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Terms of Reference for External Final Evaluation (Phase III)

Humana People to People in South Africa (HPPSA) seeks the services of a skilled evaluation consultant to undertake an External Final Evaluation of the project “Community-led Early Childhood Development (ECD) initiatives for vulnerable children in South Africa” Phase III funded by the Government Princier de Monaco and implemented over 36-months (1^st of October 2022 – 30^th of September 2025).

The evaluation will run from 20^th October 2025 to 12^th December 2025

1- Project Summary

HPPSA is funded by the Government of Monaco to implement a “Community-led Early Childhood Development (ECD) initiatives for vulnerable children in South Africa” program in iLembe District, specifically in the municipalities of Ndwedwe, Mandeni and Maphumulo.

The project aims to improve access to ECD services for vulnerable children through 55 ECD centres (General objective). 40 centres are located across the three sub-districts (Mandeni, Ndwedwe, and Maphumulo). The programme replicates HPPSA’s successful community-based model piloted in Phase I (2017–2019) and expanded in Phase II (2019–2022).

Three main specific objectives were planned, with their respective key results:

SO1: To increase access to and provision of quality community-based ECD services for vulnerable children from disadvantaged communities in the four municipalities.

• Result 1.1: Improved early learning for 1,800 children aged 2–4 enrolled in the 55 targeted ECD centres.
• Result 1.2: Strengthened and expanded capacity to implement integrated ECD programming.
• Result 1.3: Improved daily care through better water, sanitation, and hygiene practices.
• Result 1.4: Strengthened parental involvement and support in the communities where ECD centres are located.

SO2: To facilitate the exchange of best practices, sharing of experiences, and lessons learned at the provincial level with other ECD stakeholders.

• Result 2.1: Improved practices and outcomes from the 55 ECD centres.

SO3: To mobilize teachers, children, and the stakeholder community to deliver epidemic (COVID-19 and GBV) prevention and mitigation interventions.

• Result 3.1: Improved prevention and mitigation interventions for 42,000 people (children, teachers, and community members around the targeted 55 ECD centres).

The project is implemented over 36 months (October 2022 – September 2025) with a total budget of €240,000, provided by the Gouvernement Princier de Monaco (€80,000 annually). The evaluation will assess achievements against these objectives and results, and the extent to which the interventions have been effective, efficient, relevant, and sustainable

1. Objectives of the Evaluation

2.1 Overall Objective

The final evaluation will assess the success, efficiency, and sustainability of the project. It will also provide recommendations for future programming, based on lessons learned, and analyse the degree to which objectives were achieved through community participation.

2.2 Specific Objectives

The evaluation will generally:

• Assess the relevance of the project (alignment with community needs).
• Evaluate effectiveness (achievement of planned outputs and outcomes).
• Identify impact (direct, indirect, positive, or negative).
• Analyse efficiency (use of resources).
• Assess sustainability (likelihood of continuation after project closure).
• Review cross-cutting issues: environmental sustainability, gender equality, good governance, and human rights.

And main specifically:

• Assess teacher skills development and professional progression.

• Assess the project’s contribution to girls’ education and how this can be measured.
• Review how the project has supported parents/families to strengthen their skills, and identify possible improvements for future interventions.
• Gather parent/caretaker perspectives on the quality of activities their children benefited from.
• Evaluate the quality and sustainability of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Mental Health and Psychological Support (MHPSS) activities, including impact on children’s mental health.
• Assess whether ECD centres have implemented safeguarding measures, and the extent to which external prescriptive actors and the Ministry of Education were involved.

The evaluation will address two main core questions:

1. What changes/outcomes/achievements have taken place?
2. How were these changes/outcomes/achievements brought about.

And main specifically:

3. To what extent has the project supported teachers to progress in their skills and professional capacity? How is this measured, and what further methods could improve teacher skills development?
4. Has the project had a demonstrable effect on girls’ education, and how can this be assessed?
5. How has the project supported parents and families to strengthen their skills? How is this measured, and what improvements could be considered for future interventions?
6. What do parents/caretakers perceive as the quality and impact of activities their children have benefited from?
7. How effective have GBV and MHPSS activities been in terms of quality, impact, and sustainability after donor support? What recommendations can strengthen children’s mental health outcomes?
8. Has the project supported ECD centres in establishing safeguarding measures? Did HPPSA seek help from external prescriptive actors, and what role has the Ministry of Education played?

