CHARITY JOBS IN AFRICA

In April 2013, the Government of Zambia launched the National Food and Nutrition Strategic Plan (NFNSP) 2011-2015. Within the NFNSP, the prevention of stunting by focusing on the First 1000 Most Critical Days of life (MCD) is the first strategic priority. To this end, a First 1000 Most Critical Days Programme (MCDP) has been developed by the NFNC and collaborating partners.

The Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Fund is a joint financing mechanism established to support the Zambian National First 1000 Most Critical Days Programme. CARE and its partners, Concern Worldwide and the Nutrition Association of Zambia, are the management agent for the SUN Fund, supporting the NFNC and key line ministries (Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Local Government and Housing and Ministry of Education) to implement the First 1000 Most Critical days Programme.

Much of the work supported by the SUN Fund focuses on increasing capacity to provide nutrition services in the 14 priority districts, primarily through support to National and District level Government Line Ministries. The SUN Fund is promoting the scaling up of 14 Priority Interventions (see Annex 1). Each line ministry has lead responsibility for 1 or more of the priority interventions; most fall under MCDMCH but others fall under other Ministries e.g. water and sanitation (MLGH) or diversified foods/diet (MAL).

Each of the PIs has an ideal ‘pathway’ for implementation and will illustrate how interventions and service providers are linked to the household, mother and child. The formal government systems/staff/resources go as far as the district or to the health centres, but in general the formal systems do not reach far into the communities, especially in remote areas. Sun Fund has been supporting the supply side resources, through GRZ and others, but also needs to engage communities on the ‘demand’ side of the pathway. In order to do this, each ministry will need a community mobilization and engagement strategy, which builds on the district plan and maximises existing structures and optimises resources including time spent by volunteers.

Purpose of the Consultancy: To develop a community mobilization and engagement strategy for the SUN Fund that supports the Line Ministries to implement the priority interventions and reach as far and deep as possible into the communities to the target groups (including but not limited to: pregnant and lactating mothers, children under 2 and adolescent girls) .

Annex 1

1. Iron & folic acid supplementation
2. Micronutrient powders (building on current pilots)
3. Multiple micronutrients (pilot first)
4. Promotion of Breastfeeding (Early initiation, Exclusive Breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding )
5. Promotion of Complementary Feeding
6. Promotion of Diverse Diets for pregnant and lactating mothers
7. Zinc provision during diarrhoea
8. Promotion of safe water and hygiene and sanitation
9. Growth monitoring and promotion (facility and community)
10. Vitamin A supplementation
11. Deworming
12. Expanding Integrated management of acute malnutrition
13. Promotion of increased availability of diverse locally available and processed foods (with focus on women’s empowerment)
14. Nutritional sensitive messages in cash transfers & other programmes

The SUN Fund invites eligible experts, NGOs, CBOs, FBOs, or firms to indicate their interest in carrying out the consultancy. Expressions of Interest should describe in less than five pages the experience and qualifications of the submitter for this assignment, including:

• CV of principal consultant
• Suitability for this assignment
• Brief description of similar assignments
• At least three (3) referees for past assignments
• An estimate of fees (daily rate)

Expressions of interest must be sent by email to the address below by Friday 12 December 2014 at 17:00 hoursand mention “SUN Fund – Community Engagement Consultancy’. Shortlisted experts will be sent a full Scope of Work for the assignment.

CARE Zambia Scaling-Up Nutrition Fund 9 Chitemwiko Road P. O. Box 36238 Lusaka, Zambia. Email: kolalaf@carezam.org with copies to chibambulam@carezam.org