RFP: TRANSLATION OF IR POLICIES TO LOCAL LANGUAGE CONSULTANCY

November 19, 2025 •

Location Garissa
Posted 2 months ago

Job Description

Country: Kenya
Organization: Islamic Relief Kenya
Closing date: 20 Nov 2025

Terms of Reference

THE TRANSLATION OF ISLAMIC RELIEF KENYA POLICIES TO LOCAL LANGUAGES CONSULTANCY

‘DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LIVELIHOODS, EMPOWERMENT AND RESILIENCE SUPPORT (DELIVERS)’ PROJECT.

IRK/CO/CONS/DELIVERS/001/11/2025

November 2025

  1. BACKGROUND

IR Kenya started operations in Kenya in 1993 through a local CBO in Mandera District, Northern Kenya. It opened its fully-fledged office in March in 2006 at the height of drought in the Horn of Africa. Since then, it has been providing humanitarian and development assistance to vulnerable communities. Over these years IRK has remarkably changed the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. In January 2010 and October 2011, IRK extended its operation to Wajir county and Garissa County; to serve both the local community and Refugee at Dadaab Camp. Islamic Relief Kenya is currently implementing programmes in the following sectors: Health and Nutrition; WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene); Sustainable Livelihoods and Disaster Risk reduction (DRR); Child Welfare/Protection & Education; and Emergency Response. Over the years, IR Kenya has implemented various development and relief activities which have remarkably changed the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Kilifi, Marsabit and Kajiado Counties.

IR Kenya has a commitment to standards which ascribe to program quality and improved programming. This obliges us to conduct an end line evaluation study for the LDP project in the specific areas of the project interventions to help in documenting intended and unintended changes that have been realized that can be attributed to the project.

  1. PROJECT SUMMARY

The Development through Livelihoods, Empowerment and Resilience Support (DELIVERS) Project is a two- year Project targeting the vulnerable communities in Kilifi & Mandera counties through inclusive and accessible education, improved alternative Economic Empowerment to the target households and increased availability of water for household use and food production.

The project intends to achieve in the following ways: –

  • Increased equitable Access to clean drinking water for drought-prone households to use for domestic, livestock uses and crop production through construction of two dams, solarization and rehabilitation of 4 boreholes.
  • Increased access to food security and household income among smallholder farmers and youth through livestock vaccination campaigns, provision of goats, training on climate resilient farming, strengthening early warning and response systems and livelihood diversification techniques.
  • Improved learning environment and learning outcomes through provision of learning materials,

solarization of schools, girl’s mentorship programmes, strengthening gender and child protection structures, awareness raising on CRM, trainings on policies & translation of policies in local language, and provision of psychosocial support.

The project is being implemented directly by Islamic Relief Kenya in collaboration with other stakeholders in Mandera and Kilifi Counties notably the government departments of education, special programmes, child protection, gender and social services, environment, trade and economic planning, water and sanitation at the county level.

Through this Integrated WASH, Education, Livelihoods & food security project, IR Kenya will help reduce school dropout rates, increase retention and enrolment of child/ girl in school through provision of friendly environment, supply of clean water for domestic, livestock use, and crop production, supply of sanitary / dignity kits for the girl child so that they don’t miss classes when they are on their menstrual period. Furthermore, it will help the community form and strengthen existing structures for child/girl education, child/gender rights and protection.

Project Impact: Improved quality of life and household resilience to recurrent shocks in Kilifi South Sub- County, Kilifi County & Mandera East and Mandera North Sub County, Mandera County through the provision of improved access to water, sanitation, livelihoods, and education services.

Project Outcomes

Outcome 1: Increased equitable Access to clean drinking water for drought-prone households (HCs) to use for domestic, livestock uses and crop production in Mandera and Kilifi Counties.

Outcome 2: Increased access to food security and household income among smallholder farmers and youth in Mandera and Kilifi Counties

Outcome 3: Improved learning environment and learning outcomes for marginalized boys and girls to support learning and progression to next grade

Project expected Outputs

Output 1.1: Improved access to safe drinking water and livestock

Output 2.1: Empowered community on livelihood capacities

Output 2.2: Local communities supported with livelihood and agricultural inputs security

Output 3.1: Provision of Learning materials and dignity kits

Output 3.2: Improved infrastructure to enhance safe learning environment

Output 3.3: Enhanced Awareness creation on Child/Gender Protection

  1. Purpose and Scope of The Translation of Policies

Purpose:

The purpose of translating the Child Protection, Gender, Safeguarding, Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), Code of Conduct, and Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CRM) procedures into Kiswahili and Somali is to strengthen understanding,

ownership, and implementation of key safeguarding and accountability standards among community members and stakeholders.

