Violet Akinyi Oketch

 Violet Akinyi Oketch CONTACT P. O Box 78323 -00507 Nairobi Mobile number:- Email:- CAREER PROFILE Passionate professional with over 8 years of experience in implementing Early Childhood Development and Education projects and programmes planning and management, lobby and advocacy, community and county capacity building and cross-sectorial partnerships. Proven track record in coordinating and implementing large and small-scale donor funded ECD programmes in international organizations in partnership with communities and the government. Core knowledge and skills Teacher Capacity building Education research Coordination of teams Management of OVC programmes Child protection and inclusion Parenting education Monitoring, evaluation and learning Disability inclusion in projects Managing partnerships CAREER SYNOPSIS Opportunity International (OI)March 2019 to Date Education Specialist Technical expertise Responsible for supporting the development of affordable private schools for Education Quality programme in Edu Finance in collaboration with teams across Africa, focusing on the professional development of school leaders, mentors, and teachers to support effective management, teaching and learning, and supporting effective school development planning processes. Establish and manage a portfolio of affordable private school clusters Facilitate regular cluster meetings to train school leaders and teachers on best practices. Digital-based reporting and data collection on all program activities using collect Encourage Joint Practice Development so that innovations and best practices become embedded within teaching practices. Documentation and information sharing Preparation, review and submission of timely and quality donor reports including all aspects of programmatic, financial and contractual compliance. Effective monitoring, evaluation and learning from projects in the education programme to ensure effective documentation and dissemination of the organization’s work. Coordinate documentation and dissemination through effective communication products and campaigns, of evidence emanating from the organization programmes on the needs, rights and capacities of young children and their families. Women Education Researchers of Kenya (WERK) | March 2016- February 2019 ECD Program Manager Planning, budgeting and strategic development Mobilize and effectively manage resources for optimal education programme delivery through proposal writing and cost sharing with partners in line with organizational annual and long-term plans. Enhance children’s access to quality ECD services, through effectively managing investment of organization and donor-funded projects, in a timely and accountable way and in accordance with the donor requirements and the organization internal procedures and contract management guidelines. Promote the quality of rights-based programming through participation in the formulation and execution of programme activities, goals and approaches. Documentation and information sharing Preparation, review and submission of timely and quality donor reports including all aspects of programmatic, financial and contractual compliance. Effective monitoring, evaluation and learning from projects in the education programme to ensure effective documentation and dissemination of the organization’s work. Coordinate documentation and dissemination through effective communication products and campaigns, of evidence emanating from the organization programmes on the needs, rights and capacities of young children and their families. Participating in writing concept notes, documenting lessons learnt, best practices, case studies, and relevant reports for better programming. Education lobby, advocacy and partnerships Advocate and influence governments and development organizations to include the learning needs of children, including the development of collaborative operations with WERK’s key target implementing agencies. Together with other stakeholders, participate in outlining strategies and plans to ensure effective response to demands for Quality Education services, especially for vulnerable children and their parents in the marginalized communities in Kenya. Promote team-work through working closely with other project staff to create synergies, to enhance integration, optimum program delivery and the right of the child to education, protection and inclusion, health, sustainable and dignified livelihoods and participation in governance. Monitoring and evaluation Regularly support progress monitoring, documentation and reporting; and maintaining productive relationships with counterparts in ministries, funders, partners, and across RTI. Education Programme Coordination Supervise the technical teams in the county offices to support MOEST county officers, MoH county officials and TSC county officers to implement ECD programme approaches to promote effective local capacity building and sustainability. Participate in the mobilization and creation of the National technical committee to oversee the pilot programmes initiatives and promote ECD advocacy at the national level. RTI International, Kenya |December 2015 – March2016 Programme Specialist - Early Childhood Development Technical expertise Provide technical support for the development and management of Education programme initiatives and identify strategies to accelerate/improve project implementation. Guide the development of learning materials for children as well as instructional support materials for parents, teachers, head teachers, DICECEs instructional coaches and other GOK stake holders as necessary. Conduct and organize programme initiatives to provide ongoing technical support, to evaluate program effectiveness, identify obstacles and institute remedial measures, if needed. Provided technical support to the ministry and county governments in effectively planning, monitoring, and implementing policy interventions, including management of Education programmes, teacher training, capacity building and parental involvement. Information management and evaluation Promote knowledge management by drafting and finalizing sectoral documents and reports through orientation and training programmes targeted at national and county government authorities. Preparation, review and submission of timely and quality donor reports including all aspects of programmatic, financial and contractual compliance. Identify, develop, and harmonize effective early childhood education development approaches and materials. Identify innovative approaches and programmes to eliminating inequalities in early learning and to track progress towards disparity reduction in line with goals and targets in Education. Support the communication department in identifying and developing Education related advocacy, and communication strategies and messages, for increased programme profile among stakeholders and partners. Lobby and advocacy Advocate and influence governments and development organizations to include the learning needs of children, including the development of collaborative operations with Children Investment Fund Foundation and RTI International’s target implementing agencies. Conduct regular visits to maintain a clear understanding of field issues, make inferences and offer technical support to ensure a common understanding of Education programmes strategies. Education Development Trust |August 2011- October 2012 Training Facilitator Learning needs assessment Assess learning/development needs of schools in teacher instructional capacity and school governance. Mobilize and advocate for the right of the child to quality and affordable education in both rural and urban communities through awareness sessions, enrollment campaigns and sensitization meetings. Conduct training to teachers at the school level in EGRA AND EGMA and support professional development sessions for teachers and head teachers Support the design and implementation of a training and capacity building plan for the organization and partner staff in line with the Kenyan educational policies. ICT in Education Involved in the design and development of technology for effective schools operations custom-developed interactive SMS reporting technology, smart-phone applications, tablets and web-based support tools and data management. Monitoring and evaluation Enhance program effectiveness and efficiency through monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning including development and use of various information management tools. Conduct structured visits to every classroom and assist the teachers hands-on by conducting model lessons where/when necessary. Mentorship Provide leadership and mentoring to field staff through continuous feedback and performing annual appraisals. St. John’s Community Centre |- Teacher/Social Worker Preparation of professional records/teaching and learning materials Setting and conducting continuous assessment tests Document progress of the pupils Home visits for children in the sponsorship program. Conduct case studies for children who are in sponsorship program. Conducting counseling sessions Conduct life skills sessions with the children in and outside the school EDUCATION Ongoing: Kenyatta University: Master of Education (Early Childhood Development and Education-: Kenyatta University: Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Development and Education-: Thogoto Teacher’s College: P1 Teacher Certificate 2012 – Maranatha College of Professional Counseling: Certificate in OVC counseling LANGUAGE SKILLS English: Fluent written and oral Swahili: Fluent written and oral ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS Resource Mobilization (May 2010) - was part of a team that went to Norway to mobilize resources for secondary school sponsorship for needy bright girls at St Johns Community center. It was successful and many bright girls received secondary sponsorship. Conducted capacity building trainings for teachers, headteachers and School board of management to instill skills and attitudes necessary for the creation and maintenance of conducive learning environment for vulnerable children. COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL ENGAGEMENTS Member of the Teacher Service Commission REFERENCES Mrs. Emily Ombewa Regional coordinator Nairobi Education Development Trust Tel-,- Email:- Dominic Okullo Education Training specialist Tayari Program RTI International. Telephone:- Email:- Mr. Samuel Ogwang Coordinator APBET schools Tusome program Women Education Researchers of Kenya (WERK) Tel:- Email:-