IFEOMA VICTORIA NDEKWU

Provide strategic leadership for SDN's portfolio of environmental governance, sustainable livelihoods, research and community development programmes across the Niger Delta.

Key achievements

• Provide strategic oversight for multi-million-dollar donor-funded programmes focused on environmental governance, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and economic development.
• Lead high-level engagement with Federal and State Governments, National Assembly Committees, donors, development partners, civil society and private sector stakeholders.
• Developed successful funding proposals securing over US$ 7 million for development and sustainability programmes.
• Lead organisational research and policy initiatives informing environmental governance, Host Community Development Trust implementation and sustainable natural resource management.
• Supervise multidisciplinary programme teams and ensure quality assurance of donor reporting, monitoring frameworks and technical deliverables.
• Provide technical leadership on climate-smart agriculture, livelihood restoration, environmental governance and biodiversity conservation initiatives.
• Mentor project managers and strengthen organisational programme management systems.

Key Projects Implemented

EU-funded Digital Inclusion Project

• Led delivery of digital and enterprise training for 1,500 women across the Niger Delta.
• Achieved measurable improvements in business growth, income and employment opportunities for over 40% of beneficiaries.

Ford Foundation – Host Community Development Trust (HCDT)

• Led multi-stakeholder engagement involving government, National Assembly members, host communities and civil society.
• Produced recommendations that influenced implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act Host Community Development Trust framework.

Open Society Foundation – Climate Smart Agriculture

• Led climate-smart agriculture programme benefiting 500+ farmers.
• Facilitated access to agricultural finance for more than 50 farmers.
• Managed project risks, stakeholder engagement and programme performance.

• I led the process of identifying livelihood opportunities for over 3,000 beneficiaries from post-conflict communities via community-driven information collection processes including Focused Group Discussions, needs assessments, baseline surveys and feasibility studies.
• I also led in the design and the delivery of livelihood activities- agriculture and digital skills- based on priorities identified in the information collection processes while ensuring that selected options were conflict and gender sensitive.
• I identified and collaborated with various stakeholders to develop sustainability models for each livelihood activity in the bid to ensure the continuous flow of the projects’ net benefits;
• I was responsible for the documentation of lessons learned related, evaluating impact and modifying community development approaches as needed.

• I was responsible for supporting the design, management, implementation and oversight of the United Kingdom Government Conflict, Security and Stabilisation Fund strategic programme in cooperation with the Nigerian Federal and Regional Government and other key partners, aiming to improve security and stabilisation in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
• I was responsible for leading the day-to-day management of the programme project officers, overseeing the management of the programme and representing the Team Lead on all policy and programme matters in the Team Leader's absence.
• I supported in managing the programme’s outputs, policy work and provided strategic and technical advice on some specific areas of CSSF engagement.

The aim of the Next Giants is to reduce school dropout rates and promote academic and social excellence by mentoring students on topics such as purpose, values, career and leadership. My duties and accomplishments include:

• Established the Next Giants programme in more than 15 schools in Port Harcourt;
• Successfully managed the programme's budget of less than a million Naira per annum by engaging more volunteers than paid workers while using limited resources to plan more programmes;
• Managed a team of five and motivated them to meet individual targets of reaching out to more schools;
• Showed excellent communication and presentation skills during our talk sessions;
• Proactively monitored the progress of these programmes to make sure the desired results such as reduction in school dropout rates in the schools was achieved.