Gender Analysis and Training of Trainers for Hand in Hand Eastern Africa Tanzania
Reference Information
- Reference Number: HIHEA/TZ-007
- Project: Field to Fork Tanzania – The Building Livelihoods Project
- Title of Work: Gender Analysis & Training of Trainers
- Date: 20 June 2025
Organizational Background
Hand in Hand Eastern Africa Tanzania is part of the global Hand in Hand international network, operating independently within the Eastern Africa region. Its mission is to promote economic and social empowerment of marginalized women, youth, and men, supporting the creation of sustainable enterprises and jobs. Operations began in Northern Tanzania in August 2016, with outreach and promotion starting in January 2018. The organization currently operates in Arusha, Manyara, Singida, Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, and Simiyu regions. To date, Hand in Hand Tanzania has mobilized and trained over 50,000 members, who have created more than 26,000 enterprises and over 30,000 jobs.
The organization works with marginalized communities, using a participatory approach to combat poverty and vulnerability. Its enterprise and job creation model is based on a self-help philosophy, providing enterprise training, skills, and support to enable people, particularly women, to build independent, market-based economic activities. The approach includes a four-step model: self-help groups, business training, access to credit, and market linkages. A fifth step, a gender-focused community engagement component, aims to shift social norms perpetuating gender inequality and poverty.
Background to the Project
Poverty in Tanzania is largely driven by a lack of stable, profitable income-generating opportunities. Rural Tanzanians at the bottom of the pyramid lack the skills, finances, and market access to generate income beyond subsistence levels, trapping them in a poverty cycle. Access to capital, such as land or financial resources, is a significant challenge. A 2014 UN report found that only 26 percent of agricultural landowners in rural Tanzania are women, despite women comprising 52 percent of the agricultural workforce. Women are less likely to have bank accounts and face barriers to accessing credit, such as the need for collateral.
Women also face unique challenges at family, community, market, and civic levels, which impede their economic prosperity. A 2018 K4D report noted that many husbands prefer their wives to focus on unpaid domestic work rather than earning an income. A 2015 Hand in Hand survey in Arusha found that some men prevented their female partners from joining Self-Help Groups, citing concerns about their absence from home or mistrust over loans risking household assets.
From 2023 to 2028, Hand in Hand Eastern Africa Tanzania (HiHEA-TZ) will implement “The Building Livelihoods” project in Meatu, Simiyu region. The project aims to support 2,700 entrepreneurs—80 percent women—to create 1,890 enterprises and 2,475 jobs, increasing incomes and promoting systemic change for gender equity and inclusion. The project employs Hand in Hand’s four-step job creation model, enhanced by a fifth component to dismantle gender-based barriers. This includes gender training through community events and collaboration with male community leaders to advocate for women’s equity. The project seeks to ensure women have decision-making authority at household and business levels, with community support for their economic participation. Increased business income is expected to improve family quality of life for 2,700 women, men, and children, particularly through increased spending on education, healthcare, and nutrition. Successful female entrepreneurs will serve as role models, encouraging other women to challenge restrictive social and economic norms.
Purpose of the Assignment
Hand in Hand seeks a firm or team of consultants to conduct:
- A detailed gender analysis in Meatu, Simiyu, Tanzania.
- Training of Trainers on HiHEA-TZ gender modules.
The gender analysis will inform project design, helping tailor the programmatic approach to address specific barriers faced by smallholder farmers, particularly women. While business skills training is a foundational step, transformative change requires addressing deeper psychological and social constraints. The main objective is to understand gender-based barriers for women farmers in the region and propose strategies to overcome them within the program.
Key Questions for Gender Analysis
The gender analysis will address the following questions:
Women’s Participation in the Economy
- How can the domestic work burden be reduced or shared to support women balancing domestic and business responsibilities?
- What culturally imposed constraints limit women’s economic independence? Are there stereotypes or behaviors traditionally viewed as masculine?
- How confident are women in undertaking economic activities independently, and which social norms limit them?
Leadership and Agency
- Are women in these communities confident to take on leadership roles? Who are the community leaders?
- Who are the strongest enforcers of local gender norms perpetuating inequalities?
