Introducing Our New Volunteer
Nyemachi Nworgu recently joined the SHARE team as our Research Communications and Monitoring Volunteer. She tells us about herself and what she'll be working on.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Last year I graduated with a masters in Political Economy of Development from SOAS. During this time I also undertook a short placement in Rwanda with Tearfund, working on projects specifically aimed at rural development. I worked in two villages in the town of Muhanga, conducting work on environmental preservation, human nutrition and sustainable livelihoods. I also worked on drafting project proposals for donors and undertook monitoring and evaluation of previous projects that had been carried out.
What attracted you to this role?
SHARE’s motivation to influence policy through its research into the WASH sector is what stood out to me. I am impressed with the wide range of research that SHARE manages to encompass from WASH and markets, nutrition to pro-poor targeting. I am passionate about international development and so I feel the role as Research, Communications and Monitoring volunteer will give me a great understanding into the work that can be done within the sector.
What are you most looking forward to about working at SHARE?
I am looking forward to working with SHARE to learn more about their research projects and how they work with their partner institutions to achieve targets. I am keen to better understand the relationship between academic research and how it informs policy makers. Additionally, I am excited to learn more about communications and its effectiveness within the international development sphere. I am also looking forward to learning about different forms of research methods and outcome mapping.
What will you be working on for the next few months?
I will be working closely on research uptake and ultimately how this feeds into developing relevant communications aimed at influencing policy and informing stakeholders. This will specifically involve working on changes and updates to the SHARE website and increasing SHAREs reach on social platforms. I will be looking at our monitoring and evaluation procedures and ways in which we can better improve the systems in place. I will also be conducting work specifically aimed at SHARE’s annual report.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Outside of work I enjoy swimming and dance. I am currently involved in a social enterprise called Ubuntu Platform which looks at creating a network to engage young professionals in the UK with young people in Africa. The aim is to build African communities by investing in the gifts and talents of young Africans.