Terms of Reference - Baseline Study for Bumula and Mwanamwinga Local Rights Programs (ActionAid International Kenya)

Project Name: Bumula and Mwanamwinga Local Rights Programs (LRPs) Baseline Study Location(s) of the Project: Bungoma County (Bumula Sub-County – Mkua, Siboti and Mapara Wards); Kilifi County (Kaloleni Sub-County, Mwanamwinga Ward) Duration of Assignment: 4 Weeks Anticipated Fieldwork Window: 23rd -31st March 2026 Introduction ActionAid International Kenya (AAIK) is a non-partisan, non-religious development organization that has worked in Kenya since 1972 to challenge poverty and injustice. Recognized as one of the country's leading anti-poverty agencies, AAIK operates in 25 counties and directly engages over 500000 people living in poverty and exclusion. Central to AAIK's mission is the commitment to advancing women's rights, with women, children, and young people placed at the heart of its programming. AAIK's work is anchored in the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), which emphasizes three pillars: empowerment, solidarity, and campaigning. Local Rights Programs (LRPs) are AAIK's primary mechanism for operationalizing rights-based approaches at community level. LRPs empower people living in poverty and exclusion to critically analyze their situation, organize collectively, and take action aligned with AAIK's priority missions. They emphasize capacity building, strengthening local institutions, promoting accountability to communities, meaningful youth engagement, and advancing women's leadership in decision-making and community transformation. AAIK identified new LRP areas to absorb child sponsorship links and continue its mission in high-need hard to reach communities. Following scouting and appraisal missions undertaken in November 2024 and April–May 2025, two new LRP sites have been identified and approved for establishment: Bumula LRP in Bungoma County and Mwanamwinga LRP in Kilifi County. These two LRPs were selected based on documented high levels of poverty, gender inequality, social injustice, and alignment with AAIK's Country Strategy Paper (CSP). A Baseline Study is now required to generate a comprehensive evidence base prior to programme implementation. The study will establish starting-point benchmarks across all thematic areas (gender and SGBV, livelihoods and food security, education, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and governance) against which future midline and endline assessments will measure progress. The study also fulfils the requirement of AAIK's donor accountability framework and will directly inform LRP programme design, indicator setting, and the development of annual plans. Purpose & Objectives of the Assignment This Terms of Reference (ToR) is for a Baseline Study. The purpose of the study is to establish credible, rights-based starting-point data across the two new LRP sites (Bumula in Bungoma County, and Mwanamwinga in Kilifi County) to guide the design, implementation, and monitoring of AAIK's programmes. The specific objectives of the assignment are to: Establish baseline indicators on poverty, inequality, and social injustice in Bumula and Mwanamwinga, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data across gender, livelihoods, education, health, water, and governance in thematic areas. Assess gender and safeguarding gaps, including documenting the prevalence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), early marriages, and teenage pregnancies; identifying barriers to women's leadership and decision-making participation; and ensuring safeguarding protocols for children, youth, and vulnerable adults are reflected in programme design. Map livelihoods and climate resilience by analyzing household income sources, agricultural practices, food security status, and vulnerability to climate change, humanitarian risks, peace and security, environmental degradation, and land rights issues. Evaluate access to and barriers in education, including school infrastructure, teacher availability, transition rates, and cultural and economic factors contributing to school dropouts, especially among girls and children with disabilities. Analyze health and nutrition status including access to healthcare facilities, maternal and child health services, nutrition levels, and document disease prevalence and service delivery gaps. Review water and sanitation access by establishing baseline data on access to clean water, sanitation facilities, hygiene practices, and seasonal vulnerabilities. Identify existing community structures, NGOs, government programs, and partnership opportunities active in both LRP areas. Provide an evidence base for programme design, generating actionable insights that guide AAIK's rights-based interventions and ensure alignment with AAIK's CSP and donor priorities. Scope of Work The baseline study will be conducted across two LRP sites: Bumula Sub-County in Bungoma County and Mwanamwinga Ward in Kaloleni Sub-County, Kilifi County. It will cover the following thematic areas: Gender and SGBV Livelihoods, food security, humanitarian, peace and security. Education and youth development Health and nutrition Water and sanitation Governance and accountability. The study will not cover areas outside these two approved LRP geographies. The study will engage the following respondent groups: Community members e.g women, young people, men, persons with disabilities, village elders, and farmers) County and sub-county government officials Non-state actors (NGOs, CSOs, faith-based