Summary Table

Background

Sustainable WASH for All, SUSWA is a Nepal-EU-Finland Water, Sanitation & Hygiene project in Karnali, Nepal 2021-2027. SUSWA has a Communication & Visibility Strategy and Plan, and follows the guidelines of it’s funders and client agreement carefully (e.g., EU, MFA and Niras Finland communication and visibility requirements). SUSWA follows a Human rights-based approach which also lays the basis for all SUSWA communication. Further, SUSWA communication goals relate to behaviour change for SUSWA project objectives, e.g., on hygiene and ownership.

For external communication, SUSWA uses various platforms and tools to ensure reaching both a) SUSWA working area right holders b) Nepal duty bearers and c) international audiences such as taxpayers in Europe and the wider WASH community. SUSWA has active accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok and it’s own website, www.suswa.org.

On these platforms, SUSWA posts blogposts, pictures and videos.

SUSWA Communication & Visibility further supports efforts in the communities SUSWA works in by supporting local governments with communication materials during e.g., awareness-raising days.

See SUSWA C&V Plan in Annex 1.

Objective

SUSWA is looking for someone to lead on specific SUSWA communication objectives and provide overall communication support for specialists to implement SUSWA C & V plans as outlined in SUSWA Annual Work Plan 2023-2024, during October - December 2023. By contracting a service provider to deliver on specific communication objectives as well as support SUSWA specialists on e.g., communication material for awareness days, SUSWA will ensure the smooth transition of C & V sector lead from one Field Specialist to the next, without SUSWA C& V output diminishing in quantity or quality during this time.

See SUSWA Annual Work Plan for Communication as Annex 2.

Scope of Work & Deliverables

A full task list will be provided by the Field Specialist, who will provide a one-day onboarding at the beginning of October in Surkhet. 

The main tasks will be:

• Video (1-2 minutes) on SUSWA sensor pilot in Naumule, Dailekh. This includes hiring a videographer, editor and so on, and working with them and SUSWA specialists (especially MIS Advisor) to finalize a video showcasing SUSWA pilot (how water sensors work, what the idea is), the work of the community, and the donated sensors by Charity Water.
• Identify TikTokers active in Karnali (especially SUSWA working municipalities) and reach out to them for Tiktok video-post collaborations on SUSWA communication goal topics (E.g., WASH and DRR for DRR day, handwashing for handwashing day…)
• Visual design for 5 ‘introduction’ leaflets with contact information for 1) whole SUSWA project, 2) Governance, 3) Water supply (including chlorination and sensors), 4) Sanitation & Hygiene (including Total Sanitation) and 5) GEDSI. Coordination and collaboration with specialists for final products.
• Visual design of templates for SUSWA needs: Ppt, Meeting minutes, reports, notes and planner.
• Facebook (nepali), Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter posts for the following awareness days: 13.10 disaster day, 15.10 Global handwashing day, 19.11 World Toilet Day, 20.9, 16 days of Activitism 25.11-10.12, PWD day 3.12, DMM day 8.12, Human rights day 8.12
• Plan and implement / support WASH Units in organizing programe for the following awareness days: 13.10 disaster day, 15.10 Global handwashing day, 19.11 World Toilet Day, 20.9, 16 days of Activitism 25.11-10.12, PWD day 3.12, DMM day 8.12, Human rights day 8.12
• Support BC Specialist on contract with Karnali Arts Centre or other organisation for radio programme and theater performances related to social change, especially organizing the filming and editing of one of the performances, as well as reposting radio programmes in the form of a pod on SUSWA website.
• Go through SUSWA pictures folders on Drive to select the best images for different purposes (e.g., sanitation, hygiene, remoteness, water scheme, DMM…) and name them with place and date.
• Go through SUSWA videos and add subtitles for videos SUSWA can use for communication purposes (English if Nepali video, Nepali if English video)
• Coordinate all website updates and content additions with Plutonictech, functioning as the middle man for SUSWA specialists and advisors.
• Handover passwords and knowledge about SUSWA C&V to the next Field Specialist.

See more details on tasks outlined in Annex 3.

Timeline & location

The service provider will start their work on October 5th and complete all assignments and support by the 15th of December 2023. The service provider is expected to be in Surkhet at the SUSWA offic for the one day onboarding and meeting of Specialists/Advisors. One trip of traveling to SUSWA working area (Dailekh, Jumla, Salyan or Kalikot) to e.g., support specialists on communication efforts for awareness days or oversee the filming for SUSWA short film is also expected. Apart from this, the service provider can choose from where they want to work and can conduct meetings with specialists and advisors as needed online or over the phone. If the service provider is also in Birendranagar, a room in the SUSWA office can be provided for the service provider during working hours.

Qualifications / selection criteria

Required:

• Excellent Nepali and English writing skills. 
• Proven ability to provide copywriting in English and Nepali.
• Experience in creating communication content, e.g., visual design skills.
• Experience of contracting and overseeing service providers, e.g., videographers, editors, translators
• Readiness to start work with short notice in the first week of October.
• Proven record of working independently, delivering on agreed deadlines, and upholding good working relations throughout short-term assignments.

