CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO SUPPORT ESTABLISHMENT OF ESWATINI MIDWIVES’ COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE PLATFORM.

The assignment aims to support the Ministry of Health to establish a Communities of Practice (CoP) for Eswatini midwives and develop a guiding document related to terms of reference to ensure implementation of the CoP activities.

CoPs are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. It has an identity defined by a shared domain of interest. Members commit to a shared competence that sets them apart from other people. In pursuing their interest in their domain, members engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information.

Members of a CoP are practitioners in a specific area of specialty, in this instance midwives. They share experiences, stories, tools, and ways of addressing recurring problems—in short, a shared practice. This takes time and sustained interaction.

The task extends to development of an online web platform which will be used as a key national CoP resource Centre to enhance midwives’ interaction at national level.

Key strategies proposed at the end of the assignment should reflect that having a website alone does not on its own create a community of practice; but interacting and learning from each other makes a community of practice. The final strategic guiding document should include proposed measures for consideration by the Ministry of Health to ensure functionality and sustainability of the proposed platform.

Team Leader (Midwifery Expert) should have the qualifications and experience as set out below:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing with midwifery and experience in developing a COP.
• Master’s in Public Health or any advanced Midwifery qualification will be an added advantage.
• Excellent writing and analytical skills and strong oral communication skills are required.
• Fluency in English (speaking, reading and writing) is a requirement.
• Familiarity of the Health Sector context is required and relevant experience in Africa is an added advantage.