By making these policies available in the most spoken local languages, the activity seeks to:

  • Enhance accessibility and comprehension of Islamic Relief Kenya’s protection and safeguarding

commitments by all community members, including those with limited literacy or English proficiency.

  • Promote community ownership and accountability by ensuring everyone — staff, partners, and rightsholders — clearly understands their rights, responsibilities, and available reporting mechanisms.
    • Strengthen inclusive participation and protection outcomes for children, women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
      • Foster trust and transparency between Islamic Relief Kenya and the communities it serves, ensuring safeguarding messages are consistently communicated and upheld throughout programme delivery.

Scope:

This assignment entails the professional translation, validation, and dissemination of key institutional safeguarding and accountability documents from English into Kiswahili and Somali, to enhance accessibility and community ownership in Kilifi and Mandera Counties.

The scope of work will include:

  • Translation of the following policy documents (approximately 36 pages in total):
    • Child Protection Policy
      • Gender Policy
        • Safeguarding Policy
        • PSEAH Guidelines
        • Code of Conduct
        • Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CRM) Procedure
      • Recruitment of a qualified consultant with proven translation experience in humanitarian and safeguarding contexts.
      • Preparation of a translation glossary to ensure accuracy and consistency across policies.
      • Validation workshops with local stakeholders and IR Kenya staff to ensure contextual and cultural appropriateness.
      • Printing and dissemination of translated policies to key community structures including school

committees, women’s and youth groups, and community leaders.

  • Development and production of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials

highlighting key safeguarding, protection, and accountability messages. These will include:

  • Posters and brochures summarizing core policy messages in Kiswahili and Somali.
    • Audio messages (in Kiswahili and Somali) to promote awareness and reporting mechanisms through community radio and local gatherings.
      • Orientation sessions for community facilitators and field focal points to support dissemination and community understanding.

This activity will contribute to fostering a culture of protection, accountability, and inclusivity, ensuring communities have the knowledge and confidence to uphold safeguarding principles and engage with Islamic Relief Kenya safely and effectively.

  1. Intended Outcome

The intended outcome of this policy translation activity is to enhance community understanding, ownership, and practical application of key safeguarding, protection, and accountability policies among project stakeholders in Kilifi and Mandera counties.

By translating these policies into Kiswahili and Somali, the activity will ensure that critical information on child protection, gender equality, safeguarding, PSEAH, and accountability mechanisms is accessible to all, including those with limited literacy or English proficiency.

This initiative aims to achieve the following results:

  • Improved comprehension and awareness of Islamic Relief Kenya’s safeguarding and accountability

commitments among community members, staff, and partners.

  • Strengthened community participation and trust, through transparent communication of rights, responsibilities, and reporting pathways.
    • Increased utilization and effectiveness of the Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CRM) by ensuring communities clearly understand how and where to raise concerns or provide feedback.
      • Enhanced protection outcomes for children, women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups through context-appropriate engagement and behaviour change.
      • Institutional reinforcement of a culture of protection, accountability, and inclusivity across all levels of DELIVERS Project implementation.

Ultimately, this activity will support the safe, equitable, and community-driven delivery of the DELIVERS Project while contributing to Islamic Relief Kenya’s broader goal of promoting dignity, inclusion, and protection for all rightsholders.

4.0 Methodology

This activity will be led by a qualified external consultant with proven experience in translation, humanitarian programming, and safeguarding. The process will adopt a participatory, inclusive, and quality- assured approach to ensure that all translated materials are accurate, contextually relevant, and culturally appropriate for the target communities.

Inception and Planning Phase

  • Consultant Recruitment:

A competitive recruitment process will be undertaken to identify a linguistically proficient consultant with demonstrated experience in translating technical documents related to child protection, safeguarding, gender, and development programming.

  • Inception Meeting:

An initial briefing session between Islamic Relief Kenya (IRK) project staff and the consultant will be held to:

  1. Clarify the scope of work and deliverables.
  2. Align on expected outputs, quality standards, and timelines.
  3. Share relevant background documents (policy frameworks, context briefs, and previous translations).

Document Review and Preparation

  • The consultant will conduct a comprehensive review of all source documents, including:

Child Protection Policy, Gender Policy, Safeguarding Policy, PSEAH Policy, Code of Conduct, and Community Feedback and Response Mechanism (CRM) Procedure.

  • Identify complex or technical terms requiring simplification or context-sensitive adaptation.
  • Develop a translation glossary to ensure consistency in terminology across both Kiswahili and Somali

versions.

  • Liaise with IRK technical staff to confirm the meaning of specialized terms before translation.