organizations) AAIK staff and partners Applicants may apply for multiple lots, one per LRP site. However, each successful applicant will be awarded only one lot. The consultant is expected to undertake the following key activities: Inception Report : Prepare an inception report outlining the understanding of the scope of work, proposed methodology, sampling framework, data collection tools, and work plan. Desktop Review : Conduct a review of available documentation and secondary data, and provide inputs to enrich the survey tool questions based on findings. Work Planning: Prepare the baseline survey work plan in consultation with AAIK, including a finalized schedule for fieldwork, enumerator training, and reporting. Data Collection Tools: Develop finalized survey instruments, FGD and KII guides, and reflection tools reflecting AAIK's four core lenses: rights-based approach, women's leadership, young people engagement, and community accountability. Fieldwork: Conduct data collection in both LRP sites using mixed methods (quantitative surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observation/PRA tools). Surveys and interviews must take place at all programme target locations. Fieldwork Report: Document all data collection activities including locations visited, stakeholders engaged, challenges encountered, and evidence of participatory processes and safeguarding compliance. Draft Baseline Report: Provide comprehensive analysis disaggregated by gender, age, disability status, and other relevant characteristics. The draft report must include an indicator matrix aligned to AAIK's CSP. Validation Workshop: Present preliminary findings to AAIK staff, partners, and community representatives compressed into a PowerPoint presentation for feedback and validation and incorporate stakeholder inputs into the final report. Final Baseline Report: Submit a consolidated final report in both soft and hard copy formats, including an executive summary, context and methodology, disaggregated findings across all thematic areas, and programme design recommendations. Evaluation Questions / Indicator Set The baseline study will generate data against the following key evaluation questions, aligned to thematic programme areas and AAIK's CSP: Gender, Women's Rights and SGBV What is the prevalence of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), domestic violence, early marriage, and teenage pregnancies in Bumula and Mwanamwinga? What are the key barriers to women's participation in community leadership, decision-making, and land/resource ownership? What formal and informal mechanisms exist to address GBV, and how effective are they in delivering justice to survivors? To what extent do women access and control household economic resources? Livelihoods, Food Security and Climate Resilience What are the primary livelihood sources and income levels of households in both LRP areas? What is the food security status of households, and what seasonal vulnerabilities exist? How are communities affected by climate change, and what coping mechanisms are in place? What is the nature of humanitarian, peace and security threats in the LRPs, and the infrastructure to address the threats. What is the status of land rights across the three classes of land, particularly for women, and how does this affect economic productivity? Education and Young people Development What are the current enrolment, transition, and dropout rates across ECD, primary, and secondary levels? What cultural and economic factors are driving school dropout, especially among girls, children with disabilities, and boys drawn into informal labour? What is the availability and quality of school infrastructure, including sanitation and menstrual hygiene facilities? What is the level of access to vocational training for youth? Health & Nutrition What is the access and utilization rate of health facilities, including maternal and child health services? What are the prevalence rates of key diseases (malaria, HIV/STIs, typhoid, malnutrition) in each LRP area? What barriers prevent communities from accessing quality healthcare? Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) What is the current access to safe, clean drinking water and sanitation facilities? What are the water access challenges and community coping strategies? What is the status of hygiene practices, including open defecation and handwashing facilities? Governance & Accountability What is the level of community awareness of constitutional and legal rights? What government services and social protection programs are active in the LRP areas, and how effective is community access? What existing community-based organizations, NGOs, and CSOs are present, and what are the opportunities for collaboration? Approach & Methodology The consultant is expected to propose and design a rigorous methodology for conducting the baseline study, which must be participatory, rights-based, gender-responsive, ethical, and inclusive of marginalized groups including persons with disabilities, young people, and women. A mixed-methods approach is required, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. Minimum Methodological Expectations include: Use of a mixed-method approach combining quantitative household surveys with qualitative methods (focus group discussions, key informant interviews, observation, and participatory rural appraisal/PRA tools). A statistically sound and representative sampling framework that covers all programme target locations in both Bumula and Mwanamwinga. The