Mowlid Abdirahman

Major Achievements

Strengthened Legal Frameworks and Advocacy: Reviewed and provided comments on draft national legislation concerning refugees, asylum-seekers, and stateless persons, ensuring alignment with international standards. Advocated with government authorities to enhance the issuance of civil documentation, including birth certificates, resulting in 85% of children under five in the Gambella operation receiving legal documentation.

Enhanced Child Protection Mechanisms: Contributed to the development and implementation of the Gambella Child Protection Plan, addressing the specific needs of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC).

Improved Case Management for CP & GBV: Conducted Best Interest Assessments (BIAs) for 125 UASC cases, ensuring access to appropriate care and durable solutions. Managed over 250 individual protection cases, including survivors of GBV and child protection concerns, ensuring timely interventions, referrals, and follow-ups. Monitored and documented 12 cases of attempted refoulement, successfully advocating for compliance with the principle of non-refoulement through engagement with local authorities.

Contributed to the Promotion Durable Solutions: Facilitated voluntary repatriation for 300 refugees in close collaboration with the Ethiopian government and country of origin authorities, ensuring informed decisions and safe transit. Identified and referred 120 refugees with heightened vulnerabilities for resettlement, leading to durable solutions for their protection concerns.

Capacity Building and Community Empowerment: Conducted four capacity-building workshops for 120 frontline workers and partners, focusing on international protection standards, case management, and GBV prevention. Organized community-based protection training for 80 refugee leaders, fostering community-led initiatives to mitigate protection risks.

Advancing AGD-Based Programming: Designed and implemented AGD-sensitive programs, including livelihood opportunities for 500 women and youth, reducing risks of exploitation. Ensured access to inclusive education for 4,000 refugee children by coordinating with education partners, rehabilitating learning spaces, and advocating for teacher recruitment.

Strengthened Risk Management and SOP Compliance: Developed and monitored the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for protection activities, ensuring adherence by staff and partners. Identified risks associated with land disputes affecting shelter programs and successfully mediated with local authorities to resolve issues, enabling the continuation of transitional shelter construction.

Improved Information Management and Advocacy: Established a robust system for collecting and analyzing disaggregated data on PoC, leading to evidence-based advocacy for resource allocation.

Published monthly protection trend reports, highlighting critical gaps and achievements, which informed decision-making at the sub-office and country levels.

Facilitated Statelessness Prevention: Launched an awareness campaign in collaboration with local authorities, sensitizing 10,000 refugees and host community members on the importance of birth registration and statelessness prevention.

Advocated for National Protection Strengthening: Worked closely with government and NGO partners to enhance national protection legislation, ensuring refugees and asylum-seekers could access justice and protection services.

Enhanced Coordination with Stakeholders: Actively participated in inter-agency coordination meetings, aligning UNHCR’s protection strategy with the objectives of sectoral and cluster partners, resulting in improved multi-sectoral responses for PoC.

Compliance and Professional Integrity: Ensured strict adherence to global protection standards and codes of conduct by UNHCR staff and implementing partners through routine monitoring and mentoring.

Addressed and resolved two incidents of misconduct within the team, reinforcing professional ethics in the delivery of protection services.

Strengthened GBV Response and Prevention: strengthened and operationalized Women and Girls Friendly Spaces (WGFS), providing safe environments for survivors of GBV to access psychosocial support, legal aid, and livelihood opportunities.

Coordinated a GBV case management system that handled 185 cases, ensuring survivors received comprehensive, survivor-centered services.

Rolled out community based GBV prevention campaigns, reaching 15,000 refugees and host community members with messages on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) and harmful traditional practices.

Conducted a 3-day capacity-building training for 85 frontline workers and community focal points on GBV case management, prevention strategies, and survivor support protocols.

Enhanced Access to Education for Refugee Children: Contributed to the development of the Gambella Education Plan, integrating AGD-sensitive approaches to ensure inclusivity for marginalized groups, including girls and children with disabilities.

Rehabilitated 15 learning spaces across refugee settlements, benefiting 8,000 students by improving access to safe and conducive educational environments.

Facilitated the recruitment and training of 120 refugee and host community teachers, focusing on child-centered pedagogy, psychosocial support, and classroom management.

