Key skills and expertise

Bringing over 18 years of experience in international development, the expert specializes in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), disaster preparedness, and program coordination. Responsibilities have included managing multi-sectoral teams, developing strategic partnerships, and coordinating 19 emergency operations in Eastern Africa. Career highlights include leading the development of regional emergency WASH response capacities and researching Menstrual Hygiene Management kits for emergencies. Previously held roles such as Country Cluster Manager and Regional Programs Coordinator have involved project implementation, technical assistance, and capacity building across Asia and Africa.

Project experience and donor exposure

Worked across diverse projects involving collaboration with major donors such as ECHO, EU, DIFD, HIF, SIDA, Land Rover, and Nestle. The expert's involvement includes project implementation, technical assistance, and capacity building in the WASH sector. Projects have ranged from regional to national scales, conducted in Eastern Africa, South and South East Asia, and include emergency operations, disaster preparedness, and development programs. The expert's work has significantly contributed to enhancing regional emergency WASH response capacities and developing strategic partnerships for quality program delivery.

Sectors and geographic focus

Background includes positions at key sectors such as humanitarian aid, civil engineering, water and sanitation, and disaster reduction. Responsibilities have included roles like Country Cluster Manager, Regional Programs Coordinator, and WASH Specialist, involving project management, technical assistance, and capacity building. The geographic scope of work spans regional and country-specific areas in Asia and Africa, with interdisciplinary expertise in integrating disaster risk reduction with water and sanitation initiatives, enhancing emergency response and preparedness across multiple national societies. Extensive geographic experience includes work in countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Djibouti, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Madagascar, Sudan, South Sudan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The expert has demonstrated deep familiarity with regional development issues, particularly in Eastern Africa and South and Southeast Asia, through long-term assignments and recurring involvement in humanitarian and development projects.

Languages and education

With a background in engineering, the expert holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering from the M.I.T, University of Pune, India. Language competencies include fluency in English, Hindi, Indonesian, and Marathi. These skills have been utilized in diverse international contexts, including in-country work across Asia and Africa and collaboration with multilingual teams in humanitarian and development projects.