consultant must provide a clear sampling methodology and justify the proposed sample size. All data must be disaggregated beyond male/female to include: number of households, young women and men, girls and boys out of school, children with disabilities, and other relevant sub-groups. Gender and context sensitivity must be embedded in interview settings and tool design to allow respondents of all backgrounds to participate freely and safely. Digital data collection tools are strongly encouraged. All tools must be approved by AAIK prior to fieldwork. Enumerators should be recruited from the counties in which data is collected to enable ease of access and responsiveness, with preference given to those with prior experience in similar assignments. No photographs or case studies are to be taken without the informed consent of participants. The methodology must be further detailed and refined during the inception phase. It must include study type, sampling procedure and sample size, data collection instruments, study process, and data analysis methods. The consultant is expected to use visual methods and participatory tools for group-based participatory analysis. Below ActionAid’s Evaluation Principles must be adhered to throughout the assignment: Promote participation and agency of community women and men at all stages of the evaluation (planning, data collection and analysis, and communications). Generate useful learning through the process and outputs of evaluation. Promote women's rights, ensuring full participation of women, engaging women's rights expertise and ensuring gender and age disaggregated data. Recognize and analyze power relationships at all stages of the evaluation, including compliance with Child Protection and other ethical standards related to protection, including the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Promote accountability, primarily to people living in poverty and exclusion and to supporters and donors. Be transparent, by presenting clear reports. Reflect evidence and rigor through credible research methodology. Link to monitoring and learning, building on existing information and actively promoting evaluation findings. Build partnerships through communication and collaboration. Draw the link between community-level results and the broader context to identify factors related to structural change (social movements, policy change, cultural shifts). Reflect ActionAid's Feminist Leadership Guidelines in the evaluation process. See: ActionAid Feminist Research Guidelines ( https://actionaid.org/sites/default/files/publications/ActionAid%20Feminist%20Research%20Guidelines_2021.pdf ) Apply Inclusive Systemic Evaluation for Gender Equality, Environments and Marginalized Voices (ISE4GEMs). See: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2018/ISE4GEMs-A-new-approach-for-the-SDG-era-en.pdf Promote credible and sustainable alternatives. Timeline & Deliverables The assignment must be completed within a maximum of 31 days , of which at least 7-10 days must be dedicated to fieldwork. The indicative timeline and deliverables are as follows: Deliverable Completed by (indicative end date/ week) Potential Constraints / Notes Inception Report (with methodology, tools, workplan) 17th Mar 26 AAIK Conflicting schedules and priorities. Data Collection (fieldwork) 31st Mar 26 AAIK Conflicting schedules and priorities. Draft Report 10th Apr 26 AAIK Conflicting schedules and priorities. Validation Workshop & Presentation 15th Apr 26 AAIK Conflicting schedules and priorities. Final Report (with annexes, datasets, tools) 18th Apr 26 AAIK Conflicting schedules and priorities. Logistics, Travel & Security AAIK will provide the following logistical support for this assignment: Official transport will be availed where possible to support field visits in both Bumula (Bungoma County) and Mwanamwinga (Kilifi County). Where official transport cannot be provided, travel expenses will be reimbursed based on actual and realistic costs. The consultant must seek prior consent from AAIK before incurring any travel expenses. Accommodation at the venue of the assignment will be arranged by AAIK for the duration of fieldwork. AAIK will facilitate introductions to county government officials, community leaders, and key stakeholders to support data collection. The consultant is responsible for: Costs associated with enumerator recruitment, training, and supervision (these must be costed into the financial proposal). Digital data collection equipment and related software, where applicable. Any other costs not explicitly covered by AAIK. Security considerations: The fieldwork sites in Bumula (Bungoma County) and Mwanamwinga/Kaloleni (Kilifi County) are generally accessible and do not present acute security risks. However, consultants should be aware that some areas may involve significant travel distances over unpaved roads. The consultant must adhere to AAIK's security protocols and must immediately report any security incidents to the AAIK program team. AAIK retains the right to suspend or postpone fieldwork in the event of security concerns. Budget & Payment Schedule The payment schedule will be milestone-based, linked to the acceptance of key deliverables, as follows: 30% upon submission and acceptance of the Inception Report. 40% upon submission and acceptance of the Draft Baseline Report. 