Translation of Documents

  • Professionally translate each policy into:
  1. Kiswahili (for Kilifi and parts of Mandera).
  2. Somali (for Mandera County).
  • Apply plain, reader-friendly language without compromising technical accuracy.
  • Ensure the use of gender-sensitive, inclusive, and culturally respectful language throughout all documents.
  • Maintain alignment with IRK’s branding and communication standards.

Quality Assurance and Validation

The consultant will facilitate internal validation sessions with key IRK staff involved in child protection, safeguarding, gender, education, and community engagement to verify translation quality.

The validation process will assess the following dimensions:

  1. Clarity: Is the translation simple, coherent, and easily understood by community members?
  2. Accuracy: Does the translation fully capture the original intent, tone, and policy meaning?
  3. Cultural Relevance: Are expressions, idioms, and examples suitable for the target local contexts?
  4. Sensitivity: Is the language inclusive, non-stigmatizing, and respectful of gender and cultural norms?

Feedback from the validation process will be documented and incorporated into the final versions to ensure the

translations meet IRK’s quality and accountability standards.

Finalization and Submission

Upon completion of the review and revision process, the consultant will:

  • Submit final, approved translations in softcopy, editable, and print-ready formats.

    • Provide both Kiswahili and Somali versions of all six policies.
    • Deliver all outputs to the IRK Programme Team for official endorsement and dissemination.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant will deliver the following outputs:

  1. Translated Policies: Complete, high-quality translations of all six policies (approx. 36 pages) in both Kiswahili and Somali (editable word version and PDF designed and formatted versions).
  2. Simplified Community Versions: User-friendly summaries of the policies in both languages (editable word version and PDF designed and formatted versions).
  3. Design and print IEC materials including**:**
    • Posters (A1 size) – for IRK offices & schools, total 10 posters.
    • Brochures (tri-fold, full color) – total 100 brochures.
    • Flyers/Leaflets (A4 size, double-sided) – total 100 flyers.
    • Roll-up Banners – total 12 banners.
    • Develop two (2) short audio messages-scripts (in Kiswahili and Somali) to be broadcast or used during community dialogues and awareness sessions.
    • Bluetooth Speakers: Procurement and distribution of five (5) portable Bluetooth speakers to facilitate playback of translated audio messages during community sensitization and project meetings.
  4. Validation Report: Documenting the process, stakeholder feedback, and final revisions.
  5. Final Submission: Delivery of all translated materials, IEC products, and an end-of-assignment report in both soft and hard copies.

Roles and Responsibilities

Role/responsibilities of the Consultant

The consultant will be responsible for ensuring high-quality, accurate, and culturally appropriate translations and related communication materials. Specifically, the consultant will:

  • Review and understand the original English versions of the Child Protection, Safeguarding, Gender, PSEAH, Code of Conduct, and CRM policies.

  • Translate the policies into Kiswahili and Somali, ensuring linguistic accuracy, clarity, and cultural appropriateness.

  • Develop a translation glossary of key terms to ensure consistency across all documents.

  • Engage with project staff and key stakeholders during validation sessions to collect feedback on clarity, relevance, and cultural sensitivity.

  • Revise and finalize the translated documents based on feedback from the internal validation process.

  • Develop audio clips (in Kiswahili and English) summarizing the key messages and principles of each policy for dissemination during community meetings, awareness sessions, and staff orientations.

  • Design and produce leaflets/fliers and brochures for each policy in both Kiswahili and Somali, summarizing the main points in simple, accessible language for use by staff, rightsholders, and partners.

  • Develop visual display materials (such as posters/ wall charts, banners) highlighting key safeguarding and accountability messages from each policy for display at field offices, schools, and community centers.

  • Ensure that visual materials adhere to approved formats and sizes, namely: A1 posters, tri-fold brochures, A4 flyers, and roll-up banners for office display (one per office including the Country Office).

  • Provide both editable design files and print-ready versions of all IEC materials to Islamic Relief Kenya for archiving and potential reprinting

  • Ensure confidentiality, neutrality, and compliance with Islamic Relief Kenya’s ethical standards and

    safeguarding principles throughout the assignment.

  • Submit high-quality translations and accompanying materials in editable and PDF formats, along with a brief report outlining the process, feedback received, and revisions made.

  • All source files, designs and products become the property of Islamic Relief Kenya upon completion. Consultant may not reuse designs without authorization by Islamic Relief Kenya.

  • Plan and facilitate a validation workshop with IR Kenya staff and local stakeholders to review the translated policies, collect feedback on clarity and cultural appropriateness, and document agreed revisions.

