One-Month Consultancy in Laikipia County to Strengthen Financial Inclusion and SHG Credit Readiness Habitat for Humanity Kenya (HFHK) is inviting qualified consultants and consultancy firms to submit proposals for a short-term consultancy to develop annual credit profiles and a practical graduation model for 20 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Solio Settlement Scheme, Laikipia County. The one-month assignment forms part of HFHK’s 39-month climate resilience project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The consultancy aims to strengthen financial inclusion by assessing the institutional and financial maturity of community savings groups and preparing them for sustainable engagement with banks, SACCOs and microfinance institutions. The deadline for proposal submission is 2 September 2026. Background Habitat for Humanity Kenya integrates housing, climate resilience, water access, livelihoods and financial inclusion to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable households. In Solio Settlement Scheme, communities experience recurrent drought, erratic rainfall and limited access to affordable financial services, making resilient income systems essential for long-term development. As part of the project, 20 Self-Help Groups comprising approximately 400 members have been established across four villages: Bahati (Village 3) Mathingira (Village 5) Mukandamia (Village 6) Baraka (Village 7) These groups maintain savings, internal lending, repayment and governance records, while Social Mobilisation Workers provide monthly monitoring reports documenting their financial and institutional progress. HFHK now seeks a consultant to transform this information into structured credit profiles and develop a graduation framework that will guide the groups’ transition into stronger community financial institutions. Purpose of the Consultancy The overall objective is to produce evidence-based annual credit profiles for each SHG while establishing a graduation model that measures institutional maturity, governance, financial performance and readiness for external financing. The consultancy will also engage commercial banks, SACCOs, microfinance institutions and other financial service providers to understand lending requirements and map appropriate financing opportunities for each group. Key Objectives The successful consultant will: Develop comprehensive credit profiles for all 20 SHGs. Assess governance, savings, lending, repayment and operational performance. Evaluate each group’s creditworthiness and institutional maturity. Identify financial, governance and capacity gaps. Design a practical SHG graduation model with progressive development stages. Engage financial institutions to document lending requirements. Match SHG readiness with suitable financing products. Provide recommendations for strengthening financial inclusion and long-term sustainability. Scope of Work The consultancy combines desk review, field verification, financial analysis and stakeholder engagement. Key activities include: Inception and Desk Review Conduct inception meetings with HFHK’s Livelihoods, Programme and MEAL teams. Review monthly Social Mobilisation reports and SHG documentation. Identify data gaps requiring field verification. Credit Profiling Framework The consultant will design a standardized assessment tool covering: Group identity and membership. Savings and financial performance. Internal lending and repayment. Governance and leadership. Record keeping and accountability. Credit readiness. Enterprise and livelihood potential. Climate, market and institutional risks. Field Assessment The consultant will visit all 20 SHGs across the four villages to: Verify financial records. Conduct structured discussions with leaders and members. Assess governance and operational practices. Analyse trends rather than simply reproducing existing monitoring data. Annual Credit Profiles A standardized annual credit profile will be developed for every SHG. Each profile will include: Group background and membership. Savings and lending performance. Loan repayment trends. Financial position. Governance assessment. Record-keeping quality. Enterprise and livelihood opportunities. Climate and market risks. Creditworthiness assessment. Recommended financing range, where appropriate. Capacity-building priorities and next steps. These profiles are intended to support HFHK’s engagement with formal financial institutions and future financial inclusion programming. SHG Graduation Model The consultant will develop a practical graduation framework categorizing groups into progressive development stages, including: Level 1: Emerging Group Level 2: Developing Group Level 3: Credit-Ready Group Level 4: Investment and Expansion-Ready Group For each level, the model will define eligibility criteria, governance standards, financial indicators, savings and repayment benchmarks, key risks, capacity-building requirements and graduation conditions. Expected Deliverables The consultancy will produce eight major outputs: Inception Report and methodology. Standardized SHG Credit Profiling Tool. Twenty Individual Annual Credit Profiles. SHG Graduation Model. Financial Institution Requirements Assessment. Consolidated SHG Credit Readiness Report. Excel Database of key SHG indicators. Final presentation of findings and recommendations. Required Qualifications HFHK seeks consultants or consultancy firms with demonstrated expertise in financial inclusion and community finance. The lead consultant should possess: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Business Administration, Development Studies, Cooperative Management, Microfinance, Agribusiness or a related field. Master’s degree is an added advantage. Minimum five years of experience in financial inclusion, microfinance, SHGs, VSLA programmes or cooperative development. Proven experience developing credit assessments, institutional assessments or graduation frameworks. Experience working with banks, SACCOs and MFIs. Strong financial analysis, Excel, data management and report-writing skills. Knowledge of Kenya’s financial inclusion landscape. Proposal Requirements Interested consultants should submit: Technical proposal. Detailed methodology and work plan. Financial proposal. Updated CVs of proposed consultants. Evidence of similar assignments. At least two professional references. Business registration and tax compliance documentation where applicable. Evaluation Criteria Proposals will be evaluated through three stages: Preliminary Evaluation: Mandatory compliance documents. Technical Evaluation: 70% weighting based on qualifications, experience, methodology and work plan. Financial Evaluation: 30% weighting, with the lowest evaluated financial proposal receiving the maximum score. Submission Details Client: Habitat for Humanity Kenya Assignment Location: Solio Settlement Scheme, Laikipia County, Kenya Contract Duration: One month Proposal Deadline: 2 September 2026 Completed technical and financial proposals should be deposited in the Tender Box at: The National DirectorHabitat for Humanity KenyaCVS Plaza, 3rd Floor Reception Telephone: 0101 454 380 This consultancy presents an opportunity for experienced financial inclusion specialists to develop practical tools that strengthen community savings groups, improve access to formal finance and enhance the economic resilience of rural households in Laikipia County. 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