Consultancy - Training on Resource Mobilization, MEAL, Knowledge Management, Strategic Leadership, Governance, Coordination, and Partnerships, including Development of the MSP Resource Mobilization Strategy in Afar Region, Ethiopia

Introduction:

Ayuda en Acción (AeA) is an International Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1981 in Spain, dedicated to addressing the structural causes of poverty, inequality, and exclusion by empowering communities to achieve sustainable, dignified livelihoods. Operating globally across 18 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, including Spain and Portugal, Ayuda en Acción has been active in Ethiopia since 2002 through partnerships supporting development and humanitarian efforts. Following the establishment of its Ethiopia country office in 2018, the organization has expanded its programs to Oromia (Arsi and Borena zones), the South Ethiopia Region (Gamo, Wolaita, Konso and Derashe), and Afar Regional State (Zones 1, 2, 4 and 5). Its country strategy focuses on three pillars: sustainable livelihoods and resilient food systems (emphasizing market development and women/youth employment), quality education and labour market transition, and humanitarian assistance integrated with resilience-building through a nexus approach.

In Afar Regional State, Ayuda en Acción Ethiopia has implemented humanitarian and resilience projects since 2021, collaborating with regional governments and NGO partners. Over the past four years, initiatives have included education in emergencies, protection, food security, WASH, and post-conflict mental health support. These efforts have restored livelihoods, enhanced learning environments, increased girls’ school enrolment, promoted violence-free schools, and improved access to clean water and sanitation. The projects have significantly strengthened community resilience and well-being in one of Ethiopia’s most vulnerable regions.

Project description and training:

RAISE Afar: Recovery and Advancement of Inclusive Skills and Employment for Afar's Displaced and Host Communities Action is implemented under the project "Sustainable Support to Persons Displaced by Conflict and Natural Disasters and their Host Communities in Afar Region of Ethiopia", funded by the European Union (EU) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) under Call for Proposals No. 1/12978 (CFP 12.2024) and executed by Ayuda en Acción Ethiopia (AeA) as the lead organization, in consortium with COOPI and AISDA, in close collaboration with the Afar Regional Government, particularly the Bureau of Labour and Skills (BoLS) and the Bureau of Women and Social Affairs (BoWSA).

The activity is operating from May 2025 to January 2027, the action target areas are Asayita, Afambo, Chifra, Telalak, Aba'ala, and Semera in the Afar Region. It targets internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, women, youth, and vulnerable host communities affected by conflict and climate-induced disasters. The overall objective is to promote inclusive socio-economic recovery and resilience by improving access to market-responsive skills development, expanding employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, and strengthening institutional systems that support sustainable livelihoods.

In January 2026, Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) endorsed to brings together more than sixty member organizations, led by a seventeen-member executive board and four technical working groups, the platform was created to ensure efficient resource utilization, meaningful collaboration, integration, and sustainable resource mobilization among diverse actors including government institutions, NGOs, and the private sector.

This has already begun to demonstrate by reducing duplication of efforts, strengthening coordination, and promoting knowledge sharing and learning across stakeholders. It has become a vital mechanism for aligning resources and strategies in pursuit of common development goals.

Building on this momentum, RAISE–Afar Action is planning to organize a five-day training course in Semara. The training will bring together 30 to 40 participants drawn from government, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners. Its focus will be on equipping participants with practical skills and tools with the lens of gender and inclusion in resource mobilization and fundraising, coordination, collaboration and facilitation skill, partnership management, MEAL framework, analysis and reporting; Digital Tools & Data Management; Strategic Leadership and Governance (principle of good governance in MSP, decision making process, conflict resolution and consensus‑building techniques).

The training is expected to enhance the capacity of MSP executive board leaders and TWG representatives to mobilize sustainable resources, strengthen collaboration, and improve partnership management practices. By doing so, it will contribute to greater efficiency, stronger integration, and more impactful development interventions in the Afar Region. Ultimately, this initiative will reinforce the platform’s mission of fostering collective action, ensuring that resources are used wisely, and that learning and innovation are shared across all stakeholders.

Objectives:

The overall objective of the assignment is to build the knowledge and skills of MSP executive board and TWG members through a structured, participatory training program. The training will be designed to respond to specific capacity gaps and contribute to institutional strengthening in the following areas.

• Resource Mobilization and fund raising: Strategies for in-house resource mobilization, donor engagement, proposal development, and exploring traditional and innovative fundraising approaches, including digital campaigns.
• Coordination, Collaboration and facilitation: Tools and approaches for effective teamwork, stakeholder engagement.
• Partnership Development: Building and sustaining strategic alliances with donors, NGOs, universities, research institutions and private sector actors.
• Strategic Leadership and Governance (principles of good governance in MSP, decision making process and conflict resolution and consensus‑building techniques): Establishing systems for capturing, storing, and sharing organizational learning.
•  MEAL framework, analysis and reporting: Digital Tools & Data Management and Knowledge management and documentation for standard and practices for reporting, success stories and knowledge capture
• Development of the MSP Resource Mobilization and Fundraising Strategy: Develop a practical Resource Mobilization and Fundraising Strategy for the MSP Executive Board and Technical Working Groups to strengthen resource generation, mobilization, and the long-term sustainability. 
• Gender and inclusion: Ensure that all the training components have gender and inclusion considerations.

Scope of work:

The consultant or training provider will begin by conducting a rapid gap assessment with the MSP executive board and TWG members to identify the critical gaps and to craft the training. Based on the findings, a tailored training program will be developed to address the specific needs of the participants. The sessions will be delivered in an interactive manner, using participatory approaches such as case studies, role plays, and group work to ensure active engagement and practical learning. Comprehensive training materials including manuals, slides, and toolkits will be provided to support the learning process. To measure the effectiveness of the intervention, pre- and post-training assessments will be conducted, capturing changes in knowledge and skills. Finally, the consultant will prepare and submit a detailed training report, including recommendations for institutional strengthening and future capacity-building initiatives.

Deliverables:

• Develop detailed training agenda and methodology prior to the training date.
• Develop capacity gap assessment check list, methodology and share major capacity gap findings.
• Prepare and share training materials (manuals, presentations, handouts) before the actual training time.
• Provide five days’ training on the type of topics mentioned above along with specified training topics.
• Summarize and share pre-and post-training assessment results together with the comprehensive training report.
• Develop and produce a 20–30-page Resource Mobilization and Fundraising Strategy document.

Responsibilities of Ayuda en Acción Ethiopia:

• Provide the consultant with relevant information on the RAISE Afar Action, including project documents, the logical framework, and other technical documents related to the assignment.
• Facilitate coordination with the Afar Regional Bureau of Labour and Skills (BoLS) and other relevant organizations.
• Facilitate logistics (transportation only) for the capacity gap assessment activities.
• Provide information, including the existing MSP status and other relevant information to inform the design and development of the training.
• Facilitate the training including participant selection, invitation, training venue, participant refreshment and perdeim arragnments.
• Assign a focal person to coordinate the assignment, facilitate communication with stakeholders, and provide technical oversight throughout the consultancy period.
• Coordinate the review of deliverables and provide consolidated comments and feedback within the agreed timelines.
• Facilitate the participation of relevant stakeholders during the needs assessment.