Organization for Management, Initiatives and Development (OMID) has been established by the initiatives of a group of Afghan multi-disciplinary experts and scholars in 2007 as an independent, non-governmental, non-profitable and non-political national organization, which aims to broadly benefit and serve for needy people throughout the country.

The key principles behind the OMID is to seek resources for assisting needy and vulnerable people and develop the capacity of government in duly delivery the respective services, as well as to strengthen the technical skills of local communities through implementation of multi-sectoral effective and sustainable projects to reduce poverty, promote self-sufficiency, social justice and peace stability within the war-scattered country.

The Female Community Mobilizer/Social Worker will be responsible for engaging women and marginalized groups in the agriculture project, facilitating their active participation, and supporting them in adopting sustainable agricultural practices. The main objective is to empower women within the agricultural sector, ensure that they benefit from the project’s interventions, and address any social challenges they may face.

1. Key Responsibilities

The Female Community Mobilizer/Social Worker will be responsible for the following:

a. Community Engagement and Mobilization

• Mobilize women, farmer groups, and other community members to participate in agricultural project activities.
• Establish relationships with women’s groups, farmer cooperatives, and community leaders to ensure community buy-in and participation.
• Conduct regular community meetings, focus group discussions, and awareness sessions on agricultural practices, gender roles in farming, and food security.
• Identify and select the most vulnerable and eligible beneficiaries for the project.

b. Women’s Empowerment and Social Development

• Advocate for women’s involvement in decision-making related to agricultural activities, ensuring their voices are heard in project planning and implementation.
• Work closely with local women to identify and address social challenges (e.g., gender inequality, access to resources, land ownership issues) that hinder their participation in agriculture.
• Facilitate the formation and strengthening of women’s agricultural groups, self-help groups, and savings groups.
• Facilitate empowering women through local agri-business development initiatives.

c. Capacity Building and Training

• Organize and facilitate training workshops for women farmers on sustainable agricultural practices, agri-business development, post-harvest management, value addition, and market linkages.
• Provide guidance on climate-smart agriculture and environmentally friendly practices to improve agricultural productivity.
• Collaborate with technical experts to ensure that women receive the necessary agricultural inputs and tools for successful implementation.

d. Support in Agricultural Extension Services

• Assist in the dissemination of agricultural information and extension services to women farmers, ensuring they have access to knowledge on improved farming techniques.
• Facilitate farm visits, demonstrations, and farmer-to-farmer learning opportunities.
• Support women in adopting new technologies, such as agri-business development, improved seeds, and organic farming techniques.

e. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Collect data on community participation, women’s involvement, and the progress of agricultural activities.
• Contribute to the development of project monitoring tools and indicators that measure women’s empowerment and agricultural outcomes.
• Prepare regular reports on community engagement, capacity-building efforts, and social challenges faced by women in the agricultural sector.

f. Addressing Social and Gender Challenges

• Identify and address any social or cultural barriers that may hinder women’s participation in the project.
• Mediate conflicts related to land access, resource allocation, or social norms that affect women’s roles in agriculture.
• Work with communities to create an enabling environment for women’s participation in agriculture.

g. Coordination with Project Team

• Collaborate with the agriculture technical team, field officers, and project manager to ensure the seamless integration of social and agricultural components of the project.
• Attend regular project team meetings to share updates on community mobilization and social issues affecting the project.
• Ensure close coordination between the social mobilization component and the overall agricultural project activities.

2. Qualifications and Experience

• A diploma or bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Community Development, Agriculture, Gender Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in community mobilization, social work, or rural development, particularly in agriculture projects.
• Experience in working with women’s groups and rural communities, with a focus on women’s empowerment, gender equality, and agriculture.
• Knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices, food security issues, and climate-smart agriculture.
• Strong understanding of the socio-cultural context of rural communities and gender roles in agriculture.
• Excellent communication skills, with proficiency in the local language and fluency in English.
• Ability to engage with diverse community members, particularly women and marginalized groups.

3. Skills and Competencies

• Community Mobilization: Ability to engage women and marginalized groups in agricultural project activities and ensure their active participation.
• Agricultural Knowledge: Familiarity with sustainable farming techniques, agricultural extension services, and food security issues, particularly in rural settings.
• Gender Sensitivity: Strong understanding of gender dynamics in rural communities and the ability to work with women in culturally sensitive ways.
• Communication and Facilitation: Strong communication skills in both group settings and one-on-one interactions.
• Problem Solving: Ability to identify and address social and cultural barriers that affect women’s participation in agriculture.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Experience in collecting data and preparing reports on community engagement and agricultural outcomes.

4. Reporting and Supervision

The Female Community Mobilizer/Social Worker will report directly to the Project Manager and will work closely with the agriculture technical team, Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) officers, and other project staff.

5. Deliverables

• Detailed mobilization and community engagement plans.
• Regular reports on women’s participation, community challenges, and progress in agricultural activities.
• Training and capacity-building reports, including feedback from women farmers and groups.
• Documented success stories, case studies, and lessons learned from the community engagement efforts.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and CV to omid.ngo.hr@gmail.com  by November 28, 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for written test and interviews.

Note: Please mention vacancy number and position in the subject of email.