Fellows

Musharrafah Abolarin is a public health practitioner at the Ministry of Health, based in Oyo State, Nigeria. Before this, she spent over four years working at the Ministry, focusing on Reproductive Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (RMNCH), proposal development, grants writing, project management among others. Musharrafah is passionate about health promotion, community engagement and advocacy, and overall welfare of community residents, and is looking forward to the fellowship because it will increase her exposure which will, in turn, enrich her expertise and contribute to improving her current role’s effectiveness in addressing public health challenges.

Gazi Nouman is a Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Consultant at the Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST), based in Kenya. Before this, Gazi spent four years working in the humanitarian sector in Sudan, focusing on addressing water and climate crises as well as empowering youth in the humanitarian sector. Gazi’s passion for sustainability is demonstrated through his recognition as one of the 2024 “Top 30 under 30” award-recipients by the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation, Canada. He looks forward to the fellowship, and is eager to capitalize on valuable networking opportunities and shared knowledge, especially considering the significant social impact resulting from the humanitarian crises caused by the war in his country – Sudan.

Dr. Claude Samaha is the Head of Research at ‘’Basmeh & Zeitooneh’’, where she leads research initiatives in the pursuit of advancing knowledge and achieving social impact. Claude obtained her PhD in social anthropology from the Lebanese University in Beirut, and has taught in the fields of sociology, anthropology and research methodologies at university level. She has also been actively involved with various international NGOs in diverse research projects, reinforcing her commitment to making a meaningful difference. In addition, Claude’s recent role as Joint Research Project Director in Lebanon, between the University of Sussex and the ‘Basmeh & Zeitooneh Association’ in Lebanon over the past three years has provided her with important experience in leading research strategies and producing research reports.

Meral Marouf is the Data & Research Specialist at UNICEF MENA. She has six years of expertise in socioeconomic research, monitoring and evaluation, and data analysis. Formerly a Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Research Fellow at UNFPA Egypt CO, Meral led impactful studies on FGM and directed a social innovation project. With a background in innovation management and market research, Meral holds a master’s degree in Gender and Development studies and a bachelor’s degree in economics and Statistics from Cairo University. Her diverse skills and passion demonstrate her commitment to gender and development initiatives in the region.

Mohamad Fawzi Ammouneh has been dedicated to the humanitarian field since 2013. He is a Social Policy Officer in the UNICEF Aleppo Field Office, where he plans, manages, and monitors Social Policy programmes aimed at addressing poverty for the most vulnerable children in Syria. Previously, Mohamad has been a volunteer with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, and a Social Policy Consultant for the UNICEF Aleppo Field Office for 4.5 years. Following this, Mohamad spent a brief period of five months with the World Food Programme in the Deir Ezzor Field Office as a Programme Associate.

His desire to join the SSHAP fellowship stems from his aspiration to expand his understanding of social policy and humanitarian work, acquire new skills that can be applied in his current role, and connect with other professionals in the field. He believes that the fellowship will allow him to contribute to shaping policies and programmes that have a direct impact on the lives of vulnerable children in Syria, and add significant value to his professional profile and future career prospects.

Malak Saeed is a humanitarian and advocacy activist with work experience at various international humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), ACTED, WeWorld GVC, and Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP). She is a certified lawyer, studying for a Master’s degree in International Studies focusing on International Law, Relations, and Politics. Malak has worked on many projects related to documentation of human rights violations from settler violence, demolition of Palestinian homes, forcible displacement, and refugee rights. She focuses on the protection of human rights and advocacy for children, women, refugees, and vulnerable groups. Malak is passionate about the topics of interconnecting politics, human rights, and humanitarian interventions, and is looking forward to the fellowship because it will provide her with valuable academic and professional information and will allow her to learn from different perspectives.

Mareez Magdy Naguib is a Program Planning and Development Officer at the Bishopric of Public, Ecumenical and Social Services in Cairo, Egypt, with over 20 years of experience in development. She participated in planning and implementing national projects with the UNICEF and UNFPA in Egypt. Mareez has a Diploma in Non-Governmental Organization Management from Cairo University and she is currently studying a Master’s in Transformative Development at the Eastern College Australia. Mareez is passionate about finding sustainable solutions for marginalized communities and advocating for social change, and works on key issues such as community development, poverty alleviation, social justice, combating violence against children and women, and providing humanitarian assistance. During the fellowship, she is looking forward to enhancing her skills, engaging with diverse perspectives, and effectively contributing to advancing social justice proposals and initiatives at the global level. She is also interested in exploring multifaceted approaches to designing and implementing humanitarian responses while expanding the network of relationships.

Noor Mousa is an Advocacy Coordinator at the Danish Refugee Council in Yemen, based in Sana’a. Prior to this, Noor spent over 10 years working at various humanitarian organizations, including Save the Children International and the NGOs Coordination Committee for Iraq, focusing on advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and crisis communication. Noor is passionate about research and application of social sciences in humanitarian action, particularly in conflict-affected regions, and is looking forward to the fellowship to further explore the intersection of policy development and field-based humanitarian work.

