Resource Persons

Jared Odongo Okech is a highly experienced professional with an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, Mathematics, and Business Studies from Kenyatta University. He has served in leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank, and is a ranking member of the Insurance Regulatory Authority, contributing to the oversight and development of regulatory frameworks in the insurance sector in Kenya.

Jared is also a member of the Global Health Institute with wide knowledge and research expertise in public health, investments, insurance, change management, and agro-business financing. He has taught management courses at the university level and has led numerous training programs across the financial and insurance sectors. As a consultant, Jared has supported strategic initiatives in agriculture and health across Uganda, with a strong focus on gender integration, strategic change management, and institutional capacity building. He has also conducted extensive research and consultancy work in Kenya on health systems, youth and adolescent empowerment, and cross-sectoral collaboration with young professionals across East Africa. His work is grounded in strategic thinking, operational leadership, and a passion for transformative development.

Mercy Owuor is a Lead Evaluator and Researcher at SouthBridge Advisors Consulting Ltd, bringing over 15 years of experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), qualitative research, and evidence generation across public health, gender equality, peacebuilding, livelihoods, and humanitarian programming in East Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Mercy has experience in providing strategic leadership on evaluation design, methodological rigor, and learning processes for multi-country and multi-sectoral assignments. She specializes in participatory and feminist evaluation approaches, outcome harvesting, theory-based evaluation, and strengthening MEL systems to support accountability, adaptive learning, and evidence-informed decision-making.

A distinctive feature of Mercy’s work is her long-standing collaboration with grassroots organizations and women’s networks across the Horn of Africa. She has supported community-based organizations to strengthen their MEL capacity, data literacy, and evidence use for advocacy and programming. Her approach prioritizes locally led learning, mentorship, and practical tools that enable organizations to collect, analyze, and use data safely and effectively in fragile contexts.

Mercy has led and contributed to high-profile evaluations, research, and monitoring system design assignments across Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland. Her portfolio includes:

Evaluation & Research Highlights (Selected)

• National Consultant for FIGO’s LDI: REACH Programme (Kenya), supporting end-term evaluation through qualitative data collection, validation, reporting and field reporting across four counties.
• Regional MEL Consultant – SIHA Network- provide regional leadership for multi-country programme evaluations, guiding consultants, validating tools, and translating monitoring data into actionable insights. Contribute technical expertise on evaluation design, gender, and feminist approaches with a focus on GBV and local civil society organizations. Lead qualitative data collection, facilitation, and participatory feminist analysis in collaboration with grassroots and feminist partner organizations.
• Lead Consultant – Saferworld (Somalia, Peacebuilding, Early Warning & Gender-Sensitive Monitoring)- Designed and strengthened community-led Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) and gender-responsive violence monitoring systems in Jubaland and South West State. Developed tools, protocols, and reporting pathways; built the capacity of community monitors and grassroots partners on ethical, gender-responsive data practices; and integrated context-specific cyber-risk indicators into EWER systems, enhancing community ownership and stakeholder coordination.
• National Expert for the evaluation of the FES Gender Justice Program in Uganda, assessing policy influence on women’s leadership and labor rights.
• National consultant for Resultsin Health Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Make Way Programme (Kenya) -Conducted mid-term review using qualitative methods to assess SRHR advocacy for marginalized youth.
• Lead Evaluator for agroecology, food security, and climate-resilient agriculture programs in Uganda (AFSA – Healthy Soil, Healthy Food Project).
• Qualitative Co-Evaluator for the Fred Hollows Foundation’s Healthy Ageing Pilot Project in Kenya, engaging over 80 stakeholders to inform equitable service delivery.
• Evaluation Consultant for biocultural diversity conservation programming in Ethiopia and Uganda (Howard Foundation/ABN Sida), including outcome contribution analysis and stakeholder mapping.

Mercy also has extensive academic and applied research experience through long-standing collaborations with the University of Nairobi, KEMRI/CDC, and the University of Washington–Kenyatta National Hospital. She has led multi-site qualitative studies on Sexual and Reproducive Health (SRHR), Maternal Health, HIV prevention, aging with HIV, and HPV vaccination uptake among adolescents living with HIV, contributing to peer-reviewed publications in BMJ Open, BMC Health Services Research, and PLOS Global Public Health.

