Highly accomplished humanitarian and development professional with 15+ years of experience in delivering impactful community resilience and development initiatives. With dual Master’s degrees in English Literature and Political Science, along with certifications in Project Management and MEAL Essentials, I bring a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic vision. My proven track record includes successfully managing 18+ large-scale (Multi Million USD) projects of different donors such as DFID/FCDO, OFDA, USAID, EU, SDC, JICA and UN Agencies. I excel in leading emergency response, recovery, and preparedness programs, fostering community resilience through Social Cohesion, Civic Engagement, Governance/Institutional capacity Building, Child Protection, and Education. My expertise spans Capacities Development/Institutional Building, Food Security & Livelihoods, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate & Environmental Conservation practices, and Economic Opportunity promotion through Cash-Based Transfer and Cash for Work programs.
With advanced skills in Project Management (Design, Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, Reporting), Stakeholder Engagement & Coordination, and Data Analysis (MS Excel, KOBO Toolbox, Pivot Table), I have consistently delivered results-driven projects in challenging contexts, including Pakistan's Newly Merged Tribal Districts, Pakistan Administered Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. I also managed partners and established strong liaising (coordination) with relevant stakeholders, supported in budget preparation, quality control mechanisms, and conducted complex qualitative/quantitative analysis and reports generated with recommended changes in the programmatic and strategic directions of the organization.
Professional achievements:
Got selected for National Talent Award by ACTED as best program performer and awarded with Indefinite contract in 2010. Served as an emergency first responder during the 2010 Pakistan floods and leading a diverse team of 50-member on a 14-hour trek to Kalam, Swat to conduct Rapid Needs Assessment after floodwaters destroyed road communications. Interviewed Twenty (20) minutes by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) mission for recording a documentary on floods damages and humanitarian response in Swat KP in 2011. Facilitated a high-profile mission of European Union and WFP to Swat KP for impact assessment of post flood relief and recovery program in 2010-11. Facilitated multiple donors field visits to merged districts (Ex-FATA) during community impact assessment missions.
Capacity Building/Trainings attended:
Safe & Secure Approaches in Field Environments (SSAFE). Basic and Secure Approaches in Field Environment (BSAFE). Achieving Gender Equality in FAOs Work. Ethics and Integrity at the United Nations. FAOs Whistleblower Protection Policy. Prevention of Fraud and Other Corrupt Practices. Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Abuse of Authority. Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). United Nations Course on Working Together Harmoniously. IOM 02-day training workshop on Anatomy of Successful Team player.
Summarized work experience is as follows;
District Team Leader with UN-IOM, (Community Resilience Activity-North (CRA-N) Program, North Waziristan, Jan 2023 - Apr 2024) - A USAID funded resilience building of marginalized communities and populations to violent extremist (VE) influences through civic engagement, social cohesion, TDPs/Hosts' reintegration of livelihoods, Governance and peacebuilding initiatives with special focus on youth and gender considerations;
Social Cohesion & Education Expert with TKF, (Kurram and North Waziristan, Jan - Dec, 2022) - A UN-IOM funded Community Resilience Activity-North (CRA-N) program and UNICEF funded Alternate Learning Pathways (ALP) education program;
Field Monitoring Officer- (Monitoring & Evaluation Unit) with UN-FAO, (NMTDs or Former FATA, October 2020- September, 2021) - A Multi donors’ (JICA, INL, DFID/FCDO, USAID, UN Agencies, etc.) funded projects with a focus on Monitoring & Evaluation, backstopping in Proposal/Budgeting, Ensuring Quality Control Mechanisms, Reporting & Coordination for Restoration of Livelihoods in newly merged districts;
District Field Officer/Coordinator with UN-FAO, (Emergency Response and Relief Project Neelum/Muzaffarabad, Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK), March - September 2020) - An emergency response project funded by UN-Emergency Response Fund (ERF) for livestock support to cold wave affected communities and Govt Livestock Dept, Neelum District, AJK;
District Field Officer/Coordinator with UN-FAO, (Chitral, 2017 - Feb, 2020) - A DFID funded flood recovery Multi-Year Humanitarian Program (MYHP) under Natural Disaster Consortium (NDC) for restoration of livelihoods assets through climate smart agriculture practices and cash based transfer program and to build their resilience to cope with future disasters in Chitral;