Ahmad Alkhawaldeh is a member of Oxfam’s Global Humanitarian Team, focusing on Public Health and Community Engagement, based in Al Mafraq, Jordan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and has completed numerous courses in water, sanitation, hygiene, and public health. With over 10 years of experience in humanitarian work in Jordan, Bangladesh, and Turkey, Ahmad is dedicated to improving water, sanitation, health, and hygiene in communities around the world. He is looking forward to the fellowship as an opportunity to explore new knowledge, and to share knowledge and experience and learn from other fellows about their experiences of humanitarian responses in different contexts.

Abdullah Ali Alkaff is the South Area Manager at Building Foundation for Development, based in Aden, Yemen. Having dedicated over five years as a Grant and Partnership Manager within the same organization, he has honed his expertise in donor compliance and partnership management. A holder of a bachelor’s degree in medicine from Sana’a University, Abdullah brings over a decade of experience in project management across the health and nutrition sector, collaborating with key donors like WHO, OCHA, UNICEF, and UNHCR. His passion lies in driving health and nutrition outcomes through strategic partnerships and innovative programming. Abdullah is eagerly anticipating the fellowship to further his professional development and expand his networking horizon.

Sarra Hannachi is a data activist and researcher in the humanitarian development field who’s passionate about human rights advocacy and data-driven social and criminal justice. She is based in Tunisia, yet has a range of experiences volunteering and/or working at international organizations with various intervention sectors contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Sarra’s current focus is on humanitarian development in conflict or post-conflict contexts with strong interest in studying forced migration and countering organized crime, particularly human trafficking. She has knowledge and experience in the MENA & West Africa regions and is eager to expand that throughout the SSHAP fellowship.

Yousr Sharawy, a researcher in the social sciences, is currently the Academia Editor at Aidoni. She completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Guelph, and is currently finishing graduate studies in International Law. Yousr previously worked as a university teaching assistant in Canada and Egypt, as a researcher and as a program coordinator in Turkey and Egypt, and then as an Information Management Officer at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Her research and writings focus on migration and refugee rights, as well as women’s and children’s rights in conflict. Currently, Yousr is interested in the politics of international law and international humanitarian law. She looks forward to the fellowship to enhance her academic research through critical engagement with fellow researchers and practitioners.

Dr. Sudha Thomas is an Assistant Professor at Christ Deemed to be University, Bengaluru, India. Previously, she worked for four years as the Head of Department & Assistant Professor at St. Francis College, Bengaluru, and spent two years as a counselor at New Horizon College of Engineering. Prior to that, Sudha worked for three years as a research fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, where she focused on key issues related to child and adolescent mental health. Sudha is passionate about this area of work and is excited about the valuable networking opportunities and meaningful discussions that the SSHAP fellowship would provide with other fellows, faculty members, and practitioners, all of whom share a commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Dr AS Valan is a medical epidemiologist at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, based in New Delhi, India, with 18 years of public health experience. He is a 2021 Fellow of Global Health and Humanitarian Medicine Fellow of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and 2012 Fellow of Bioethics from the National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, India. He is actively involved in surveillance, recognising healthcare-associated outbreaks and coordinating outbreak response activities, including during COVID-19. Dr. Valan served in the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) India, as Regional Coordinator of Care Support and Treatment (RC- CST) for the South Indian States. His expertise includes global health and humanitarian medicine, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI), and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). Dr Valan is passionate about mentoring and supporting workforce development in India. He is looking forward to exploring how to bring behaviour change and empathy into responses to disease outbreaks and emerging infectious diseases threats.

Marie Consolatrice Sage Ishimwe is a Research Faculty and Lecturer at the University of Global Health Equity based in Kigali, Rwanda. Before this, Sage worked as a medical doctor at the Rwandan Ministry of Health for three years. She is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) fellow and holds a medical degree from the University of Rwanda and a Master of Public Health from Mount Kenya University. She is passionate about improving the health of underserved communities through research and advocacy and is looking forward to the fellowship to further develop her skills in addressing pressing issues faced by vulnerable populations.

Ronald Kasule is a Disability Inclusion Specialist at United Nations Population Fund, based in Kampala, Uganda. Before this, Ronald worked with the International Disability Alliance to monitor the participation of people with disabilities in development policies and programmes in the Global South. He holds an MA in Educational Planning, Economics & International Development, a BA in Community Development, and a PGD in Peace, Conflict Management & Development. Ronald is passionate about integrating the rights of Persons with Disabilities into mainstream humanitarian and development work. He is the main Focal Person for Africa on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Action (TG-DRRCA) Thematic Group, and is looking forward to the fellowship because he wants to learn best practices and share his experiences from the disability and development perspective.