Partnered with local education authorities to provide scholarships and learning materials to 3,000 out-of-school adolescent girls, reducing dropout rates and early marriages.

Supported the establishment of early childhood development centers for 500 children, ensuring foundational education and nutrition services.

Promoted GBV and Education Advocacy: Advocated for the inclusion of GBV prevention and response measures in educational programming, leading to the integration of life skills and gender equality modules into school curricula.

Collaborated with local authorities to address barriers to girls' education, resulting in a 20% increase in female enrollment in primary and secondary schools.

Major Achievements

• Assisted 1,704 (1,158F, 546M) PSNs with multipurpose cash assistance.
• Conducted 6 border monitoring missions advocating for asylum and registration access.
• Helped 103 HHs consisting of 1,138 (796F, 342M) individuals reclaim entitlements to food distribution through litigation.
• Provided capacity building to 226 individuals on international protection, refugee rights, and protection mainstreaming.
• Established mobile court system for Mirqaan refugees and host community. Facilitated the first mobile court session in Mirqaan refugee settlement, addressing 4 cases (2 refugees & 2 host).
• Supported 15,408 children through child friendly activities, awareness raising sessions, life skills training and psychosocial support services.
• Provided case management support for 951 (496F, 455M) children including 139 unaccompanied minors, 462 separated children and 350 other children at-risk.
• Operationalized 6 child-friendly spaces offering various services.
• Reached 14,000 refugees through sensitization campaigns.
• Implemented the national child protection case management framework with extensive training for 155 stakeholders.
• Provided support to 1,168 women, including 118 GBV survivors.
• Supported 16 women with cash for income-generating activities.
• Distributed dignity kits to 1,050 women and girls.
• Drafted GBV SOPs and validated referral pathways.
• Completed construction of a safe space for women and girls, now operational.
• Trained 137 frontline GBV service providers.
• Conducted awareness campaigns reaching 14,724 individuals, improving GBV awareness and reporting.
• Established 16 community-based structures in Mirqaan settlement.Trained structures on roles, responsibilities, and protection principles.
• Established a peaceful coexistence committee with refugees and host community members.
• Conducted training for community leaders on rights and duties, attended by 100 people.
• Participatory assessment in Mirqaan provided insights into challenges faced by refugee and host communities across various sectors.

Major Achievements

Strengthening Community-Led Structures: Successfully formed and enhanced the capacities of 12 community-led associations, including women's groups, youth organizations, elderly support networks, child protection committees, and persons with disabilities committees, fostering inclusivity and community empowerment.

Coordination and Planning: Conducted regular sectoral and interagency coordination meetings at the camp level, engaging partners, government counterparts, and community representatives. Developed a comprehensive event calendar and contact list for all projects and partners, streamlining communication and ensuring efficient activity planning.

Case Management and Registration Successes: Resolved a backlog of 3,140 children with registration issues, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, by implementing comprehensive measures for missing photo, fingerprint, and iris scans. Advocated for and facilitated the issuance of national birth certificates for these children, securing their official recognition by the government. Established and operationalized robust CP and GBV case management systems aligned with interagency standards and national legal frameworks.

Innovative Community-Led Projects: Engaged 150 community members in consultative meetings, identifying and securing funding for top community initiatives, including a) providing donkey carts for waste collection cooperatives. b) Establishing a grinding mill factory for income generation. c) Creating a connectivity center for youth, integrating DSTV and internet facilities for peer-to-peer awareness and engagement.

Protection and Safety: Conducted quarterly safety audits to enhance camp protection, with a focus on vulnerable community members, particularly women and children. Advocated for and oversaw the construction of a girls' friendly space in schools, equipping them with sanitary pads and behavior change communication materials addressing GBV.

Cash-Based Interventions: Facilitated the rollout of cash-based interventions for improved shelters, school uniforms, and dignity kits, distributing assistance to 1,040 households with multiple vulnerabilities.

Leadership in Camp Closure and Elections: Led the closure and consolidation process of a camp, relocating 20,000 refugees and allocating household plots. Organized refugee leaders' elections to ensure continued representation in project cycles.

