Engagement of Consultancy Firm to Harvest Success Stories in Borno and Adamawa

Background

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Guided by its global strategy 100 Million Reasons, Plan works to address poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination that undermine the rights and potential of children—particularly girls and other vulnerable groups. Through rights-based, gender-transformative, and youth-centred programming, Plan supports children and young people from birth through adulthood and enables communities to prepare for, withstand, and respond to crises and adversity.

Plan International Nigeria has been operational since 2014, working in partnership with communities, civil society organisations, development partners, and government institutions to promote child protection, education, health and nutrition, youth participation, livelihoods, and humanitarian response. Programming in Nigeria prioritises inclusion, safeguarding, accountability, and ethical engagement with children, adolescents, and vulnerable populations.

Within this context, Plan International, with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is implementing the Youth Learn, Earn and Prosper in the Lake Chad Region project in selected LGAs of Borno and Adamawa States. The project aims to strengthen the resilience of adolescents and youth—particularly young women, persons with disabilities, IDPs, returnees, and host communities—by addressing the root causes of food insecurity, unemployment, sexual and reproductive health risks, conflict Resolution, and social exclusion.

Key interventions under the project include livelihood incubation centres (LICs), sustainable agriculture and kitchen gardening, vocational and entrepreneurship training, VSLA support, cash and voucher assistance, SRHR education, life skills development, youth and civic participation, social cohesion initiatives, and community-based conflict prevention mechanisms.

As the project progresses, there is a need to systematically document, analyse, and communicate compelling success stories, impact stories, and evidence of social and behaviour change (SBC) among beneficiaries, households, and communities. These narratives will support learning, accountability, donor reporting, advocacy, visibility, and resource mobilisation, while reflecting Plan International’s mission, values, and commitment to ethical and inclusive storytelling.

2. Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to engage a qualified Consultanting Firms to harvest, document, and package high-quality success stories, impact stories, and social and behaviour change narratives from the BMZ project across Borno and Adamawa States.

The assignment will capture human-centred, ethical, and evidence-based stories that demonstrate project outcomes, behavioural shifts, gender-transformative change, resilience building, and lessons learned, aligned with BMZ visibility requirements and Plan International communication, safeguarding, and PSHEA standards.

3**. Objectives of the Assignment**

The specific objectives are to:

1. Identify and document compelling success and impact stories from diverse project components, including livelihoods, agriculture, SRHR, GBV prevention, VSLA, cash transfers, youth empowerment, and social cohesion.
2. Capture evidence of social and behaviour change at individual, household, and community levels, including shifts in norms, attitudes, practices, and power relations.
3. Highlight the voices and lived experiences of adolescents and youth, especially girls and young women persons with disabilities, caregivers, and community stakeholders.
4. Demonstrate the contribution of the BMZ project to resilience, economic empowerment, protection, gender equality, and social inclusion in conflict- and climate-affected settings.
5. Produce high-quality narrative products suitable for donor reporting, visibility, advocacy, and digital communication.

4. Scope of Work

The Consulting firm/company will be responsible for the following tasks:

4.1 Inception Phase

The Writing Consultant will:

• Conduct a desk review of relevant project documents (proposal, logframe, reports, MEAL data, and communication materials).
• Hold inception meetings with Plan International and implementing partners.
• Develop and submit an inception report outlining methodology, sampling approach, ethical and safeguarding considerations, data collection tools, and a detailed work plan.

The Photography Consultant will:

• Participate in inception discussions to align on visual storytelling needs.
• Develop a photography plan, including a shot list, consent approach, and logistics plan aligned with safeguarding standards.

4.2 Field Data Collection

The Writing Consultant will:

• Conduct field visits to selected LGAs and communities in Borno and Adamawa States.
• Identify beneficiaries and stakeholders in close collaboration with project teams.
• Conduct in-depth interviews (IDIs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and focus group discussions (FGDs) using participatory and gender-responsive approaches.
• Document stories demonstrating social and behaviour change, including increased uptake of services, improved gender norms, youth participation in decision-making, livelihood resilience, and peaceful conflict resolution.
• Ensure informed consent, safeguarding, PSEA compliance, confidentiality, and do-no-harm principles throughout data collection.

The Photography Consultant will:

• Conduct field visits alongside or in coordination with the Writing Consultant.
• Capture high-quality, contextually relevant photographs reflecting project impact, beneficiaries, and key activities.
• Ensure all photography adheres to ethical standards, including informed consent, safeguarding, and the dignity of subjects.

4.3 Story Development and Packaging

The Writing Consultant will:

• Develop clear, engaging, and evidence-based success and impact stories grounded in lived experiences.
• Integrate relevant quantitative indicators and qualitative insights where appropriate.
• Produce human-interest stories aligned with BMZ visibility requirements and Plan International branding and editorial guidelines.
• Support the development of captions, pull quotes, summaries, or scripts for donor reports, social media, and advocacy materials where required.