Project Manager with HUJRA, (FATA - Bajaur, Mohmand and Khyber Agencies, June 2013 - Jan 2017) - A WFP & SDC consortium funded Resilience Building and Community Restoration/Recovery Initiatives through Food & Cash-based Transfer Programming;
Project Manager with Citizen Voice, (Governance and Advocacy project Shangla, Jan - May, 2013) - A USAID funded project on Mobilization and Advocacy Campaign for Increasing "Female Turnout in Pakistan's 2013 Free, Fair, and Peaceful Elections";
DRR Integration & Child Protection Coordinator with Save the Children (Swat, Dec 2011 - Dec 2012) - A Flood & Conflict Recovery Program on Child Protection, Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) & Institutional Development;
Program Manager with ACTED, (Emergency Relief and Recovery Program Swat, Lower & Upper Dir, Oct 2009 - Dec, 2011) - A Multi donors’ (DFID/FCDO, EU, OFDA, USAID, SDC, GIZ, JICA, UN Agencies, etc.) funded Floods and Complex Emergencies’ (militancy/conflicts) relief and recovery initiatives through distribution of food/non-food items (F/NFIs) and provision of civil work construction materials, rehabilitation/restoration of critical community assets including physical infrastructure and agriculture livelihoods under food/cash for assets (F/CFA) and food/cash for training (F/CFT) programs;
Lecturer in English at Excelsior College Swat, KP (Feb, 2005-Sep, 2009);
Community Resilience Activity-North (CRA-N) Program for Building Resilience of Marginalized Communities and populations to Violent Extremist Influences (VEI) Through Social Cohesion, Civic Engagement, Governance/Institutional Building, & Reintegration of Livelihood Activities Designed in Localized Context with Special Focus on Youth and Gender consideration in North Waziristan, Merged District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Funded by USAID).
Managed & supervised Community Resilience Activity-North (CRA-North) Program (worth USD 20 Million) in collaboration with District Administration focusing on promoting community cohesive and resilience programming through social cohesion, civic engagement, livelihoods, and governance initiatives through institutional development with focus on right to information, right to services, alternate dispute resolution committees, and local govt bodies aiming to strengthen community service delivery and promote peacebuilding efforts within North Waziristan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Designed/developed Concept Notes and proposals in line with Community Resilience Activity-North’s (CRA-N) Theory of Change (TOC) and Result Framework’s Objectives i.e. increase Civic Engagement, strengthen Social Cohesion and support TDPs/Host communities’ reintegration of Livelihoods efforts to promote resilience programming and increase livelihood opportunities for militancy and flood affected/ vulnerable communities of North Waziristan District; Supervised and ensured the contractual obligations of service providers (SPs)/ implementing partners (IPs) in awarding the project contracts, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of CRA-N Project activities; Implemented and adapted the CRA-North resilience programming strategies in localized context through designing and developing community resilience activities best suited to achieving defined impacts in line with programming objectives; Managed relationships with relevant stakeholders at the district and regional level, including but not limited to government representatives, community leaders, tribal leaders, religious leaders and implementing partners. Ensured that there is a clear consultative process between Govt Of Pakistan (GOP) structures and target communities to identify, design and implement grant funded activities that have a clear resilience focused theme in localized context, and serve to support the more remote and marginalized communities within the district. Developed and maintained /updated a clear and comprehensive District Profile, which outlines a thorough understanding of the district's operating environment and incorporating environmental environmental safeguards into resilience-focused interventions in North Waziristan; Supported existing district programming efforts by participating in Learning Workshops and the identification and documentation of success stories, lessons learned and case studies; Organized and participated in regularly scheduled Workshops with youth, community elders, tribal & religious leaders to discuss the progress being made with the CRA-North Project, identified challenges, and resolve any outstanding issues which would impede the smooth implementation of resilience programming; Provided the required leadership and technical oversight to ensure that project resources are effectively applied towards cross-sectoral resilience programming within the target district; Also remained fully involved with the responsibilities of managing and taking care of district-based project assets and facilities.
