ToR to Hire Consultant for Assessing LIWAY Contribution to the Financial Ecosystem

SNV is implementing the Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY), a nine-year programme (July 2017 to June 2026) funded by Sweden and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The programme is implemented by a consortium of partners comprised of SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and Mercy Corps. LIWAY aims to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and social stability in Addis Ababa by increasing incomes through improved wage and self-employment opportunities, primarily for poor women and youth. The objective is to increase incomes of 257,000 poor people in Addis Ababa, of which at least 128,500 (50%) are women (young and adult) and 192,750 (75%) are youth (female and male) via a well-functioning MSD program implementation approach.

The specific objective is to conduct a comprehensive systemic change assessment of the MSD interventions on women and youth targets/beneficiaries. Specifically, the consultancy will:

• assess the LIWAY contribution in changing the financial ecosystem towards boosting access to finance for MSEs by the financial sector (Bank, MFI, etc.)
• assess the financial ecosystem change towards MSEs financing to finance in the last six years
• assess the modes of MSEs financing in the landscape
• assess and analyse the key constraints that are limiting the MSEs financing using MSD approach
• Scrutinise LIWAY MSD approach so far implemented to address the access to finance gaps of MSE targets.
• Evaluate the economic and social impacts of MSD interventions on women and youth under A2F intervention area.
• Identify barriers and enablers to their effective participation and benefit in target markets.
• Assess and analyse market distortions that affects the LIWAY modes of implementation, MDS approach

Educational Background:

• A Masters in a relevant field such as Development Economics, Labour Economics, Market Systems Development trainings, International Development, or other related social sciences.

Demonstrated Experience:

A proven track record in conducting comprehensive studies and assessments for development programs, particularly in the fields of market systems development (MSD), access to finance, youth and women’s economic empowerment, and private sector engagement.

Substantial experience in the Ethiopian context, with an in-depth understanding of the access to finance market especially on loan service market; the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) ecosystem, and the policy environment related to Access to finance, business start-up and growth.

Demonstrated experience in conducting analysis and developing strategies related to the core themes of this assignment: Access to finance for MSE, livelihood programs focused on women and youth, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), climate-responsive markets (green jobs), and conflict-sensitive programming as related facilitating positive impact and gaps as factors for exclusion in the loan markets.

Team Capacity: Ability to mobilize and lead a multi-disciplinary team with combined expertise covering the key assessment areas of the assignment. The CVs submitted must show relevant knowledge and experience in Access to finance, especially related to Loan market from supply, demand and regulatory environment, effective mainstreaming of GESI, market system development, climate, and conflict analysis in the analysis and proposed solutions.

Research Skills: Proven experience and expertise in designing and implementing mixed-methods research, including both qualitative (interviews, FGDs) and quantitative data collection and analysis.

Language Proficiency: Excellent written and spoken proficiency in both English and Amharic.

Ethical Standards: Must adhere to SNV policies, principles, and core values, including a commitment to ethical standards and a code of conduct.

• Financial management

Find the full TOR via the below link:

 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_ZxZiiyizJuNsu9PHgz-87iN_tvae-aR/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114892436237333514090&rtpof=true&sd=true