FOR CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES in SOMALILAND FOR THE PROJECT “Dhalin-Kaab: Youth Empowerment

SOS Children's Villages in Somaliland, in partnership with SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit Hermann-Gmeiner Fonds Deutschland (CVW), is seeking a qualified consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for the project 'Dhalin-Kaab: Youth Empowerment'. This study will inform the design and submission of a funding proposal to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The proposed project aims to improve the well-being, protection, resilience, and socio-economic inclusion of vulnerable youth in Somaliland, with a particular focus on young people with care experience and those living in internally displaced persons (IDP) settings. The project will target 1,220 vulnerable youth (50% female) as principal beneficiaries, of whom 300 will receive tailored Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services, and 840 will benefit from life skills, employability, TVET, and mentorship opportunities. Additionally, 80 members of local authorities, local NGOs, and community structures will be engaged as secondary beneficiaries to strengthen protection systems and referral pathways.

The feasibility study will be conducted in Burao and Hargeisa and will assess the relevance, feasibility, sustainability, partnership arrangements, institutional capacities, and potential added value of the proposed intervention. It will provide evidence-based recommendations for project design, implementation modalities, and partnership arrangements, ensuring alignment with BMZ funding guidelines and the principles of equal partnership.

Context

SOS Children's Villages in Somaliland (SOS SX) and CVW have agreed to develop a joint application to BMZ for public funding. According to BMZ guidelines, local implementing organizations within an international NGO network should not act as exclusive implementing partners. Therefore, the project will involve an additional local organization to establish an equal partnership. The target groups face multiple barriers including limited access to MHPSS services, exposure to GBV and harmful practices such as FGM, harmful social norms, and limited access to life skills, employability, TVET, mentorship, and socio-economic opportunities.

Study Objectives

The overall objective is to assess the feasibility, relevance, coherence, sustainability, and potential effectiveness of the proposed project, and to provide recommendations for its design and submission to BMZ. The study will specifically:

Analyse the socio-economic situation of the target groups in Hargeisa and Burao, including baseline data collection and validation.

Analyse the macro, meso, and micro context affecting vulnerable youth, including unemployment, poverty, displacement, protection risks, gender inequality, disability inclusion, psychosocial well-being, and irregular migration drivers.

Analyse gaps in current response and implementation of policy frameworks, standards, and guidelines.

Analyse cross-cutting issues such as gender, MHPSS, ecology, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Identify synergies with similar projects and initiatives at local, national, or regional levels.

Assess the proposed project against DAC criteria.

Conduct risks and risk mitigation analysis.

Carry out Child Safeguarding Risk assessments in the target locations.

Issues to be Studied

The study will assess the following dimensions:

a) Relevance

The study will assess the relevance of the project to the needs, vulnerabilities, capacities, priorities, and aspirations of the target population, as well as its consistency with national and regional development objectives. It will examine:

The nature, number, and type of direct and indirect beneficiaries, including self-help efforts and coping mechanisms.

Relevant baseline information on the target population and key dimensions of the intervention.

The extent to which the project responds to the needs and priorities expressed by the target group and stakeholders.

Legislation and policies covering the target group's situation, including implementation and enforcement.

Coherence with national development objectives and policies of relevant ministries.

All organizations affected or involved, including SHAQADOON and NAFIS Networks, and their capacities.

Possibilities for integrating cross-cutting issues like MHPSS, ecology, gender, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

An assessment of mental health needs and available support structures.

Identification of the best-placed stakeholder as implementing partner, including stakeholder analysis.

Interaction with other interventions of ministries, agencies, and donors.

Risks related to the project, including economic, political, environmental, cultural, and child safeguarding risks, and mitigating measures.

Information from previous studies and evaluations relevant to the project.

b) Crosscutting, Protection, Inclusion, and Safeguarding Dimensions

The study will assess the integration of cross-cutting issues and ensure a safe, inclusive, gender-responsive, and protection-centred approach. It will examine:

Gender equality and gender responsiveness, considering the different roles and needs of girls, boys, young women, and young men.

Specific needs and barriers faced by persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups.

MHPSS needs and the availability, accessibility, quality, capacity, and sustainability of existing support structures and referral pathways.

Integration of GBV and FGM prevention, survivor-centred referral and response mechanisms, and measures to address harmful social norms.

Child and youth safeguarding risks, including abuse, exploitation, violence, inappropriate conduct, confidentiality breaches, unsafe referrals, and risks from interactions between staff, partners, communities, and youth.

Key factors driving youth migration and risks in target locations.

Youth participation and meaningful involvement in project design, implementation, monitoring, feedback, and decision-making.

Integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), conflict sensitivity, 'do no harm,' and environmental sustainability throughout the project cycle.

Measures to ensure services are safe, confidential, accessible, age-appropriate, gender-responsive, and adapted to vulnerabilities.

c) Feasibility of the Proposed Project

The consultant will prepare a recommendation for the project structure, including:

Overall objective: Why the project is important to target groups, beneficiaries, location, and government; desired social development impact.

Project objective: Why the target groups and beneficiaries need the project.

Project results: Products and services delivered, and assumptions required.

Project activities: Scope of activities and associated assumptions.

The feasibility analysis will be based on OECD-DAC criteria: Relevance, Coherence, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact, and Sustainability. The project purpose and results should be measurable by objectively verifiable indicators, and baseline data should be collected.

d) Institutional, Partnership, and Implementation Feasibility

The study will assess the institutional, technical, operational, organisational, and partnership capacity required to deliver results. It will examine:

Capacities of SOS Children's Villages Somaliland and potential additional local implementing partners (SHAQADOON and NAFIS NETWORK), including technical expertise, human resources, programme management, financial management, procurement, safeguarding, M&E, and partnership management.

Feasibility and added value of the proposed equal partnership arrangement, including clear roles and responsibilities.

Capacity-strengthening requirements of implementing partners and other stakeholders.

Institutional arrangements for effective implementation, coordination, accountability, safeguarding, monitoring, and decision-making.

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