MEAL Specialist Written Exam

This exam has two parts (one is conceptual and the other is practical excel question). The first part has 6
questions, with sub-questions. And the second part has 2 questions with sub-sections too. You have
two and half-hours to complete all questions. There are two documents associated with this exam. This
word document is where you will provide responses to the first 6 questions, but also save the changes that
you made in the Excel file, this is related to second part. Save both files with your Code name.
Manage your time wisely to be able to complete all three parts. All the best!

Write Your Code: (please enter your Code name)

Part I
1. Logical Framework
Action Against Hunger is being implementing Health and Nutrition, and Mental Health and Care Practice
programs in six field offices and five regions.
Currently, Action Against Hunger is implementing an integrated nutrition, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation
(WASH) and Mental Health Care Program (MHCP) in Amhara (Wagehimra), Oromia, Somali,
BenishangulGumuz and Gambella-(refugee camps).
The major objective of this program is to improve the nutritional conditions of the community by providing
an integrated program in the target Woredas. Below outcomes and outputs of the program listed.

 Proportion of infants 0-5 months of age who are fed exclusively with breast milk
 Percent of beneficiary households with "acceptable" food consumption as measured by the food
consumption score
 Percent of households targeted by WASH program that are collecting all water for drinking,
cooking, and hygiene from improved water sources
 Percent of people targeted by the hygiene promotion program who know at least three (3) of the
five (5) critical times of handwashing
 Total number of people assisted through multipurpose cash activities
 Number of people receiving behavior change interventions to improve infant and young child
feeding practices
 Number of people receiving direct hygiene promotion (excluding mass media campaigns and
without double-counting) on proper hand washing practices.
 Number of people directly utilizing improved water services provided with OFDA funding

Question:
1.1 Design a Logical framework and MEAL plan for the above outcome and output
indicators. Insert the three outcomes and three outputs in your MEAL plan from the
above listed outcome and output indicators. The outcomes and outputs not orderly
arranged. Don’t forget also to include all the relevant columns in your MEAL plan (10%).
MEAL Specialist Written Exam
2. Describe the roles of MEAL Specialist in the project cycle management process. First, describe
the phases in the project cycle management and then the role of the MEAL specialist in each
phase, step by step. Make sure the roles matched with your role and responsibilities indicated in
the advertised Job Description (10%).

3. Read and assess the two indicators below (10%). For each indicator, there is a space provided for
your response. In this space:
- State whether this is an outcome, output or impact indicator
- State whether you think the indicator is strong or weak.
- Then explain why you think it is strong or weak.
- If you think the indicator is weak, also provide suggestions for making it stronger.

Indicator 1: “% of target beneficiaries initiated breastfeeding within the first hours of delivery at the
end of the project period in Borena Zone”

Response:

Indicator 2: “Number of PLWs received counselling on timely initiation of breastfeeding”

Response:

4. Survey (20%)
Suppose you are assigned to lead/coordinate the Post Distribution Monitoring/PDM/ survey for project
described in question 1, which is going to be conducted in five Woredas of Borena Zone, namely Miyo,
Dhas, Moyale, Yabello and Arero. Total target population of the five Woredas is about 12, 524 HHs. Total
beneficiaries for Miyo, Dhas, Moyale, Yabello and Arero are 1, 590; 2,130; 2,675; 3,500; and 2,629;
respectively. Confidence level- 95%; margin of error/d/= 5%; assume the expected prevalence in the
population/P/ = 50%, and non-response rate= 5%
Based on the above information answer the following questions.
Question:
 MEAL Specialist Written Exam
i. What are the key components of the ToR for the PDM survey? Design terms of reference/ToR/ for
the PDM survey, and list all key components of the ToR (5%).
ii. Determine the total sample size using single population proportion formula, and sample size per
Woreda proportion to beneficiary size (10%).
iii. What will be your sampling strategies to select the beneficiaries according to the below scenarios?
(5%)
a. Scenario 1: where you don’t have list of beneficiaries; and
b. Scenario 2: where you have list of beneficiaries.
iv. Please draft four questions you believe would be effective for a focus group discussion with
beneficiaries as part of the PDM to understand major gaps in the hygiene kit distribution (5%).

5. Below there is data extracted from Activity progress report (APR) or commonly called in other
organizations as IPTT. Please review and comment on the gaps that you think you need to communicate
to the program managers (10%)
Indicators Goal Total % 20- 20- 20- 20- 20- 20- 20- 20- 20- 20-Oct 20- 20-
or (targ achieve achie Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Nov Dec
Implement et) ment to ved
ation Steps date to
date
Screening 80% 145% 182% 57% 0% 65% 0% 91% 85% 32% 0% 145% 0% 145 0%
coverage of %
children
under 5
# of health 4 4 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 0
centers
and health
posts
supported
# of 0 2234 0 2311 0 1111 0 1111 0 2356 1231 0 0
communiti
es
supported
through
MHNT
# children 26531 2433 0 2764 0 3902 362 1385 0 6209 0 620 0
screened 6- 9 9
59 months
Boys 13061 1186 0 1304 0 1720 179 678 0 3189 0 318 0
5 9
Girls 13470 1247 0 1460 0 2182 183 707 0 3020 0 302 0
4 0
Boys 125 6 0 26 0 23 12 9 0 26 0 23 0
Girls 105 4 0 18 0 15 5 12 0 34 0 17 0
New 266 34 11 24 124 25 27 124 18 31 8 140 0
admission
U5 -
SC+OTP
MEAL Specialist Written Exam
6. Accountability (20%)
The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) sets out nine commitments that
organizations involved in humanitarian response can use to improve the quality and effectiveness of the
assistance they provide. Action Against Hunger also commits to build a system of greater accountability to
our beneficiaries, donors, public, and partners. And you are responsible for supporting the country mission
and field team in improving our accountability to beneficiaries and stakeholders.
i. List and describe at least four [4] CHS commitments and describe what does these commitments
mean to Action Against Hunger (10%).
ii. Assume you are the MEAL specialist for one of our field offices, what do you do to ensure
accountability towards our beneficiaries? (5%).
iii. What are the key steps to follow when setting up an accountability system for the target
beneficiaries and communities? (5%).

Part II (20%)
Instructions: Open the attached database, which is a separate Excel file. Answer the following questions,
and create each table or graph in a new tab, which you give a name that corresponds with the number of the
question (7a, 7b, 7c). Ensure that all your changes saved and submit the file that includes all your changes.
Save excel with your name or code.
7. Create a clean database (10%)
a. Freeze the header and the first 2 columns (5%):
b. One column needs cleaning because the data is not conducive for analysis. Identify that column
and clean the data (5%).
8. Analysis 10%
a. Calculate the average “Expenditures Food” of households using excel formula. (5%)
b. Calculate the percentage of household with “Saving habit” (5%)