Technical and Monitoring Evaluation Advisor

Background

The Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project is a competitive grant programme under the umbrella of the Global Development Awards Competition, administered by the Global Development Network (GDN), funded under the Policy and Human Resources Development Fund (PHRD) trust fund managed by the World Bank, and generously supported by the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan.

The award programme invites non-profit Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to submit project proposals supporting (in particular) improved service delivery, and innovative approaches that may be scaled-up through a grant. The Award targets projects currently at the stage of implementation, and which have a high potential for impact, targeting exceptionally marginalised and disadvantaged groups located in developing countries.

The two first prize winners compete for the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) award after a minimum of 12 months implementation of their MIDP grant for a much larger grant of up to US$ 200,000 within the framework of the World Bank-administered Japan Social Development Fund.

The JSDF award focuses on piloting socially innovative development projects that have been identified as having the potential for development impact and replicability through the MIDP Award. The objective of JSDF Award is to support community-driven development and poverty reduction programs that serve to enhance productivity, increase access to social and community services and infrastructure, and improve the living conditions of poor and vulnerable groups in eligible countries.

Objective and scope of work

Under GDN’s Global Development Awards Competition, your assignment is to serve as a Mentor/ Technical Advisor to the development project titled, “Freetown The Treetown” being implemented by the NGO Youth Action for Relentless Development Organization (YARDO) from Sierra Leone.

This NGO was initially awarded the 1st prize under the Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project (MIDP) category of the 2022 edition of the Global Development Awards Competition (GDAC).

After 12 months of implementation, through closed competition between MIDP 1st prize winners, the NGO was awarded the JSDF Award for a scale-up of their MIDP project with a US$ 200,000 grant.

In close consultation and coordination with the Awardee and GDN, the main task of this consultancy is to provide technical guidance for the effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the project. This shall include but not be limited to:

Technical support

• Provide technical support to the project team in the implementation and suggest changes to optimize the project proposal, thereby supporting the grantee achieve the project’s objectives while addressing potential issues regarding quality, sustainability, and potential scalability.
• Provide expert guidance on the ecological aspects of the restoration activities. This includes advising on appropriate native species selection for the watershed and mangrove ecosystems, best practices for seedling propagation and planting to ensure high survival rates, and methodologies for community-based monitoring of the restored area.
• Offer specific technical support in developing the training curriculum for the 500 'community climate action ambassadors'. This involves ensuring the content on disaster risk, environmental concerns, and community mobilization is scientifically accurate, locally relevant, and designed to foster long-term behavior change.
• Provide technical oversight into the 'Alternative Livelihood Support' component. This includes advising on the market viability and environmental sustainability of the proposed skills (vegetable production, Gara tie-dying, improved cookstove production) to ensure they provide a genuine economic alternative and reduce pressure on the local forest resources.

Monitoring and reporting

• Guide (externally) the team in defining indicators and identifying relevant data sources to track the development of the project, considering the team’s own objectives. The Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework the results from this exercise must be directly useful to the team to talk about the project with key stakeholders
• Accompanying the project team during its visits to the target sites and beneficiaries for monitoring purposes, if possible.
• Review progress reports produced by the project team and providing on them comments to help identify and address any gaps. Ensure that the reports include the information collected on the indicators included in the M&E framework.
• Monitoring, assessing, and analyzing project’s progress and achievements against its stated indicators as well as objectives, and documenting them within the reporting to GDN. The objective of this reporting is to guide GDN in understanding the state of implementation, and identifying additional support needed (if any) in support of the project’s objectives.

About the Project

What is the problem the project intends to address?

Freetown was once known for its beautiful beaches and green scenery from the surrounding Western Area Peninsula Park. The Park (forest) is home to diverse biodiversity, and very critical in providing ecosystem services (water, air, tourism etc.) to the City.

However, recent uncontrolled deforestation due to mostly, rapid expansion of human settlements and economic activities have posed as a major challenge for the city.

According to a WFP 2024 report, the city losses an estimated 500ha of tree cover in that year alone. This rampant deforestation has been associated reason for the high rise in the frequency of environmental disasters reported over the last few years.

For example, in August 2017, Freetown experienced its deadliest environmental disaster that claimed over 2,000 lives and destroyed property worth millions of dollars in the Recent Mudslide. Every year that has been reports of floods, landslides etc. in Freetown, which has been accelerated by the increase in deforestation.

Therefore, the proposal aims to undertake sustainable actions that will safeguard lives and livelihoods in Freetown by reducing disaster risks through nature-based interventions.

What is the proposed solution?

The proposed solution seeks to promote capacity strengthening for community based environmental stewardship, support alternative livelihoods skill development, and mobilize actions for restoration of degraded ecosystems, with overall goal to reduce environmental disaster and risks in Freetown.

Brief description of the main activities

Restoration

This refers to the planting of seedlings and propagules in watershed and wetland areas respectively. 100,000 trees will be planted to restore 100 ha.

Outputs include: recovered biodiversity, improved soil conditions, restored water resources, reduced run-offs, increased absorption of carbon, promoted community engagements and short-term green/conservation jobs. Etc.

Training

This refers to the training of young people on topics such as environmental concerns in Sierra Leone; Causes, Effects and Solutions. Disaster risk mapping etc. 500 people will be trained as community climate action ambassadors.

Outputs include: Increased environmental awareness, improved community mobilization for environmental actions, stronger community engagement, enhanced community project ownership and sustainability, better behaviors, attitudes and practices. Etc.

Alternative Livelihood Support

This activity will focus on training vulnerable women on sustainable alternative livelihood skills. 50 women will benefit from this training which will skill development in vegetable production, gara tye dying, cookstove production, and soap making.

Outputs include: community members gained new livelihood skills with increased household income, reduced burden on the ecosystem (forest/mangroves), Improved food security and wellbeing. Etc.

Main key expected results and outcomes

Main Activities

Expected Results / Outcomes

1. Restoration

• 100 ha of degraded ecosystems (watershed and mangrove) restored
• 75 new jobs created

1. Training

• 500 community climate ambassadors trained

1. Alternative Livelihood Support

• 50 women supported

Extended objectives of the project

The overall objective of the Project is to promote disaster risk mitigation capabilties and build resilience of the Wellington and Allentown Communities in Freetown Sierra Leone.

This can further be broadened into two (2) main categories:

1. Short term Objectives: create green jobs, boost livelihoods, improve environmental awareness etc.
2. Long term Objectives: increase water retention capacity of watershed áreas, improve carbon sink of wetlands, improve air quality etc.

The project is planned to last for 24 months from September 2025 to September 2027.

Location

The Consultant should be based anywhere though preference will be given to applicants based in Sierra Leone.

Experience

Priority will be given to candidates that comply with the following characteristics:

• Advanced degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science or similar discipline.
• Track record in monitoring/supporting projects of similar nature
• Background in M&E and Project Management

Any prior relevant work experience in the targeted area or in the intervention type of project will be an added advantage.

Basis of appointment

The appointment will be on a part-time basis requiring around 30 days of involvement spreading over the whole duration of the project. The Consultant/Advisor shall be able to make herself/himself available either in-person or remotely for GDN and the Awardee. The Consultant/Advisor will keep GDN copied on all the email communications with the Awardee.

Budget

The candidate is expected to provide a detailed budget for his/her application.

The maximum budget (including the cost of travel to the project location, lodging, and subsistence etc.) should not exceed USD 15,000. Applications from teams of more than one person are welcome.