2. Methodology

The evaluation should consist of:

3.1. Desk Review: Review of archived and available literature related to the project. This should include, but is not restricted to annual, quarterly reports.

3.2. Inception report: Development of an evaluation approach and data collection tools.  This should include the following:

• Detailed timeline and work plan
• Methodology / approach
• Evaluation matrix based on evaluation objectives, project objectives and indicators
• Outline of any proposed changes to scope of the evaluation
• Key interview questions
• Proposed sampling framework
• List of stakeholders to be consulted: The consultant should plan to include the following groups of stakeholders in the evaluation:
• Direct project beneficiaries who are part of the program.
• HPPSA Implementing staff.
• Volunteers / Mentors
• Completed data collection and analysis tools
• Qualitative and quantitative protocols for data collection and analysis

3.3. Field Visits:

Field visits will take place at the different project offices and should include the agreed sample of beneficiaries and stakeholders. Stakeholders should include:

• Direct project beneficiaries (children and families).
• Teachers and caregivers.
• Parent/caretaker groups (through interviews or focus groups).
• HPPSA implementing staff.
• Volunteers / Mentors.
• Where relevant, prescriptive actors such as child protection services and Ministry of Education representatives.

This is expected to require between 3-4 weeks, depending on the exact methodology. This should include time spent with the project staff in HPPSA Head Quarters as well remote interviews with relevant members that are part of the program (support staff).

3.4. Debriefing Session: Will need to provide a debriefing session outlining the preliminary findings and likely conclusions from the evaluation.

3.5. Draft Evaluation Report:

Draft evaluation report must be in English that meets the requirements below:

• One (1) electronic file of the clean (final) qualitative and quantitative data collected.

• Should not exceed 25 pages including the executive summary, brief project background, learned lessons and recommendations.
• Technical information should be included in the appendices only (inception report and others).
• Analysis of project achievements should always be backed up with supporting data.
• Recommendations should be specific and include the relevant details for they might be implemented.

3.6 Final Evaluation Report: should incorporate any relevant feedback that is provided by HPPSA.

Reporting Template format for final evaluation report.

• Executive summary (approximately 10% of the final report), focusing on the most important points and indicating the overall conclusions, lessons learned and specific recommendations.
• Brief project background (approximately 5%).
• Main finding relating to the evaluation questions and including detail of any unintended outcomes that are results project activities (At least 40-45%).
• Recommendations for future action (At least 40%).

 In addition, the final report should contain at least the following annexes:

• Terms of reference for final evaluation.
• List of meetings attended.
• List of persons interviewed.
• Details of evaluation methodology.
• Summary of field visits.
• List of documents reviewed.
• Any other relevant material, including data collection tools.

3. Indicative schedule of activities

The evaluation field work is expected to be undertaken by 20^th of October 2025 to 14^th November 2025. The final report must be submitted by 12 December 2025.

     Indicative Timeline for Evaluation is below:

5. Contract and Reporting details

Type of Contract: The consultant will be offered a fixed-price contract for the duration of   the evaluation that will include all the activities and requirements listed above.

HPPSA will guarantee internet connection, workspace for the consultant to perform their work.

The consultant will be responsible for their accommodation, meals and transportation and he/she will be responsible for his/her own safety and any health expenses for the duration of the contract. The consultant will have to guarantee the necessary material (including computing means) to carry out their work.

Reporting: The consultant will report to the HPPSA designated National Headquarter Officer/Senior Program Manager for the evaluation deliverables, and to HPPSA Country Program Manager for all issued related to the program and fieldwork, including travel arrangements.

6. Qualifications, experience, and Skills

 Preference will be given to applicants who meet the criteria below:

• Master’s degree in social sciences (preferably community development, social research, monitoring & evaluation).

• At least 5 years’ experience in NGO sector evaluations.
• Proven capacity to evaluate capacity-building programmes.
• Strong skills in qualitative & quantitative data analysis.
• Excellent report-writing skills in English.
• Ability to speak local languages (advantage).
• Familiarity with South African political, economic, social, and cultural context (advantage).

7. Submission of Proposals

Interested consultants/firms must submit:

• Letter of interest.
• CV (max. 2 pages).
• Draft methodology (max. 7 pages including work plan & budget).
• Detailed budget (including unit costs, travel, accommodation, subsistence, and taxes).
• Portfolio with examples of similar work.

Submission Deadline: 10^th October 2025

Email submissions to:

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Hand-delivered submissions:
5/11 Richmond Road
Westmead
Pinetown, 3610