CONSULTANT

TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR A MARKET ASSESSMENT FOR YOUTH VOCATIONAL SKILLS AND ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITIES

YOUTH INCLUSION FOR ECONOMIC, LIVELIHOODS AND DEVELOPMENT (YIELD)

KYANGWALI REFUGEE SETTLEMENT, UGANDA

 OCTOBER 2026

 Consultancy title:  Consultancy to conduct a Market Assessment for youth vocational skills and enterprise opportunities in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement and surrounding host communities in Kikuube District (Uganda).

The YIELD project: CIYOTA, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is implementing the Youth Inclusion for Economic, Livelihoods and Development (YIELD) Program in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). YIELD seeks to expand opportunities for refugee and host-community youth through education, skills development, livelihoods, employment and youth inclusion. The program recognizes that vocational skills alone do not always lead to sustainable livelihoods. Skills development must link to market demand, available employment opportunities, enterprise potential, value chains, access to finance, and the resources available to young people.

In Kyangwali Refugee Settlement and the surrounding host communities in Kikuube District, youth face several barriers to sustainable employment and income generation. These include limited access to relevant vocational training, limited capital and financial services, limited market information, weak business networks and limited access to formal employment.

Consultancy summary: YIELD intends to undertake a market assessment to identify marketable and potentially profitable vocational trades and enterprise opportunities for young people in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement (Uganda), one of the three YIELD target locations alongside Goma and Kinshasa (DRC). The findings will inform the selection of vocational training options for targeted refugee and host-community youth.

The assessment will focus on Kyangwali Refugee Settlement and host communities in Kikuube District (Uganda) (the “assessment location”), where the consultant will carry out primary market research with relevant market actors. In addition, the consultant will carry out a desk-based review of vocational trades and enterprise opportunities in the context of Uganda. This will identify broader market trends, opportunities and lessons that can inform YIELD programming.

The findings will guide CIYOTA in selecting vocational training areas with realistic prospects for employment, self-employment, enterprise development and sustainable income during YIELD programming. The assignment is expected to last one (1) month.

Purpose and Objective:

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to generate evidence-based market information to guide YIELD’s investment in vocational skills development and youth enterprise support in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement and surrounding host communities. This consultancy will inform YIELD programming in Uganda. It will identify vocational trades and enterprise opportunities that show current or emerging market demand and can provide sustainable livelihoods for refugee and host-community youth.

Specific Objectives:

a) Assess the current and emerging market demand for goods, services and skills in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement and surrounding host communities, relevant for young people.

b) Identify and assess vocational trades and occupations with potential for employment and self-employment among youth.

c) Identify profitable and viable enterprise opportunities that young people could pursue after vocational training.

d) Assess the demand for skilled labor among local businesses, employers, contractors, institutions and service providers.

e) Examine relevant value chains and market systems and identify where youth can realistically participate.

f) Assess the feasibility of the identified trades in terms of market demand, start-up requirements, skills requirements, availability and cost of tools and equipment, availability of raw materials and inputs, competition, potential income, market access, growth potential and sustainability.

g) Identify the barriers that affect youth participation in viable trades and enterprises, including barriers related to gender, disability, finance, and mobility, access to tools, social norms and market access.

h) Identify potential employers, buyers, suppliers, business networks, financial institutions and other market actors with whom YIELD could establish linkages.

i) Conduct a desk-based review of marketable vocational trades and enterprise opportunities in Uganda, including relevant market trends and opportunities that may inform YIELD programming.

j) Recommend a prioritized list of vocational trades and enterprise areas for YIELD investment, supported by clear evidence and practical selection criteria.

k) Recommend how vocational training can be linked to employment, apprenticeships, enterprise development, financial services and markets.

Scope: The assignment has two complementary components.

Component 1 is a primary market assessment in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement and its surrounding host communities in Kikuube District. The consultant will carry out field-based research, using appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods to generate reliable market information, and will engage relevant market actors.

Component 2 is a desk-based review of the Uganda context, through a structured review of secondary information on labor-market trends, youth employment, vocational skills demand, enterprise opportunities, emerging sectors, value chains, skills gaps, relevant government policies and strategies, and existing labor-market and skills studies.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Inception Report

An inception report clearly showing the methodology and road map of the assignment, including:

•      Detailed methodology and assessment framework

•      Sampling approach and data collection tools

•      Stakeholder mapping

•      Work plan and timeline

Deliverable 2: Preliminary Findings Presentation

A concise presentation of emerging findings to CIYOTA management for validation and discussion.

Deliverable 3: Draft Market Assessment Report

The report should be a single and comprehensive document.

Deliverable 4: Final Market Assessment Report

A revised report that incorporates feedback from CIYOTA.

Proposed Methodology:

The consultant will propose a detailed methodology that combines five methods. These are a desk review information, key informant interviews, focus group discussions , direct observation of markets and businesses, workshops and service providers, training centers, production sites and other economic activities and, where feasible, a structured survey of employers and businesses to establish workforce needs and skills gaps, recruitment needs, wage and income levels, apprenticeship opportunities, business growth prospects and potential employment pathways for YIELD graduates.

 The consultant should also develop a transparent scoring framework to prioritize potential trades, which may consider market demand, employment potential, enterprise potential, income potential, start-up cost, skills and training requirements, availability of inputs, market competition, growth potential, youth accessibility, gender and disability inclusion, sustainability, market linkages and financial access, and should provide a ranked list of trades based on the criteria used, rather than simply listing the trades available.

Ethical and Safeguarding Requirements:

The consultant will be required to:

•      Obtain informed consent from research participants.

•      Maintain confidentiality and protect participant information.

•      Ensure that participation is voluntary.

•      Avoid exposing participants to unnecessary risks.

•      Apply appropriate safeguarding and PSEA standards.

•   Ensure safe and inclusive engagement of young people, women and persons with disabilities.

•      Comply with CIYOTA’s safeguarding, data protection and ethical requirements.

Timelines:

This consultancy is expected to last one (1) month from the proposed start date of 20th October 2026. This includes the inception meeting, preparation, fieldwork, and analysis, presentation of findings and finalization of the report. The final timeline (exact dates) will be agreed between CIYOTA and the selected consultant.

Institutional Arrangements:

The consultant will report to the YIELD Program Manager and will work closely with the MEAL Manager. Detailed management and reporting arrangements will be included in the final TOR at the contracting stage.