Request for Proposals​

Documenting the Lived Realities of Youth Entrepreneurs in East Africa 

Issued by: The AKDN Ea​​st Africa Civil Society Initiative 

Brief Overview

The Aga Khan Development Network’s (AKDN) East Africa Civil Society Initiative (CSI) needs video documentary products of the challenges and opportunities for youth entrepreneurship in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda to inform and support its East Africa entrepreneurship program. The Initiative is therefore seeking East African filmmakers to propose and produce various documentary products capturing the perceptions of different stakeholders in each country over a period of eight months, including mini media pieces, country specific products, coverage of country events and one amalgamated regional product, all told through compelling stories. 

​About AKDN’s East Africa Civil Society Initiative 

CSI serves as the meeting point for AKDN’s civil society efforts in East Africa. A partnership between the Aga Khan University and the Aga Khan Foundation in East Africa, the Initiative focuses on themes that are identified through community research and dialogue. The purpose of CSI is to facilitate collaboration, skills building and knowledge creation and sharing to address civil society needs across the region.

Launched in 2016, Scale is CSI's flagship program to support young entrepreneurs in the region who are innovating and addressing their community's most pressing needs. The long-term goal of Scale is to contribute to an environment that allows young entrepreneurs to create jobs through initiatives that address critical challenges in East Africa. 

Scope of Work

CSI is looking for filmmakers who can go deeper into answering two key questions: why and how can we better support youth entrepreneurs in East Africa? The video products will contribute to informing policy dialogue in the region and shaping CSI's overall strategy for its Scale program over the coming years. Hence, actual stories in each country with compelling characters that directly speak to start-up failure or success will be invaluable. 

The scope of work will include:

  • Three 1-2 minute teaser videos capturing some of the most critical issues for each country (12 videos in total for four countries). These will be used to promote each Scale event in advance, primarily using social media channels.

  • One 7-10 minute country-specific video to be presented at each respective Scale event (4 videos in total for four countries). Each piece will summarize the country context, highlighting key issues and speakers for each event.

  • Filming of footage and interviews from all four-country Scale events.

  • One 30-45 minute East African documentary amalgamating views from all four countries, including footage from Scale country events. 

Alongside policymakers, angel investors, funders and other critical partners working in the youth space, it is important that the views of youth entrepreneurs are captured. Specifically, the following youth voices should be prioritized;

  1. Entrepreneurs aged below 35 years ensuring gender equity.

  2. Entrepreneurs who are either running a successful business that is at least 3 years old, or who started a business that failed between years 2 and 5 of operation. 

  3. Entrepreneurs engaged in the sectors of education, health, environment and livelihoods, or with a social entrepreneurship approach.

  4. Answers to key questions such as: why do youth go into business, why do businesses fail, are existing mechanisms helping businesses, what else can be done to support businesses in your country?

Submission Guidelines and Requirements: 

The following submission guidelines and requirements apply to this Request for Proposals:

  1. Only qualified individuals or firms, from East Africa, with prior experience on similar projects should submit proposals

  2. We are committed to support young entrepreneurs, filmmakers who work with and/or support East African youth working in digital media aged 35 or below are encouraged to apply. Please provide evidence on how your firm supports this requirement.

  3. The technical proposal must not exceed five pages. This proposal should provide an overview of the proposed solution framing the issue, characters, and narrative of each deliverable (see Scope of Work). In addition, the technical proposal should provide a proposed schedule and milestones, as applicable (the timeline should not exceed eight months).

  4. Resumes of key personnel performing the work and links to relevant digital products produced by your team 

  5. A proposed budget should be provided that is no more than one page.  

Consortiums/firms that can cover all four countries are encouraged to apply.

Evaluation Criteria

  1. Proposals will be rated based on the following criteria:

  2. Relevant past performance/experience, including and samples of work

  3. Technical expertise/experience. 

  4. Cost effectiveness (time and budget proposal) 

CSI reserves the right to award grants to the consortiums/firms that present the best value to our work as determined solely by CSI in its absolute discretion.

All proposals should be submitted to no later than 5pm on Friday 3rd March, 2017. Only selected consortiums/firms will be contacted.