Fellows

Abdulahi has three years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He graduated with honors in Demography and Social Statistics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in Nigeria. He also received certifications in Social Sector Management (sponsored by the Africa-America Institute) and NGO Management & Administration from Enterprise Development Center, Pan-Atlantic University and the Institute for Humanitarian Studies & Social Development, respectively. He volunteered with Living Hope Care under the American Jewish World Service project where he coordinated an empowerment program for the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN) Osun State. While working as an Account Officer and Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, he facilitated the training of 403 female sex workers on the consistent use of condoms and trained over 80 traditional birth attendants on universal safety precautions and prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child. He founded the Initiative for Sound Education, Relationship & Health (ISERH) and the Youth Affairs Center. Through these organizations, he has sponsored the Senior School Certificates Examination (SSCE) of 59 high school students, equipped 350 youths with books, awarded 17 vibrant teachers and reached over 15,700 youths in the areas of counseling and psychosocial supports. Under his leadership, ISERH provides oversight functions on the Npower Program of the Federal Republic of Nigeria designed to employ 500,000 unemployed graduates and 25,000 unskilled labors. He is a Fellow of YALI Regional Leadership Center (Cohort 3), Ghana (West Africa) 2016. In June 2016, Abdulahi was selected as a “Top 100 Brightest Young Minds” by BYM South Africa and Barclays Africa. He received ‘The Most Replicable Project Award’ of the Life Changers Foundation, U. K. in 2015. Abdulahi has developed strong leadership, youth education policy, strategy building and management skills. His interested in good governance, civic engagements, youth education, social and health issues.

Host Organization: Points of Light

Role at Host Organization: Abdulahi will support the successful development and execution of the Points of Light’s portfolio of programs focused on meeting both the academic needs and service leadership development of youth through youth and volunteer engagement in generation. He will equip youth and volunteers with the right resources that allow youth, volunteers, parents and teachers to collaborate on academic interventions and service opportunities that support the development of caring, compassionate and capable youth.

Angela possesses four years of experience in both the nonprofit sector and media space. Currently, she is the Chief Operating Officer at Jela’s Development Initiatives (JDI) where she supervises project implementation, organizational operations and communications. She manages diverse teams to provide access to clean water as well as sanitation and hygiene facilities, mental healthcare, voluntary blood donors through an artificial intelligence called J  Match and promotes youth empowerment through volunteering. Most recently, she co-designed and implemented advocacy campaigns on mental health inclusion for PWDs and voluntary blood donation. She is also a writer and solutions journalist, whose work has explored maternal mortality, anti-corruption, climate change, mental health and food security, amongst other themes. As a World Literacy Foundation Ambassador (2020), she raised awareness on how illiteracy affects daily life by curating 112 ‘literacy stories’ which she shared on social media. Previously, she worked as Media and Communications Officer at Skills Outside School Foundation (SOSF) focusing on securing relevant partnerships and creating publicity for the Foundation’s work in life skill education through digital media and production of media materials. In the time she worked with SOSF, she raised the organization’s profile by increasing social media followership by over 80% and initiated partnership discussions with various organizations. She is certified by the University of California through Philanthropy University in developing Advocacy campaigns. Angela is most interested in improving inclusion in education, good governance and mental healthcare.

Host Organization: Medici Road

Role at Host Organization: As a Communications Analyst Fellow, Angela will assist in shaping, and executing, the audience engagement strategy and she will lead digital storytelling efforts for the organization. The Fellow will work side-by-side with senior staff to gain practical experience learning how to turn data and stories into infographics. Angela will also learn how to use software like Adobe InDesign and Photoshop and practice storytelling and community engagement skills with diverse stakeholder groups including residents and peer organizations.

