International Affairs, Humanitarian and Development, MEAL Specialist | Supporting Change, Learning and Innovation | MENA & Conflict Economics & Politics.

An academic Development practitioner and storyteller about development, humanitarianism, innovation, grassroots, civil society, and creativity in complex and fragile settings, among others.

Independent Consultant, MEAL & Research Specialist, Trainer, and Team Lead at MENA Development Valley, I have over 12 years of experience providing research, third-party monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MEAL), capacity-building services for development, and humanitarian programming in the MENA and African regions. Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) Expert.

I have successfully delivered and managed various Civil society support, capacity strengthening, and MEAL assignments and research exercises ranging from qualitative evaluations using participatory methods to large-scale quantitative surveys using mobile data collection. I have also developed strategic partnerships with international consultancy groups and academia and supported NGOs and INGOs at the field and organizational levels. My mission is to drive change and innovation in humanitarian and development programs, focusing on social development, youth, civil society strengthening, and education. I have a strong expertise in MENA economics and politics and am fluent in English, Arabic, and French.

Key qualifications:

• 12 years of diverse sectorial experience in humanitarian responses, disaster management, MEAL, cross-border operations, aid effectiveness. Specializing in programs and fields of migration, refugees, displacement, local and MENA regional development, and research in various migration and conflict-related themes.
• In-depth understanding of the contemporary stakeholders and intricacies within the MENA conflicts landscape, acquired through roles as a political advisor, risk evaluator, and MEAL Specialist. This experience encompasses performing political studies, evaluating security conditions, conducting research on humanitarian policies, and overseeing monitoring and reporting for projects focused on stabilization, resilience, and humanitarian aid, supporting the Syrian CSOs, networks, and coalitions, multilateral and bilateral donor and (non)-governmental agencies.
• Sectorial experience in localization, aid effectiveness, and gender-responsive, MELA, and methods management of humanitarian and development assistance, with a strong understanding of political, human rights, civic empowerment, gender, and socio-economic contexts (women, disabilities, refugees, IDPs)
  Significant experience working with donors and INGOs across sectors, strong analytical skills, and abilities to extrapolate policy recommendations, humanitarian advocacy, and development based on research, analysis, consultations, and data.
• Diverse professional, organizational, and policy-academic experience in international affairs, humanitarian championships, and heroic humanitarianism in forced and conflict-induced displacement span various contexts and conflicts, including Syria, Jordan, South Sudan, Lebanon, Myanmar, and Iraq. Author of several publications, reports, articles, and essays on local and national CSOs and NGOs, transnational humanitarianism, and solidarity with IDPs and affected populations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of donor, EU institutions, FCDO, USAID, UN missions, and donor-level agencies’ programming, standards, and programs/projects in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Sudan. Worked on projects funded by USAID, FCDO/DFID, GIZ, GIZ, AICS, UNICEF, ECHO, and OCHA, in the fields of livelihoods, IDPs Protection, empowerment, accountability, advocacy, capacity building projects and long-term policy change efforts.