Business and Income Opportunity and Market Access Strategy Consultant

Scope of Work

Role: Business and Income Opportunity and Market Access Strategy Consultant

Period: December 15, 2023 – May 15, 2024

Location: Consultancy to include travel to/within Rwanda, with 90% in-country presence and 10% remote

Reports to: Eunice Mwende

Purpose and Objectives

To build a market-based strategy to help Alight’s beneficiaries improve businesses/income opportunities. Assess effectiveness of Alight’s economic empowerment programming and landscape of economic inclusion in Rwanda. Goal is recommendations and overall strategy to increase economic self-reliance of refugees and host communities, aligned with Rwanda’s policy.

Outcomes of partnership:

• Recommendations to increase economic self-reliance of Alight’s target groups
• Strategy aligned with Rwanda’s Joint Strategy on Economic Inclusion

Summary

Alight Rwanda, in partnership with Livelihood Impact Fund, seeks a consultant to collaboratively build a market-based strategy to help those we serve improve their businesses and their opportunities to earn more income. The strategy should be built on (1) assessed effectiveness of Alight’s current programing focusing on the financial inclusion and market-led economic empowerment of refugees and host communities in Rwanda, and (2) assessed landscape of economic inclusion in Rwanda including business and income opportunity, barriers to market access, key stakeholders in the public and private sector, gaps in services, and key areas for collaboration with Alight. The overall goal of this consultancy is to create a set of recommendations to be piloted and an overall strategy for Alight to increase economic self-reliance and resiliency of refugees and host communities in line with the Government of Rwanda’s (GoR) ‘Joint Strategy on Economic Inclusion of Refugees and Host Communities’.

Background

Alight Rwanda has been providing integrated multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance to refugees and host communities in Rwanda since 1994. Government of Rwanda (GoR) supports integrating refugees/hosts economically to reduce dependence. However, refugees lack income opportunities and rely on dwindling aid. The urgency for economic integration is evidenced by the drastic reduction in food assistance for refugees. According to WFP, inflation and high food prices have put more strain on the already stretched resources, resulting in reductions in both the number of recipients and duration of assistance. Alight programming must better support self-reliance and integration into the host community. In 2018, GoR pledged support under the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), and the Strategic Plan for Refugee Inclusion. Refugees have right to work and are integrating into Rwanda’s health and education systems.

Current Alight Livelihood and Economic Empowerment Activities

1. Income Generation for Economic Empowerment

• For young mothers and gender-based violence victims

1. VSLA Training

• In Kiziba, Mahama and Nyabiheke refugee camps

1. Pilot Projects

• Coding School (kLab)
• Clean Energy Market Model (Kiziba)
• Digital Financial Inclusion Research (KUHI Consortium)
• Digital Entrepreneurship Hub

1. Production Projects

• Mushroom, soap, rabbit rearing, tailoring

Consultancy Engagement Outline

The role of the Business and Income Opportunity and Market Access Strategy Consultant includes:

1. Strategic Engagements and Program Analysis:

• Lead purposeful meetings with Alight’s sector heads.
• Analyze Alight Rwanda’s program portfolios, with a focus on economic empowerment and inclusion initiatives.

1. Key Responsibilities:

• Enhancement of Existing Partnerships for Economic Empowerment:
  • Conduct strategic dialogues with current partners, focusing on income generation, VSLA training, and pilot projects.
  • Perform a SWOT analysis, summarizing findings into 3-page executive briefs.
  • Evaluate market linkages in relation to Alight’s activities like coding schools, clean energy models, and digital entrepreneurship hubs.
• Identification of New Partnerships for Economic Inclusion:
  • Scout for partners to address economic barriers faced by refugees and host communities, in line with Rwanda’s economic policies.
  • Prepare analytical profiles for each potential collaborator, focusing on economic self-reliance and integration strategies.
• Development of Business Case Concepts for Refugee and Host Community Integration:
  • Base proposals on market linkage insights and the effectiveness of existing programs like production projects and digital financial inclusion research.
  • Analyze financial aspects and profitability in the context of Rwanda’s economic landscape and policy.
  • Assess capabilities and needs of target groups, including young mothers, GBV victims, and participants in VSLA training.
  • Strategize to align with Rwanda’s Joint Strategy on Economic Inclusion and the Government of Rwanda’s support under CRRF and the Strategic Plan for Refugee Inclusion.

Deliverables and Timeline

Deliverables

Description

Evidence

Timeline

Inception Report

Findings from desk review and meetings

Report with GANTT chart

January 2024

Final Strategic Document

Executive summary, overview, briefing notes, recommendations

Document (max 20 pages)

March 31, 2024

Presentation

Summary presentation and Q&A with stakeholders

PPT presentation

May 10, 2024

Anticipated Start Date: December 15, 2023

Applications will be accepted through December 5, 2023

To Apply

Submit a proposal to Alight Rwanda which should include:

• A description of their understanding of the tasks and goals detailed in the TOR (1 page)
• An example of a timeline with the tasks (1,2,3), LOE, and key stakeholders (1 page)
• A bulleted list of past relevant experiences or projects (1 page)
• All relevant CVs
• An example of previous deliverable for a previous client (to example only, to be confidential)

Consultant Requirements

• In-depth experience with community economic empowerment in Rwanda.
• Proficient understanding of Rwanda’s economic policies.
• Extensive networks for information gathering.
• Background in market systems and economic programming.
• Excellent Analytical and writing skills.
• Previous work with INGO, bi-laterals, multi-laterals and the Government of Rwanda a plus
• Experience working with or supporting private sector businesses in Rwanda a plus

Resources

• Total costs negotiated with consultant
• Consultant provides daily rate and detailed budget
• Alight provides relevant internal documents, arranges logistics to support site access
• Alight coordinates with relevant staff