Chibuonu Obiageli Ezennabike is a public health professional with ten years of experience in the non-profit sector. Chibuonu earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Microbiology from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Uli, Anambra State of Nigeria. While working as the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer with Caritas Nigeria on the 4GATES Project, a CDC-funded HIV/AIDS program, she helped improve the PMTCT program monitoring and evaluation by designing reporting tools, building capacity of facility staff, and ensuring data quality in Eastern Nigeria. She also coordinated the monitoring and evaluation activities of the Pediatric and Adolescent Program and FLAGSHIP Program in Delta State and ensured consistent availability of data for tracking project progress and making informed decisions. Previously, Chibuonu volunteered as a data entry clerk for RISE Clinic Nigeria for some months before being employed by the organization. Chibuonu worked with RISE Clinic Nigeria (subsidiary of RISE GHI San Diego U.S), a community-based organization to plan and implement community outreach events, health fairs and to promote health education in rural communities of Anambra State. In this role, she was also responsible for research, monitoring and evaluation of Nigeria’s Epilepsy Care Advancement Program. Chibuonu, over these years, has developed skills in monitoring and evaluation, research, health education, health system strengthening, institutional capacity building, and project management. Chibuonu enjoys focusing on adolescent, maternal and child health issues, and has a strong passion for research. She is very optimistic that efficient and effective use of data in research and public health interventions will ensure sustainability and improvement of health systems in Africa.

Host Organization: ideas42

Role at Host Organization: At ideas42, Chibuonu will serve as a Behavioral Design Fellow: contributing to different behavioral design projects in Global Health and participating in professional development opportunities, specifically around behavioral science and program.

Chibuzor Mgbeokwere is a dedicated and accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning, demonstrating a strong commitment to driving impactful outcomes in both development and emergency context, especially in challenging operational environments. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Education (BSc.) – University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria. Prior to her current role, Chibuzor was a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Research, and Learning Specialist at Tonipash Energy from September 2022. She made substantial contributions to the improving clean energy initiatives, overseeing the research, development, and implementation of the Performance Monitoring Plan, and providing crucial leadership in M&E. Chibuzor’s career journey also includes her role as a Country Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer (Environmental Health) at the International Rescue Committee from Feb 2021 to September 2022. Here, she showcased her expertise in producing high-quality reports and played a pivotal role in ensuring M&E and reporting requirements were met for multi-donor funded projects in Northeast Nigeria. Furthermore, she has contributed her skills and knowledge to various organizations, including The International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), Premiere Urgence Internationale, Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative – SIDHAS Project, and World Health Organization (WHO), leaving a remarkable impact in the field of monitoring, evaluation, and learning. Chibuzor’s core competencies encompass strategic MEAL management, proficiency in database development, statistical analysis, data visualization, consultancy services, and project. She is fluent in English, Igbo, and Hausa languages, enhancing her ability to collaborate effectively in diverse multicultural settings. Her commitment to inclusive data and her proactive approach make her an invaluable asset in any professional environment.

Host Organization: Development Gateway

Role at Host Organization: As a Monitoring, Evaluation, Eesearch and Learning (MERL) Fellow, Chibuzor, in the capacity of an associate, would have a MERL focus and work on synthesizing and analyzing various pieces of key information collected on the programs. The Fellow is expected to contribute to writing of knowledge products and reports. Additional work may involve supporting other programs at DG should time allow.

Ekene has over six years of experience in the Information Technology sector, having earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the National Open University of Nigeria. As an Information Technology Specialist, she works with enterprises, nonprofits, and the government to transform and optimize their organizational processes using technology. Ekene is a Microsoft-certified Enterprise Content Management Systems professional and education technologist with strong project implementation and technical training skills. Previously, Ekene worked as a Senior Solutions Analyst with Infographics Nigeria participating in education projects such as the Cross River State Government Teachers Laptop Acquisition and Digital Literacy Training program, where she trained 40 facilitators responsible for training over 10,000 teachers on the use of education technology for the classroom. Under her supervision, teachers with no prior knowledge of applying technology in the classroom were adequately empowered with digital skills. She was project coordinator and technical lead for the MTN Foundation SchoolsConnect Initiative, which set up modern computer learning centers in 28 Nigerian schools and equipped teachers with the Teaching with Technology Methodology. Through these experiences, she developed strong project coordination, implementation, and capacity building skills. Ekene enjoys volunteering; she has served as a mentor and facilitator at Afro-Tech Girls, a nonprofit promoting STEM education in secondary school-aged African girls and with Project Revamp Africa, an educational and leadership development initiative building young leaders in public secondary schools. Ekene is passionate about education, career guidance, and solving the STEM skills gap for the girl-child.

