PR 2024-03-15 Call for proposal for the conduction of Independent Monitoring services for Helen Keller Intl Vitamin A Supplementation Program

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in more than 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Helen Keller Intl supports the supplementation with high dose of Vitamin A of up to 40 million children every year in 14 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. When delivered twice a year to at least 80% of children aged 6 to 59 months in countries with high under five mortality and high rates of vitamin A deficiency, Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) can contribute to a reduction of child mortality by up to 24%.

In Kenya, Helen Keller Intl supports the delivery of VAS in the 25 counties (Baringo, Bungoma, Elgeyo Marakwet, Homa Bay Kakamega, Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Kisumu, Kitui, Kwale, Laikipia, Machakos, Meru, Migori, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nyamira, Narok, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Siaya, Taita Taveta, Trans Nzoia, Tharaka Nithi, and Uasin Gishu). Throughout the year, children receive VAS when attending health facilities. However, as beyond one-year, healthy children usually do not attend facilities, twice a year catch up events called Malezi Bora are organized using multiple platforms: health facilities, outreach points, Early Childhood Development (ECDE) centres, and community door to door distribution models. The Malezi Bora events are organized twice a year, around May and November every year and are implemented by the Ministry of Health at National and County government with financial and technical support from Helen Keller team. The additional services offered during the event include deworming drugs, other immunization services, and health talk/counselling targeting children under five years and women.

We are currently looking for an agency to support Helen Keller Kenya to conduct independent monitoring of VAS during malezi bora events and post event coverage survey. The independent monitoring shall as follows:

1. Malezi bora events that are conducted in the months of May/June and October/November.
2. Post event coverage survey to be done in two strata:
   1. Statum one comprising of 5 counties (Baringo, Kirinyanga, Kilifi, Narok, and Nairobi);
   2. Statum two will be Narok North Sub-county.

Independent monitoring will be done starting with Malezi Bora events in the 5 counties and the followed by independent monitoring of the post event coverage survey. The agency has to express the capacity to conduct this exercise. The agency will be responsible for the preparation of the independent monitoring, including adaptation of protocols and tools, submission of protocols and tools to ethical review boards, recruitment, training and supervision of field data collectors, data quality assurance, analysis of data and reporting.