Community Resilience Activity-North (CRA-N) Program and Alternate Learning Pathways (ALP) Education Program (Funded by UN-IOM & UNICEF respectively).
Community Resilience Activity-North (CRA-N) Program in Kurram and North Waziristan
Organized the project kick-off meeting with donor and project implementation modalities/way forward established for smooth and efficient execution of project activities; Organized stakeholders’ coordination meetings and project inception workshop in each target district and thoroughly oriented them with project activities; Provided technical support to field teams for organizing 30 training workshops (each five days session) and trained around 3000 students & 100 teachers from Shia and Sunni Sects (girls and boys) on Civic Education, Social Cohesion in 20 Government High Schools in Kurram; Organized 20-one day workshops for identification and implementation of 30 Community Oriented Social Action Projects (SAPs) under the community participation approach with objectives of enhanced opportunities for social integration and community development; Developed concept notes/grants proposals in line with Community Resilience Activity-North’s (CRA-N) Theory of Change (TOC) and Result Framework’s Objectives i.e. increase Civic Engagement, strengthen Social Cohesion and support TDPs/Host reintegration of Livelihoods activities in Kurram & North Waziristan District; Organized/facilitated 06 trainings (02 days each) for 307 youth/sports players on Social Cohesion and Tolerance in Miranshah, Mirali and Razmak subdivisions of North Waziristan District; Regularly participated in monthly progress review and planning meetings; Developed & shared event/training reports, case studies/success stories, periodic and project terminal reports with donor and other relevant stakeholders.
Alternate Learning Pathways (ALP) Education Program in Kurram and North Waziristan
Reviewed and provided technical support in developing training manual on students-centered and gender-responsive teachers trainings aiming to enhance access to quality education, reduce the number of out-of-school children, and ensure that education systems are inclusive of the most disadvantaged groups within the target districts; Facilitated/supervised the ALP-facilitators interviews/hiring process and execution of 6-Day training to ALP facilitators; Conducted field visits to ALP Centres and detailed feedback provided after each field visit by highlighting the area of strength, the area that needed improvement, and activities carried out during the visit to the target districts: Ensured the Reading Learning Material (RLM) availability to 100% ALP-Centres, students, and ALP-facilitators and motivated the ALP-facilitators to ensure the utilization of provided RLM; Facilitated the capacity building of 20 ALP facilitators in each target district by organizing need-based mock exercises, sessions of activities based on learning skills and use of RLM and report generated and shared with management and donor; Facilitated/organized the community events i.e. VNF (Virtual Network Forum) aimed at supporting education programs by engaging various stakeholders to discuss and collaborate on improving educational outcomes.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)
Supported the Monitoring & Evaluation Unit in Designing and implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Framework/Theory of Change (TOC) with focus on substantive guidance on the selection of outcomes, outputs, and indicators for the humanitarian and developmental projects in the merged tribal districts of KP worth USD 37 million funded by USAID, DFID, JICA, INL, and UN agencies; Provided technical inputs in designing project proposals with focus on Value Chains and Enterprise Development; Managed partners and established strong liaising (coordination) with relevant stakeholders; Supported in budget preparation, quality control mechanisms, and conducted complex qualitative /quantitative analysis and reports generated with recommended changes in the programmatic and strategic directions of the organization; Planned and conducted the baseline, midline and endline surveys, post-distribution monitoring (PDM), post-harvest, evaluations, and impact studies/research for different on/off-farm enterprises established under various projects; Monitored seed & fertilizer inputs distribution to 8000 farmers; conducted post-harvest survey of vegetable production in walk in and high tunnels of 200 farmers and report submitted to the management; Integrated environmental assessment with impact studies on post-rehabilitation of irrigation projects, high tunnel farming, land reclamation activities, and broiler farms and chicks showcasing water conservation and soil improvement efforts and reports shared with higher management; Cash benefit analysis of 500 farmers conducted under land reclamation activity and report submitted to the higher management; Impact assessment of the 50 feedlot interventions conducted and report shared with the management; Post distribution monitoring of 3000 black australorp birds and their economic benefits analysis conducted, and report shared; FAO all Projects quarterly & terminal reports reviewed/finalized before sharing with donors.
