Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
References
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Debora Frank Mwenga

Dar es Salaam

Summary

Public Health Professional with a proven record of leading impactful initiatives for the well-being of children and youth in HIV prevention and care. Having designed and executed integrated programs, leveraging vulnerability assessments and mapping tools to inform targeted strategies, while elevating service quality, resulting in improved program efficacy. Championed the integration of adolescent-friendly interventions into health plans, while mentoring individuals for personal growth and inclusion, established youth clubs, designed SOPs, and conducted transformative training sessions for healthcare providers.

Professional technical advisor with robust experience in delivering high-impact solutions and strategic guidance. Strong emphasis on team collaboration, adaptability to changing needs, and achieving measurable results. Skilled in problem-solving, system optimization, and project management with focus on driving technological advancements and operational efficiencies. Reliable and flexible, excelling in fast-paced environments and consistently meeting organizational goals.

Overview

12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Senior Technical Advisor - Adolescents and Youth

FHI360 EpiC Project
12.2023 - Current
  • Oversee the design and roll-out of a package of HIV prevention, care and treatment services targeting Adolescents and Youth including demand creation activities, HIV testing and counseling, linkage to care, referral for family planning, creation of safe spaces and expanded access to adolescent-friendly health services; PrEP and GBV screening.
  • Implement use of a vulnerability index and Male characterization tools to understand risks of Adolescents and Youth; utilize mapping tools to understand HIV acquisition among Adolescents and Youth.
  • Lead efforts to strengthen quality of demand generation and service provision for Adolescents and Youth.
  • Strengthen capacity of and provide technical support to Tanzanian civil society organization (CSO) partners to deliver the above services.
  • Ensure that project strategies and activities addressing youth are evidence-based and in line with state-of-the-art, globally recognized best practices, as well as aligned with GOT, PEPFAR and EpiC standards, protocols and guidelines.
  • Ensure that the project engages youth in all stages of the project to promote youth leadership and ensure that youth perspectives are taken into consideration.
  • Promote integration across a range of services for youth to take a holistic, family-centered approach to improving their wellbeing-
  • Ensure all youth-focused strategies are gender-sensitive and promote equitable programming.
  • Liaise with GoT counterparts, service providers, CSO partners and stakeholders to ensure activities are well coordinated with other national and regional programs.
  • Develop and/or contribute to technical briefs, reports, guidelines and other materials.
  • Promote integration across a range of services for youth to take a holistic, family-centered approach to improving their wellbeing-
  • Ensure all youth-focused strategies are gender-sensitive and promote equitable programming.
  • Increased team productivity by implementing efficient project management methodologies tailored to unique challenges faced in each project.
  • Streamlined processes by identifying redundancies and implementing necessary improvements.
  • Mentored junior staff members, fostering a supportive environment for professional growth and development.
  • Developed innovative solutions for complex technical issues, resulting in improved overall functionality.
  • Conducted regular training sessions for team members on new technologies or tools, keeping them up-to-date on industry developments.
  • Delivered exceptional results under tight time constraints while balancing competing priorities effectively.
  • Consistently achieved project objectives within budgetary constraints through diligent financial management efforts.
  • Evaluated emerging technologies for potential integration into existing systems, driving innovation within the organization.
  • Established strong relationships with clients, ensuring their satisfaction with delivered services and cultivating long-term partnerships.
  • Enhanced system performance by conducting comprehensive technical analyses and providing strategic recommendations.
  • Ensured clear communication between stakeholders by translating complex technical concepts into easily digestible terms.
  • Served as primary point of contact for triaging technical issues.
  • Reviewed technical guidelines to verify compliance with information security standards and best practices.
  • Contributed technical oversight to assist team project fulfillment.

Senior Technical Officer- Adolescent Girls and Young women (AGYW) - EpiC Project

FHI 360
03.2020 - 11.2023
  • Drove the design and execution of an integrated HIV prevention and care program for AGYW, including health service demand creation, HIV testing, care linkage, family planning referrals, safe spaces establishment, and GBV screening.
  • Employed a vulnerability index to assess the unique risks faced by AGYW, and skillfully leveraged mapping tools to gain insights into patterns of HIV acquisition within this demographic.
  • Pioneered the enhancement of demand creation strategies and service delivery quality dedicated to AGYW, culminating in marked improvements in overall service efficacy.
  • Amplified the capabilities of Tanzanian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as essential partners by providing targeted technical support and capacity-building initiatives, facilitating their proficient delivery of services.
  • Advocated for the holistic well-being of AGYW by fostering synergistic integration across a spectrum of services, underpinned by a family-centered approach that transcended the conventional boundaries of care.
  • Navigated collaborative relationships with government counterparts, service providers, CSO allies, and stakeholders, ensuring the harmonization of activities with concurrent national and regional programs.
  • Produced and contributed to the development of technical briefs, reports, guidelines, and diverse materials to effectively disseminate project insights and advancements.
  • Assumed a pivotal role in the evaluation phase of engaging new CSOs for project execution, conducting meticulous technical assessments as part of pre-award evaluations.
  • Formulated a comprehensive subgrantee work plans and budgets, contributing significantly to the strategic planning and execution of project components.

