Ruth Chavula
Nkhatabay
Summary
Dynamic professional with six years of innovative experience in the development and non-profit sectors, specializing in grants management, compliance monitoring, and operational reporting. Proven track record in enhancing community health programs and driving behavioral change initiatives focused on gender inclusion, economic empowerment, and education. Expertise in capacity building for youth and women’s networks has resulted in impactful contributions to policy frameworks and M.E.A.L. processes. Skilled in leading teams, managing events, and advocating for policy change while leveraging strong cultural intelligence to foster meaningful relationships across diverse communities.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Core Trainer
Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED)
12.2023 - Current
- Collaborating and coordinating with government education stakeholders, helped in understanding of financial progress monitoring and risk identification, ensuring timely responses.
- Developed and implemented content materials, contributing to improved education, sponsorship management strategies, and measurable student performance gains.
- Overseeing the roll out of the learner mentor programme in Nkhata Bay and Likoma district in collaboration with Ministry of education officials.
- Providing supervision support to learner mentors in the districts and undertaking grant progress reviews to address any challenges and risks.
- Linking learners’ mentors to opportunities for setting up enterprises and pursue further education or secure opportunities.
- Conducting trainings in child protection and related activities to headteachers, teachers, Mother groups and Child Protection Workers.
- Consolidating weekly, monthly reports and monitoring and evaluating the progress of the programme.
Gender and Development Officer
Nkhata Bay District Council
01.2023 - 11.2023
- Developed sector implementation plans for the district and designing capacity building training materials.
- Established links and good working relationship with relevant government offices and with likeminded institutions in district, promoting an environment of shared goals.
- Conducted community-based dialogues and facilitate dialogues on children, women and girl’s rights and gender equality.
- Recorded the grievances made in the Grievance Redress Mechanism. Investigated the causes of the grievance, held meetings consultations to hear about the grievances, take/direct appropriate steps within the company to resolve the grievances.
- Supported in designing and implementing civic education programs on gender and child protection related issues in the district.
- Documented the best practices and compile them to ensure data and knowledge management, learning and advocacy.
Assistant Public Relations Officer and Council Youth Representative
Mzuzu City Council
01.2022 - 11.2022
- Enhanced public relations with the public by utilizing the company’s social media utilised cloud-based platforms.
- Advocated and lobbied emerging development and business issues within the Mzuzu city with relevant stakeholders.
- Assisted in designing, scheduling, coordinating, and implementing different public engagement programmes and campaigns.
- Media interactions and image building of the council and developing sector implementation plans for the council.
- Supported in analyses of strategic and related projects documents local council level.
Regional Brand coordinator, Mzuzu, Malawi
Girl Effect Malawi – Zathu Brand
03.2017 - 03.2019
- Strategic reporting and contributing to monitoring and evaluation which would be fed to a regional picture of the brands position.
- Led on Zathu media content delivery and proper distribution of the Zathu Materials/Tools for advocacy by the Zathu Brand Ambassadors.
- Informed, educated and connected girls and boys to services their need, and to take action in their changing lives.
- I was overseeing the operation and ensuring quality representation of the Brand, lead on content delivery, proper distribution of the Zathu Materials/Tools for advocacy.
Education
Master of Science - Transformative Community Development
Mzuzu University
Mzuzu, Malawi01.2026
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies
Mzuzu University
Mzuzu, Malawi01.2022
Diploma - Journalism
Malawi Institute of Journalism
Mzuzu, Malawi01.2016
Skills
- Graphic design: Adobe designing tools, QuarkXPress
- Microsoft Office Packages: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher
- M & E and Research: ODK, SPSS, Kobo Toolbox
- Train-the-trainer
- Training delivery
- Coaching techniques
Accomplishments
- Supervised team of 16 staff members as a core trainer with CAMFED.
- Supervised 15 brand ambassadors with girl effect -Zathu brand.
Community Service & Volunteer Work
African Youth and Adolescents Network (AfriYAN Malawi), National Vice Chairperson (Voluntary), 2019-07, 2021-11, National Vice Chairperson (Voluntary) T/As; leveraging in-depth insights realised in years of working at the grassroots youth clubs and networks., Overall responsibility for youth network activities, budget management and reporting, and monitoring, evaluation and learning., Communications and partnership engagement and coordination. Fostering collaboration among colleagues from various cultural backgrounds in Malawi., Supported in carrying out social assessment surveys, monitoring and reporting activities to meet the safeguard requirements of youths.
B: OTHER TRAININGS
- Resource mobilization, proposal writing and grants management training by Health Policy Plus Blantyre, Malawi. 2022
- 20th International Conference on AIDS and STI’s in Africa on Innovation, Community and Leadership - Kigali Rwanda 2019
- Training in Intercultural Communication by Press Trust Limited 2018
- Brand Ambassadorship training by Girl Effect-Malawi (ZATHU)- Lilongwe Malawi 2017
D: RESEARCH AND SURVEY EXPERIENCE
- Research Assistant, National Planning Commission (NPC) VNR report -April 2022-May 2022.
- Research Assistant, (Most vulnerable children mapping) World Vision International – Malawi, May 2023 - June 2023.
- Conducted research, summarised the findings, prepared the progress report, translating the questionnaires to local languages and sync data in the server complying with data integrity policies.
References
- Modester, Mbale, The District Operations Officer, mmbale@gmail.com, +265 881 755 173, Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), Blantyre, Malawi, P.O Box 2593 Blantyre, Malawi
- Gift D., Mwambungu, The Principal Gender and Development Officer, giftmwambungudyson1@yahoo.com, +265 999 555 071, Nkhata Bay District Council, Nkhata Bay, Malawi, Private Bag 1, Nkhata Bay, Malawi
- Felix, Pachalo Chiyenda, The Programs Officer, pachalochiyenda@gmail.com, +265 999 73 93 58, National Youth Council of Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi, Private Bag 389, Lilongwe, Malawi
Languages
English
Full Professional
Timeline
Core Trainer
Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED)
12.2023 - Current
Gender and Development Officer
Nkhata Bay District Council
01.2023 - 11.2023
Assistant Public Relations Officer and Council Youth Representative
Mzuzu City Council
01.2022 - 11.2022
Regional Brand coordinator, Mzuzu, Malawi
Girl Effect Malawi – Zathu Brand
03.2017 - 03.2019
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies
Mzuzu University
Diploma - Journalism
Malawi Institute of Journalism
Master of Science - Transformative Community Development
Mzuzu University