Coordination developed with Director General (DG) Agriculture and FAO office established at Directorate General of Agriculture at Muzaffarabad, Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK). Managed and supervised the contractual obligations of service providers (SPs) /implementing partners (IPs) in awarding the project contracts, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project activities; Assisted partners with designing Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) activities through smart approaches amid Covid-19 including field assessment, consultation meetings, identification of project UCs/Villages and beneficiaries, facilitation & coordination for activities’ implementation and distributions; Coordination established with Livestock dept. & way forward developed for implementation of livestock related activities i.e. 6000 farmers supported with provision of Livestock feed; Strengthened govt Livestock Dept. through provision of veterinary kits (medicines and medical surgery kits) to the Govt veterinary centers (3 livestock centers) in Neelum District of PAK. Collected and stored intervention wise 6000 beneficiaries’ data in KoBo Toolbox for periodic reports; Ensured timely collection and consolidation of monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports from implementing partners and further submitted to FAO's resilience office; Final report (narrative and financial) shared with supporting documents to FAO head office for LOA closure/final payments.
A Flood Recovery Multi-Year Humanitarian Program (MYHP) focusing on sustainable food security and livelihoods (FSL) under the Resilience Programming by the Natural Disaster Consortium (NDC) in Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Funded by DFID/FCDO).
Managed and supervised the contractual obligations of service providers (SPs)/ implementing partners (IPs) in awarding the project contracts, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of Multi-Year Humanitarian Programming activities jointly executed under Natural Disaster Consortium (NDC) worth USD 15 Million; Managed/supervised flood recovery livelihoods activities implemented through partners including AKRSP, Agriculture Research Station, District Livestock and Fisheries Depts. with the following achievements; Emphasized sustainable livelihoods through promotion of eco-friendly agricultural practices, including climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and kitchen gardening, benefiting 12,000 households (HHs) with provision of high quality Agri/livestock inputs (seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, toolkits, UST kits, livestock medicines/vaccines, etc.) for commercial farming, climate smart agriculture (CSA) practices, Kitchen Gardening and Livestock promotion including vaccination and deworming drive in 3 flood affected UCs in Upper Chitral (15000 large and 20000 small ruminants); capacity building/trainings of 100 female farmers on Urea Straw Treatment (UST) on preparation of nutritious feed, 600 farmers on production of high qualify certified wheat seeds within the district; 870 women headed HHs supported with Business Development/Small Enterprise Support through poultry package; apricot and mulberry drying kits, food processing kits, 12 Trout Fish Farmers through capacity building/trainings and package assistance (fish fries/fingerlings, fish feed, pond management kits and incubators) and the District Fisheries Dept. with provision of fish incubators (No:3) for increased production of trout fish farming; Integrated disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies with environmental conservation, particularly in projects involving community based afforestation programs, environmental awareness campaigns, and rehabilitation of flood mitigation structures such as irrigation channels flood protection walls in disaster-prone areas in Chitral; Ensured Community-Based Employment Opportunities through cash-based interventions (CBI) by rehabilitating 80 flood mitigating structures such as irrigation channels and protection walls under CFW and benefited 7,030 HHs with cash disbursement (PKR: 10 Million) along with increase in yield/crops’ production and catchment area of the flood affected communities; Collected and stored intervention wise beneficiary data for periodic reports; Developed strong relationship and liaison with green sector line agencies and District Government; Coordinated with reporting officer, M&E section and communication specialist in finalization of periodic progress reports, success stories/case studies; Developed project progress reports, success stories, and impact assessments, ensuring alignment with donor expectations and resilience-building frameworks.
Resilience building through CB-DRR and improved Food Security & Livelihoods interventions (Funded by SDC and WFP).