Decision-Making Power
- In which areas do women have primary decision-making power on their farms? Where are they less involved or excluded?
- What are the gender dynamics in agricultural value chains in the target area? What barriers might women face?
Key Activities and Timeline
The assignment will be led by the consultants with significant input and oversight from Hand in Hand EA-TZ and Hand in Hand International. The activities and timeline are as follows:
- Inception Report: July 2025
- Gender Analysis: July 2025
- Recommendations for Program Adaptation: July 2025
- Staff Training on Gender Curriculum: August 2025
- Final Report with Recommendations: August 2025
1. Inception Report
- Outline the methodology for qualitative analysis and timeline.
- Identify actors in and around the target area (specific villages) working on gender issues and the aims of existing programs.
2. Qualitative Gender Baseline Analysis
The gender analysis aims to understand specific gender dynamics and implications for women entrepreneurs in Meatu, Simiyu, and propose recommendations for program adaptation. Using the key questions above, consultants will:
- Identify culturally imposed constraints hindering women’s economic independence in:
- Women’s participation in the economy.
- Leadership and agency.
- Decision-making power.
- Financial planning within the household.
- Assess women’s decision-making power on farms, noting that women often undertake a disproportionate share of labor while men, as landowners, collect most benefits.
- Propose specific strategies and skills women need to overcome gender inequality and subordination.
- Identify main soft skills and business skills for entrepreneurship training to equip women to run profitable enterprises based on local gender dynamics.
- Collect at least 10 stories from women in target communities to assess their decision-making power inside and outside the household.
- Explore how women can better manage family and business responsibilities.
- Identify which household and business decisions women are entitled to make independently.
- Assess the views of village leaders and influential community figures on women’s economic participation.
3. Recommendations for Program Adaptation, Curriculum Validation
Consultants will review training manuals and advise on:
- Key training practices and activities to maximize program impact.
- Activities and soft skills to address community needs identified in the gender baseline.
- Validation of Gender Curriculum contents for Steering Committee meetings.
4. Staff Training (Training of Trainers)
- Train project staff on the Hand in Hand Gender Curriculum to build capacity for delivering sensitive gender topics to program participants and local leaders via Steering Committees.
- Number of Staff: 8
- Training Duration: 5 days (open to suggestions)
- Location: Meatu District
Profile of Consultants/Consultancy Firm
Interested firms or teams of consultants must demonstrate:
- High-level experience conducting quantitative and qualitative surveys in Tanzania, adhering to international best practices.
- Strong expertise in gender analysis, particularly addressing gender barriers in agriculture.
- A strong track record in gender research and analysis in an East African context, with experience collecting sensitive data from survey respondents.
- Experience working on projects targeting grassroots entrepreneurs, enterprises, self-help groups, and financial institutions.
- Experience delivering research for or advising development programs (advantageous).
- Proven experience collaborating with international and national teams in civil society organizations, NGOs, academic institutions, or social enterprises.
- Fluency in verbal and written English and Kiswahili.
Application Process
Proposals should be sent to [email protected] by 01 July 2025. Only short-listed institutions, organizations, or consultancy firms will be contacted. The proposal must include:
- A short presentation (up to 3 pages, excluding annexes) of the approach and methodology, including research design, specific methodology, and proposed outputs.
- A proposed process and timeframe, detailing resources and estimated days.
- Anticipated challenges and dependencies affecting implementation, and how these should be addressed by the consultant and Hand in Hand EA-TZ.
- A summary of the consultants’ skills and experience, with CVs showing relevant previous assignments and clients, and details of the firm’s experience conducting research in Tanzania.
- An example of a recent piece of work relevant to the subject matter.
- A detailed fee quote and rationale, including daily rates, time allocated per resource, travel, expenses, and taxes.
- References from three researchers or non-governmental organizations who have used the firm’s services, provided as signed letters or emails with current contact information.
RFQ/Tender Information and Attachments
For comprehensive information regarding this RFQ/tender, we invite you to download the attachments provided below. These documents contain all the necessary details, including specifications, requirements, and submission guidelines. Please review them carefully to ensure you have all the pertinent information needed to participate.
