1. Context and Background

1.1 Introduction

In accordance with the grant agreement Annex 4- project budget item 7.1 signed between the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation for the implementation of the Sustainable Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene for All (SWaSSH4A) project, an end of project (final) evaluation was required. The evaluation exercise will be undertaken by an evaluation team who will be procured through a competitive bidding process. It is on this basis that these Terms of Reference (TOR) are prepared. The TOR sets out the requirements and expectations for the end of project evaluation of the project implemented by SNV. The SWaSSH4A project started implementation in November 2022, and it is in its final year of implementation, concluding officially in October 2025. The evaluation process must follow the guidance specified in this TOR.

1.2 About SNV  

SNV is a mission-driven not-for-profit global development organisation aiming to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that transform water, agri-food, and energy systems across Africa and Asia for sustainable and equitable lives. Founded in the Netherlands in 1965 and established in Uganda in 1989, SNV deeply understands local context and dynamics.

Operating through a decentralised approach with a country office in Kampala and regional offices in Fort Portal, Jinja, Lira, and Mbarara, SNV implements donor-funded activities across more than 100 districts in Uganda, ensuring broad and diverse impact. SNV leverages its expertise and technical assistance to drive sustainable development, generating employment, increasing income, and improving access to essential services. SNV's long-term commitment, decentralised approach, sectoral focus, and collaborative partnerships contribute to its impactful presence in Uganda.

SNV enjoys an excellent reputation in the water sector in Uganda and can operationalise complex issues like climate resilience or sustainable operation and maintenance in water sector interventions with high quality. Based on a solid implementation methodology and well-documented on-ground results attained in close collaboration with district and local governments, SNV builds a bridge to the national level and impacts sector-wide used approaches.

SNV´s overarching ambition in the water sector is water security for all - the reliable availability of an acceptable quantity and quality of water for health, livelihoods, ecosystems and production, coupled with an acceptable level of water-related risks. SNV realises this ambition through 4 strategic areas of intervention, as summarised below – more information can be found  https://www.snv.org/sector/water  

Equitable Water Resource Management whereby SNV strengthens multi-level water governance, improves the availability and use of global and local data, calls for greater accountability for water use, extraction, and pollution, and introduces improved financing and investment models for water resource management and maintaining grey and green investments. SNV’s Sustainable Inclusive Irrigation approach is a holistic, multi-scale approach for groundwater and surface water irrigation applied at different scales: large, medium, small-scale irrigation, and individual extraction. It addresses irrigation governance, the performance of scheme management, services for farmers for field-level irrigation, and the quality and transparent construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure.

To create Sustainable Urban Water Cycles; SNV uses a holistic approach to improve water security in urban contexts, integrating water supply, sanitation, solid waste, and drainage. We work with stakeholders to strengthen governance and regulation, services, finance and investment, effective behavioural change interventions, treatment, circularity, and city-wide flood and drought management. For SNV, achieving city-wide water security requires increased attention and investment in low-income areas.

Most relevant for Uganda is SNV´s institutional know-how on Climate Resilient Rural WASH as the approach is and has been used in several programmes in Uganda, including Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene For All (SSH4A), Uganda Sanitation for Health Activity (USHA), Scaling up WASH SDG efforts (WASH FIRST), and Improving Water Supply Sustainability (IWAS) programmes (see past track record summary table below). SNV’s approach is area-wide, assisting governments and local stakeholders in realising the human rights to water (supply) and sanitation, improving the climate resilience of services, and reducing vulnerabilities of rural populations to water-related risks. We strengthen WASH governance, rural service providers' performance, and infrastructure construction and rehabilitation quality. By strengthening consumer supply chains and financing, we develop rural WASH markets and support evidence-based behavioural change

Interested in applying for this job? Click here to submit your application now