Background

Railway Children Africa (RCA) is a Tanzanian NGO dedicated to protecting children and young people living and working on the streets, and to strengthening child protection systems. RCA is commissioning an independent, proportionate End-of-Project Evaluation of the Corridors for Growth ,Transport Hubs Project (July 2024 – September 2026), funded by FCDO, which strengthened safeguarding systems within transport hubs through the Safe Bus Terminal Model — centred on Social Welfare Service Desks (SWSDs), case management and referral pathways, multi-sector coordination, and government institutionalisation of safeguarding.

This evaluation is delivered jointly by a Local Consultant and an International Consultant, contracted separately and directly by RCA. Both consultants are expected to coordinate closely throughout the assignment; RCA’s Programme and Advocacy Manager approves deliverables and milestones for both, but day-to-day technical coordination (tool handover, data handover, joint report input) takes place directly between the two consultants.

Scope of Work

The Local Consultant leads all in-country data collection and stakeholder engagement, and compiles collected data for use by the International Consultant in analysis and drafting. Specifically, the Local Consultant shall:

• Contribute local contextual knowledge to the inception note and data collection tools developed by the International Consultant and agree the site and stakeholder sampling strategy with RCA and the International Consultant.
• Lead all Key Informant Interviews with government stakeholders at national and local levels, RCA staff and other relevant stakeholders, and conduct Focus Group Discussions with SWSD committee members and, where appropriate, beneficiaries, across purposively selected sites.
• Conduct brief direct observations of Social Welfare Service Desks at selected sites to assess their functionality.
• Compile and organise all field data, including interview notes, FGD records, observation notes and relevant local documentation, with contextual interpretation notes, and provide these to the International Consultant in a timely manner to inform the analysis and report drafting.
• Review the draft evaluation report prepared by the International Consultant and provide detailed feedback on the findings, conclusions and recommendations, drawing on the data collected, stakeholder perspectives and contextual insights from the fieldwork.
• Participate in the validation session with RCA and relevant stakeholders, presenting or co-presenting preliminary findings as agreed with the International Consultant.

Evaluation Objectives

The evaluation as a whole, delivered jointly across both consultants addresses the following objectives:

• Assess the project’s relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability against its stated objectives.
• Measure progress against key impact, outcome, and output indicators, using existing baseline, routine monitoring and programme data, and compare end-of-project results against baseline findings. Where necessary, undertake limited primary data collection to address specific evidence gaps.
• Assess progress toward institutionalising safeguarding within government policy, planning and regulatory frameworks, and the likelihood results are sustained beyond donor funding.
• Assess the effectiveness of the Safe Bus Terminal Approach, including for girls specifically and evidence of change in frontline duty bearers’ attitudes and behaviour, where existing data allows.
• Identify lessons learned and provide practical, evidence-based recommendations for future programme design and scale-up.
• Examine the project’s contribution to reducing children’s involvement in street situations, using available headcount, routine monitoring and case management data.

Qualifications

• Based in Tanzania, with a strong understanding of government processes and established access to relevant government officials (this is a firm requirement, not preferred), as well as transport-sector and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience conducting KIIs, FGDs, and qualitative data collection for donor-funded evaluations.
• Experience in child protection or safeguarding programmes (highly desirable).
• Evidence of previous relevant assignments.

• Contribute local contextual knowledge to the inception note and data collection tools developed by the International Consultant and agree the site and stakeholder sampling strategy with RCA and the International Consultant.
• Lead all Key Informant Interviews with government stakeholders at national and local levels, RCA staff and other relevant stakeholders, and conduct Focus Group Discussions with SWSD committee members and, where appropriate, beneficiaries, across purposively selected sites.
• Conduct brief direct observations of Social Welfare Service Desks at selected sites to assess their functionality.
• Compile and organise all field data, including interview notes, FGD records, observation notes and relevant local documentation, with contextual interpretation notes, and provide these to the International Consultant in a timely manner to inform the analysis and report drafting.
• Review the draft evaluation report prepared by the International Consultant and provide detailed feedback on the findings, conclusions and recommendations, drawing on the data collected, stakeholder perspectives and contextual insights from the fieldwork.
• Participate in the validation session with RCA and relevant stakeholders, presenting or co-presenting preliminary findings as agreed with the International Consultant.

• Strong understanding of government processes in Tanzania
• Established access to relevant government officials in Tanzania
• Access to transport-sector and community stakeholders in Tanzania
• Demonstrated experience conducting KIIs, FGDs, and qualitative data collection for donor-funded evaluations
• Experience in child protection or safeguarding programmes (highly desirable)

• Based in Tanzania
• Strong understanding of government processes and established access to relevant government officials
• Access to transport-sector and community stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience conducting KIIs, FGDs, and qualitative data collection for donor-funded evaluations
• Experience in child protection or safeguarding programmes (highly desirable)
• Evidence of previous relevant assignments