Communities in Burkina Faso’s remote northern and eastern regions have long felt spurned by the central government in Ouagadougou. Following the end of President Blaise Compaoré’s 27-year rule in 2014, Burkina Faso entered a period of socio-political instability and has struggled to coordinate its response to the growing insecurity brought on by armed militant and…
1) Why do you think it is important to expand activities to Beni and Butembo? As a Congolese citizen, I’m aware of the challenges in various parts of my country, and in particular, in Beni and Butembo in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Approximately 1 million inhabitants of these cities face heightened insecurity from…
Exposure to violent and radical ISIS ideologies has damaged Syrian children’s mental health. In areas touched by violent extremism, transforming classrooms into mental health positive spaces that deliver psychosocial support can kickstart the healing process.
Michele Bradford currently serves as Chief of Party for the Libya Economic Acceleration Project (LEAP). Previously, she was the Team Leader for the RISA (Research and Innovation Systems for Africa) Fund, a regional program in Africa focused on research and innovation ecosystem strengthening. Michele is a governance specialist with more than 20 years designing, managing,…
Mayss Al Zoubi led the Technical Department of Injaz program. She is a youth development capacity building expert with more than 15 years of experience providing training, coaching, and technical assistance to individuals, teams, and organizations across the Middle East.
As chief of party for the USAID Digital Liberia and e-Government project, Vicki Cooper led efforts to strengthen Liberia’s health, education, and economic growth sectors through enhanced information, communication, and technology capabilities in the aftermath of the Ebola epidemic. 1. How can the global development community use lessons learned from the Ebola crisis in Liberia…
Ahmed Al Khameri is the Team Leader for the FCDO-funded programme, The Yemen Support Fund. Previously, he was Programme Director for the FCDO-funded Yemen Peacebuilding Program – Josoor, a four-year program to resolve local conflict and enhance social cohesion. Ahmed also served as a project manager for the FCDO’s Syria Education Program, Manahel. Prior to…
Mohammad Youssef is an expert in information security with 15 years of experience across the Middle East region and in conflict environments, including Syria, Turkey, Egypt, and Algeria with a variety of local and international companies in different sectors. He currently leads implementation in Syria to provide modern education support, stabilization, counter-violent extremism, and governance…
Based in Beirut, Alex Fischer is a conflict and stabilization professional serving as the Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in Chemonics’ U.K. Division. Alex brings nearly a decade of experience living, studying, and working in the Middle East, including in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, where he has…
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is an important economic activity in many rural areas, with a long tradition in Colombia. High rates of informality undermine governance, security, and legal economies, and cause significant environmental and social impacts. As the government of Colombia consolidates post-conflict conditions, the United States and Switzerland are providing assistance through…
Despite advances in rebuilding Lebanon’s physical, social, and economic infrastructure, many Lebanese citizens experience inadequate access to public services and economic opportunities. The Syrian conflict has placed additional strain on communities, reducing cross-border trade and bringing an estimated 1.5 million refugees to Lebanon. Host-community fatigue and tensions over resources and livelihoods are mounting. In response,…
The ACCELERE!1 (A!1) project improved educational outcomes for girls and boys through enhanced teaching in national languages and French, reduced barriers to education, and increased transparency of school governance structures. This was accomplished by A!1’s income-generating activities and community savings groups approach, which helped parents secure a more affordable education for their children.