Community Facilitator at Solidaridad West Africa (SWA)

Category: Agriculture, Rural Development/ Research & Development

Post Title:  Community Facilitator (CF)

Duration:  13 Months (Temporary)

Location:  Cross River,  Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ondo States, Nigeria

Report Line: Project Manager

Solidaridad West Africa (SWA) is a solutions-oriented not-for-profit organization operating in Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Nigeria with its Regional office in Accra, Ghana. Solidaridad West Africa is part of the Solidaridad Network, a development organization operating on five continents through seven Regional Expertise Centres. With its Network secretariat in the Netherlands, Solidaridad has over 50 years of global experience developing profitable supply chains and creating sustainable businesses and livelihoods.  

In Nigeria, Solidaridad currently maintains a country office in Enugu and implements projects in but not limited to Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, and Plateau States. Read more about our work: https://lnkd.in/e6WCw7Xw 

Mondelez Community Development Project Nigeria: Empowered and Inclusive Cocoa Life Communities (CoD-PECC).

The Community Development Project Nigeria: Empowered and Inclusive Cocoa Life Communities (CoD-PECC) seeks to drive transformative change in cocoa-growing regions of Nigeria, specifically across six states - Cross River, Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, and Ondo. This initiative aligns with the objectives of the Mondelēz International Cocoa Life program, which promotes sustainable cocoa sourcing, gender equality, and economic empowerment while fostering resilient community structures and sustainable livelihoods.

It is a thirteen (13) month project (December 2024 - December 2025) with the overarching goal of empowering cocoa-growing communities by addressing socio-economic challenges, advancing community-driven development, and providing financial inclusion through Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). VSLAs will enable women and marginalized community members to generate alternative income streams, promoting financial independence and resilience. Additionally, the project will build capacity for local governance by training community leaders and stakeholders to use Community Development Committees (CODECs) as platforms for establishing Community Action Plans (CAPs) tailored to local needs and aspirations. The project will be implemented in 260 communities across the six implementation states.

Key Project Components:

Community Governance and Capacity Building

The project will support the development and strengthening of local governance structures in cocoa-growing regions. Community leaders and relevant stakeholders will receive comprehensive training in governance and decision-making, enabling them to better address local development needs through CAPs. This governance strengthening will also create formal mechanisms for managing and overseeing community development efforts through Community Development Committees (CODECs). These governance structures will serve as sustainable systems for ongoing development activities, even after the life of the project.

Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment

The project will prioritize women’s financial empowerment, aligning with the Cocoa Life program’s goal of promoting gender equality. Through the establishment of VSLAs, women will have access to financial resources and opportunities for alternative income-generating activities. This financial inclusion will empower women to take a more active role in community decision-making processes and economic activities, contributing to broader gender equality and social equity. By promoting the inclusion of women in decision-making and income generation, the project will foster long-term, sustainable growth within these communities.

Sustainable Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction

The project will address the widespread poverty affecting Nigeria’s cocoa farmers and support sustainable farming practices and community-driven initiatives to improve livelihoods by diversifying income sources and providing financial support through VSLAs.

Child Protection and Education Access

The project will enhance child protection systems and access to quality education for children in Cocoa Life communities. By aligning with Mondelēz International’s commitment to having a Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) in place across all Cocoa Life communities by 2025, this initiative will contribute to eliminating child labour in cocoa farming regions. Furthermore, the project’s focus on education will ensure that children in cocoa-growing communities have greater access to educational resources and opportunities, enabling future generations to break the cycle of poverty.

Environmental Stewardship and Climate Resilience

The project will actively support efforts to promote climate resilience and zero deforestation. Community Action Plans (CAPs) will incorporate strategies for environmental conservation, sustainable land management, and the prevention of deforestation. The protection and restoration of local ecosystems will not only contribute to climate resilience but will also ensure the long-term sustainability of cocoa farming in these regions.

The local government areas of interest are listed below but not limited to:

Solidaridad West Africa (SWA) seeks to engage the services of qualified individuals/professionals (male, female, and youth) with experience and requisite qualifications to provide services in project communities at landscape levels as Community Facilitators (CFs). Applications are welcome from any of these specified locations and will guide selection. The CFs are to contribute to achieving Mondelez-CoD-PECC output level indicators by implementing community-level activities. 