She holds a Master of Community Health and Development (Great Lakes University of Kisumu) and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (Moi University), alongside a Certificate in Programme Management: Monitoring & Evaluation (University of Cape Town, 2024). She is certified in Results-Based Management (UNDP/UN Women), Health Systems Strengthening (Nossal Institute/UNICEF), and Participatory Evaluation & Feminist Methods.

Her core competencies include qualitative research design (FGDs, KIIs, case studies, outcome harvesting, Most Significant Change), rapid assessments, women’s economic empowerment, climate and food systems research, mixed-methods analysis, ethical research and safeguarding, and evidence translation for policy and practice. Mercy is proficient in NVivo, Dedoose, Atlas.ti, SPSS, KoboToolbox, ODK, Excel, and Power BI.

Fluent in English and Swahili, Mercy combines deep regional expertise, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and methodological excellence to deliver credible, context-sensitive evaluations that strengthen programs and amplify community voices.

Dr. Irene Awuor Owuor (PhD) is a passionate educator, mentor, gender & social development enthusiast. She holds a PhD in Community Resource Management from Kenyatta University, a Master of Arts Degree in Development Studies (Specializing in Population, Poverty & Social Development) from International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam and a postgraduate Diploma in Leadership for Community Development from ESAMI, Arusha Tanzania among other professional qualifications.

She is an experienced University lecturer with hands-on experience in capacity development, curriculum development, documents review, designing & conducting research. She also previously managed community programs successfully while working for various NGOs in the non-profit sector. Irene is highly experienced in designing and conducting both qualitative and quantitative research (social and academic) with excellent report writing & information dissemination skills. Irene has conducted research in the areas of Sexual & Gender-based Violence, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI), Livelihoods, Financial Inclusion, Public Health, Child rights, Needs Assessment, Community Resource Management among others. Irene works well in both multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural settings. She is an adaptable and reliable team player who values humanity, inclusivity, diversity and fair access to opportunities. More details about Irene’s professional journey can be accessed on linkedin via: https://ke.linkedin.com/in/irene-awuor-owuor-phd-a2437817

Qualifications: A Commonwealth Scholar with a Masters’ degree in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health from the University of London and Bachelors degree in Agriculture from Egerton University, Kenya. Faith is a seasoned Agriculture and Rural Development expert with over 17 years of experience leading and delivering transformative Food security, Livelihoods, Agriculture and livestock value chain development programs with international development organizations. Her work is rooted in advancing sustainable livestock and agriculture-based livelihoods, building strategic partnerships, enhancing market access, and promoting inclusive, evidence-driven development. Faith has worked extensively with smallholder farmers, pastoralists, dairy cooperatives, and private sector companies to strengthen extension service delivery systems, input and output market systems, access to finance and natural resource management. Faith brings a unique blend of technical expertise and extensive field-based global experience in Food Security, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Gendered Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries value chain assessments. She is also experienced in designing projects, developing context based, practical and hands-on technical training materials (including digital content) and building capacity of farmer cooperatives, government extension agents, project staff and private sector service providers and other value chain actors to deliver, adaptive production and marketing strategies that address agriculture risks such as disease outbreaks, input shortages, climate shocks, market disruptions, food safety and food insecurity.

God fearing IT Personel and a believer of Jesus Christ being the Savior of the whole world applicable and extended to only those who choose to believe referenced in the Holy Bible the book of John 3:16-17, I ensure user intuitiveness is realized with consistent consideration of the ever evolving technology. Outgrown by human adopting to technology ergonomics is what we thrive for. A self-motivated social individual with a heart to serve humanity using computational skill acquired over the years utilizing the world wide web to reach out and impact the world with a positive mental attitude. With this realization, I ensure that every bit of code behind the bars manifests itself from the front and captures the user in a unique way to spread the love and peace. I do what it takes to succeed hence work towards effective communication skills and personal commitment to what I do. Teamwork is a key contributing factor to overall goals to be left out.