Preferred:

• Experience in using WordPress for Website development
• Good knowledge and skills of using e.g., PS, Canva, other design software
• Video editing skills
• Photography skills
• Familiarity with WASH
• Familiarity with Finnish projects

How to apply

Share your CV and the following selection of your work:

• Writing sample in English and Nepal
• 1-3 Copywrite texts by you that has been published (if very short, e.g., a tweet or instagram caption, share a couple, if longer,e.g., article or blogpost, one is enough)
• 1-3 Visual designx created by you (e.g., a leaflet, a invitation, a online post, a logo, other)
• If applicable: video you have edited and/or translated and added subtitles to.

Annex 1

C&V Plan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zd84Hc0t7A2rG-92AIbC3MmtbbmKKEMM/view?usp=sharing

Annex 2

Outtake from Annual Work Plan 80-81:

Communication & Visibility

Clear communication that supports the process of reaching the Project goals, especially when it comes to behavioural change, is vital, as well as for project progress and donor visibility. During FY 079-80 SUSWA Communication and Visibility Plan, which is in line with European Union communication and visibility (C&V) guidelines, was approved by the SvB. The plan outlines SUSWA communication goals and strategy, as well as visibility guidelines regarding colours, logos and so on, for all staff to follow. The Visibility part in the SUSWA Communication and Visibility Plan is continuously updated to remain a relevant document for everyone, e.g., during the past year the EU C&V guidelines 2022 were more strongly incorporated, as was MFA’s logo change. 

The main goals of SUSWA’s communication are to promote the process of reaching programme goals on sustainability (paradigm change on cost recovery) and social inclusion (gender, disability, caste, DMM) through a focus on:

• Social / behavioural change, e.g., promotion of desired social norms through behavioural insight
• Capacity building, e.g., training, information, knowledge sharing, awareness raising
• Visibility, inspiration and knowledge sharing outside of Project LGs, e.g., clearly communicating the message and target of SUSWA in a memorable way and ensuring visibility of plans and progress to both communities and financiers

During the past year. progress has been achieved regarding the 2nd and 3rd goal. In the first year of implementation, SUSWA external communication started with the website and social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter) being launched. SUSWA and donor logos have been prominently displayed at all events and at schemes, following SUSWA Visibility Plan. Events were organised for international awareness days and photo stories from SUSWA working municipalities were collected and published on all platforms.

In the upcoming year, the main difference in communication activities is the increased focus on the 1st goal, with the SUSWA behaviour change strategy being further specified. SUSWA will continue to use Facebook as the main social media channel to reach local audiences, but in the second year of implementation TikTok, which is surpassing Facebook in users in Nepal, will also be utilised. Instagram and LinkedIn will continue to be used to target international audiences and other WASH stakeholders. The use of Twitter as a social media channel for SUSWA will be reviewed during FY 080/81, as it currently has the lowest reach.

The focus during the first year of implementation of SUSWA behaviour change efforts lay heavily on raising awareness for dignified menstruation management, menstrual hygiene and non-discriminatory practices through working with MHM PA, KADMM, the Goodwill ambassador. This focus has been reflected on SUSWA social media, especially on awareness days. The aforementioned focus will continue, but during the second year of implementation, more focus will also be put on 1) safe water 2) ownership of water and 3) total sanitation, including. hygiene practices (handwashing), improving toilets, using toilets and faecal sludge management. SUSWA will also utilise communication efforts for non-discrimination of Dalits, with the launch of a number of radio program sessions (also to be distributed in podcast format) on WASH rights and issues related to Dalits in Karnali, hosted by Dalits and inviting e.g., municipality and provincial representatives to discuss, as well as ‘call in’ radio sessions.

In municipalities during FY 080/81, several schemes and toilet constructions will also be finished and work in some municipalities will wrap up. Capturing and communicating the progress and changes will be key, as is ensuring final donor visibility (both at the events but also e.g., through the permanent plaques to be placed on the finished structures). Further, awareness days will continue to be an opportunity to highlight municipal commitment to SUSWA related objectives, during FY 080/81 also through utilising local TikTok content creators. WASH Units will be supported in producing IEC materials and radio inserts most relevant to their local context, as well as in procuring services from NGOs, such as Karnali Arts Center, for supporting behaviour change related activities using audiovisual means.

International events in FY 080/81 consist of Stockholm World Water Week (SWWW), where SUSWA will hold an online session, sharing sanitation study results and lessons learned. SUSWA Sanitation & Hygiene specialists and a WASH advisor will also participate in the World Water Week for further international networking purposes (e.g., with the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance).  For SUSWA and donor visibility, material for both the online session and to bring to Stockholm, present an opportunity, especially to position as being at the forefront of, especially, sanitation and hygiene interventions, as these themes tend to have less representation at SWW yet are increasingly of interest to those communication on water issues. SUSWA budget covers the participation of two (registration, flights, visa, hotel) and the session cost.

Budget wise, the SUSWA communication budget will be a bit higher next year due to administration software purchases supporting internal communication, as well as administration related consultants. The second biggest cost is the World Water Week participation, followed by social media content work including videos and Tiktoks.

Table 23: Activities, Timeline & Budget

Annex 3