Operational Support and Advocacy: Provided operational briefings to donor missions and facilitated their engagement with refugee communities. Supported the preparation of monthly, mid-year, and annual reports and maintained up-to-date camp profiles.

Transit Center Management: Managed transit centers, ensuring asylum seekers had access to food, shelter, water, and sanitation services.

Enhanced Accessibility to Services: Established systematic schedules for counseling sessions and service provision, ensuring PoCs had access to vital services, including legal protection counseling, registration of newborns, and resolving records-related issues. Facilitated house visits, outreach activities, and targeted distributions, ensuring fair and dignified delivery of entitlements.

Coordinated and Led Participatory Assessments: Conducted participatory assessments in the camp with multifunctional teams, addressing identified gaps and proposing actionable solutions. Acted as team leader for the multifunctional team in the absence of the field officer, ensuring smooth operations.

Major Achievements

Enhanced Regional Coordination: Successfully organized and facilitated monthly education cluster coordination meetings, bringing together partners, government counterparts, and stakeholders to address critical education issues in emergency-affected areas.

Timely Data Collection and Reporting: Established a streamlined system for collecting, compiling, and submitting monthly updates from sector partners to the national education cluster focal point, ensuring timely and accurate reporting. Compiled and distributed high-quality educational updates, including biweekly inputs and cluster reports, to support informed decision-making at regional and national levels.

Data Management and Tracking: Updated and shared the latest Data Tracking Matrix with education cluster members regularly, improving transparency and enabling effective monitoring of education interventions.

Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: Actively participated in biweekly cross-cluster meetings, ensuring the integration of education with other sectors such as WASH and Protection, leading to holistic and coordinated responses for affected communities.

Community Engagement and Participation: Ensured the inclusion of emergency-affected communities in all phases of the education program, from needs assessment to implementation, fostering community ownership and relevance of interventions.

Support for Partner Organizations: Provided technical assistance to sector partners to enhance their capacity to deliver timely and accurate educational data and information. Supported partners in implementing education interventions aligned with cluster priorities and standards, contributing to improved access and quality of education services for affected populations.

Strengthened Communication Systems: Reviewed and improved multi-level communication and data management systems, ensuring seamless information flow and coordination among cluster members.

Impactful Education Responses: Coordinated emergency education responses, prioritizing the needs of children in crisis-affected areas, resulting in increased access to safe learning spaces and education resources.

Improved Accountability and Monitoring: Conducted follow-ups on action points from coordination meetings, ensuring accountability and progress in addressing identified gaps and challenges.

Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing: Facilitated knowledge sharing among partners through regular updates, guidance, and technical discussions, enhancing the overall effectiveness of education programs in the region.

Major Achievements

Program Design and Implementation: Successfully designed and implemented comprehensive protection programs in Fafan and Siti Zones, addressing the needs of vulnerable refugees and internally displaced populations, including women, children, and youth. Developed and operationalized CP/GBV strategies, SOPs, and referral pathways, ensuring timely and effective support for survivors of violence and other at-risk individuals.

Strengthened Coordination and Partnerships: Co-chaired the sub-national CP/GBV cluster coordination in the Somali Region, facilitating collaboration among stakeholders and aligning efforts with national priorities. Coordinated holistic approaches for supporting SGBV survivors, unaccompanied and separated children (UASCs), and orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), fostering multisectoral partnerships for integrated service delivery.

Staff Capacity Building and Supervision: Led the hiring, training, and supervision of CP/GBV staff, enhancing the team's capacity to deliver high-quality protection services. Conducted targeted capacity-building sessions on case management, referral systems, and program implementation for staff and partners.

Monitoring and Evaluation Excellence: Established and implemented robust M&E mechanisms, including regular project reviews and data-driven decision-making, to ensure program efficiency and effectiveness. Oversaw the CP/GBV information management system, ensuring accurate data collection, analysis, and reporting to inform program improvements.

Community Engagement and Participation: Conducted regular consultative meetings with partners and community members to review project performance, identify gaps, and co-design contextually relevant interventions. Promoted community-led initiatives for child protection and GBV prevention, fostering ownership and sustainability of programs.