The Photography Consultant will:

• Provide edited, high-resolution images aligned with each story.
• Develop accurate captions and contextual descriptions for all images.

5. Key Deliverables

The Consultants are expected to deliver:

Writing Consultant

1. Inception report with approved methodology and work plan.
2. A total of 36 written stories, structured as follows:
   • 16 Detailed Success Stories (800–1,200 words each)
   • 10 In-Depth Impact Case Studies (1,500–2,000 words each)
   • 10 Social and Behaviour Change / Gender Transformative Narratives (800–1,200 words each)

Distribution by Location

Borno State – 18 stories

• 8 Success Stories
• 5 Impact Case Studies
• 5 SBC / Gender Transformative Narratives

Adamawa State – 18 stories

• 8 Success Stories
• 5 Impact Case Studies
• 5 SBC / Gender Transformative Narratives
• Ensure balanced representation of project components (livelihoods, agriculture, SRHR, youth empowerment, VSLA, cash assistance, social cohesion, gender equality).
• A synthesis report highlighting key themes, patterns of change, lessons learned, and recommendations.
• A story bank (spreadsheet) summarising each story (title, thematic focus, location, consent status).

Photography Consultant

1. A minimum of 3–5 high-resolution photographs per story (aligned with the 36 stories).
2. Edited, high-quality images with captions and documented informed consent.
3. A structured photo library linked to each story and categorised by theme, location, and activity.
4. A clean, well-organised repository of all images in high-resolution formats.

Joint Deliverables (Coordinated)

• High-quality photographs, quotes, and captions (with documented consent) aligned to each story.
• A clean, well-organised repository of all final stories and source materials in Word and PDF formats.

6. Methodology

The Consultants are expected to apply participatory, gender-responsive, youth-centred, and conflict-sensitive qualitative methods, including: - Outcome harvesting and Most Significant Change (MSC) approaches - Feminist and inclusive storytelling techniques - Intersectional analysis (gender, age, disability, displacement status) - Ethical storytelling standards, including safeguarding, PSHEA compliance, and informed consent

7. Management and Reporting

The Consultants will work under the supervision of the Project Manager and in close coordination with the MEAL and Communications teams. Field coordination will be undertaken with relevant programme staff. All deliverables will be reviewed and approved by Plan International.

8. Required Qualifications and Experience

The Consultants/consulting firm should have:

• An advanced degree in Development Studies, Communications, Social Sciences, Journalism, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5–7 years’ professional experience in communications, qualitative research, or storytelling within development or humanitarian programmes.
• Proven experience documenting success stories, impact stories, and SBC narratives for donor-funded projects.
• Strong understanding of gender equality, child and youth rights, SRHR, GBV, livelihoods, and humanitarian response in fragile contexts.
• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills in English; knowledge of Hausa and/or other local languages is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience working in North-East Nigeria or similar conflict-affected settings.

9. Ethical Considerations

The Consultants /consulting Firm must adhere to Plan International’s Safeguarding Policy, Child Protection Policy, PSHEA Policy, Data Protection Policy, and ethical storytelling guidelines. All participants must provide informed consent, and content must uphold dignity, confidentiality, and participant safety at all times.

10. Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSHEA)

Plan International has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. The Consultants shall fully comply with Plan International’s safeguarding and PSHEA requirements and will be required to sign the Code of Conduct and all relevant policies before engagement.

The Consultants shall: - Apply survivor-centred, trauma-informed, and gender-responsive approaches in all engagements. - Ensure safe, respectful, and non-exploitative interaction with children and adults. - Obtain informed consent and assent, explaining the intended use of stories and images. - Maintain strict confidentiality and secure handling of all personal data. - Immediately report any safeguarding or PSHEA concerns through Plan International’s established reporting mechanisms.

Non-compliance may result in immediate termination of the contract.

11. Payment Schedule

Payment will be linked to the satisfactory completion and approval of deliverables as follows: - 30% upon approval of the inception report, - 40% upon submission and approval of draft stories, - 30% upon final approval of all deliverables.

Further information on the Terms of Reference including all relevant annexes can be assessed via this link: https://tinyurl.com/yx2sz2vv

How to apply

12. Application Process

Interested Consultancy firms are invited to submit: - A technical proposal outlining understanding of the assignment and proposed methodology - A financial proposal with a clear cost breakdown- CV(s) and at least two verifiable samples of similar work

All applications must be submitted to Nigeria.procurement@plan-international.org on or before 11.59 pm 9th April, 2026, with the reference number and email title**: PIN/CNSLT/026/004 - BMZ Story Harvesting**

For any inquiries or clarification, kindly contactTenderinquiry@plan-international.org