Organized project inception workshops at target districts for apprising the district administration, line departments and community representatives on the project details and objectives; Developed project proposals on food security and livelihoods (FSL) resilience programming under food and cash for assets through cash based transfer (CBT) programming with particular focus on rehabilitation of community critical infrastructure, climate smart agriculture (CSA) practices, kitchen gardening, capacity building through farmers field school (FFS), women open school (WOS), vocational trainings and provision of required inputs and tool kits; Formed and trained 30 village disaster management committees (VDMCs) with provision of DRM kits and first aid kits; Integrated disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies with environmental conservation, particularly in projects involving community and school based plantation drive, and structural mitigation projects, reducing flood risks for vulnerable communities in disaster-prone regions of Mohmand, Bajaur and Khyber agencies of FATA; Ensured community-based employment opportunities through a cash-based transfer (CBT) program by disbursing PKR 100 million via the Cash Card Modality to benefit around 30,000 households (HHs) while rehabilitating critical community and disaster risk reduction (DRR) infrastructure, including 200 protection walls/spurs, 350 irrigation channels, 80 walking tracks/pathways, 20 check dams, and 30 water ponds; Developed and conducted disaster preparedness workshops for community members, government officials and school children, focusing on environmental protection, climate resilience, and risk mitigation strategies including community-based early warning systems, enhancing local preparedness and response mechanisms; Conducted regular field visits to ensure transparent, smooth and effective implementation of the project activities; Kept close coordination with all relevant stakeholders (WFP, SDC, District Administration, Directorate of Projects, Federally Administered Tribal Agencies-Disaster Management Authority (FATA-DMA) etc. for smooth implementation and achievement of the project’s strategic objectives (intended outcomes); Reported all activities on daily, weekly and monthly basis with senior management, district administration and donors.
Organized Advocacy meetings with the concerned Govt Officials (District Election Commission) to highlight the issues raised by the target communities for addressing them before the election to increase the turn out; Conducted Personal meetings with at least 6 candidates of relevant national or provincial assembly seats, and listened to their complaints about the election and shared with the relevant authorities through letters to seek reforms in the election process; Organized a candidate forum of all contestants in the constituency to make public commitments to be pursued and implemented after being elected in the elections; Organized campaign for increasing female voters’ turnout through door to door visits and dissemination of IEC materials; Launched Social Media campaign on Facebook for promoting the cause of Free, Fair and Peaceful election in Tehsil Alpuri, Shangla; Link for visit given; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Citizen-Voice/375267562507302; Shared 300 letters with the relevant district, provincial and federal authorities highlighting different main issues requiring immediate solution to increasing the voters’ turnout; Ensured timely submission of milestone based reports to the donor.
Child Protection, CB-DRR & Institutional Capacity Building Initiatives.
CB-DRR & Institutional Capacity Building Project in Response to Flood Disaster
Established a Disaster Resource Center (DRC) at the DCO office in Swat as an information management hub for emergency response coordination; Formed and trained Search and Rescue Teams (SART), providing 14-day training and life-saving equipment to enhance disaster response capacity, and facilitate the district govt to cope & resist with any disaster events in future; Led the integration of DRR interventions in flood-affected areas of Swat, implementing hard (structural) and soft (community capacity-building) measures to enhance disaster preparedness and response; Ensured the formation and training of 20 Village Disaster Management Committees (VDMCs) with inclusion of children and gender participation and established their links with Govt Social Welfare Department; Conducted workshops for communities and government officials on disaster preparedness, environmental protection, and climate resilience aiming to reduce disaster risks, improve preparedness, and enhance response capacity at the onset of any disaster; Designed and integrated disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies with environmental conservation, particularly in projects involving community-based plantation drives, rehabilitation of irrigation channels, construction of protection walls, and development of water ponds in disaster-prone regions of Swat.