Mamoon Al-Absi is a Senior Field Assistant at United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), based in Sana’a, Yemen. Before this, Mamoon spent 7 years working at UNHCR, focusing on protection and camp coordination and management for refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs), monitoring and reporting on partner activities, and capacity building for implementation and operational partners. Mamoon is passionate about supporting and protecting refugees and IDPs, humanitarian work, monitoring and evaluation, building relationships with partners and local authorities, capacity building and training, community-based protection approaches, and continuous learning and improvement. He is looking forward to the fellowship because it offers a unique opportunity to apply social science knowledge to humanitarian emergencies in a locally relevant way and it will equip him with the skills and knowledge needed to make meaningful contributions to humanitarian action.

Watfa Najdi is the Refugee Research Program Coordinator at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (AUB) based in Beirut, Lebanon. Watfa has conducted and contributed to research projects on social cohesion and host-refugee relations, refugee shelter, entrepreneurship and digital livelihoods, as well as refugee-led organisations and localised humanitarian responses. Watfa is passionate about researching humanitarianism and studying the ways in which humanitarian interventions perpetuate power imbalances. She is looking forward to the SSHAP Fellowship Programme because it will allow her to deepen her understanding of these issues, while also connecting her with like-minded practitioners and experts from around the world.

Cephas Mandirahwe is a lecturer at Midlands State University, based in Zvishavani, Midlands Province of Zimbabwe. Before this, Cephas spent four years working at the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe focusing on environmental health. During this period, Cephas has worked with NGOs focusing on public health. He has also worked with International Non-Governmental Organisations and local NGOs conducting humanitarian research in Zimbabwe. Cephas is passionate about rural development and livelihood options and is looking forward to the fellowship, as it will expose him to new ideas and multicultural perspectives.

Saphira Munthali-Mulemba is a Study Manager for a mental health study at Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, based in Lusaka. Before this, Saphira spent 7 years working at Serenity Harm Reduction Programme Zambia as a Project Manager on Mental Health clinical trials which focused on Supervising field staff through trainings and mentorship, development of implementation plans for research uptake and stakeholder engagement. Saphira is passionate about prioritising mental health services and incorporating local populations through networking and linking services to those in need. She is looking forward to the fellowship because it is a unique opportunity to advance her skillset, grow her professional network, open opportunities for her to independently lead projects, and contribute to a global community of researchers and programme implementation teams for humanitarian action.

Ene Ijato Abba is a communications and advocacy practitioner with work experience at various non-profit humanitarian organisations and groups such as the International Center for Sexual Reproductive Rights, Commonwealth Youth Gender Equality Network, and Center for Health Education and Vulnerable Support. She has worked on initiatives around Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, gender, LGBTQI+ rights, climate justice, human rights, and humanitarian crises. Ene is led by feminist principles and her work is centered on communication and advocacy for minority and vulnerable groups. She is looking forward to learning about intersectional approaches in using social sciences to design and implement humanitarian responses especially in research, communications and advocacy.

Samuel Bewiadzi Akakpo is a Lecturer and a Medical Anthropologist at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana where he has taught for seven years. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Coast (2010), and a Master of Philosophy degree at the University of Ghana, Legon (2013). He has completed a Doctor of Philosophy thesis at the University of Ghana, awaiting final conferment of the degree. Samuel is passionate about indigenous healthcare systems, women, children, economy and health issues; borders, trade and security, cross-border patient mobility and healthcare, COVID 19 and marginal communities; and has published in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. As a local legislator, he has worked with NGOs such as Action Aid Ghana, LiLiMed, Activista and other youth groups. Samuel looks forward to the fellowship in order to build his capacity, acquire, deepen, and expand knowledge about critical responses to humanitarian crisis.

Alexandre Branco-Pereira is a Brazilian anthropologist and coordinator of the country’s National Front for Migrant Health. Before this, Alexandre coordinated the Healthcare Network for Immigrants and Refugees, and has worked in national and international organisations, such as the International Organization for Migration (UN Migration) and the Center for Human Rights and Citizenship for Immigrants , focusing on the intersections between health and migration. Alexandre is passionate about strengthening the access to rights by vulnerable populations, and is looking forward to the fellowship because it represents an opportunity to learn from international perspectives.

Lavinia Dakei is a Country Coordinator at Oxfam in the Pacific, based in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Before this, Lavinia spent nine years working at Empower Pacific, focused on counselling and social work. Lavinia is passionate about connecting with other people from the region to share learning regarding working with communities, and amplifying the voices of the voiceless, in areas of health, gender and inclusion, humanitarianism and climate change. Lavinia is looking forward to the fellowship because she believes she can share learnings through this platform and listen to the experiences shared by the group.

