Overview of the social action programs

During the workshop conducted in May 2018 by MCU to review her 5 year strategic plan. MCU is
committed to working towards the vision of the church of seeing communities that are transformed
and living fulfilled lives and fulfilling the mission of reaching out to the communities with the holistic
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Under the social action agenda of the strategic plan which is to do with facilitating
community driven social action, MCU has remained concerned at the growing poverty levels within
the Busoga Sub region together with the social, economic and environmental challenges affecting the
region. On this note therefore MCU remains committed to three thematic programs;

1. Supporting rural farmers in the targeted communities with agricultural inputs and training in good
agronomy practices to include topics like pre and postharvest handling, climate change and mitigation
measures, collective marketing, bulking and appropriate storage among others to enhance food
security and improve livelihoods.

2. Economic empowerment to youths for self-employment and improved wellbeing

through training in entrepreneurship skills and,

3. Engaging in mercy ministry activities to care for the needy, with emphasis on people with disabilities
through raising awareness about the basic rights of persons with disabilities within the general public/
community and provision of assistive devices.

MCU has been carrying out Capacity building and training of beneficiary farmers in appropriate livestock
and crop farming since 2017 with support of funds from All We Can -UK. Farmers have been trained
in best agronomy practices to include topics like pre and post-harvest handling, climate change and
mitigation measures, collective marketing, bulking and appropriate storage, animal management among
others. In addition, MCU has been training youths in entrepreneurship skills. However, there has been
a problem of information gap since for the last two years MCU has been using internal and external
facilitators from Sub-county Agricultural Extension Workers without clear guidance and reference for the
content to be delivered to the participants in the respective programme areas. On this note therefore,
MCU learnt that Lack of information is often the most significant limitation on any organization’s capacity
to play a part in the development enterprise, yet with well-designed information strategies can help
alleviate the information asymmetry between program stakeholders.

Main objective of the consultancy

The main objective for this consultancy is to assist and lead MCU to design a field training manual in the
key three thematic programme areas mentioned above. This is to enable MCU staff and other facilitators
to use it as a guide and instrument for mobilizing communities in the respective programme areas of
intervention and equip them with the information, knowledge and capacity needed for them to actively
participate in the development process that will lead to behavioural change and sustainable livelihoods.

The consultant is to design the field training manual detailing the content of the topics in the three
programme areas implemented by MCU. The content among other things should be able to raise
awareness and adoption of food security and livelihoods to help the farmers understand the different
good agronomic practices recommended for various crops, entrepreneurship skills development for
youths and other groups, financial literacy and creation of awareness about the basic rights and needs of
people with disabilities. However, the content should be simple and innovative and are best suited to the
culture and context of the community in order to be effective.
Scope of work

The consultant will Conceptualize, develop layout, and design a field training
manual which will focus on;

(a) Good Agronomic practices that lead to increased food production like line planting, seed selection
pesticide selection and application, compost manure processing, pre & post-harvest handling, climate
change and mitigation measures, collective marketing, bulking.

Good Livestock management practices like breed selection, treatment,

feeding, housing among others.

• Entrepreneurship skills development to include topics like Introduction to entrepreneurship,

Business planning, Finance education including saving and budgeting among others.
• Rights and needs for people with disabilities not leaving out the forms and causes of disabilities for
community awareness raising.

Key tasks

The consultant will have the following key tasks:

• Develop inception report detailing among other things, the process and methodologies to be
employed to achieve the objectives of this consultancy as stated above. It should also include the
important time schedules for this exercise, budget and present to MCU technical/management
team for review and further input.

• Undertake desk review of the relevant program documents that include the annual operations
work plan.

• Conduct a feedback workshop to facilitate MCU technical staff and senior management to select
and identify relevant topics for the specified program areas of intervention.

• Present the draft copy of the designed training manual as agreed upon to MCU technical team and
senior management in the key program areas as documented in the annual operations work plan.

• Submit three Final copies of the designed field training manual as stated in the Consultancy
Contract.

Expected input

Apart from providing financial support, MCU will provide the Consultant with all relevant documents and
information and administrative support throughout the duration of the engagement.

Expected output:

• nception report detailing process and methodologies inclusive of budget

• Desktop review of documents
• Feedback report on the selected relevant topics for the specified program areas of intervention.
• Designed field training manual.
Reporting

The consultant will report to and work directly with the MCU synod office, under the supervision of the
operations manager and the program coordinator which will lead to management of the consultancy.
Key documents will be submitted to MCU synod office for approval.

Schedule

The work is expected to take place starting from August to October 2019

Skills and Competencies of Consultant

MCU is looking for an experienced consultant with a strong understanding and skills in Agriculture
and animal husbandry, business management and entrepreneurship skills, food security and improved
livelihood programs as well as understanding of the context.

Candidates should demonstrate relevant experience and skills, including:

• Experience of facilitating capacity building and community awareness workshops

• Experience of developing community driven development interventions

Excellent communications skills and fluency in English and Lusoga or Luganda

• Experience in compiling good practices documents on;

(b) Good agronomy practices for various crops, pre & post-harvest handling, climate change and
mitigation measures, collective marketing, bulking.
(c) Financial literacy and entrepreneurship for both farmer and youths groups
(d) People with disabilities through raising awareness about their basic rights

Expression of interest

A consultant that meets the above requirements and is available within the time
period indicated above should submit the following:

• An elaborate methodology and detailed costed work plan indicating number of days per tasks and
costs (UGX) per main task.

An outline of the proposed methodology and tools;

• A daily schedule;
• A summary budget, clearly identifying all costs, including daily rates, expenses, and indicating VAT
if appropriate.
• Other references.

Deadline for expression of interest not later than 15th July 2019.