Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

NAMALA GRACE

Gayaza

Summary

As a professional nutritionist with a solid academic background in nutrition, I have gained five years hands on experience in implementing both normal and emergency humanitarian response intervention in hospital, host and refugee settings using multi-sector approaches. I have skills and experience in; Integrated Management of Malnutrition, Community MIYCAN, Social behavioral change, health system strengthening, Advocacy, livelihood, WASH, child protection and Gender.

Overview

8
8
years of professional experience
15
15
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Community Nutrition Officer, Specialist

AVSI Foundation
09.2022 - Current
  • Maracha, Koboko and Yumbe districts
  • UNICEF’s funded project on Health System Strengthening on Integrated Reproductive Maternal New-born Child Adolescent Health, HIV and Nutrition services in West Nile districts, Lamwo and Kiryandongo in a bid to strengthen community platforms to implement actions for improved nutrition for Social Behavioral Change communication strategy (SBCC) and Key Family Care Practices, using the MoH-guided care group approach to implement the Community MIYCAN
  • Responsibilities;
  • Provide technical guidance and support for essential nutrition action interventions in the community for women, adolescents, infants, and young children by collaborating with health workers, village health teams, care group models, sub-county, parish and village stakeholders to advocate for improved nutrition practices as well as prevention and early identification and management of malnutrition in beneficiary communities
  • Support DLGs in community mobilization and engagement for nutrition actions (to include; community dialogues, community action planning, documentation of community feeding trails and recipe formulations, home visits, peer to peer support mechanisms among others)
  • Support Adolescent participation in VHT quarterly and district review meetings to advocate for Adolescent specific issues with guidance from District adolescent focal persons, health assistants and community development officers
  • Support DLGs to carry out capacity building activities for frontline community based service providers (i.e
  • VHTs, CHEWS, CDOs, PDCs, FAL instructors, Agriculture extension workers) on MIYCAN, ECD, Family Led MUAC and Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture
  • Support DLGs in the identification and training of informal groups as change agents for Nutrition SBCC
  • Support coordination and implementation of the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies and deworming activities, including Integrated Child Health Days, integrated outreach, school health with focus on increased uptake of Vitamin A and deworming
  • Support Nutritional care for pregnant and lactating women and adolescents living in both refugee and host communities including; monitoring the daily supplementation with iron and folic acid for women during pregnancy as well as utilizing pregnancy mapping information from the VHTs
  • Establish and or strengthen program for community-based rehabilitation of malnourished (moderate and severe acute) children including those living with HIV/AIDS, in emergency (refugees) and host communities through the existing or established Mother Care Groups among other approaches and active case finding and linkage to care
  • Coordinate with the health facilities/health workers and VHTS to Establish and support SFP/OTC/ITC follow up systems through defaulter tracking, home visit follow-ups, for non-responders, new born care, immunization, vitamin A supplementation as well as pregnancy mapping
  • Support and participate in the building of capacity of community owned resources persons, VHTs, Mother Care Groups on MIYCAN and IYCF, identification and follow up of sick and malnourished children
  • This includes supporting establishment of kitchen gardens and conducting food demonstrations
  • Participate and support joint routine mass nutrition screening in both refugee and host including the implementation of family led MUAC assessments in the community to increase active case finding for malnourished children and ensure appropriate referral and reporting of findings
  • Participate in relevant coordination meetings, collaborate and build strong relationships with the district local governments and other implementing partners
  • Contribute towards AVSI monitoring, Evaluation Learning, Adapting and knowledge management activities, specifically ensuring quality data capture into DHIS2
  • In collaboration with the Health Assistants support the VHTs in accurate/ timely compilation and submission of quarterly ICCM community reports with all the nutrition indicators reported in HIMS 097a/b
  • Support in monitoring the implementation of the care group activities through relevant data collection, update of mother care group database, monthly/quarterly update of the care group out-put and process indicators, record progress, success stories and lessons learnt
  • Work with the AVSI nutrition, , nutrition officers, regional referral nutritionist, regional and district national mentors/coaches, district nutritionists, district nutrition focal persons, CSDOs, the DHMTs and health in-charges of the selected facilities to strengthen nutrition implementation at community level.