Zénabou Simpore détient une maitrise en Communication pour le Développement et un master en gestion des industries culturelles. Elle a plus de 13 ans d’expérience professionnelle dans le changement de comportement, les relations publiques, la planification, la mise en œuvre et le suivi de programmes. Elle a travaillé au Burkina Faso pour Plan Burkina, GIZ et UNFPA ; au Bénin, en République Démocratique du Congo et au Cameroun pour Unicef, et ce dans le cadre de la promotion des droits de l’enfant et la Santé, dans des contextes de développement et d’urgences.

Dirosele Mbiakou Kouamen est anthropologue et agent de santé publique. Elle détient un Master en anthropologie politique et culturelle et prépare une thèse de Doctorat à l’université de Douala.

Elle a travaillé 3 ans à l’ASSF dans le projet d’assistance des victimes du Boko Haram au Nord du Cameroun et à l’OMS dans le PEV et le projet IDC Nomade. Elle possède 5 ans d’expérience dans le PBF, où son travail consiste à proposer des stratégies de renforcement de la voix de la population dans la santé et des actions opérationnelles pour des mesures de prévention collective en santé.

Romeo Nganha est anthropologue avec plus de 10 ans d’expérience en recherche anthropologique et a été Professeur d’Anthropologie Médicale, de Méthodologie de Recherche et de Sociologie. Au cours des 3 dernières années, il a travaillé sur des missions exploratoires, des évaluations qualitatives rapides et la gestion des activités de Promotion de la Santé et de l’Engagement Communautaire (HPCE) au sein de MSF, où il travaille actuellement comme Flying Manager pour les activités HPCE au Nigéria. Il détient une licence, une maitrise et un Master de l’Université de Yaoundé 1 obtenus en 2005, 2008 et 2011.

Brigitte Iyeli est consultante indépendante et directrice exécutive de l’association sans but lucratif CENOPER. Avec une expérience de plus de 15 ans dans les mondes du développement et de l’humanitaire, elle a travaillé comme Directrice de Cabinet de Ministre chargé des personnes handicapées et autres groupes vulnérables, Directrice pays de l’ONG internationale Diakonia, Programme Manager à Christian Aid, Coordinatrice pays de Pax Christi Internationale et Cheffe de mission adjointe de la Cellule de gestion du programme Acteurs Non Etatiques – Autorités locales de l’Union européenne. Brigitte est anthropologue de formation et détient un Master de Katholiek Universiteit Leuven en Belgique.

Huguette Kahindo Muluhirwa, de nationalité Congolaise, a travaillé comme journaliste et chargée de communication, avant sa position actuelle de consultante à l’OMS en charge de la communication sur les risques et engagement communautaire dans la réponse contre les épidémies de la Maladie à virus EBOLA en RDC, dans les provinces du Nord Kivu et Ituri. Elle détient un diplôme de licence en Communication des organisations et prépare un diplôme en Master à Bugema University en Ouganda en Health Promotion.

Michelle Missengue est sage-femme de formation et a exercé ce métier de 2003 à 2015. Elle occupe actuellement le poste de cadre de santé publique au Ministère de la Santé, où elle travaille en étroite collaboration avec les différents programmes de santé et certains partenaires sociaux dans la Prévention et la Promotion de la santé. Elle est formée en communication de risques et engagement communautaire et en gestion de l’infodémie. Elle est également membre fondatrice de l’ONG GERME qui œuvre dans le social et membre du Comité de Pilotage et de Riposte à la Covid19.

Kemo Zoumanigui est un jeune sociologue Guinéen passionné de recherche notamment sur les questions de santé publique. Il travaille en qualité d’assistant de recherche en anthropologie sur le projet de recherche clinique PREVAC/PREVAC-UP (Partenariat de recherche sur les vaccins contre Ebola) depuis plus de six ans en Guinée. Il a appuyé le projet Urgence COVID-19 entre mars et novembre 2020 à Conakry où il a participé aux recherches socio-anthropologiques sur les expériences sociales de la COVID-19, des modalités de lutte et de soins en République de Guinée.

Roger Cesaire Guemou est chargé humanitaire avec 6 ans d’expérience professionnelle dans l’action humanitaire à travers la mise en œuvre et le développement de programmes de consolidation de la paix et de surveillance électorale, la conduite des enquêtes socio-économique, la production des modules ainsi que la conduite de séances de renforcement des capacités à l’endroit des collaborateurs nationaux. Il détient une licence en administration des affaires.

Mariam Boyon travaille actuellement comme chargée de formation et de recherches sur les dimensions sociales des épidémies émergentes. Elle est impliquée dans les projets covid-19, étudiant les effets sociaux de l’information dont l’infodémie, la mobilisation communautaire et les perceptions de la population sénégalaise sur le covid-19 et le vaccin. Elle est également certifiée comme gestionnaire de l’infodémie par l’OMS. Elle détient une licence en sociologie et un master en anthropologie du développement durable de l’Université de Paris 8 et d’Aix-Marseille Université à Aix-En-Provence, France.

