Key skills and expertise

Bringing over 23 years of experience, the expert excels in program management, strategic planning, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation. Career highlights include leading complex projects funded by USAID, EU, and DFID, with a focus on education, health, and peacebuilding. Notably, they managed the Girls Education Challenge Program, significantly improving education access for over 18,290 marginalized girls. Responsibilities have included overseeing cross-border peace initiatives and enhancing conflict management systems in Ethiopia. The expert is proficient in budget and grant management, with a strong track record in achieving project objectives and fostering collaboration with diverse stakeholders.

Project experience and donor exposure

With extensive experience collaborating with international donors such as USAID, EU, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and DFID, the expert has been involved in project implementation, technical assistance, capacity building, and grant management. They have worked on projects in thematic areas like education, health, social development, and peacebuilding. The projects have ranged in scale from regional to national levels, primarily in Ethiopia. Notable projects include the Girls Education Challenge Program and cross-border peacebuilding initiatives in the Horn of Africa.

Sectors and geographic focus

Worked across key sectors including education, health, social development, and peacebuilding. Previously held roles such as Senior Program Manager and Strategic Program Manager, overseeing project design, implementation, and evaluation. Responsibilities have included capacity building, grant management, and fostering cross-border collaborations. The expert's interdisciplinary knowledge is evident in their work on educational access initiatives and conflict management systems. Their geographic scope of work is primarily in Ethiopia, with regional projects extending to the Horn of Africa, particularly in cross-border peace initiatives. The expert has extensive geographic experience in Ethiopia, with a deep understanding of local governance, cultural dynamics, and regional development issues. They have managed significant projects across various sectors such as education, health, and peacebuilding, contributing to national and regional initiatives. Their roles have included fostering cross-border collaboration, particularly between Ethiopia and Kenya, enhancing peace and security structures, and implementing donor-funded programs that address local and regional challenges.

Languages and education

With a background in English fluency, the expert has utilized this language extensively in professional settings, including in-country work in Ethiopia and collaboration with international teams on donor-funded projects. They hold a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a focus on Sociology from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Additionally, they pursued a Master of Arts in Social Sciences, specializing in Social Psychology, at the same institution, although this was not completed. Currently, they are a Master of Arts candidate at Addis Ababa University, School of Commerce. Furthermore, they obtained a Diploma in Health, specializing in Nursing, from Gondar College of Medical Science, Ethiopia.