A consultant to conduct a training on Women Entrepreneurship Capacity Building.

REQUEST FOR CONSULTANTS

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) are a global humanitarian organization with a mission to work with people in poverty and distress to create just and positive changes. ADRA Somalia belongs to the worldwide network, comprised of more than 130 supporting and implementing country offices. ADRA Somalia is seeking for a consultant to conduct a training on Women Entrepreneurship Capacity Building.

Background

Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) is a process for increasing the capacity of women to equally participate in economic activity and decision-making. It increases women’s access to economic resources and opportunities including jobs, financial services, property and other productive assets, skills development and market information. Gender equality plays a crucial role in promoting a balanced economic income for both men and women. It also contributes immensely to social cohesion, social justice and the well-being of society. It signifies an aspiration to transform structural inequalities, behaviour patterns and social norms thus leading to social change and sustainable development. However, for gender equality to be adequately mainstreamed, policy dimensions in areas such as education, poverty reduction, labour, financial markets, political and economic empowerment must be entrenched in all sectors of the economy. Women economic empowerment is achieved when all individuals are equal in every aspect of their lives including having equal value, being treated in a way that ensures equal outcomes. This enhances prospects of fulfilling both international and national commitments as entrenched in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 5, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), International Labour Organization, Labour Standards and Human Rights Conventions. According to UN-Women (Women Empowerment Principles, 2011,) empowering women to participate fully in economic life across all sectors and throughout all levels of economic activity is essential in order to: build strong economies; establish more stable and just societies; achieve internationally agreed upon goals for development, sustainability and human rights; improve quality of life for women, men, families and communities; and propel operations and goals of businesses.

Women play key roles in Somalia’s economy-as workers, entrepreneurs, and labourers whose efforts enable others to work. Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge of our time. Economic empowerment is a uniquely potent way for women to achieve greater control over their own lives. Inclusive growth cannot occur without their full participation. Empowering women to participate fully in economic life across all sectors and throughout all levels of economic activity is essential to build strong economies; establish more stable and just societies; achieve internationally agreed goals for development, sustainability and human rights; improve quality of life for women, men, families and communities; and propel businesses’ operations and goals. Ensuring the inclusion of women’s talents, skills, experience and energies requires intentional actions and deliberate policies. Targeting support to women entrepreneurs can not only help accelerate progress towards poverty reduction by building resilient livelihoods for the most vulnerable women entrepreneurs but also improve the capacity of women-owned enterprises to produce more and better-quality jobs and drive inclusive economic growth. The Ministry of Family and Human Rights Development (MFHRD) has embarked on a path to promote economic growth and empowerment of marginalized women through supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By providing financial assistance, business training, and technical support to SMEs owned by marginalized groups, the Ministry has helped these businesses thrive and contribute to the overall economic development of their communities. SMEs play an important role in the socio-economic development of the country. They also enable entrepreneurship amongst people and therefore often considered as an incubator for enhancing entrepreneurship and creativity amongst the youth.

Social norms influence the economic spaces considered appropriate for women and men respectively to occupy. Constraints to WEE are strongly correlated with gender norms regarding: the acceptability of work in specific sectors and activities; mobility and respectability; and care responsibilities and domestic divisions of labor. Norms that disadvantage women in the economy include: the allocation and devaluation of care work (generally unpaid, not considered “work,” and disproportionately undertaken by women); the over-representation of women in the informal sector; and stereotypes that suggest women are less capable than men, which become reproduced in the workplace and in institutions. Economic autonomy through gainful employment or self-employment can lead to women’s wider economic participation and can enable shifts that trigger positive change in other areas, such as women’s political representation and financial inclusion and their rights as landholders, business owners, and citizens. In Somalia, however, low rates of female participation in the labour force reflect the strength of inhibitions caused by gender norms, which can outweigh the opportunity for an income that provides increased economic stability and financial independence.

1. e-WINS Project

The e-WINS Project is funded by the European Union (EU) to contribute to economic empowerment of women and girls in Somalia through gender inclusive and transformative approaches and actions. The project targets 10,000 women to benefit from enhanced participation in productive economic activities and decision-making processes. Through tailored capacity building initiatives, negotiation skills, inclusivity, entrepreneurship and business management, alongside the establishment of knowledge-sharing platforms among women-led organizations, the action seeks to strengthen the social capital of women in leadership, socio-cultural and economic spheres of life. Furthermore, by implementing digital platforms and strengthening women’s engagement in formal business associations, the action directly contributes to improving access to financial services for women entrepreneurs. The action will conduct research to identify gaps in the regulatory framework and organize policy dialogues to advocate for gender-inclusive policies supporting women entrepreneurship and access to finance.