Dominique Ralambo, de nationalité malgache, travaille actuellement au sein de Save the Children en tant que Consortium MEAL Coordinator sur un projet de gestion des risques de catastrophe sur toute la côte ouest de Madagascar. Avant cela, il a travaillé dans d’autres organisations humanitaires telles que CARE et la Croix Rouge Malagasy. Dominique détient un premier diplôme en Economie du Développement et un Master en Gestion des Risques de Catastrophes.

Soamampiray Ialijaona est déléguée en Engagement Communautaire et Redevabilité pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest et le Sahel à la Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant Rouge. Son travail consiste à inspirer, encourager, faciliter et promouvoir en tout temps et toutes les formes d’activités humanitaires des 16 Sociétés nationales de la Croix-Rouge avec lesquelles elle travaille avec un accent avec les pays francophones. Elle détient une licence en communication et une Maîtrise Spécialisée en Formation et Développement.

Myriam Farah Francois, de nationalité Haïtienne, est professionnelle humanitaire avec plus de huit ans d’expérience en communication humanitaire et de développement. Elle a collaboré avec plusieurs organisations à but non lucratif tout au long de sa carrière, dont les Nations-Unies. Elle a récemment coordonné le segment de communication et de mobilisation sociale du projet C19RM du PNUD en Haiti, financé par le Fonds Mondial. Elle détient également une licence en relations internationales et une maîtrise en développement international axé sur la pauvreté et les inégalités.

Caroline Walker studied politics and philosophy, and has a Master’s in Justice and Transformation from the University of Cape Town.  Before working for MSF, she worked in advocacy and communication on HIV and Tuberculosis in contexts of urban poverty and informal settlements. She has been with MSF since 2015, starting in a health promotion capacity working in South Africa, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Eswatini, Iraq and Lebanon. This included working in sexual violence, sexual reproductive health, HIV and Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, refugee health, WASH, AMR, COVID-19, and community engagement. She is currently working in MSF’s operational research unit, LuxOR, and the Southern African Medical Unit, in a qualitative research position.

Girma Senbetie Asefawu is a Lecturer and Acting Head of the Department of Governance and Development Studies at Wolkite University, where he has taught Governance and Development Studies courses for 6 years. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Regional and Local Development Studies from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He volunteers with UnaVision /ThinkCamp as a Research Project Coordinator, the Vision Institute of Civic and Social Development as a Leadership Trainer, and the Peace and Development Centre as a Dialogue Session Moderator. His research interests include regional and local economic development, migration, climate change, food security, and environmental governance.

.Gole Ejeta Yembo is a Field Epidemiologist with over 10 years of experience in public health management. From 2017-2010, he led the combined  Ethiopian/National Onchocerciases Control and Guinea Worm Eradication Programs.  Following this, he worked as national public emergency responder. Gole was then deployed to West Africa in 2015 to support the Ebola outbreak response in Liberia. He also led UNICEF‘s interagency emergency coordination in response to over 1.5 million internally displaced people in Ethiopia. Currently, he is a WHO  Consultant in Bangladesh and supports the emergency responses to various crises including the Rohingyan refugee crisis, COVID 19 pandemic, cand other health challenges including cholera, dengue, diphtheria and measles.

Peter Kisaakye is a Research Fellow of the Population Council in Kenya. He is currently the Country Principal Investigator of a project on ‘Health and Life Experiences of Children and Young People in Refugee Settings in Uganda (HALE)’. Peter is a co-author on the recently published paper in the Journal of Migration and Health on access to HIV/AIDS or Tuberculosis care among refugees in Kampala, Uganda, which explores the enablers and barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Peter holds a PhD in Demography from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Abeer Alabsi is a researcher in the Better Assistance in Crises (BASIC) Research programme that is led by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). She is also the Senior National Consultant for the Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation on Yemen. Abeer has 21 years of experience in designing and managing range of complex development and humanitarian projects. She is high skilled in areas such as gender equality, social protection, WASH,  livelihood, good governance, conflict transformation, and civil society and local authority empowerment. Abeer was the Country Representative for Progressio-UK for nine years. She holds an Advanced Diploma in International Development and Gender from Sana’a university.

Edwina A. Zoghbi is a public health professional whose work focuses on matters of mental health, noncommunicable diseases and nutrition. She have been working at the World Health Organization in Lebanon since 2013. Edwina supports the development and implementation of the national health strategy, in particular on the nutrition the mental health components. She also works on national awareness campaigns, various capacity building for health and mental health professionals, amongst activities. Edwina hold a BA in Psychology, a BSc in Nutrition, a Master’s Degree in Psychology and Master’s in Public Health from the American University of Beirut.

Elizabeth Onitolo currently works with UNICEF Nigeria as Social Behaviour Change Specialist. She holds both a Master’s in Sustainable Development and a Master of Business Administration.  Prior to working with UNICEF, Elizabeth worked with UNAIDS and UNDP as a Program Associate, the National Institute of Medical Research, and Research International.  She is passionate about working with communities and individuals to catalyse change for better health and development outcomes for children and women.