Grant Management and Reporting: Effectively managed program budgets, ensuring efficient resource utilization and compliance with donor requirements. Prepared and reviewed high-quality implementation reports, meeting donor standards and timelines while showcasing program impact.

Innovative Approaches: Introduced new program management approaches aligned with IRC strategies, enhancing the delivery of CP/GBV interventions in the Somali Region. Piloted innovative solutions for youth engagement and protection, including psychosocial support programs and life skills training for vulnerable adolescents.

Improved Accessibility and Support: Expanded access to CP/GBV services through strategic planning and resource allocation, reaching underserved populations in remote areas. Strengthened referral systems, ensuring survivors of GBV received timely medical, legal, and psychosocial support.

Budget Oversight and Resource Optimization: Monitored budget spending meticulously, adjusting resource allocations to optimize program outcomes without exceeding financial constraints.

Impactful Reporting and Advocacy: Utilized data insights to advocate for additional resources and policy changes, contributing to the improved protection environment in the Somali Region. Highlighted program successes and challenges through impactful reports, influencing donor and partner decision-making.

Major Achievements

Strategic Program Development: Successfully contributed to the design and development of new program strategies and operational plans, aligning with organizational priorities and the evolving needs of the Melkadida refugee operation. Played a key role in identifying innovative project ideas in collaboration with the Program Manager, resulting in diversified and impactful programming.

Proposal Development and Fundraising: Actively participated in proposal development and fundraising efforts, securing funding for critical initiatives across the five refugee camps in the Melkadida operation.

Technical Support and Capacity Building: Provided targeted technical support to partners, community core groups, and field teams across all five camps, enhancing their capacity to implement quality interventions. Collaborated with partners to address capacity gaps, resulting in improved service delivery and stronger stakeholder engagement.

Operational Efficiency: Supported the preparation of timely and cost-effective operational plans and budgets, ensuring efficient resource allocation and alignment with donor requirements. Played a critical role in overseeing the implementation of project activities, ensuring compliance with donor guidelines and achieving project goals.

Enhanced Monitoring and Evaluation: Collaborated with MEAL Officers to develop and refine M&E tools, enabling improved tracking of program performance and outcomes. Facilitated data-driven decision-making by ensuring regular monitoring and reporting of project activities.

Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: Fostered collaboration among field teams, partners, and community stakeholders, ensuring holistic and integrated responses to refugee needs. Supported the Program Manager in coordinating operational projects across multiple refugee sites, resulting in seamless implementation and enhanced impact.

Donor Compliance and Reporting: Ensured project teams adhered to donor requirements, delivering high-quality interventions, and maintaining donor confidence. Contributed to the preparation of detailed progress reports, showcasing achievements and lessons learned to donors and stakeholders.

Innovative Program Delivery: Introduced adaptive management approaches to improve program delivery, addressing challenges proactively and ensuring sustained impact. Supported the piloting of new tools and approaches, enhancing program relevance and efficiency.

Resource Mobilization: Assisted in identifying funding opportunities and successfully supported the development of proposals that secured resources for underfunded priority areas.

Impact on Refugee Communities: Contributed to the overall improvement in the quality of life for refugees by supporting the delivery of critical services, including education, health, and livelihoods programs, across the five camps.

Major Achievements

Comprehensive Child Protection Framework: Established and implemented a comprehensive child protection framework for Melkadida refugees, ensuring alignment with international standards and best practices. Facilitated multi-agency coordination, resulting in a cohesive and effective response to child protection concerns across the camp.

Community Engagement and Capacity Building: Led successful community-based initiatives to foster a safe and positive environment for children, including the formation of child protection committees and youth-led advocacy groups. Organized and delivered training sessions for over 200 community members and caregivers, enhancing their capacity to protect and support children at risk.

Resilience and Well-Being Programs: Designed and implemented child and caregiver resilience sessions, benefiting over 500 children and their families through psychosocial support and life skills programs. Regularly supervised child-friendly spaces, ensuring the availability of safe, age-appropriate activities and maintaining well-equipped facilities to promote children’s well-being.

