CONSULTANCY – MBETEZA BOARD GAME RESEARCHER

BACKGROUND

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a leading Africa-based, African-led, international research institution headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. APHRC conducts policy-relevant research on population, health, education, urbanization, and related development issues in sub-Saharan Africa.

MBETEZA BOARD GAME

Mbeteza is an interactive board game developed by APHRC and set in a bustling informal settlement in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This unique game allows players to immerse themselves in the everyday lives of individuals from informal settlements, letting them explore, acknowledge, and understand the diverse issues and challenges that the urban poor face from infancy to old age. Based on actual research conducted by the Center and its partners, we seek to use the game as a tool to elicit debate and conversations on priority health issues, leading to enhanced policy engagement and positively impacting communities affected by the highlighted issues.

Scope of work

APHRC seeks to recruit a research consultant to work with the Policy, Engagement, and Communications team at APHRC to conduct a study on how Mbeteza can effectively incorporate evidence from APHRC and its partners, leading to notable impact on policy and programmatic decisions.

Aim of the study 

This research aims to explore the feasibility of APHRC’s Mbeteza board game to effectively influence policies and programs on key health issues so as to build a prototype of the game that can be replicated across APHRC’s thematic research areas across SSA.

Responsibilities

• Develop a problem statement for a research study informed by the expected output of the research.
• Formulate clear objectives for the study guided by the information given in this ToR as well as supplemental information that shall be provided by the APHRC team.
• Conduct a desk review so as to provide a deeper understanding of how of educational board games can be used for education, discourse, and impact.
• With the support of the APHRC team, conduct play sessions with various potential stakeholders, including policymakers, young people in high school, university/college students, partner organizations, funding bodies, and non-profit organizations, focusing on the key issues highlighted in the game.
• Produce relevant pre- and post-gameplay surveys to track players’ experiences with the game using both qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches.
• Share monitoring and evaluation report.
• Make recommendations on ways to ensure sustainability and scalability of the game so that the game remains relevant with the target audience.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience Required

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Design, Education, Sociology or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in research within the creative space.
• Good computer literacy skills.
• Knowledge of health and population challenges in Africa.
• Prior experience in gaming for impact and human-centered design.
• Excellent oral and written communication in English; knowledge of French is desirable
• Ability to work independently, set priorities, juggle tasks, and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience in reaching and engaging a range of different and high-level stakeholders with research evidence.
• Experience in conducting field research and managing research projects and teams.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills and ability to work in a culturally diverse team.
• Experience in the gamification for social impact space is desired.

Period of performance

The performance period for this scope of work is November 2023 to March 2024, with the possibility of an extension, depending on the need. The number of workdays allocated for this assignment will be discussed and agreed upon at contracting.

How to apply 

Interested applicants should submit the following:

• Cover letter & CV
• 3 samples of relevant published research works
• Work Plan & Budget
• 3 references.

to consultancies@aphrc.org by 27th October 2023. Please use ‘MBETEZA BOARD GAME RESEARCHER’ as the subject title of your email; only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Cover letters should be addressed to:

The Human Resources Officer

African Population and Health Research Center, Inc.

APHRC Campus, Manga Close, off Kirawa Road, Kitisuru P. O. Box 10787 GPO 00100, Nairobi.

For more information about APHRC visit www.aphrc.org 

Special Notice

APHRC is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications and organizational needs. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request to support their participation in the recruitment process.