Michael Kunnuji is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Lagos where he has taught for 15 years. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Ilorin in 1999, and his Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Lagos in 2003 and 2010 respectively. He has led studies in the areas of adolescent and youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, intimate partner/domestic violence, humanitarian contexts, child health, and health systems and policies. In 2019 and 2020, he led Nigeria’s first qualitative Verbal and Social Autopsy of under-five deaths in collaboration with relevant MDAs. His works are published in several peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Aung Than Oo is public health medical officer and youth peacebuilder. He holds two Master’s degrees: A degree in public health from the Tsinghua University and BRAC University, and a Master’s of Public Administration from Aldersgate College.. He is also WHO TDR Scholarship alumni. Aung Than Oo is currently working as Township Projects Coordinator for info-demic management at the World Health Organization Joint Cooperation with MMA.  With over 6 years of work experience, he now specialises in humanitarian services support and community development research for peacebuilding and dialogue for sustainable peace action.

Rya Celine Ducusin is a communications professional working for development and humanitarian organisations. She has worked on initiatives around gender, climate justice, local governance, human rights, disaster risk reduction, and humanitarian crises. Rya is passionate about advocating for inclusive, gender-just, and community-driven communication initiatives.

At present, she works for CARE Philippines and Start Network as the Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist and Communications Officer respectively. As a humanitarian practitioner, she brings experience from working with local communities at CARE and managing digital platforms at Start Network.

Sadar Ginting is a Lecturer and Head of the Research and Community Services Institution at Efarina University, Indonesia. In 2013, he was also a Health and Nutrition Project Coordinator for World Vision, Nias Island-Indonesia. Sadar holds a PhD from the Faculty of Public Health, Naresuan University, Thailand, where he wrote a dissertation entitled “Developing an integrated nutrition intervention for children under five in areas affected by Indonesia’s Mt. Sinabung eruptions.” In 2019, he was an Asian Graduate Student Fellow at the Asian Research Institute (ARI) of the National University of Singapore and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Indonesian Policy Studies, Indonesia. In late 2021, he was an awardee of the VLIR-UOS scholarship in the International Training on Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Qualitative Research Methods at University of Antwerp, Belgium.

Ravi Kharka is a professional humanitarian and development worker wish a focus on Asia. He has worked on various issues in Afghanistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan for the last 15 years. Ravi is presently working with Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development (ACBAR), which has 177 National and International NGO Members, and promotes localisation in humanitarian action, policy advocacy and capacity building of national NGOs in Afghanistan, and advocates for Global Grant Bargain Commitments.

Nancy Paola Chaves has more than 15 years of experience working with vulnerable communities who manage their own territories. Firstly as a practitioner, and then as a researcher. She is a lecturer at the Universidad del Valle, Colombia, and focuses on in political studies and conflict resolution. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences from the Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, where she investigated the political strategies of the indigenous group, Nasa, in the northern Cauca region of Colombia, one of the most violent regions of the country. Dr Chaves also work as a consultant on Climate Change and Gender and Social Inclusion for international non-governmental organisations.

Nirma Hernández Ramos has been a volunteer since she was 15 years old. She works in communications for development, crisis and emergency response. She has developed research from case studies on the impact of the humanitarian crisis on vulnerable groups during COVID 19 in Venezuela, and is currently promoting resilience through volunteering work. Nirma has collaborated with multiple stakeholder groups to address suffering of Venezuelans, specifically collaboratingwith community teams from Caritas de Venezuela and NGOs from the Venezuela Humanitarian Platform to strengthening organisational, operational, as well as communication and advocacy capacities.

Aisha is a lecturer and acting head of the Department of Journalism and Communication, Makerere University, where she has taught strategic, social and behaviour change communication for 16 years. She holds a PhD in Communication from Makerere University. Aisha was a fellow of the Salzburg (Austria) Academy on Global Media, Democracy and Social Change, 2008 and has also held visiting research fellowships at the University of Connecticut, USA (2019) and the University of Örebro, Sweden (2012-2014). As part of community service, she has been working with a community of volunteers, called the Next Big Thing, to support Uganda’s Covid-19 communication efforts.

Fiston has a degree in public health, 12 years’ experience managing public health promotion and community engagement teams in different humanitarian contexts including response to outbreaks (cholera, malaria, Ebola, Measles, COVID-19); natural disaster (hurricane, earthquake and volcano eruption) and crisis. Fiston currently works with Medecins Sans Frontiers, UNICEF and with Oxfam in the GHT (Global Humanitarian Team) and has worked in DR Congo, Chad, Haiti, Nigeria and Central African Republic.

