Lydia Anne

 Lydia Bwana-- - INTRODUCTION Personal Profile A knowledgeable and dedicated professional with over 6 years of experience having worked in different positions and recently worked as a Study Coordinator with Kakenya Dreams. I am excellent at working with others to achieve certain objectives. I possess exceptional interpersonal, communication and staff management skills, demonstrated during a history of building and maintaining positive working relationships. I am also adept at facilitating growth by developing various levels of the organization and building cohesive teams, and I collaborate effectively with senior management to align defined objectives to achieve mission-critical results. I am reliable and dependable and often seek new responsibilities within a wide range of employment areas. I desire to work in a highly competitive and dynamic organization specializing in providing the quality standard to enable me to gain exposure in shaping me to face current needs. WORK EXPERIENCE Study Coordinator Kakenya's Dreams • Nov 2022 – Dec 2022 I was privileged to be part of the Kakenya's Dreams Jijue program again, for the Middle-line Evaluation. Jijue program is a Health and Leadership program that equips boys and girls in selected schools within Migori, Kisii and Kilgoris County; with information about their bodies, health, rights and life skills. For this project I designed and conducted literature review on the project’s study tools I conducted training and reviewed data collection tools with the field team I coordinated the data collection process to a success I successfully screened eligible study participants Administered consents to the selected study participants I kept proper documentation of all field logistics records I successfully conducted qualitative interviews with the several groups of participant-Jijue Health program Pupils and Jijue representative teachers in Kisii and Migori Counties, while adhering to research ethics codes and guidelines I transcribed verbatim and translated audio recorded data I successfully analyzed the data using Nvivo I wrote detailed field report with improvement suggestions for future studies Supervisor Population Council • Aug 2022 – Sep 2022 I was engaged in the organization's Digitally Enabled, Equipped, Supervised and Compensated [DESC] project, which was conducted together with Living Goods Kenya. The main objectives of the study were to assess the impact of DESC-enabled Community Health Workers program on the utilization of community level Maternal, Newborn and Child Health services [MNCH], including integrated Community case Management [iCCM] and factors affecting the effective implementation of the program in Kisumu County. I coordinated the Qualitative Team through this project. As a supervisor, I conducted a week-long training to get the study team to familiarize with the project's objectives and goals I conducted literature review on the various study tools I managed field work activities, and ensured successful data collection process with the various groups of eligible participants I built and maintained successful working relationships with the involved stakeholders I screened and consented selected eligible study participants I successfully conducted Key Informant interviews with Community Health Extension Workers, Living Goods staff, County and Sub-County Focal persons; while following research ethics guidelines I managed to complete Focused Group Discussions with Community Health Workers in Control and Intervention sites within Kisumu County, within the given study timeline I wrote daily field reflections on the experiences and challenges faced during data collection period, and later on wrote a comprehensive report on the same at the end of the study period I oversaw the transcription process of the audios collected during the study, and performed quality checks I successfully analyzed data collected using Nvivo and presented the analyzed charts for final reporting Supervisor Population Council • Jun 2022 – Jul 2022 During this period, I was engaged by the organization in the Mitigating Neo-natal Mortality Project. I was tasked with attending the training which lasted for five days, to familiarize with the project's goals and objectives-to contribute to reduction in young infant deaths by strengthening community health systems, to improve uptake of Possible Bacterial Infections [PSBI] services and to assess the reach, fidelity, adoption, and sustainability of implementation of Possible Bacterial Infection guidelines in the context of COVID-19 in Kenya. I was assigned Busia County, Teso North Sub-County as my study site. As supervisor in this project, I coordinated the Qualitative teams in Busia and Migori Counties during data collection and transcription period I translated and conducted literature review on the study tools I visited several Levels of health facilities-Private Health Facility, Health Center, Dispensary and Sub-County Hospital; and conducted three Key Informant interviews with PSBI champions, Sub-County Focal person and Community Focal person I conducted Focused