TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) TO DEVELOP A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

BACKGROUND

Project Harar Ethiopia (PHE) is a local organization which was formed under the former Charities and Societies Proclamation No. 621/2009 as Ethiopian resident Charity and accorded legally with registry number 2873in 2015. It has also re-registered in 2019 under the new CSO proclamation 1113/2019 with the same registry. For the last 10 years, the PHE has worked on facial disability including cleft lip and palate and collaborates with government sector organizations: – health, labor and social affairs offices, INGOs and local communities to identify people with facial disfigurements from all Ethiopia regions, and arranges for them to access free medical treatment and rehabilitation. PHE further intervenes in demand and awareness creation interventions to the health extension and social workers as well as risk reduction interventions among mothers and the general public in its intervening regions. PHE has been working in all regions of Ethiopia. Children born with cleft lip and cleft palate, tumor, animal attack and burn are the major cases PHE has been involved yet through collaboration of Smile train hospitals.

PHE Mission

To provide treatment and rehabilitation service to children & young people with facial deformities and support their socio-economic integration in society, ensuring they live a life of dignity in their communicat.

FOCUS AREAS OF PHE

Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality and long-term disability worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 33 babies are born with a birth defect each year. Many of these defects can be prevented or managed through early intervention, improved healthcare, and the reduction of environmental and genetic risk factors. However, the lack of reliable data on the incidence, causes, and outcomes of birth defects hinders effective public health strategies and resource allocation.

Orofacial clefts represent a significant public health concern, ranking among the top congenital anomalies. It has been contributing a significant portion of global mortality, morbidity, and economic loss.

A cleft occurs when certain body parts and structures do not fuse together during fetal development. Clefts can involve the lip and/or the roof of the mouth, which is made up of both hard and soft palate. Around the world, many children with clefts will never receive the reconstructive surgery they need.

There are varying opinions on the actual incidence of clefts, but most experts agree that, in part, it depends on ethnicity. Some experts say that the highest cleft incidences are among Asians (approximately 1 in 500 births). Caucasians have an average incidence of 1 in 700 births and individuals of African descent have the lowest incidence of approximately 1 in 1,200 births. More than 3,350 babies are born annually with a cleft lip and/or palate in Ethiopia.

A comprehensive analysis of global data from 59 review articles reveals that the prevalence of cleft palate is approximately 0.33 cases per 1,000 live births, according to a meta-analysis of various studies(4). Furthermore, another meta-analysis focusing on 12 low- and middle-income countries, which included data from 28 studies encompassing over 31.5 million births, reported a total pooled prevalence of oro-facial clefts at 1.38 cases per 1,000 births(10). Additionally, a global burden of disease analysis identified around 93,000 incidence cases and 0.53million cases of orofacial clefts worldwide in 2019, with a particularly high incidence observed in sub-Saharan Africa. Evidence from global meta-analyses and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study indicates a significant decline in the incidence, mortality, and disability associated with orofacial clefts worldwide, particularly in high-income countries. In contrast, low-income regions, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, have experienced a troubling increase in the incidence of orofacial clefts.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS OF PHE

PHE has been working with various partners to advocate for accessible Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate support and services at national and regional level.

The major stakeholders of PHE include the following but not limited to:

1. Authority for Civil Society Organizations

2. Federal Ministry of Health

3. Regional Health Bureaus

4. Zone Health offices and Woreda Health offices

5. Ministry of labor and social affairs

6. Project Harar UK

7. Smile Train

8. Smile Train partner Hospitals (Private and Government)

PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The purpose of this consultancy is to facilitate a participatory and inclusive process to develop PHE’s Strategic Plan for the period 2026-2030, guiding the organization’s vision, goals, and strategic direction over the next five years.

OBJECTIVES

• Review PHE’s history, achievements, challenges, and current operating environment.
• Conduct stakeholder consultations including staff, government partners, beneficiaries, and donors to inform strategy.
• Analyze internal and external factors influencing PHE’s work (e.g., SWOT, PESTEL analysis).
• Define the vision, mission, core values, and strategic priorities for 2026-2030.
• Develop clear objectives, outcomes, and strategic interventions aligned with emerging needs and sector trends.
• Establish monitoring and evaluation frameworks, including key performance indicators and review mechanisms.
• Prepare a comprehensive strategic plan document and facilitate validation workshops with key stakeholders.

SCOPE OF WORK

This consultancy service will have the following scope of work:

• Desk review of relevant documents including past strategic plans, annual reports, and program evaluations.
• Conduct interviews and focus group discussions with PHE staff, partners, government officials, donors, and beneficiaries.
• Facilitate strategic planning workshops internally and externally.
• Draft and revise the strategic plan incorporating feedback from stakeholders.
• Present the final plan and assist in its endorsement and dissemination.

METHODOLOGY

To ensure a comprehensive and participatory strategic planning process, the consultant will employ the following methodologies:

• Document Review: Analyze past strategic plans, monitoring and evaluation reports, project documents, and relevant policy frameworks to understand PHE’s context.
• Stakeholder Consultations: Conduct in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with PHE staff, board members, government officials, partners, beneficiaries, and donors to gather diverse perspectives and insights.
• Situational Analysis: Perform SWOT and PESTEL analyses to assess internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats affecting PHE’s work.
• Workshops: Facilitate strategic planning workshops with PHE’s leadership and key stakeholders to co-create the organization’s vision, mission, values, strategic priorities, and implementation framework.
• Drafting and Validation: Develop draft strategic plan documents for review and feedback, incorporating inputs from consultations and workshops, followed by presentation and finalization in a validation meeting.

Deliverables

• Inception report outlining methodology, work plan, and tools for data collection.
• Draft strategic plan document for review and feedback.
• Final strategic plan 2026-2030 including implementation roadmap and M&E framework.
• Workshop reports and stakeholder consultation summaries.

TIMING

The first draft of the strategy document will be submitted with in the 4th week after signing of the contract agreement with PHE. Final version of the strategic plan should be submitted within two weeks after receiving and incorporating all the necessary draft feedback.

• The consultant is required to have considerable experience in strategic plan development. The consultant should also be familiar with neglected tropical diseases particularly with Cleft lip and cleft Palate prevention and treatment and has to also submit their CV. The consultant has to have a renewed license for a consultancy service with VAT and TIN Registration certificate.