Identification and Support for At-Risk Children: Identified and registered over 300 at-risk children, including unaccompanied minors, separated children, and those with special needs, linking them to essential services such as health, education, and psychosocial support. Advocated for and facilitated emergency interventions for children facing critical protection risks, ensuring timely support and care.

Program Monitoring and Improvement: Established robust monitoring mechanisms, including regular progress assessments and community feedback loops, to evaluate program impact and identify areas for improvement. Successfully integrated feedback from stakeholders into program adaptations, enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of child protection interventions.

Educational Material Development: Developed and disseminated culturally sensitive educational materials on child protection, empowering families and community leaders with practical knowledge to safeguard children.

Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: Strengthened partnerships with education, health, and WASH sectors to address the multi-faceted needs of children, ensuring a holistic approach to child protection. Conducted regular coordination meetings with agencies and community leaders to address gaps and streamline service delivery.

Advocacy and Awareness: Organized awareness-raising campaigns reaching over 1,000 community members, promoting child rights, and addressing harmful practices such as early marriage and child labor.

Reporting and Documentation: Produced high-quality, timely reports on program activities and outcomes, contributing to donor confidence and securing additional funding for child protection initiatives. Documented best practices and lessons learned, creating a repository of knowledge for continuous improvement in emergency child protection responses.

Impact on the Community: Enhanced the safety, resilience, and overall well-being of children in the Melkadida refugee camp by fostering a community-centered approach to child protection. Contributed to long-term capacity-building within the community, ensuring sustainable support for children in emergencies.

Major Achievements

Successful Project Implementation and Monitoring: Effectively implemented and monitored education programs in collaboration with refugee communities, ARRA, UNHCR, Woreda Education Office, and other partners, achieving all project targets on schedule. Established a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework, ensuring high-quality delivery of EiE interventions across the camp.

Capacity Development for Education Facilitators and Teachers: Conducted capacity-building training for over 120 primary school teachers and education facilitators, enhancing their skills in delivering inclusive and quality education in emergency settings. Introduced innovative teaching methods and tools to improve the quality of learning for refugee children.

Integration of Cross-Cutting Themes: Successfully integrated child protection, gender equality, disability inclusion, and life skills into all EiE project activities, ensuring holistic support for refugee learners. Promoted gender-sensitive approaches, increasing the participation and retention of girls in education programs by 35%.

Networking and Collaboration: Strengthened partnerships with child protection and education-focused organizations, establishing child-friendly learning spaces that served over 5,000 children across the refugee camp and host communities. Facilitated cross-sectoral collaboration with WASH and protection agencies to address barriers to education, such as inadequate sanitation facilities and protection risks for children.

Gap Identification and Response: Identified critical education sector gaps, such as a shortage of learning materials and inadequate classroom spaces, and advocated for resources, leading to the provision of 10 additional classrooms and 3,000 textbooks. Introduced flexible learning schedules to accommodate children engaged in income-generating activities, ensuring access to education for marginalized groups.

Documentation and Knowledge Sharing: Documented best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from the EiE project, creating a repository of resources to guide future programming and improve outcomes. Shared key insights and program updates with stakeholders through detailed weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports, enhancing transparency and donor confidence.

Improvement of Learning Environments: Established and maintained safe, child-friendly learning spaces equipped with appropriate teaching aids and recreational facilities, benefiting over 4,000 children. Ensured the inclusion of children with disabilities by providing assistive devices and inclusive teaching materials, enabling equitable access to education.

Advocacy and Resource Mobilization: Advocated for increased educational resources and support, securing additional funding to expand the EiE program to underserved areas in surrounding host communities. Successfully mobilized community leaders and parents to support education initiatives, resulting in increased enrollment and improved attendance rates.

Impactful Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement: Provided timely and detailed updates to the EiE Specialist and stakeholders, contributing to improved coordination and resource allocation for the education sector. Developed compelling program success stories, enhancing stakeholder engagement and showcasing the impact of EiE interventions.

Enhanced Educational Outcomes: Increased school enrollment by 40% and reduced dropout rates by addressing key barriers to education, including providing school meals, hygiene kits, and transportation services. Empowered refugee children with life skills and resilience-building activities, equipping them to navigate challenges in emergency contexts.