Group Discussions with Community Health Volunteers linked to the facilities I also interviewed three caregivers with infants 0-59 days old who had been sick the previous three months I later on transcribed verbatim and translated the audios recorded and presented the transcripts for analysis I wrote detailed field logistics and study reports, citing challenges and recommendations Research Assistant The Population Council Kenya • Oct 2021 – Mar 2022 I worked on the COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Amongst Healthcare Workers project, whose main objective was to understand the reasons behind most health care workers within Kenya, were against or hesitant to get vaccinated against the Corona Virus. The outcome of the study was aimed assisting the Kenyan government understand the different and most successful ways they could use to ensure a larger population of her citizen get vaccinated. For this project, I attended a rigorous five days virtual training to familiarize with the study objectives and goals. I participated in the recruitment of eligible study participants Administered consents, and successful conducted quantitative phone interviews with different health care workers-doctors, clinicians, nurses and heads of various departments in different hospitals within the country I wrote field reflections, challenges and suggestions on how to improve phone surveys moving forward, at the end of the study period. Supervisor Kakenya's Dreams • Aug 2021 – Sep 2021 I led a group of Researchers in conducting data collection and evaluation of the Jijue Program, for Kakenya Dream in Narok County, Kenya. The Jijue program is an on-going program which is aimed at educating adolescent girls and boys from grade 6, 7 and 8; in various schools within Kilgoris, Narok County-Kenya, about several issues that are affecting them individually or as groups. The project aims at teaching the adolescents about Sexual Reproductive Health, Gender Equality, and Harmful Cultural Practices amongst other things. I coordinated with the Kakenya Dreams team, in Kilgoris in identifying study sites I conducted evaluations with Jijue program facilitators and the heads of programs, within the various schools participating in the program I supervised the quantitative team through their data collection process I successfully conducted qualitative interviews with groups of boys and girls, to get their extensive views on the challenges they face and the changes they have witnessed since the commencement of the Jijue Programs; and of course, the recommendations on how to make the project better. I carefully and accurately documented and filed relevant filed paper work I transcribed and analyzed the data collected. Study Coordinator Population Council • Jun 2020 – Jul 2021 I participated in the Pericoital LNG1.5MG project; which was about assessing the feasibility and acceptability of provision of Pericoital LNG 1.5mg as an on-demand contraceptive method through and online platform. The main objectives of the study were to identify self-reported side effects associated with Pericoital use of Pericoital LNG 1.5mg, understand women’s perception of Pericoital LNG 1.5mg use, versus other family planning method and understand provider’s perspective on provision of Pericoital LNG1.5mg. While on this project I designed, reviewed and prepared data collection tools I coordinated the study team for the 12 months data collection period I screened, consented and enrolled eligible participants for the study I successfully received 15 plus calls from potential participants and addressed their questions and concerns satisfactorily I conducted follow-up quantitative phone interviews using ODK Collect on recruited participants while following research protocols, and successfully conducted qualitative phone interviews, transcribed and translated verbatim the audios recorded I wrote and presented bi-weekly study progress reports I prepared a variety of reports, presentations, tables, lists, charts, data sets, and diagrams for information to facilitate the in-depth analysis Research Assistant Population Council • Mar 2020 – May 2020 Within those three months I participated in conducting surveys for the Corona Virus KAP Survey. The project was done with the interest of finding out if the government’s response to the pandemic is effective in urban slum dwellings. The data collected was to be geared towards helping the government in adapting much more effective interventions in these areas. As a Research Assistant in this project, I reviewed data collection tools I conducted phone surveys with 15-20 respondents daily I gave detailed daily reports on respondents contacted and outcomes of each I analyzed data collected and presented the findings in charts and graphs at the end of the data collection period Research Assistant Population Council • Oct 2019 – Dec 2019 Within this period, I was part of the team conducting The Child Health Project. The objective of the project was to determine how best to provide integrated WHO's standards of Quality of Care and family centered respectful newborn, infant