30% upon submission and acceptance of the Final Baseline Report. All payments will be subject to Kenyan statutory withholding tax deductions as applicable. AAIK reserves the right to withhold payment or request revisions if deliverables do not meet the required standards. Ethics, Safeguarding & Do-No-Harm Given the nature of the communities involved, including women and girls who have experienced SGBV, children and youth in schools, and persons with disabilities, consultants must apply heightened sensitivity and robust safeguarding protocols throughout the assignment. All data collection involving women and SGBV survivors must follow trauma-informed approaches, and discussions on sensitive themes (GBV, land rights, teenage pregnancies, drug abuse) must be conducted in safe, gender-segregated settings where appropriate. All evaluations commissioned by ActionAid Kenya must uphold the highest ethical standards, safeguarding commitments, and the principle of Do No Harm. Consultants must: Comply with ActionAid's policies — including the Safeguarding Policy, Child Protection Policy, and the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) standards. Obtain informed consent — all participants must give voluntary, informed consent (oral or written, depending on context). For children or youth, parental/guardian consent and assent from the child are both required. Ensure confidentiality and anonymity — participants' identities must be protected unless explicit permission is provided. Raw data must be securely stored and anonymized before sharing. Respect community norms while protecting rights — ensure culturally appropriate engagement, but never at the expense of women's or children's rights. Apply safeguarding protocols for disclosures — consultants must be aware of and prepared to follow referral pathways if safeguarding issues (e.g. GBV, child abuse) are disclosed during data collection. Ensure safe and inclusive participation — methods must be designed to enable meaningful and safe participation of women, girls, boys, youth, and marginalized groups (e.g. persons with disabilities). Apply ethical use of images and stories — photos, video, or direct quotes can only be used with prior informed consent, documented and stored appropriately. Ensure data protection and ownership — all data collected remain the property of ActionAid Kenya and must be stored securely, transferred to AAIK, and not shared externally without permission. Consultant Profile & Qualifications We are looking for consultants with the following key skills and capacity. These criteria will be used to assess applications alongside applicants' technical proposals. General Criteria A master's degree or equivalent work experience in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Gender Studies, Qualitative Economics, or a related field. At least 5 years of experience in developing and carrying out monitoring and evaluation (MEL) systems, baselines, and evaluation design from a feminist lens with diverse knowledge in mixed methods approaches. Proven experience in participatory approaches to designing and delivering baseline surveys in community development contexts. Demonstrable expertise and experience on women's and girls' rights, GBV, gender equality, and the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA). Experience and willingness to work in Western Kenya (Bungoma County) and the Coastal region (Kilifi County). Proven cross-regional experience would be preferable. Excellent facilitation skills. Proficient in English and Swahili; knowledge of Bukusu, Giriama, or other local languages relevant to the LRP areas is an added advantage. Technical Criteria Experience in qualitative and quantitative methodology, methods, tools, analysis, and data visualization. Experience in participatory and community-led research approaches. Demonstrable knowledge and skills in development and use of digital data collection methods and tools. Evidence of strong downward accountability mechanisms used with project stakeholders and research participants to actively share results and learning. Evidence of use of ethical considerations and methodological measures that respect the rights of all stakeholders. Evidence of successfully designing and managing large-scale, rigorous, and robust research processes and evaluations. Evidence of producing clear, concise, and high-quality reports in English. Proposal Requirements (Submission Package) Interested consultants or firms are requested to submit a complete application package comprising: Technical Proposal (8–15 pages): Demonstrating understanding of the Terms of Reference, proposed methodology and sampling strategy, quality assurance approach, safeguarding and inclusion measures, and work plan. Financial Proposal: Detailed itemized budget covering professional fees, enumerator costs, travel and accommodation (where applicable), digital tools, withholding tax, and payment terms. Curriculum Vitae and Letter of Interest: A brief letter (maximum 2 pages) describing the applicant's understanding of the task, relevant experience, and qualifications, along with CVs of the lead consultant and all key team members. Capability Statement (2–3 pages): Detailing the firm's or consultant's experience in undertaking similar or related assignments, including a summary of relevant previous work. Two previous work samples related to baseline studies, evaluations, or similar assignments. Two referees who can certify that the consultant has successfully undertaken and delivered a similar assignment.

Qualified and interested consultants or firms are invited to submit their complete application packages via email to [email protected] on or before 13 March 2026.