Social Behavioral Change Officer

Save the Children
01.2022 - 07.2022
  • Madi-okollo, Terego and Arua districts
  • A WFP- funded project implementing Child Sensitive Social Protection (CSSP) Programme on NutriCash (Nutrition Sensitive Cash Transfers), Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), District Local Government (DLG) capacity strengthening, gender and protection and market facilitation
  • In eight (8) districts of Westnile; Obongi, Moyo, Adjumani, Yumbe, Koboko, Arua, Madi-Okollo and Terego including the Refugee settlements in watersheds under the DRDIP project
  • Responsibilities;
  • Support and participate in planning, implementation and integration of social protection activities with SBCC components
  • Participate in district local government engagements and capacity strengthening with support from the senior social protection staffs
  • Work with the Social protection team to develop meaningful nutrition communication messaging aimed at promoting the consumption of more nutritious food
  • Participate in project identification, beneficiary targeting, community mobilisation, sensitization and joint monitoring
  • Sensitize beneficiaries under the nutri-cash on their entitlements and how to properly utilize the money
  • Identifying and training of “frontline” SBC implementers that is local government and nutrition partner staff (ToTs) on SBC approaches using the care group model so that they cascade the information to the care groups & VHTs
  • Support the development of job aids, guides & materials to enable cascade of key messages to beneficiaries using the defined approaches
  • Support community experiential nutrition demonstration & behavioural counselling engagements by the community resource persons such as the VHTs & project staff
  • Effective and efficient delivery of the nutrition activities and cash-based interventions of the Nutri-cash project
  • Conduct monthly module trainings for the care group volunteers on key nutrition themes alongside financial literacy and kitchen gardening
  • Participate in baseline, mid-term and end-line assessments e.g
  • Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM), Food Security and Needs Assessment (FSNA), Vulnerability Assessment
  • Community mobilization, sensitization, and education, through Health Education sessions at health facilities, Community dialogue meetings, home visits to service delivery
  • Provision of technical support in the provision of MIYCAN services including supporting joint planning with the community, distribution of IEC materials such as policies
  • Identify and build capacity of health workers and community structures such as VHTs and care groups on child protection, Social dynamics, leadership conflict management, peace building and VSLA Village Saving & Loans Association

Project Officer

Save the Children
12.2019 - 01.2019
  • Arua Field Office
  • A WFP- funded project implementing quality nutrition activities; Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) and Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) activities in Rhino camp
  • Responsibilities;
  • Being dedicated as a Nutrition Coordinator has provided me a great opportunity to build my capacity in the managerial field through increasing my understanding in areas around planning, organizing, reporting, leading and budgeting
  • As a field team leader, I have showcased leadership skills like; teamwork and collaboration, coaching, problem-solving, decision-making, and effective communication among others
  • With an aim of strengthening and expanding livelihood to beneficiaries, supported the establishments of both demonstration and home kitchen gardens
  • Supported cash programming through participating in the registration, verification, and distribution of cash to the target beneficiaries and financial literacy to aid in the effective use of money
  • Lead the formation of care groups and build the capacity of district officials, VHTs, health workers and the selected care group volunteers on care group approach
  • Support the development of nutrition projects, workplans, ensuring alignment with wider government and WFP nutrition policies and guidance
  • Ensuring registration of new beneficiaries for MCHN/cash program by following strictly the protocols and provide individual nutrition counselling based on the nutrition status, age of the child/pregnancy stage, provide information on the MCHN activities, the use of the ration
  • Ensuring adequate and quality management of acute malnutrition cases among children from 6-59 months, pregnant and lactating women while maintaining independence of SFP in terms of its implementation protocol and monthly performance indicators are within acceptable sphere standards
  • Ensuring nutrition follow-up of each beneficiary based on the strict admission and exit criteria, identify potential discrepancy and correct them accordingly; refer the case to the health facility or TSFP in case of need
  • Ensuring adequate and quality management of acute malnutrition cases among children from 6-59 months, pregnant and lactating women
  • Implementation of quality nutrition services including; community sensitization, training of VHTs, Lead mothers and Health Volunteers,
  • Conducting community dialogues, IYCF counselling, active case finding through routine screening, health education and management of acute malnutrition
  • Actively participating and supervising door to door mass screening (Weight for Height) for both under 5s and pregnant and lactating women in order to assess the GAM rates in the catchment area., this is carried out on a quarterly basis
  • Liaise with implementing partners (internal and external) and government to monitor ongoing projects, ensuring effective collaboration, timeliness and efficiency, and highlight potential risks to project delivery.

Community Based Facilitator

Action Against hunger
08.2018 - 01.2019
  • Kiryandongo Field Base
  • World Food Program and Swedish International Development Agency projects of Emergency Nutrition Response and Supplementary Feeding Program among the south Sudanese refugees using the Care Group Approach
  • Responsibilities;
  • Mapping, verification and linkage of programme beneficiaries (care group members) and ensuring that the targeted beneficiaries are sensitized on key essential nutrition actions, maternal and infant and young child feeding and prevention of hygiene related disease through cooking demonstrations, trainings, education sessions and community dialogues
  • Delivering trainings to care group members after identifying nutrition related training needs on nutrition and health followed by monitoring of beneficiary knowledge and skills uptake and replication
  • Ensuring cascading effect of the care group approach to strengthen linkages of care group members
  • Work closely with nutrition assistants to conduct home visits to beneficiaries to identify household nutrition related challenges and address them accordingly like referring some of the cases to the health facility for further health, nutrition care and support
  • Render support in the development and dissemination of relevant IEC materials on Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices
  • Supporting Supplementary Feeding Programs and Maternal and Child Health Nutrition by distributing fortified food to beneficiaries to address MAM clients and provide preventative measures to individuals at risk of malnutrition respectively in health facilities and communities
  • Ensure integration of IYCF services within existing health services by supporting health facilities with established IYFC corners to promote optimal IYCF practices among children less than two years, pregnant and lactating mothers according to IYCF guidelines
  • Actively participate and supervise door to door mass screening (Weight for Height) for both under 5s and pregnant and lactating women in order to assess the GAM rates in the catchment area., this is carried out on a quarterly basis
  • Offer support in health hygiene and sanitation promotion activities conducted at community level within the project catchment area
  • Reporting once a week on previously set activities and objectives and monthly monitoring reports to the Community Nutrition Officer and contribute to formulating programme reports and proposal
  • Actively participating in events organized in the refugee and host community setting and do any other duties assigned to me by the nutrition assistant.

