to Social Cohesion.
Location
Kenya: Coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale and Tana River.
Application Deadline
31st January 2024
Type of Contract
Consultancy
Expected Duration of Assignment
30 working days
1.0 Background and Context
1.1 About the SF project:
Shared Futures – Youth Leading the way to peaceful Interfaith coexistence project is a follow up project to the pilot phase of Shared Futures – Together for Good project in Kenya. Shared Futures is two-and-a-half-year initiative funded by Kerk in Actie that aims to empower youth in Mombasa, Kwale, and Tana River counties to take up a leading role in addressing violent extremism. The project builds upon experiences and the lessons learnt from the previous pilot phase that concluded in 2020. The pilot that ran between 2019 to 2020 in Kwale and Mombasa counties aimed to stimulate interfaith collaboration. By the end of 2020, the project reached over 1,000 children, 765 parents and over 1,000 youths with messages of strengthening interfaith relations. Over 487 youths were trained in economic empowerment.
The project is currently being implemented by a consortium of five organizations in Mombasa, Kwale and Tana River counties with Cordaid as the lead. The consortium, which includes Samba Sports Youth Agenda, Jamii Action Center, Africa Youth Trust, and Anglican Development Services Pwani, works in collaboration with government representatives, policymakers, Civil Society Organizations, and the community. Collectively, they work towards developing policies that promote interfaith cooperation, aiming to create Shared Futures.
The project focus on two pillars namely interfaith co-existence and economic empowerment that correspond to the major root causes that emerge from the context analysis with Lobby and advocacy as a cross cutting theme. Under the interfaith co-existence pillar, the project targets youth and other diverse groups that are connected to the youth. To implement the project various methodologies are engaged, including interfaith forums where youth leaders lead interactions between youth of different religious backgrounds to create a safe space for interaction and exchange. The parents’ dialogues target young parents to create understanding of different religions, and to learn how to recognize signs of radicalization. Lastly, sports activities target children and will stimulate interfaith collaboration from an early age to prepare the youth for the future. In the economic empowerment pillar, the project seeks to strengthen the capacity of the youth and create linkages that will encourage the youth to seek meaningful work to make an income through multiple approaches including Business and Entrepreneurship skills development and linkages to opportunities. Under Lobby and Advocacy, the project focuses on strengthening the engagement between local policy makers, Civil Society Organizations and community and youth for stronger public policies that support interfaith cooperation and social cohesion.
In order to build on and expand the lessons from the project pilot phase, a robust Project Monitoring and Learning cycle including Knowledge Management was a key consideration during the conceptualization of the project. This is to be achieved through elaborate program monitoring and evaluation activities, participatory review and learning sessions. This study is meant to generate additional new insights that contribute to the program’s quality and sustainability of outcomes.
The proposed study is anchored on the premise that religion is widely appreciated in the coastal region as a platform that gives people the opportunity to share common values, create a sense of unity and foster a sense of community. Religious leaders play fundamental roles in social cohesion given their spiritual leadership and influence on the communities and broader society. The contribution of both the religious leaders and the organizations needs to be recognized and appreciated. The project therefore seeks to commission a study to determine the contextual contribution of the religious organizations and religious leaders to the prevention of violent extremism and strengthening of the interreligious social cohesion among the communities of diverse faiths and religions. The study’s outcomes and outputs will serve as instrumental tools for lobbying and advocating purposes geared towards policies that are pro-interfaith cohesion.
1.2 Project Objectives and Outcomes
The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the ability of youth and religious communities to address causes of interfaith violence and promote sustainable peace and reconciliation in the three coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale and Tana River. Specifically, the project aims to empower the Youth in Kwale, Tana River and Mombasa counties to take the lead in tackling the root causes of violent extremism in their counties. The project intends to reach 3,000 Youths (18-35, 40% Female). The following are the three project outcomes:
2. Contribution of Faith Based Organizations to Social Cohesion study Purpose, Scope and Objectives.
2.1 Purpose and objectives
The purpose of the study is to determine the contextual contribution of the religious organizations and religious leaders to the prevention of violent extremism and strengthening of the interreligious social cohesion among the communities of diverse faiths and religions. The findings of the study will provide useful information for facilitating discussions and debates during the policy lobbying forums and debates. Below is the suggested topic:
How Religious Leaders and Organizations promote peaceful interfaith coexistence and social cohesion in Mombasa, Kwale and Tana River Counties.
Specific study objectives include:
2.2 Scope
3. Methodology
We welcome applicants’ suggestions on suitable methodologies and approaches to undertake this work with clear justification for proposed approach. We are keen on approaches that take a participatory route with consideration to co-creation involving the implementing partners. It is also expected that the methodology will involve mixed methods approaches in gathering and analyzing the study data. We anticipate working closely with the successful applicant to continually review and reflect on the approach, learning questions and findings.
4. Oversight and Management
Support will be provided by Cordaid M&E and the Shared Futures Project team and where necessary the implementing partners coordinated through the Cordaid team. The consultant will be provided with the relevant project information package of key documentation for review. The Cordaid team will be available for discussion and guidance throughout the consultancy and will share other sources of information relevant to the assignment if and when requested.
5. Deliverables and Schedule
We expect the successful applicant to commence work on 19th February 2024 with completion of all final deliverables by 29th March 2024. We anticipate this work to include the following activities and deliverables:
6. Eligibility, Applicant’s Profile and Competencies
The selected consultant will be expected to read and comply with Cordaid’s Code of Conduct, Cordaid General Terms and Conditions for Consultancy Contracts and Cordaid Safety First Policy and Framework.
Application process
Consultants who meet the requirements should submit a maximum 10-page expression of interest document which should include the following:
Technical proposal that includes.
Applications must be submitted by 31st January 2024 by 5:00 p.m. to cordaidkenyatenders@cordaid.org, with the subject “[201017: Shared Futures Study on the Contribution of Faith Based Organizations to Social Cohesion.]”. Any applications received after this time will not be considered. If you have any queries in relation to your submission or to any requirements of this tender, please e-mail cordaidkenyatenders@cordaid.org
Alteration or withdrawal of bids
CORDAID reserves the right to change and to alter any of the processes, requirements and provisions outlined in these Terms of Reference as well as the right to accept or to reject any bid, and to annul the bidding process and reject all bids at any time prior to the award of the contract, without thereby incurring any liability to any bidder or any obligation to inform the bidder of the grounds for its action. To allow prospective bidders reasonable time to take any amendments into account in preparing their bids, Cordaid may at its sole discretion extend the deadline for the submission of bids based on the nature of the amendments. However, where such alterations or withdrawals occur, the participating bidders shall be informed accordingly.
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