Key Responsibilities of the Community Facilitators 

Under the supervision of the Project Manager/ Coordinators, the Community Facilitator shall be responsible for supporting the Programme teams in the following: 

• The Community Facilitator will support the Community Development Project Nigeria: Empowered and Inclusive Cocoa Life Communities (CoD-PECC) and key team members.
• Attend initial training orientation organized by the Project Manager to familiarize with the education and training sessions for community-based interventions, reporting systems, and job scopes.
• Community inventory: The community facilitators will support activities in gathering comprehensive data about the existing infrastructure, governance structures, social services, and resources within the project communities. This serves as a foundational activity to assess current conditions, inform decision-making, engage community members, guide capacity building, and support sustainable development.
• Establish and strengthen CODECs: The community facilitators will support activities that will establish and strengthen the CODECs to independently take charge of the CAP development processes.
• Development of Community Action Plans (CAPs): The community facilitators will support activities that develop and implement CAPs in 260 communities across the six implementation states.
• Establishment of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs): The community facilitators will support activities that establish new VSLAs to improve the livelihood of families in the communities and help protect children.
• Some of the activities include but are not limited to community entry, community mobilization, stakeholder engagement, community profiling, training, weekly planning, monitoring and reporting, and other program implementation activities.
• Work closely with the traditional leaders, community chiefs, and community council to ensure the involvement of community members.
• Coordinate the local training sessions and meetings with farmer communities on the field and assist in the implementation of surveys related to the project.
• Deploy innovative digital solutions for the implementation of all program activities in the communities.
• Support the dissemination of communication/ visibility materials and activities.
• Participate actively in data gathering, analysis, and management for proper documentation of all project activities and reporting. Monitor results in terms of beneficiaries reached (men/women/youths) and the impact of project activities on community development in the cocoa-growing communities.

Qualifications and Selection Criteria for CFs:

• Must be educated up to First Degree/NCE/OND/HND or higher in zoology/biology, environmental science, natural resource management, ecology, agronomy, agricultural economics, sociology, economics, public administration, development studies, community health extension, adult education, psychology, engineering, or related fields.
• A 3-5-year experience working as a Community Facilitator/Development Worker with program implementation and capacity development initiatives/projects/programs will be an advantage. 
• Fluency in written and spoken English, fluency in the local language (e.g Yoruba/Pidgin English/Efik/Ejagham and others). Must be able to translate information written in English into the local languages of the communities where community work is proposed.
• Applicants should be indigenous (known by their people, live in the community or close to it, and speak the indigenous language). Please note that this is an important criterion as candidates will be required to reside in the Mondelez-CoPDECC LGAs and local communities.
• Candidates should have experience in report writing, the use of the computer, and participation in virtual meetings/conferences. Experience in preparing and submitting written reports for an international developmental agency, a governmental department, or a major NGO will be an advantage. A recent example might be requested from each short-listed candidate.
• Candidates should demonstrate fluency in MS Office, and demonstrate analytical, problem-solving, communication, and writing skills. The applicant must have a very good level of digital literacy and can communicate survey questionnaires verbally and in written form (local languages and pidgin English language) to prospective respondents.
• The CFs must be able to deploy the use of smartphones for onboarding beneficiary participants, all Solidaridad project activities, monitoring, and marketing platforms in their communities of engagement. Please note that Solidaridad projects include but are not limited to CoD-PECC, NISCOPS, P2P, GEF/FAO, Acting Now project, and others in some of these locations. CFs may be (re)assigned as the case may be at any time for any or a combination of activities across multiple projects if need be.
• Core competencies: Results Focused, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, Knowledge Sharing, and Continuous Improvement.
• Please note that this position is purely field-based work (not office work).

Offer

A modest community facilitator allowance, training, a pleasant working experience, rich exposure to the development landscape, network building, and the space to grow. The successful Community Facilitators will be based in the LGAs across the project implementation states. Interviews are expected to be held in the first week of December 2024 and only shortlisted candidates will be notified and expected to attend the interview. The successful candidates should be available to commence work immediately.

Application Deadline 

December 13, 2024. Applicant screening will start immediately and continue until the slots for the positions are filled. Due to the high volume of applications anticipated based on this advert,, we appreciate all interested applicants but will contact only short-listed candidates.

Solidaridad is an equal opportunities employer committed to protecting vulnerable persons. We strongly encourage qualified women, men, and youth residents in Nigeria to apply. Female applicants who meet the qualification and selection criteria are encouraged to apply.

Solidaridad West Africa is committed to promoting a work environment where diversity and inclusion are valued and we promote gender balance in the organization.