COMIC BOOK ASSIGNMENT

BACKGROUND

Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children. We ensure families can access clean water, food, training and healthcare. We enable entire communities to be free from hunger. We are present in Lebanon since 2006 implementing projects in the following sectors: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Nutrition and Mental Health; Food Security and short-term Livelihoods such as Cash for Work and Income Generation Activities.

As part of our external communication efforts focused on giving visibility to our programmes, the purpose of this assignment is to design a comic book explaining the wastewater sustainable solutions implemented in our areas of intervention in Bekaa and its benefits on the population, both Lebanese and Syrian communities. AAH is implementing wastewater treatment systems (WWTS) that treats all the grey and blackwater in informal settlements, reducing the costs of desludging, help in improving the hygiene and sanitation conditions inside the camp, while at the same having a positive impact on the environment by discharging safe, treated effluents to the nature.

The comic book will target donors, NGOs, beneficiaries, municipalities, and landlords.

SCOPE OF THE WORK AND EXPECTED OUTPUT

Action Against Hunger will hire an individual professional comic writer who will draw the different stages of the implemented system and the benefits for the population. The consultant will conduct a field visit to better understand the system to be able to draw it. The different stages of the system includes:

The screener inside the tent

The network that includes manholes along the ITS

The WWTS and different stages

1. Primary treatment
2. Secondary treatment
3. Tertiary treatment
4. Discharge stage
5. Solar connections
6. Results of the water quality (values decreased to meets the environmental discharge values).

The main objective will be to showcase the positive impact the systems is having in the nearby water bodies and underground water, but also in the sanitation and hygienic conditions inside the ITS but also in the nearby communities. The improvement in the sanitation conditions is reducing tensions between communities (reduction of smell, stagnant water, avoiding discharge of greywater in nearby irrigation channels or rivers).

OBJECTIVES:

The objective is to produce a comic book showcasing the effort on providing new sustainable solutions for wastewater systems, documenting all the process (before/during/after the implementation) including right holders’ stories and technical colleagues’ inputs. The comic will be used as a communication product to be launched for World Toilet Day. The comic needs to also show the benefits of the system for both communities, Lebanese and Syrian, by improving existing sanitation conditions before/after implementation in the area, and the positive impact it produces in reducing tensions between communities. The comic book will be used to raise awareness among the international community and partners and to prioritise the water system issues on their agendas.

AUDIENCE

The target audiences identified for this product are:

1. The different AAH Lebanon’s external stakeholders such as donors, institutions and decision makers, the international community, the affected population, the local/regional media, and public opinion, including the Spanish and European audience.
2. Local and national communities, including local authorities such as municipalities, but also Water Establishments and Ministry of Energy and Water.

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

14 working days including field visit (3 days), development of a written story/scenario (1 working day), production (8 working days) and editing process (2 working days).

ASSIGNMENT DELIVERABLES AND DELIVERY DATES:

1. Production of 1 comic book in two different languages (English and Arabic) that will involve, but will not be limited to:

• Drafting of a synopsis and the script/story based on objectives of the comic book in coordination with the Advocacy and Communication team
• Comic production (writing and drawing).
• Editing/ review phase
• Delivery of the final version of the comic in different formats:

2. Digital version with certain animated visuals to be published on our website (details to be discussed).

• Hard copy format based on the specifications we agree on to be printed

Delivery of the potential raw content and final product both online and on an external hard disk.   05.09.22 for the final product                                            

14 working days, tentative field days for field visit 8,9,10 of August 2022

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

 Comic Book Technical features:

• Size: Book measures 6.625” x 10.25” in addition to the needed safe margins
• Quality: Files should be submitted at least 300 dots per inch (dpi) to ensure a high-quality print (need to double check this)
• Pages: between 18 and 26 pages (including 2 pages about the project and donor).