Program Officer Adolescent Services

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)
02.2016 - 03.2020
  • Spearheaded, planned, and executed initiatives addressing challenges faced by adolescents and youth in designated regions, while coordinating and conducting comprehensive supportive supervision for regions and facilities implementing adolescent interventions.
  • Collaborated with the Ministry of Health's RCH section to orchestrate advocacy meetings with regional, council, religious, and community leaders, driving the integration of adolescent-friendly service interventions into Councils Comprehensive Health Plans (CCHP).
  • Identified knowledge gaps and current sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of adolescents in collaboration with district staff, supporting site personnel in delivering targeted SRH services.
  • Guaranteed availability and dissemination of pertinent national policies, guidelines, strategies, protocols, and SOPs related to RCH/adolescent and youth, facilitating their utilization within the EGPAF framework.
  • Mentored, coached, and provided support to individual adolescents and youth, fostering personal, social, and educational growth, while promoting social inclusion and the implementation of CECAP services.
  • Crafted and executed site-level implementation plans for adolescents and youth services, closely monitored progress, and documented and reported program activities on a quarterly and annual basis, providing insights into achievements, challenges, and future strategies.
  • Collaborated closely with the Training and Capacity Building department, contributing to the planning and facilitation of pediatric and child health-related trainings regionally and nationally.
  • Partnered with the SIE department to rigorously monitor progress toward adolescent and youth targets, enhancing documentation and reporting along the adolescent and youth HIV cascade.
  • Captured lessons learned, best practices, and success stories related to adolescent-friendly health interventions, compiling valuable insights for sharing.
  • Led the design and development of an upcoming book addressing the stigma and disclosure challenges experienced by adolescents and youths living with HIV.

Program Officer - Community Engagement

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) – Mtwara Project Office
04.2013 - 02.2016
  • Pioneered the establishment of 72 adolescent and youth clubs for both general adolescents and those living with HIV, alongside 15 groups for AGYW in Igunga DC.
  • Devised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for adolescent and youth clubs, along with an outreach session guide, effectively facilitating the dissemination of SRH information within the community.
  • Orchestrated the comprehensive training of 25 SRH Trainer of Trainees, as well as over 200 healthcare workers, imparting knowledge about adolescent friendly SRH services.
  • Coordinated and executed 4 Ariel camps, offering valuable support for children and adolescents living with HIV across EGPAF supported regions.
  • Documented and shared best practices and success stories from project implementation, including active tracing of ARV defaulters, retention of HIV-positive pregnant and lactating women through mother support groups, and the impact of adolescent-friendly services on motorcycle riders' uptake of SRH services.
  • Achieved remarkable retention of HIV-positive pregnant women and lactating mothers through mother support groups (MSGs).
  • Highlighted the pivotal role of children's Psychosocial support clubs in sustaining children's engagement in care, exemplified at Nyangao Hospital, Lindi.
  • Explored the tangible impact of Adolescent-friendly services among motorcycle riders, titled "End of unprotected sexual intercourse: A case study of motorcycle drivers (youth) at Mwika Health Center, Kilimanjaro."
  • Illustrated the substantial influence of community involvement on the uptake of SRH services, as exemplified by the case of Lusu Dispensary. Nzeea district.

Education

Master of Science - Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation in Health

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)
01.2020

Bachelor - Community Development (Management of community programs)

Tengeru Institute of Community Development
01.2011

Skills

  • Advocacy & Integration
  • Stakeholders & Community Engagement
  • Training and mentoring
  • Best practice implementation
  • Technical training leadership
  • Problem-solving
  • Attention to detail
  • Reliability, adaptability and flexibility
  • Organizational skills
  • Effective communication
  • Remote technical support
  • Team building, teamwork and collaboration

Accomplishments


  • Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Program: Designed and executed a comprehensive program for AGYW, including HIV prevention, care and treatment, family planning and GBV.
  • Improved Demand Creation and Service Quality: Enhanced demand creation strategies and service delivery quality for adolescents and youth, leading to significant improvements in overall service effectiveness.
  • Strengthened Civil Society Organizations (CSOs): Provided targeted technical support and capacity-building to Tanzanian CSOs, enabling them to effectively increase reach and deliver services among adolescents and youth.
  • Holistic Well-being Advocacy: Advocated for holistic well-being by integrating various services and adopting a family-centered approach beyond conventional care boundaries.
  • Effective Collaboration: Fostered collaborative relationships with government counterparts, service providers, CSOs, and stakeholders to align activities with national and project priorities.
  • Dissemination of Insights: Produced technical briefs, reports, SOPs and guidelines to effectively share project insights and advancements.
  • Strategic Planning: Formulated comprehensive subgrantee work plans and budgets, contributing significantly to the project's strategic planning and execution.

References

Joseph, Ng’washemi, Technical Director - EpiC Project, JNqwashemi@fhi360.org, FHI 360, Karibu Street, Off Haile Selassie Road, Oysterbay, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, P.O. Box 78082, OASIS Office Park | Plot No 14/15 | 5th Floor

Certification

Training

  • Leadership and management Training - Three month online course by the University of Washington e-Learning Program (eDGH)

Timeline

Senior Technical Advisor - Adolescents and Youth

FHI360 EpiC Project
12.2023 - Current

Senior Technical Officer- Adolescent Girls and Young women (AGYW) - EpiC Project

FHI 360
03.2020 - 11.2023

Program Officer Adolescent Services

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)
02.2016 - 03.2020

Program Officer - Community Engagement

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) – Mtwara Project Office
04.2013 - 02.2016

Bachelor - Community Development (Management of community programs)

Tengeru Institute of Community Development

Master of Science - Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation in Health

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)

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Debora Frank Mwenga