Evaluator

Drosos Foundation

Future Pioneers for Empowering Communities (FPEC) is implementing a four-year project in Southern Jordan (Al Muraygha in Ma'an and Al-Quirah in Aqaba) to tackle two major challenges: (i) the increasing burden of solid waste management (SWM) due to growing populations and refugee influxes, and (ii) high unemployment rates, particularly among youth, women, and refugees.

The project introduces circular economy principles to 350 women and youth and supports the creation and growth of 30 micro-businesses and home-based businesses that transform waste into resources, promote sustainable livelihoods, and generate employment opportunities. It emphasizes capacity building, market linkages, awareness campaigns, and community empowerment, aligning with Jordan s national strategies and the Green Growth National Action Plan 2020.

The main objectives of the project are:

• Increased awareness of economic opportunities in the waste management sector
• Existing micro-businesses adopt good waste management practices and create value from recycling
• New micro-businesses create income-generating opportunities in the green economy
• The partner has strengthened its evidence-based planning capacity

The project has been ongoing since February 2024 and will conclude in January 2028.

This mid-term evaluation shall assess progress towards project objectives, identify challenges, capture lessons learned, and make recommendations to optimize performance for the remainder of the project.

Future Pioneers for Empowering Communities and Drosos seek a qualified consultant to conduct a mid-term evaluation to assess the project s initial results in promoting circular economy models, income generation, women empowerment, and social cohesion/inclusion.

5. Topics and questions to be studied by the consultant(s)

• At the thematic level:
• In what ways are youth developing through our projects? What are the likely longer-term implications of this?
• How has the partner developed/adapted their work as they have learned more about the needs of young people and women?
• What are we learning about how to authentically engage women and youth and build their agency?
• What are we learning about actively and positively involving the participants (women and youth) and partners (CBOs) in the design and implementation of projects?
• What are we learning about building trusting relationships with women, youth and the community members?
• What are we learning about how to support grantee capacity and resilience?
• What spaces and processes are more conducive to sharing learnings and enhancing impact?
• What good practice can we identify regarding the partner using results data for advocacy, learning, sustainability, etc?
• What are we learning about what helps organizations and businesses to sustain their work after Drosos funding ends?
• Identify areas of success that can be replicated and lessons learned.
• Provide recommendations of potential cross learning and collaboration within the ecosystem and/or with other similar businesses.
• At the project level
• What has changed since the project started: highlight intended and unintended results, successes and challenges.
• Assess the strategies, methodologies and tools adopted by the project, and elaborate on their strength where applicable. Assess how market potentials have been studied in the context of business ideas proposed by participants.
• To what extent does the project address pressing needs of communities, women, youth and refugees in the targeted areas?
• Are the trainings and mentoring deployed equipping the beneficiaries with the necessary knowledge and skills in building or sustaining their businesses?
• Examine adoption of SWM/circular economy practices by micro businesses and cost-savings achieved
• Are there early signs of improved livelihoods, income generation, and green job creation?
• Are micro businesses demonstrating innovation, scalability, or potential to serve as models for replication? Are they on a path to self-reliance post project?
• Are CBOs able to build up the capacity required to act as micro-business development hubs or at least focal points?
• Share recommendations on the features of financial sustainability for the micro businesses and CBOs post-project.
• Are women, youth, refugees, and vulnerable groups meaningfully engaged in the project? How are their voices influencing decision-making and the design and implementation of project activities?
• To what extent was the project design informed by a proper needs assessment and market mapping?
• To what extent was the project design informed by a proper needs assessment and market mapping?
• Did the project identify and understand the specific needs of home-based businesses and micro-businesses to provide the most effective support for market access, linkages, and product placement?
• How effective have the awareness campaigns been in changing waste-related behaviours? Has the project contributed towards early signs of improved practices?
• Analyse gender and social inclusion dimensions, including barriers to participation and enabling factors
• Has the project effectively supported the partner organization in reviewing and strengthening its operating approaches and its governance set-up?
• Assess the extent to which FPEC has re-thought and refined its operating approach (planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting).
• Examine the development and application of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for M&E.
• Examine the ways in which FPEC is working towards generating evidence-based reports and plans that inform decision-making and enhance project design and sustainability.
• What gaps or areas for improvement remain for long-term institutional strengthening?