  • Procure and deliver five (5) portable bluetooth speakers to support playback of audio messages during field activities, ensuring good sound quality and ease of transport.

IEC Material

Specification

Language

Quantity

Distribution

Posters

A1

Kiswahili & Somali

10

IRK offices & schools

Brochures

Tri-fold

Kiswahili & Somali

100

Community meetings, trainings, schools

Flyers

A4 double-sided

Kiswahili & Somali

100

Public gatherings, trainings, local offices

Roll-up Banners

Dimensions: 85 cm (W)× 200 cm (H), Resolution: Minimum 300

dpi, Wide base, full color.

Kiswahili & Somali

12

IRK offices

Bluetooth speakers

JBL Party Box Encorewith 2 Wireless Mics

N/A

5

IRK offices

Role of IRK

⬛✓ Provide the consultant with the original policy documents and relevant background materials.

⬛✓ Offer technical guidance and orientation on the policies and intended use of translations.

⬛✓⬛ Facilitate internal validation sessions with project staff to review translated drafts.

⬛✓ Coordinate feedback from relevant teams and ensure it is shared with the consultant in a timely manner.

⬛✓ Monitor and ensure the quality, accuracy, and cultural sensitivity of final translations.

⬛✓ Approve final deliverables and ensure integration of translated materials into project activities and community awareness efforts.

⬛✓ Confirm the final quantities, print specifications, and distribution plan for IEC materials (posters, brochures, flyers, and banners) before printing.

Reporting

The consultant will report to the Senior Protection & Inclusion officer and works closely with IRK Malindi & Mandera field offices -Field Coordinators, Project Officers and Child protection focal person.

5.0 Duration of the Assignment and logistics

The consultant will provide a detailed work plan outlining the translation schedule, including the duration, sequencing, and timing of activities such as preparatory work, document translation, validation, and reporting.

Given the urgency of this assignment, the following proposed timeline provides an indicative guide and may be adjusted in consultation with Islamic Relief Kenya (IRK).

ITEM

# of days to

complete

Suggested

Dates

Selection of the consultant

To be determined by

IRK

Inception meeting with IR Kenya

1

Review of source documents & preparation for translation

2

Translation of policies intoKiswahili and Somali

8

Internal reviewby consultant and quality assurance

2

Development of simplified (user-friendly) versions of translated policies

3

Preparation of PowerPoint presentations summarizing translated

policies

1

Validation session with IRK staffand feedback collection

2

Incorporation of feedback and finalization of translated documents

2

Submission of final deliverables (hard and soft copies of translated

policies and finalreport)

1

TOTAL

21

6.0 Consultants Qualifications, Skills and Experience

The Consultant/s will possess the following minimum skills.

  • A Master’s degree in Languages, Communication, Social Sciences, or a related field.
  • At least three (3) years of proven experience in translating policy or technical documents within the humanitarian and development sectors.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in Kiswahili and Somali, with the ability to ensure linguistic accuracy and cultural appropriateness.
  • Solid understanding of child protection, safeguarding, gender, and accountability concepts and terminology.
  • Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills in English, Kiswahili, and Somali.
  • Strong knowledge of safeguarding and humanitarian principles, including neutrality, confidentiality, and inclusivity.
  • Proven ability to deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines and work collaboratively with project teams.
  • Familiarity with the socio-cultural context of Kilifi and Mandera Counties will be an added advantage.
  • Commitment to uphold Islamic Relief Kenya’s Code of Conduct, Safeguarding, and Protection from Sexual

Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) policies throughout the assignment.

9.0 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The following ethical considerations will be adhered to during the translation process:

  1. Confidentiality and Privacy

  • Maintain strict confidentiality of all information accessed during the assignment, including policy content, internal discussions, and feedback.
  • Do not disclose or share any documents or data with unauthorized people.

  1. Respect for Human Dignity and Rights

  • Ensure that translations promote and uphold the dignity, rights, and well-being of all individuals, particularly children, women, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
  • Language used must be inclusive, non-discriminatory, and respectful of gender and cultural identities.

  1. Do No Harm Principle

  • Avoid use of language or content that could cause psychological, cultural, or reputational harm to communities or stakeholders.
  • Be sensitive to potentially triggering terms, particularly in policies related to safeguarding and sexual exploitation.

  1. Informed Consent (where applicable)

  • If seeking clarification or contextual examples from staff or stakeholders, ensure that individuals understand the purpose and give their voluntary consent to participate.

  1. Impartiality and Neutrality

  • Remain neutral and avoid introducing personal, political, religious, or cultural bias into the translated content.
  • Represent the organization’s values and messages accurately.