REPORTING REQUERIMENTS

The contractor/s will report to the Advocacy Coordinator, who will regularly communicate with the contractor/s and provide feedback and guidance on their performance and all other necessary support so to achieve objectives of the assignment, as well as remain aware of any upcoming issues related to contractor/s’ performance and quality of work. All activities and deliverables undertaken by the contractor/s shall be discussed and planned in consultation with AAH Lebanon.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR EVALUATION OF RESULTS

The evaluation of the contractor/s’ performance will be based on:

• Completion of tasks specified in the ToR.
• Compliance with the established deadlines for submission of deliverables.
• Quality of work.
• Demonstration of high standards of work with Action Against Hunger.
• Adherence to the code of conduct of Action Against Hunger.

REDLINES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• The consultant must respect our branding guidelines and abide by our protection standards which they will be briefed about.
• Every interviewee/person should give full consent to be part of the project (or their caregivers for minors), in case we use their names or portraits, by signing the consent form provided (AAH will make sure to sign the mentioned form). We must highlight that the subject has their right to refuse, and offer use an alias in case they are not willing to reveal their names.
• Need to include Action Against Hunger and donor’s logos if applicable, and to avoid including other INGO’s visibility, or any political and religious banners or signs.
• Prior to field visits, contracted staff is/are expected to receive situational briefing from Action Against Hunger Lebanon staff.
• The consultant should not publish any photos taken in their personal or professional capacity on social media or any other platform.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Action Against Hunger will be the sole and exclusive owner of all intellectual property rights related to your creations resulting from the assignment (with the sole exception of moral rights), including without limitation the photos, videos, and visuals made by you during the course of the assignment.

These rights shall, immediately, upon creation or performance, be and remain the sole and exclusive property of Action Against Hunger and you hereby irrevocably and unconditionally assign to Action Against Hunger all right, title and interest in and to the same.

Action Against Hunger shall be the sole owner of the following rights throughout the world:

• Right to reproduce on any medium and in any form
• Right of representation and distribution
• Right of adaptation and translation into any languages

Consequently, Action Against Hunger has the right to:

1. Use the artwork/photos/videos/creation for fundraising, communications and any other activities deemed necessary, in any countries, without any extra costs or charges to pay. This may include direct email, email campaigns, street fundraising, outdoor advertising, inserts, adverts, corporate presentations, websites, social networking sites and editorial as well as any other known and unknown activities.
2. Modify, reproduce, record, manipulate, digitize, the graphics/photos/videos/creation by any technical processes it desires, in all formats.
3. Show the graphics/photos/videos/creation in public at festivals, cultural events and, in general, in any public place in any country.
4. Use the graphics/photos/videos/creation with other visuals and audio, with or without words.
5. Store the graphics/photos/videos/creation in the databases of Action Against Hunger offices.
6. Insert Action Against Hunger logos, trademarks and text into graphics/photos/videos.

Action Against Hunger commits to respect the author’s moral rights and agrees to credit the name of the comic book creator when relevant.

All Action Against Hunger staff in all countries have unlimited use of the photos in relation to their work and with no extra fees.

The images should not be supplied or sold to any third parties, including other organizations of similar interests, such as NGOs.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The contractor/s are expected to possess the following qualifications:

• At least five years of experience in high level comic creation
• Expert in illustration and/or graphic design.
• Ability to express ideas visually with story boarding skills.
• Languages: fluency in both Arabic and English
• The contractor/s must be based in Lebanon.
• Experience covering social, humanitarian and development subjects will be an asset.
• Experience with other NGOs and/or Action Against Hunger will be an asset.

TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Interested individuals will submit a Technical and Financial Proposal, with description of their experience, as well as a portfolio/reel of previous works.

The technical proposal should include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Short profile including CV, diploma of comic creation-related studies, references.
• Detailed individual portfolio (reel and weblinks to produced comic books or strips).
• Production capabilities: quality comic production, including related graphics, equipment, sets of modifications included, and hardware/software.

The financial proposal shall specify all-inclusive fee per comic book product, which should include filming charges, transportation expenses, postproduction, as well as crediting, subtitling (if needed).

The Financial Proposal should be DETAILED and submitted in dollars.

If not included in the ToR, AHH Lebanon will no reimburse costs not directly related to the assignment. This contract does not allow payment of off-hours, medical insurance, taxes, and sick leaves.