and young childcare up to 0-2 years in resource constrained settings. I was stationed at Bungoma Referral Hospital. While executing my duties, I screened and consented eligible study participants, conducted In-depth interviews with parents and care givers with sick young infants born with serious medical conditions or premature and were currently receiving care in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Unit Care [NICU] Offered conducted counselling services to caregivers with sick infants in NICU I conducted Focused Group Discussions with both male and female parents and caregivers of sick young infants I transcribed verbatim the audios recorded Prepared and filed study documents I wrote field reports on the experienced challenges faced during data collection, and suggested mitigations for the same Research Assistant Population Council • Jul 2019 – Aug 2019 I participated in the Quality of Care for Possible Serious Bacterial Infections [PSBI] project; which was done in Bungoma and the Coastal regions of Kenya. I worked at the Coast. The project was about evaluating the quality of care given by Community Health Volunteers [CHVs] to pregnant women in their second trimester till they deliver and caregivers of infants between 0-59 days; while focusing on the possible serious bacterial infections and the symptoms to watch out for. The objective of the project was to find ways of improving the quality of care given to these two groups and the community at large. I identified and monitored the substantive aspect of the work of the Unit in Kilifi County observing the CHVs while they gave services to the eligible respondents I conducted follow up In-depth interviews with Community Extension Workers [CHEW], the pregnant women and caregivers I wrote detailed reports on the observations I translated and transcribe verbatim the audios collected during Focused Group Discussions [FGDs] with the Post Natal Care and Ante Natal Care women. Transcriptionist/Translator Reinit Research Institute • Apr 2019 – May 2019 The study was an evaluation which was aimed at assessing the scope, effectiveness, efficiency, quality and other aspects of the family planning work implemented by CHASE AFRICA'S local partners. Research Assistant African Population and Health Research Center • Jan 2019 – Mar 2019 The In Their Hands project is a project about a platform that's created by Marie Stopes Kenya to provide sexual reproductive health [SRH], services to girls living in Kenya's informal settlements and some rural areas. . Research Assistant The Population Council • Sep 2018 – Dec 2018 I was privileged to be part of the team conducting the NIA project; which was implemented by Zana Africa and Plan International in partnership with Population Council; is a set of interventions analyzing the effect of distributing sanitary pads and provision of Reproductive Health Education on girls' education and reproductive health outcomes; in Ganze, Magarini and Kaloleni in the coastal region of Kenya. Research Assistant The Population Council • Jun 2018 – Aug 2018 The Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancies (STEP-UP); was a longitudinal study with a baseline, mid-line and end line study- done between 2016 and 2018; on developing and validating measures of unintended pregnancies and reasons for contraceptive non-use, which was implemented under STEP-UP research programme consortium. The study was done in Homa Bay County-Rachuonyo North, Rachuonyo South and Ndhiwa. Research Assistant The Population Council • Jan 2018 – Jun 2018 The Nisikilize Tujengane [NISITU] project whose main objectives were to improve gender norms among young people and reduce sexual violence and harassment among adolescent boys and young men via girl centered male engagement programmes and provide appropriate policy guidelines and interventions for institutions willing to support adolescent girls, boys and young men. Transcriptionist/Translator Royal Tropical Institute and John Snow Inc. • Apr 2017 – Aug 2017 Research Assistant Concern Worldwide Kenya • Mar 2014 – Jun 2016 For the two years mentioned, I worked with Concern Worldwide on their Indicator Development for surveillance of urban emergencies-IDSUE; project. E D U C AT I O N Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Sociology University of Nairobi • Jan 2009 – Dec 2011 Diploma in Public Relations University of Nairobi • Jan 2008 – Dec 2008 Certificate in Public Relations University of Nairobi • Jan 2007 – Dec 2007 SKILLS Research planning, Problem solving, Ability to coordinate, Documentation and record keeping, Data collection, Teamwork, Qualitative methods, Quantitative methods, Data analysis, Leadership skills, Office tools (MS office, open office, etc.), Execution and delivery Efficiency, Time management, scheduling and reporting, Good interpersonal and people skills. R E F E R E N C E S George Okoth Odwe, Research Associate, Population Council Kenya. Telephone: - Email:- Timothy Abuya, Associate, Reproductive Health Program, Population Council, Kenya. Telephone: - Email:- Wesley Onsongo, Colleague, Telephone: - Email:-