Alfred Okech Email & Phone Number

Uganda

I have grown the Uganda Country Programme portfolio from an annual budget of under USD 2.5m to USD 7.5m; from 120 staff to 482 staff; and from 2 field offices to 9 field offices.I was proud to lead the team in winning two multiyear awards in 2022, the Mastercard Foundation-funded BRIDGE project, worth USD 24,563,089, and the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Geared For Success (GFS) project, worth CAD 6,575,370. The Uganda team also secured UGX 1,412,788,986 in repeat funding from UNICEF. These grants are the largest in the history of the Uganda Country programme and position it as a leader in the education in emergencies sector, particularly in implementing Lower Secondary AEP and UPSHIFT.Led the implementation of education and livelihoods programs for refugees and displaced persons in Uganda, scaling partnerships with UNICEF and the Mastercard Foundation. Focused on empowering refugee youth through skills development and entrepreneurship programs, leveraging local resources to create sustainable solutions.I strengthened the War Child Canada commitments to the “Grand Bargain’ in the advancement of localization of the humanitarian sector. This included pioneering the organization's partnership with twelve local CSOs including Refugee Led organisations.I also led the pioneering of the Lower Secondary Accelerated Education Programme (AEP) in the Uganda refugee response, first as a pilot in 7 lower secondary schools and later to 34 schools in refugee settlements.

Kenya

I provided strategic leadership and technical support in the design and development of War Child Canada’s programmes globally - in Sub-Saharan Africa (DRC, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Somalia) and the Middle East and South Asia Region (MESA).One of my achievements was to harmonise common approaches to programming while supporting programme quality and facilitating regional approaches to programming in relation to population movements in the regions. In this role, I was the In-charge of War Child Canada country programmes in South Sudan, Kenya and Somalia. I was also the War Child Canada’s Horn of Africa focal point in advancing child safeguarding.

Uganda

I managed programmes, supported scale-up and provided oversight and leadership in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of War Child Canada programmes in Uganda with a focus on holistic child programming - education, access to justice, food security and livelihoods. Managed a USD 3.5 million annual budget and 255 staff.I led the Uganda country strategic planning process with an emphasis on overall quality programming and increased programme funding. Provided oversight for grants from the EU, USAID, UNICEF, ECW, UNHCR, BPRM, Master Card Foundation, the World Bank, JICA and the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund.My team trained and built the capacity of local partner organizations on programme design, development and implementation.

South Sudan

I managed the CRS peacebuilding, governance and partnerships portfolio. This included managing and ensuring that all CRS programmes integrate peacebuilding and gender and are conflict sensitive. I led the design and facilitation of the South Sudan Council of Churches’ Action Plan for Peace which is the current framework that the Council and partners are using to implement grassroots and high level mediation and reconciliation processes in South Sudan.

South Sudan

I managed a multifaceted peacebuilding and reconciliation initiative funded by USAID worth USD 6,540,354 that supported the South Sudan Council of Churches to promote broadly inclusive, equitable and transparent processes for grassroots truth-telling and reconciliation, a transitional justice process and formal negotiations. The programme covered Lakes, Jonglei, Western Equatoria and Juba.

South Sudan (Eastern, Western And Central Equatoria)

I took the lead in the research and production of one of a series of case studies on conflict and cooperation in the Equatorias. The case studies provided a deeper operational and scholarly understanding of developing dynamics in the Equatorias including economic life, culture, the management of diversity, histories of conflict and reconciliation and relationships between residents of the Equatorias and civilian and military authorities. This research was under AECOM Viable Support to Transition and Stability (VISTAS) project.

Kenya

This was a London School of Economics Humanitarian Consultancy Project. I developed and evaluated International Alert’s Peace Analysis Framework and applied this framework in the analysis of a case study on pastoralists’ conflicts in Turkana and West Pokot in Kenya.

South Sudan

I provided leadership and technical support for the implementation of five-multi donor peacebuilding and governance projects operating in all ten states of South Sudan. While playing a lead role in the development of three donor-funded proposals worth USD 5,980,680, I also expanded the peacebuilding and governance department from 5 to 12 permanent staff and from a portfolio of USD 1.3 million to 5.2 million

South Sudan And Kenya

I oversaw the management and implementation of the Conflict Early Warning and Early Response System (CEWERS) project within the South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission. I also managed the Rapid Response Fund (Grants to Civil Society Organizations) worth USD 900,000 and the CEWERS ICT4 Peace initiative within the CEWERS project. The CEWERS project grew from a budget of USD 0.67 million to USD 3.6 million.

Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, And Sudan

I pioneered the management of the South Sudan side of the Conflict Early Warning and Early Response Mechanism (CEWARN) with a focus on the South Sudan side of the Karamoja cluster (Ikotos, Budi, Kapoeta East, Kapoeta North and Kapoeta South Counties). I coordinated violent conflict mitigation responses including overseeing the USD 1.2m CEWARN Rapid Response Fund.

Sudan And South Sudan

Managed the South Sudan Peace Fund Programme (SSPF) with the goal of creating demand for peace, enhancing stability, and managing conflict. Led a team of sixteen national staff mainly located in Upper Nile, Jonglei and Unity states. I led the programme after serving as Deputy Programme Manager from Nov 2008 to Dec 2009.Disbursed and monitored USD 4.0 million worth of sub-grants to a range of civil society, International organizations (CRS, Safer world and Peace Direct) and government implementing partners.

Sudan And South Sudan

Provided technical advice to the EPPIC (Enhancing People to People Indigenous Capacities Programme –USD 14 million) project team in South Sudan and in the Three Areas (Blue Nile, Abyei and Southern Kordofan). EPPIC supported the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) by mitigating critical threats to the CPA in partnership with the Southern Sudan Peace Commission (SSPC).

Yei, Central Equatoria, South Sudan

Master Of Science - Ms, International Development And Humanitarian Emergencies

Certificate, Advanced Studies In Education In Emergencies

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Social Sciences