Host: PYXERA Global

Fellow role at PYXERA Global: Ekene will serve as an Operations & Internal Communications Fellow with the goal of supporting the streamlining and operational improvements of the organization’s internal communications.

Emmanuella Ezike is a project management specialist and a monitoring and evaluation expert with over four years of experience in the non-profit and public health sector as well as in community development. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from The University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Nigeria, and a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Lagos. Over the past three years, Emmanuella has helped drive social change by supporting the implementation and evaluation of public health programs by leveraging quality data to facilitate evidence-based decisions for determining the success of programs. She has worked on programs with partnerships from organizations like Facebook, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Clinton Health Access Initiative to support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs. Previously, Emmanuella worked as a Program Analyst where she developed a data quality assessment framework for evaluating post-program impact in three Nigerian states. Emmanuella has volunteered as a Community Engagement Officer for organizations including Habitat for Humanity. Through these experiences, she has developed superior data analysis, evaluation, and technical reporting skills. Emmanuella has a strong passion for strenghtening health systems, education, and women empowerment and strives to achieve social impact by creating and implementing program evaluation elements for high-impact projects in local and international communities.

Host Organization: Medici Road

Role at Host Organization: As the Evaluation Fellow, Emmanuella will compile, verify, and communicate data driven strategies that will inform Medici Road’s work and transform information into action. This Fellow will utilize mixed methods research strategies to manage the day-to-day operations of research and/or evaluation projects. In this role, the Fellow will be able to create recommendations on improving both Medici Road, and non- Medici Road, programs.

Foluke has 12 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. My passion is in ending inequality and promoting equity for health, development and socio-economic indices. Foluke enjoys working for poverty reduction and social inclusion, sustainable development and systems strengthening through innovation. She believes there is an opportunity now to end inequality, socio-economic and health inequities that have affected development in Africa and looks forward to this change. Foluke has a Masters in Public Health from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, her experience working with Management Sciences for Health focused on improving the health of rural dwellers living with HIV/AIDS in northern Nigeria. Foluke has volunteered as a peer educator on adolescent reproductive health for several groups, including UNICEF and the Center for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. She currently works with UNICEF as a social policy officer in the field office covering six states in south west Nigeria.

Host Organization : Population Action International (PAI)

Role at Host Organization : At my host organization, I served specifically as liaison for Nigerian grantee CSOs within the “Integration Partnership project”- a multi country grant with recipients in six African countries. I worked on the Policy Impact Project assessing the impact of donor funding for sexual&reproductive health in Malawi, traveled to Lilongwe, Zomba and Balantyre to implement the project, developed policy briefs and fact sheets for advocacy; Represented PAI as panelist at the 44th Commission on Population and Development at the UN headquarters 2012.  

Foluso has four years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned her Medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health in Developing Countries as a Chevening Scholar from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Foluso is the co-founder and International Programs Coordinator of the Global Youth Coalition against Cancer, where she advocates for cervical cancer prevention and the access of young people to screening, HPV testing, and vaccines. Previously, she worked as a program consultant to conduct an impact assessment of the Mobile Midwife Project in Nigeria funded by Grameen Foundation. She also worked as a volunteer with the Lagos State Government on the implementation of the Pro Poor Community Health Project funded by Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Foluso led community and state wide projects as a Medical Officer with Rivers State Ministry of Health to provide maternal health services to women in rural regions and slums. She served as a Student Ambassador at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she supported the coordination of programs organized by the institution. She is a member of the Royal Society of Public Health and the Interagency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises. Foluso is a 2012 Maternal Health Young Champion Finalist and 2013 World Summit Youth Award Nominee. Through her education and work experiences, she has developed strong research, project coordination, implementation, and advocacy skills. Foluso enjoys focusing on the topics of reproductive and maternal health and has a strong passion for empowerment of women.

Host Organization: Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Role at Host Organization: Foluso will provide support to the Komen programs in Africa, including the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon partnership. Foluso will work with the different components of the program, from breast cancer assessment reports to individual projects. She will also assist with data collection to assess impact. She will create presentations and market tools as necessary to communicate successes, progress, and needs in the region.