Full time and consultancies
1.1 Background
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and partners are tackling the issue of deteriorating marine environments in the Western Indian Ocean by supporting the expansion and improved management of MPAs. The Western Indian Ocean is a socially and biologically diverse region that contains some of the world’s most extensive coral reefs and mangroves, which are critical sources of protein, coastal protection, and income to coastal populations. Yet, the integrity of the region’s ecosystems is threatened by the overexploitation of fisheries, habitat clearing, and pollution. These threats are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, coral bleaching, and storm events.
WCS is currently leading a project on the Trans-Boundary Conservation Area (TBCA) between southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The project addresses these challenges by supporting improved management of a network of climate resilient, sustainable and effectively managed marine protected areas in the Western Indian Ocean. The project is also enhancing the community management of sustainable small-scale fisheries with fisheries management plans, support of locally managed marine areas, and work towards reducing post-harvest losses and improving marine-related supply chains. The project will thus contribute to maintaining the critical ecosystems in the region and ensure sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities. One of the activity under this project is to support establishment and strengthening of fishing communities microfinance enterprises in the three most northern village of Tanzania. WCS is hiring a Consultant to provide technical assistance in support of establishment and implementation of Credit and Saving Union.
1.2 Microfinance Situation in the in Fisheries Sector
The development of micro, small and medium enterprises will play a key role in sustainable income of the fishing communities to access legal fishing gears and procurement of fish processing and transportation equipment’s. Women entrepreneurs mostly working in fish processing and marketing represent an important element on the equation of fisheries management in the community. Many fishers and women processors in the TBCA have the desire for sustainable fisheries and capacity to grow their businesses, but fall into a challenging situation in which they are unable to access finance and services which can help in accessing legal fishing gears and processing and marketing equipment’s. High minimum loan sizes and excessive collateral requirements restrict fishers and women’s access to loans from commercial banks. Reversing these constraints faced by fishers and fish processors especially women entrepreneurs has the potential to yield enormous gains in terms of improved fisheries management, job creation and economic growth. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) have traditionally catered to micro-enterprises with group lending schemes that provide very small loans, and tend to have low outreach to fishers and coastal women entrepreneurs. Growth-oriented fishers and women-owned enterprises are therefore starved of the investment they need to thrive. In Tanzania, MFIs face several key challenges including low saving mobilization, poor IT capability, and weak institutional capacity. Weak saving mobilization capacity which in turn leads to shortage of loanable funds and limiting the extent to which MFIs can meet the high demand for credit.
1.3 Objective, Purposes/Expected Results
Consultant will provide expertise and leadership (under WCS supervision) in the three villages of northern Tanzania on establishing a community Credit and Saving Union (VICOBA) including: reviewing of legal and institutional framework pertaining VICOBA, work with ‘Community Development Officer’ to develop operational regulations specific to the established credit and saving union and strengthening the union through strategic training.
Table 1ː Specific Activities and Deliverables
No
Activity
Deliverable
Time frame
Expected Results for component 1: Review of the past initiatives and lesson learned
1
Conduct a review of the legal and institutional framework and document the lesson learned to understand the success factors and constraints of credit and saving union with reference to fishing communities
Report on the legal and institutional framework and lesson learned from the past initiatives on micro-finance to fishing communities in Tanzania
February 2023
Expected results for component 2: Conduct a study on the need assessment, establishment of the credit and saving union and subsequent capacity development
2
Assess capacity and training needs in the communities to establish credit and saving unions in collaboration with local government authority and assess any existing or historical approaches used in the target communities
Report on the community capacity and training needs for the established credit and saving union
3
Develop community-specific regulations for the credit and savings group in collaboration with community leaders and members in conformity to national frameworks and legal requirements.
Document describing the regulations in context to national regulations regarding credit and saving unions approved by the local government authority
March 2023
4
Develop a Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) protocol to monitor performance of the union including regular loan portfolio analysis outlying highlights, trends and key achievements of credit and saving union in every three months
Monitor and Evaluation manual for leaders and community development officers to monitor progress of the union including training material, monitoring protocol and list of participants.
5
Conduct training to members and leaders on credit and savings mechanisms for mobilization of loans and disbursement processes and M&E protocols. Training will target women primarily.
Training report to members on saving mobilization loan requests and disbursement processes including agenda and list of participants
April 2023
Expected results for component 3: Develop sustainability plan
6
Facilitate in-person meetings between credit and savings members and leaders and financial institutions with the aim of linking and create pathways for funding
Report on consultations between credit and savings members and financial institution including list of participants and details of funding opportunities for community members
7
Develop sustainability plan for established credit and saving union to ensure financial sustainability after the project timeline
Sustainability plan document detailing plans to enable established credit and saving union to become self-sufficient in identifying and fulfilling their member’s needs. A report with strong focus on a training the trainers approach is expected in this component.
May 2023
1.3.1 Overall Objective
The overall objective of this work is to promote responsible financial inclusion, more specifically support development microfinance services for fishers and women to access loans, so as to reduce poverty and encourage sustainable fisheries in the three most northern villages of Tanzania coastal areas.
1.3.2 Purpose/Specific Objectives
The specific purpose of this technical assistance is to support WCS to establish an efficient, responsible and sustainable pathways for Credit and Saving Union through capacity building and technical assistance in three communities of Moa, Ndumbani and Jasini. This assignment will be undertaken under the supervision of Marine Program Director and WCS staff in the TBCA for supporting establishment of Credit and Saving Union in the three fishing communities of northern Tanzania.
1.3.3 Specific Activities and Deliverables
The specific deliverables expected from the consultant from this contract are in Table 1 above:
2.1 Geographical Scope of the Work
The Consultant is expected to work in three villages of Mkinga district, including Jasini, Moa and Ndumbani. Consultant will also need to travel to Mkinga district council office and Tanga city for consultation where necessary.
2.1.1 Target groups and Beneficiaries
The expected beneficiaries of this work are: Fishers, all community members, women entrepreneurs (direct beneficiaries) who borrow or may borrow from VICOBA and investors / contributors (indirect beneficiaries)
3.1 Start date and period of implementation
The intended start date is February 2023 and the contract's implementation period will be a maximum of four months from contract signature.
4.1 Reporting requirements
Any documents, reports and output specified under the duties and responsibilities (c.f. section 1.3.3), shall be provided to the Marine Program Director.
5.1 Submission of proposal
Should the consultant be interested in submitting a proposal for the work, please provide a short proposal setting out the following:
Please send the proposal to: wcshrtanzania@wcs.org not later than 29th January 2023.