Local Collaborator at Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh)

The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) is a world-leading institute in global health with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries.

The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) is a consortium partner in the project (Hands4Health) Terre des hommes (Tdh) is implementing in Public Primary Schools within MMC and Jere LGAs.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

We are in the phase that necessitates a qualitative assessment, exploring the perceived impacts of the h4h Multi-Component Hand Hygiene Intervention (MCHHI) on the health and well-being of primary school students, and we are looking for a proficient collaborator to work with Swiss TPH in conducting focused group discussions (FGDs) in intervention schools. Your help in identifying a suitable candidate for this important role would be greatly valuable.

We aim to select students from each class in the intervention arm, done in consultation with the school administration and invite them to participate in the FGDs. Each FGD is intended to be with 5-10 boys and girls separately until saturation, with a maximum of five FGDs per gender and five FGDs with teachers. Further explanations and objectives of the FGDs are attached for your perusal and understanding.

We seek a collaborator to work with Swiss TPH from Maiduguri to conduct these FGDs, under a 2-month research contract between the Swiss TPH and the collaborator. Tdh, thankfully, will of course be playing an integral part in coordinating and facilitating the process, for which we express our deep gratitude.

This collaborator is essential for facilitating focused group discussions (FGDs) in intervention schools, a crucial element of the impact evaluation process of the h4h.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities of the local collaborator would be to:

• Assist in developing a discussion guide, tailoring our existing questions to the context in Maiduguri.
• Translate the guide into the local languages.
• Conduct the FGDs with students and teachers in local languages (Kanuri and Hausa)
• Transcribe and translate the discussions into English for subsequent analysis.
• Potentially contribute to the analysis process (to be determined).

KEY COMPETENCIES

Required Qualification: To ensure alignment with the technical and ethical requirements of the task, we have outlined essential criteria for potential candidates:

Educational Background:

• A Master’s or PhD in a relevant field such as Education, Psychology, Social Work, health-related sciences, or any related field that involves child studies.

Research and Academic Experience:

• Proven experience in conducting qualitative research, preferably with evidence of published work in academic journals.
•  Demonstrated knowledge in developing and implementing qualitative research methodologies

Experience with Focus Group Discussions:

• Specific experience in conducting and facilitating focus group discussions.
• Prior work involving children, especially in the age group of 10-12, is essential.

Ethical and Child Protection Knowledge:

• A strong understanding of ethical guidelines and protocols when engaging with children in a research context.
• Knowledge and experience in ensuring child protection and safeguarding during research engagements.

Communication Skills:

• Excellent communication skills, with a particular emphasis on communicating effectively with children.
• Ability to establish rapport and build trust with children to facilitate genuine and ethical engagement.

Analysis Skills:

• Proficiency in qualitative data analysis, and familiarity with relevant software (e.g., NVivo, MaxQDA)

Language Skills:

• Fluency in the local language(s) spoken by the focus group participants.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION:

• Timeframe: Targeting Nov-Dec 2023 for recruiting and preparation, and Jan-Feb 2024 for conducting and transcribing the discussions.
• Budget: Administered through a 2-month research contract with Swiss TPH.