Intern

Action Against hunger
01.2018 - 04.2018
  • Kiryandongo Field Base
  • Bureau of population and refugee migration Project of
  • Vitamin and Mineral Powders and providing treatment and preventive care for the malnourished and livelihood
  • Responsibilities;
  • Distributed Vitamin and Mineral Powders (VMPs) to address anaemia and micro nutrient deficiencies in both the refugee and host community as a component of the existing national IYCF strategy
  • Supported health workers and VHTs to ensure early identification, referral and management of malnutrition among south Sudanese refugees and the host community
  • Sensitized targeted beneficiaries on key essential nutrition actions like IYCF, WASH through cooking demonstrations and community dialogues
  • Supported the development of Information, Education and Communication materials and endured that they are disseminated to target beneficiaries
  • Organized for VHT meetings on a monthly basis and shared achievements, challenges and solutions
  • Supported various trainings for both health workers and VHTs on various topics like NACS, disease surveillance and IYCF
  • Actively participated in Weight for Height screening of children under five years and pregnant and lactating women in the camp and host community to determine the GAM rate
  • Participated in Maternal and Child Health Nutrition by distributing fortified food to beneficiaries to address MAM clients and provide preventative measures to individuals at risk of malnutrition as well in health facilities and communities
  • Performed any other duties assigned to me from time to time.

Hoima Regional Referral Hospital
06.2016 - 07.2016
  • Integrated management of severe acute malnutrition following IMAM protocals.

Kiboga hospital
07.2015 - 08.2015
  • Participated in community activities like assessment of the burden of diseases, outreaches and application of behavior change approaches.

MOH, MIYCAN
  • Attended various trainings and workshops such as:
  • New IMAM guidelines (December 2022)
  • Program management (December 2022)
  • Care group standard operating procedures by, October 2022)
  • C-, September 2022)
  • Perma-culture gardening (December 2021)
  • Agriculture essentials (March 2021)
  • Financial literacy (December 2021)
  • Communication and advocacy (November 2021)
  • Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) for Acute Malnutrition and Acute Food Insecurity (June 2021)
  • MIYCAN (Maternal Infant and Young Child and Adolescent Nutrition) training (April 2021)
  • Cash Based Transfer Program training by WFP (March 2021)
  • New IMAM guidelines (July 2020)
  • Food Security and Nutrition Assessment (FSNA) 2020
  • On line course in awareness on child safeguarding, global induction, personal safety and security, IT security, data protection, fraud, bribery and corruption, prosave, PRIME
  • (2019)
  • Infant and Young Child Feeding training
  • (2019)
  • Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition training
  • (2019)
  • NACS, (Nutrition Assessment, Counselling and Support
  • (2019)
  • Warehouse management and commodity handling training
  • (2019)
  • Care group approach (2019)
  • Gender Principles training
  • (2018 and 2019)
  • Management of acute malnutrition training (2018)
  • Disease surveillance training with VHTs
  • (2018)
  • Care group Volunteer training for Lead mothers and fathers
  • (2018)
  • HOBBIES
  • Reading
  • Networking
  • Travelling

Education

Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UCEA) - undefined

01.2021 - Current

Masters of Public Health - Health Promotion

Bugema university
01.2014 - 01.2017

Bachelor’s degree - Nutrition

Makerere University
01.2012 - 01.2013

Uganda Certificate of Education - undefined

Lubiri Secondary School, UCE Lubiri Secondary School
01.2008 - 01.2011

undefined

Kampala Academy
01.2001 - 01.2007

Skills

Team leadership and directionundefined

Timeline

Community Nutrition Officer, Specialist

AVSI Foundation
09.2022 - Current

Social Behavioral Change Officer

Save the Children
01.2022 - 07.2022

Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UCEA) - undefined

01.2021 - Current

Project Officer

Save the Children
12.2019 - 01.2019

Community Based Facilitator

Action Against hunger
08.2018 - 01.2019

Intern

Action Against hunger
01.2018 - 04.2018

Hoima Regional Referral Hospital
06.2016 - 07.2016

Kiboga hospital
07.2015 - 08.2015

Masters of Public Health - Health Promotion

Bugema university
01.2014 - 01.2017

Bachelor’s degree - Nutrition

Makerere University
01.2012 - 01.2013

Uganda Certificate of Education - undefined

Lubiri Secondary School, UCE Lubiri Secondary School
01.2008 - 01.2011

undefined

Kampala Academy
01.2001 - 01.2007

MOH, MIYCAN

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