Kyaw’s background is public health with extensive experience in administration of public health and humanitarian programmes. Kyaw holds a Master’s degree from the School of Public Health, Curtin University in Australia as an Australia Award Scholarship student. He has worked for the UNOPS, Jhpiego, World Vision and International Organization for Migration for over 9 years, with a focus on multisectoral coordination, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH), Nutrition and Health System Strengthening and humanitarian response programme in Myanmar

Patricka is humanitarian worker with a background in health systems, social protection, gender, trafficking in persons, and disaster response. Prior to the pandemic she conducted a digital ethnographic study on vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among Thai online discussion platforms. While working as technical officer for the pandemic response at WHO Thailand, Patricka initiated infodemic management response team consisting of governmental counterparts and other UN agencies to apply big data analytics and social listening tools for the design of national COVID-19 vaccine communications strategies. She is currently working as a technical advisor for Thailand’s digital crisis communications platform ‘Thai Roo Soo COVID-19” as part of the  Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, while at the same time conducting qualitative mixed methodology research on vaccine perceptions among indigenous sea gypsy communities in the southern part of Thailand.

Mariam received an MSc in Sociology and Social Anthropology from the University of Khartoum in 2017 with a scholarship of the Christian-Michelsen-Institute in Norway. She worked as Lecturer of Medical Anthropology and Sociology at private colleges in Khartoum and published several papers and a book based on her thesis “Interaction between health institutions in knowledge and medical practices in South Kordofan/Nuba Mountains”. The book was published by the Christian-Michelsen-Institute in 2019. Mariam research focuses on epidemics, health systems, environmental health and health governance in the context of protracted conflicts like Sudan.

Rasha is a Sudanese citizen with more than 12 years of national and international experience in humanitarian, emergency, and post-disaster response from most duty stations in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East having worked with a number of UN agencies and international organisations. Rasha has extensive expertise in protection, humanitarian coordination, and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), Gender in Humanitarian Action and gender-based violence, and accountability to affected populations (AAP). Rasha holds a first degree in Rural Development from the University of Khartoum and currently an MSc student of Management of Development at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Italy.

Riaz is from Sindh region of Pakistan. He is working in Oxfam’s Global Humanitarian Team as a Public Health and Community Engagement Team Lead. He did Masters in Sociology, MSc (Hons) in Chemistry and did many courses related to water, sanitation, hygiene, public health, basic epidemiology and disease outbreak controls during humanitarian responses. He has been working for over ten years in humanitarian responses focusing on water, sanitation, health and Hygiene in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia and Mozambique.

Luqman Hakeem is a consultant and social scientist with UNICEF on Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). His research interests are social data in relation to community perceptions and experiences throughout ongoing polio outbreaks and the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, working for 10 years with the planning and development department, Government of Pakistan as peacebuilding and conflict resolution expert in the most lawless, cultural and traditional tribal belt of the Pashtun population. He holds a Doctorate in Social Sciences and has merged the feasibility studies of different development projects with tribal norms, values and local traditions for the socio-economic development across areas of conflict.

Juliana Silva Corrêa is a public health researcher with 10+ years of experience conducting qualitative research and managing transnational research networks. Global health, health inequities, violence, AMR, and the social impacts of epidemics are her main areas of expertise and interest. She is a postdoctoral researcher on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), member of the international research team “One Health: Strengthening Healthcare Management”, a joint project between the University of Copenhagen and the University of São Paulo. On this project she is responsible for exploring public and private stakeholders’ perceptions on AMR and identifying barriers and facilitators for implementing Brazil’s National Action Plan on AMR.

Stephanie Bishop is a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer with UNICEF based in Barbados. She has worked for over a decade in communications and monitoring and evaluation. In her work in humanitarian action she contributed to the 2017 emergency response in hurricane-affected Caribbean countries, the ongoing Venezuelan Migrant crisis in Trinidad and Tobago and the COVID-19 pandemic across the sub-region focusing on humanitarian performance monitoring, post-disaster needs assessments, and situation reporting. Stephanie is a Fulbright Scholar, with a Master’s in International Studies – Communications for Development and a Bachelors in Media and Communication.

Heran is a senior gender advisor in USAID Transform: Primary Health Care Activity in Ethiopia.  Anchored in evidence-based and participatory research approaches, Heran successfully led the integration of gender and social inclusion dimensions in programme activities by building capacities of health workers on gender and health, prevention, and the response of gender-based violence and male engagement in antenatal care and family planning. Heran also received a Certificate of Appreciation and award from the Ministry of Health for championing gender equality and her inputs in the development of national strategies and manuals. Heran holds a dual Master’s degree in Gender Studies and General Public Health from Addis Ababa University and Jimma University respectively.

Getachew Belaineh is a WASH and Public Health Specialist with over 20 years of experience. He worked in government structures from health centres to Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia for more than 12 years. He then joined to work on programmes led by UNICEF and WHO, CDC HQ, Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), MSH, SNV Netherlands Development Organization and others. Getachew ensures the successful implementation and viability of WASH, malaria, Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI) programmes funded through key donors such as GFATM, USAID, DFID, European Commission (EC), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands (EKN), DGIS, Dubai Cares, etc. Getachew has Master’s degree in public health, a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health and an advanced diploma in Sanitary Sciences. He is currently in the last year of graduation in Business Management (BA) degree.