  1. Cultural Sensitivity

  • Ensure that translated documents are not only linguistically correct but also culturally appropriate and respectful to the beliefs and traditions of the communities in Kilifi and Mandera.

  1. Professional Integrity

  • Commitment to honesty, transparency, and accountability in all aspects of the consultancy.
  • Declare any potential conflicts of interest that may affect the objectivity or credibility of the assignment.

  1. Adherence to IR Kenya’s Policies

  • Abide by Islamic Relief Kenya’s Code of Conduct, Safeguarding, PSEAH, and Child Protection Policies

throughout the consultancy period.

  • Report any observed or suspected breaches of ethical standards or misconduct immediately to designated focal points.

  1. Products rights and ownership

The ownership of the translated policies, reports and associated products will belong to Islamic Relief Kenya. Any documents, publications and designs related to this translation exercise must not be shared externally except with the consent of the IRK Country Director.

  1. Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation committee shall evaluate the proposals based on their responsiveness to the Terms of Reference, through the following stages:

  • Preliminary/mandatory evaluation
    • Technical evaluation
    • Financial evaluation

Preliminary/mandatoryevaluation

The following shall form the basis for preliminary evaluation. Interested bidders MUST attach the following.

  • Certificate of registration -applicable to companies
    • CR12 applicable to companies
    • Copy of Directors ID
    • Copy of VAT/PIN certificate from KRA.
    • Valid Tax compliance certificate
    • Should be a firm/individual consultant with office/operational establishments within Kenya (attach business permit).

A proposal shall be rejected at this stage if it does not have all the valid preliminary/mandatory documentation.

Technical evaluation.

The evaluation committee shall evaluate the proposals based on their responsiveness to the Terms of Reference, with keen interest in the following:

  1. Experience in conducting similar services within the last five years. Attach contracts, LPOs, or recommendations, etc. – 20 points

    Demonstratable consultancy experience translating technical documents or policies for NGOs or similar organizations. – 10 points

    Maximum points 30

  2. The lead consultant must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in policy translation, with international NGOs preferably with a broad understanding of child protection, safeguarding, gender, and accountability sectors. – 20 points

    The lead consultant/applicant must have a master’s degree in Languages, Communication, Social Sciences, or related. (Attach academic certification and CV). -10 points

    Maximum points 30

  3. Adequacy of methodology in responding to the terms of reference and Proposed Work-plan. (20 points will be awarded for an adequate methodology and 10 points for an adequate work plan) Maximum points 30

  4. Attach at least two samples of similar work done, preferably for an international non- governmental organization with programming around child protection, safeguarding, gender, and accountability sectors, etc. will be an added advantage.

Maximum points 10

Each responsive proposal will be given a technical score. A proposal shall be rejected at this stage if it does not respond to important aspects of the Terms of Reference or if it fails to achieve the minimum technical score of 70%.

Financial evaluation

Bids determined to be substantially responsive to the requirements of the terms of reference shall be subjected to financial evaluation.

How to apply

  1. Submission of interest

Interested candidate/s who fully meet the above criteria are invited to submit their proposal/ Quotes to tenders@islamic-relief.or.ke

Point of contact for clarifications, questions and amendments procurement.irk@islamic-relief.or.ke

The subject of the email should read RFP: TRANSLATION OF IR POLICIES TO LOCAL LANGUAGE CONSULTANCY. REF: IRK/CO/CONS/DELIVERS/001/11/2025

  1. Application

Fully filled BID DOCUMENTS along with the following:

  • Capability statement: How the consultant or firm is structured for the assignment, the role each staff will play, including the CVs of the key personnel who will take part in the consultancy.
  • Technical Proposal: The consultant’s understanding and interpretation of the Terms of Reference (TOR), a detailed methodology on how the data collection and analysis will be done and detailed implementation schedule for the study as well as any other proposed approaches the consultant may deem fit for this policies translation task.
  • Financial proposal: Itemized budget proposal that should include the consultancy fees and operational costs.
  • References: Names, addresses, telephone numbers of three organizations that you have conducted similar tasks for within the last three years, that will serve as your professional referees.
  • List of translation reports done in the past three years: Final reports for translations work conducted for the three reference organizations provided.

It should be submitted on or before Thursday 20th November 2025 at 11:00am. The subject of the application letter should read RFP: TRANSLATION OF IR POLICIES TO LOCAL LANGUAGE CONSULTANCY and should be addressed to:

The Country Director Islamic Relief Kenya

Kirichwa Road, off Ngong Road

P.O Box 417-002032 (KNH)

Nairobi, Kenya

Note: Only electronic applications will be accepted. Incomplete applications will not be considered, and only successful candidates will be contacted. Any form of canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.