ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONSULTANT FOR SHE-GROW AFRICA PROJECT IN WEST POKOT AND TURKANA

ACTED is legally registered in the Republic of Kenya under section 10 of the Non-Governmental Organizations Act, registration number OP.218/051/2004/0367/3373.Acted is an international NGO, who has supported vulnerable communities worldwide, addressing the impacts of climate change, conflicts, and socio-economic challenges for over 30 years. Acted’s 3ZERO strategy, launched in 2015, is aligned with the SDGs and aims to achieve a “3ZERO” world: of Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, and Zero Poverty. In Kenya, Acted has worked for 20 years on building climate resilience and addressing natural disasters, particularly with agropastoral communities in ASAL regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts such as severe droughts and flooding. In 2023, Acted reached over 222,000 individuals in Kenya, with a strong focus on empowering rural women through agriculture, livelihoods, health, and WASH initiatives. Acted’s approach prioritizes community collaboration to improve living conditions, enhance economic opportunities, and build resilience.SHE-GROW AFRICASHE-GROW Africa is an 18-month initiative aimed at strengthening the economic resilience of women and their communities in climate-affected rural regions of Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, and Kenya. The project will target 18 vulnerable communities, supporting one women’s group per location. The project’s goal is to catalyze women-led, climate-resilient enterprises through three key outcomes: training in leadership, financial literacy, and business management; women will be supported in launching micro-enterprises in identified sustainable value chains; women entrepreneurs will be linked to financial services and markets, with catalytic funding and investor engagement to scale promising businesses.In Kenya, the project targets 8 vulnerable communities (6 in West Pokot and 2 in Turkana) and will support approximately 300 direct beneficiaries, comprising 30 to 40 women per group who receive intensive training in leadership, financial literacy, and climate-resilient business management. To ensure long-term sustainability and social buy-in, the project also integrates 8 young men (one per community) as gender allies.TERMS OF REFERENCEOBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENTThe primary objective of this assignment is to provide technical expertise to Acted in strengthening the managerial and operational capacity of women in West Pokot and Turkana through a comprehensive, climate-resilient business development framework. The expert will be responsible for adapting Acted’s internal Enterprise Capacity Assessment Tool (ECAT) into a context-appropriate Business Skills Curriculum specifically designed for low-literacy rural communities using visual and scenario-based learning. This curriculum aims to equip 300 women with essential financial management skills, including cash book maintenance, profit/loss assessment, and the separation of household and business finances, while integrating VSLA methodologies and resource optimization tools for energy and water efficiency.Beyond curriculum design, the assignment seeks to ensure long-term sustainability by building the capacity of the Acted field team through a "Train the Trainers" (ToT) session. This will enable the team to facilitate intensive four-day workshops and provide tailored individual and group coaching to help women-led groups develop viable, bankable business plans and internal statutory regulations.Lastly, the objective includes a strategic component of financial inclusion, where the expert will support the mapping of, and linkage with, inclusive financial institutions (MFIs) to bridge the gap between rural enterprises and formal financial systems, ensuring these women-led businesses can access the catalytic funding and market connections required for scale.SCOPE OF WORKThe association consultant will work closely with the project team to deliver the following:1. Design of ECAT & Business Skills Curriculum* Develop a comprehensive, context-appropriate curriculum tailored for rural communities using the Acted’s existing tool ECAT * Ensure the curriculum covers key areas including: * Financial management: cash book management, separation of household vs business finances, profit and loss assessment, * VSLA Methodology * Operational planning: stock planning and contingency strategy (focus on drought periods) * Resources optimization: Integration of a Resource Use Assessment Tool to optimize energy/water use and reduce waste * Business Plan: A step-by-step guide on how to build a viable business plan, including the definition of the business value proposition, the target market analysis, the operational requirements and cost structures and the financial projections and funding needs * Ensure the curriculum includes material and methodology for: * 1 four-day workshop * individual and group coaching to support the development of viable business plans * The curriculum should be designed for low-literacy participants using design visuals and scenario-based learning tools2. Delivery of a one-day training to the Acted team* Conduct a "Train the Trainers" (ToT) session for Acted staff to ensure they are equipped with the tools to deliver the planned sessions for the communities3.Support on the linkage with inclusive financial institutions* Support the team in the mapping of potential relevant financial institutions * Support the team in organizing the connections between the financial institutions and the communitiesDURATION AND TIMELINEThe consultancy services will be spread over roughly 12 days through April to June 2026, aligned with key programme milestones and activities.QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCEThe ideal expert should have the following qualifications and experience:* Master’s degree in business administration, entrepreneurship, agricultural economics, or a related social science field * At least 5 years of experience in designing business and financial literacy curricula, specifically tailored for low-literacy and rural populations * Demonstrated knowledge of Micro-Enterprise Management, VSLA methodologies and rural micro-finance systems * Proven experience working in West Pokot and/or Turkana, familiarity with the specific climate-related economic shocks (e.g., drought) in these areas is critical * Strong understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics, traditional leadership structures, and gender-based barriers specific to West Pokot and/or West Pokot * Fluency in English is mandatory. Proficiency in local languages (Pokot or Turkana) is a significant advantageREPORTING AND SUPERVISIONThe expert will report to the Project manager and the Programme coordinator. Regular progress updates and feedback sessions will be scheduled throughout the duration of the consultancy.HOW TO APPLYInterested experts are requested to submit:1. A comprehensive CV and portfolio showcasing relevant experience. 2. Contact details for at least two professional references. 3. A Financial proposal detailing breakdown of fees per day preferably in Kenya Shillings. 4. Ensure that the below documents are filled ,signed and stamped.* Pro-06.2_Supplier Ethical Declaration-Here * Pro-03_Supplier Questionnaire- Here * Pro-09.2_General Condition of Purchase- Here * Tor_ Here Applications should be submitted by 31st March 2026 to [email protected] with the subject line: ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONSULTANT FOR SHE-GROW AFRICA PROJECT. N/B; Individual consultants are strongly encouraged to apply. If applying as a company, please submit only the CVs of the specific consultant who will personally carry out the assignment.