Emergency Response for Militancy Affected Population of Bara, Khyber Merged District
Worked as Emergency First Responder for militancy affected displaced populations of Bara Tehsil of Khyber Tribal District with focusing on the following responsibilities/achievements; Managed and supervised needs assessment and protection planning for children in crises/displaced during military operations in Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency; Coordinated and delivered services by establishing Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) for militancy affected children to support them in their personality development through organizing different activities including psychosocial support, recreational events (sports/games, painting etc.), and addressing Child Protection issues like Child Labor, child sexual abuse, discrimination etc.; Supervised the assessment of out of school/displaced children and established Temporary Learning Schools (TLS) to ensure the continuation of their education; Organized Capacity Building/Trainings for local staff, volunteers, and community members on child protection principles and practices; Conducted awareness campaigns to educate communities about child protection issues and encourage positive behaviors; Monitored and evaluated all program activities to assess their effectiveness and impacts; Documented and analyzed the collected data and shared with senior management and relevant stakeholders for timely action; Ensured that all activities comply with international standards and guidelines, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sphere Standards to safeguard the rights and well-being of the affected children.
Emergency Relief & Recovery Program in response to Floods and Complex Emergencies (militancy), focusing on Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) and Community Restoration efforts (Funded by Multiple Donors, including EU, OFDA, DFID, UNHCR, WFP, SDC, GIZ).
Emergency Relief/Humanitarian Assistance
Led a multi-donor emergency response program in Swat and Dir Lower & Upper, providing life-saving assistance to conflict and flood-affected populations; Successfully led a 50 members’ team for Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) as an emergency first responder to Kalam, Swat in response to flood disaster in 2010 in Pakistan; Planned and supervised militancy/conflict damages assessment in response to militancy in Lower Dir in 2010; Supervised emergency food distribution to 45,000 internally displaced households (IDPs), ensuring efficient registration, verification, and database management for smooth relief operations; Managed distribution of 8,000 NFI kits, 5,000 tents, 6,000 winterization kits, and construction materials for flood-affected populations, ensuring equitable access to humanitarian assistance.
Early Recovery Program
Led the construction of 3,000 UNHCR transitional shelters and cash-for-work support for laborers engaged in rebuilding homes and latrines; Supervised the distribution of construction materials (cement, bricks, sand, etc.) to help communities repair flood/militancy damaged homes; Supervised the construction of GIZ One Room Model House Project (350 houses) for flood and Conflict affected population in the affected districts; Designed and implemented agroforestry/ livelihoods restoration programs benefiting 6,300 households under Food & Cash for Work (F/CFW), and Kitchen Gardening initiatives; Led community infrastructure rehabilitation projects, restoring 170 flood-damaged irrigation channels, pathways, and link roads, facilitating market access and economic recovery; Conducted regular meetings with the Staff for obtaining effective feedback and effecting the result-oriented implementation of the project; Kept close coordination with all relevant stakeholders for ensuring successful implementation of the project’s strategic objectives (intended outcomes). Developed detailed situation reports, success stories, and donor briefs, ensuring transparency and accountability in program implementation; Participated regularly in stakeholders’ weekly coordination and progress review meetings; Reported all activities on daily, weekly and monthly basis with senior management, district administration and donors.
Planning,preparing and delivering lessons to Secondary and Higher
Secondary classes;
marking work, giving appropriate feedback and maintaining records of pupils' progress and development;
Researching new topic areas, maintaining up- to- date subject knowledge and then devising and writing new curriculum materials;
Selecting and using a range of different learning resources and equipment;
Preparing pupils for qualifications including external examinations and managing pupil behavior in the classroom and on school premises and applying appropriate & effective measures in cases of misbehavior;
Supervising and supporting the work of teaching assistants, trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers (NQTs);
participating in & organizing extracurricular activities, such as outings, social activities and sporting events;
participating in departmental meetings, parents' evenings and whole school training events; liaising with other professionals, such as learning
mentors, careers advisers, educational psychologists and education welfare officer;
Incharge College magazine “The Excelsior”
Master Trainer (INTEL) Intel Computer Course.
House Master (Ibn-e-Qasim House), Excelsior College.
Also Served as a Lecturer in English on Honorary basis at Government Postgraduate Jahanzeb College, Saidu Sharif, Swat.
Reason for Leaving: Community development.
Counseling with the students intending to go abroad for higher studies. Preparing Pupils for developing and improving the 4 skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking of English.