Noor Kutubul Alam Siddiquee is World Health Organisation Fellow for the South-East Asia region with the Public Health Foundation of India. Noor is focusing on health systems research in Bangladesh and is a Project Manager for the HEKS/EPER Romania Foundation supporting the Rohingya refugee response. He has a passion for applying broader social science approaches in public health and has direct knowledge and experiences in doing this in an emergency context.

A Bengali native speaker with a working knowledge of English, Noor has a Bachelor and a Master degree in Anthropology from Jahangirnagar University. He is keen to pursue his doctoral-level training in antimicrobial resistance and trajectory.

Ganesh Dhungana is a doctoral candidate in Disaster Preparedness Mitigation and Management at the Asian Institute of Technology. He is the Executive Director of Action Nepal, an NGO that undertakes various development projects. Ganesh is also the recipient of of the Brown International Advanced Research Institutes (BIARI) Fellowship award and Development Leadership Scholar Award – 2018 from OPEC Fund for International Development. He was the speaker at the 17th Melaka Youth Dialogue organised by the World Assembly of Youth in Malaysia, speaker at the 22nd Session of The Youth Assembly organised by Friendship Ambassador at New York University and Panellist at World Youth Forum Organised by the Government of Egypt.

Salome A. Bukachi is a social/medical anthropologist with over 20 years of experience working on infectious diseases with a focus on community knowledge and practices in relation to livestock and zoonotic diseases, gender issues, nutrition anthropology (specifically cultural aspects of foodways, food behaviour, food safety and food security), health systems, socio-economic and cultural/behavioural aspects of infectious diseases and development. She lectures in Anthropology at the University of Nairobi and supervises students undertaking research. She also works with various stakeholders both local and international in undertaking research and development on anthropological issues.

Jude Okiria is a health educator with the Ugandan Ministry of Health with a degree in Organisations and Communications Studies) and a Diploma in Social Work and Social Administration. He was awarded a golden independence medal for taking part in the control of Ebola outbreaks, under the Risk Communication pillar.

He has trained and mentored technocrats at the sub-national, national and international levels (Global Partnership Initiated Biosecurity Academia for Controlling Health Threats-GIBACHT) on social/behaviour change programming, and crisis/emergency risk communication. His biggest achievement was helping Kween and Kapchorwa districts establish response structures for Marburg Viral Disease as part of the initial team of four people, in 2017.

Samuel Kapingidza is a consultant on social protection and community engagement and accountability. His research interests are in the political economy of social protection in sub-Saharan Africa. Samuel holds a Doctorate in Development Studies from University of the Western Cape in South Africa. He was a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. He has several years experience of working in government and international development and humanitarian agencies. He is passionate about people-centred, ground-up, two-way communication and community engagement approaches in both emergencies and development policies.

Petronella Mugoni is Senior Officer in the Community Engagement and Accountability & Protection, Gender and Inclusion at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Southern Africa Country Cluster Delegation. She also supports Red Cross COVID-19 risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), gender and inclusion analysis, and protection work in 10 countries. Petronella studied for her PhD in Culture and Media Studies at The Centre for Communication, Media and Society, University of KwaZulu-Natal. She merged research interests in public health promotion, mass media reception and use, and gender studies to investigate young women’s experiences of receiving multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment and information in a South African community where inhabitants hold strong cultural beliefs and practices which impact health-seeking and treatment adherence behaviours.

Samiratou Ouedraogo is a researcher in population and global health with an interest in health system improvement. Samiratou was nominated as a Health Systems Global “Emerging Voice for Global Health 2020”. She advocates for health equity and social justice and co-developed the Women in Global Health Francophone Initiative and leads the chapter in West Africa promoting francophone women contributing to decision making in health. She holds a Masters degree and a PhD in Epidemiology and Public Heath from the University of Burgundy (France); and a Doctoral Degree in Pharmacy from the Mohammed V University in Rabat (Morocco). Samiratou has benefited from post-PhD training at MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (University of Glasgow, Scotland), the University of Montreal (FRQS Posdoctoral fellow), the “Institut national de santé publique du Québec” (INSPQ) and McGill University (CIHR Health System Impact Fellow).

Chimezie Anueyiagu is a health education/risk communication officer with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). He is responsible for the development of risk communications strategies/plans, messages, engaging key stakeholders and communities, and supporting research around social and behavioural change communication. He currently leads the risk communication pillar for Lassa fever response in Nigeria. Chimezie holds a degree in Education Economics and is a member of the West Africa Social Science Epidemic Response Network (WASSERN). He is also a fellow of the Institute for Humanitarian Studies and Social Development (IHSD) and has attended Public Health professional courses internationally.