The EU has long championed gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in Somalia. The e-WINS Project is about more than just economic growth. It is about hope, resilience, and the promise of a better future. It is about ensuring that every woman with the ambition to lead a business, innovate, and contribute to her community has the opportunity to do so. The e-WINS Project is driven by the commitment to equip women with businesses in addition to a range of financing instruments, complemented by technical assistance to enhance their stability, drive job creation, and foster economic growth. The action’s commitment to leaving-no-one-behind, especially groups in vulnerable situations such as women, minorities, and those with disabilities, resonates with the emphasis on ensuring inclusivity in development initiatives. This is to be achieved through tailored interventions to local needs and ensure a contextually relevant approach that promotes local ownership and sustainability. By implementing initiatives that increase women’s access to financial resources, entrepreneurship opportunities, small- and large-scale investments either directly or through micro and macro financing opportunities, women are bound to become economically independent and contribute to the growth of the economy.

e-WINS Project aims to accelerate women’s economic empowerment across three corridors: Shabelle River (Southwest State and Banadir), Somaliland, and Juba River (Jubaland). Baseline and market assessment data reveal critical barriers:

• 61.1% of women entrepreneurs have never received business training.
• 53.6% lack formal education (literacy rate: 55.3%).
• Only 32.2% independently control their earnings.
• 65.1% face socio-cultural barriers to entrepreneurship.
• Severe training gaps in Borama (97%), Gabiley (94%), and Hargeisa (91%).

1. Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to build the business skills for women to stimulate economic growth through job creation and innovation, and foster gender equality and social well-being. This is to be achieved through direct training and by building the capacity of the project consortium to deliver high-quality, gender-transformative training to women entrepreneurs to enhance their business capabilities, financial literacy, and leadership skills.

Specific Objectives

1. To increase the personal entrepreneurship skills and business competencies of women in the formal and non-formal businesses.
2. Build the capacity of the consortium with adult learning methodologies and gender-responsive facilitation skills to adapt and deliver core modules: financial literacy, business planning, digital tools, and leadership.
3. Establish a mentorship framework for continuous staff development post-training of trainers.

   Scope of Work

The consultant will be expected to undertake expected to undertake the following activities:

Needs Assessment:

• Conduct a needs assessment of the consortium’s trainer of trainers (ToTs) to identify existing skillsets and knowledge gaps in areas critical to project sustainability, ecosystem development, community building, and entrepreneur support. The ToT program will entail equipping project staff (Project Managers, Coordinators, Experts, Senior Officers, and Officers) with the skills to train women entrepreneurs effectively.
• Review existing e-WINS training materials and baseline data to contextualize TOT content.
• Develop TOT modules aligned with e-WINS objectives and target corridor-specific gaps and sector-specific adaptations. For instance, fish value chains for coastal areas.
• Gender and Inclusion: Addressing social norms, disability inclusion, and household dialogue strategies, Buddy systems for digital literacy (youth-elder pairing).
• Provide a baseline of skills and knowledge to be compared to data collected after the workshops to measure the effectiveness of the capacity building program.

Capacity Building Program Design and Delivery:

• Design the capacity building program using human centered design principles to ensure maximum engagement and practicality in the methodology of delivery.
• Develop comprehensive training materials for each workshop, including presentations, handouts and case studies. The training materials will be developed into toolkits.
• Design a pathway for certification of the ToTs to practically translate the skills and knowledge of enterprise support to their community of entrepreneurs.
• Facilitate a capacity-building workshop tailored to the specific needs identified in the assessment.
• Disseminate feedback forms to assess the quality and effectiveness of the training.
• Design and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan to assess the effectiveness of the capacity building including a coaching framework (2-day refresher training for ToTs after 3 months) to sustain knowledge translation into practical action.

1. Key Deliverables

• Inception report.
• A needs assessment report outlining the findings.
• Conduct the capacity-building program.
• Toolkits, training manuals and materials.
• Final report including post-capacity building evaluation findings and recommendations.

1. Methodology

The selected consultant will propose a detailed methodology for conducting the assignment by demonstrating a clear understanding of the scope. Some of the considerations shall include but not limited to the following:

• The consultant will work collaboratively with the consortium partners throughout the assignment. Participatory methods, peer learning, and cultural sensitivity approach is recommended.
• The rapid needs assessment will utilize a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, potentially including surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions.
• The workshops will employ a participant-centered approach, incorporating interactive activities, case studies, and group discussions.
• The consultant should propose a flexible approach that can accommodate any unforeseen challenges or emerging needs.
• The consultant is expected to include green entrepreneurial mindset that supports to undertake green entrepreneurial behaviour.

1. Reporting and Coordination

• Reporting: Weekly updates during ToT delivery; final report within 1-week post-completion.
• Coordination: Liaise with e-WINS Project Manager and ADRA Somalia’s technical team.

1. Consultant Qualifications and Key Requirements

The consultant/firm should have the following experience and expertise:

• Post-graduate degree in Business, Economics, or any other related field in Social Sciences.
• At least 5+ years of experience conducting research and training in the startup and SME ecosystem
• Experience in training, module development and curriculum field or 5 years working experience in enterprise development field.
• Knowledge and experience in vocational skills training programs.
• Strong experience in conceptualizing and implementing assessment within the context of skill development field of Somalia.
• Proven expertise in women’s economic empowerment and gender-transformative programming.
• Experience in working with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent communication and reporting skills in English and Somali, including knowledge of local dialects.

Application Requirements:

All expressions of interest should include:

Technical Proposal:

• Clear and well demonstrated approach and methodology (Not more than 10 pages).
• The profile of the consultant(s) and executive brief of similar projects undertaken.
• Detailed work plan with clear timelines and deliverables.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the lead consultant and other consultants as necessary.

Financial Proposal:

• Provide cost estimates for services rendered including daily consultancy fees excluding accommodation and living costs; transport cost; stationery, and supplies needed for the training as well as costs to be incurred by trainees and enumerators.