TIMOTHY OPOBO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Timothy Opobo is the Executive Director of the AfriChild Centre based at Makerere University that convenes academics, policymakers, and practitioners to promote innovative research, nurture communities of learning, build the next generation of researchers, and contribute to policy and practice on the wellbeing of the African child. In this role, he provides strategic leadership, and coordinates the research and policy advocacy work.
With experience of over 15 years, he has contributed significantly to influencing child wellbeing landscape in the region. He is a member of the national multisectoral task force on violence against children, and has served on several national committees including: the National steering committee on justice for children, national child protection working group, and the joining forces network.
Mr. Opobo was instrumental in the inception of the AfriChild Centre serving as the interim Executive Director from March 2014 to December 2015, where he set up organisational structures and systems, and coordinated the National Violence Against Children Survey. He served as the Manager of Child Protection and Advocacy in ChildFund International Uganda, where he was also a member of the senior management team, and was also the focal person of the Africa region, within the organisation. He served as the Coordinator of the Global Child Protection in Crisis Network in Uganda (CPCN), a global learning mechanism to strengthen and systemize child protection in crisis-settings through the collaborative action of humanitarian agencies, local institutions, and academic partners. In the regional African Network for Prevention and Proterction Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), Mr Opobo was also the Research, Information and Policy Advocacy Manager in both Uganda and Liberia, providing technical and management leadership, and working closely with other advocacy agencies and governments to influence policy. His areas of focus are social research, project/program design, planning and management, policy advocacy, as well as networking with state and non-state agencies. Over the years, he has gained valuable experience in fundraising and dealing with donors including USAID, European Commission, Irish Aid, DFID, KOICA, BMZ, UNICEF, UNFPA as well as a number of foundations.
He received his Social Work Degree from from Makerere University, Kampala and his master’s degree in Development Studies from the University College of Dublin. He also hold a Post Graduate Diploma in Leadership in Community Development from the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute in Arusha, Tanzania. Mr. Opobo is a Global Research Fellow on Child Behaviarol Health in Sub-Saharan Africa, a graduate of the Future Leaders Program, Resource Alliance at Wolfsen College, Oxford University and a recipient of the MASHAV scholarship in Development of Children, Social-Emotional Support and Wellbeing, from Haifa University, Israel.
MATHEW AMOLLO
RESEARCH MANAGER
Mathew Amollo is a researcher and monitoring and evaluation specialist with over 12 years’ experience in research and evaluations fields. Most of his work has been in the field of health (reproductive health and health services research); social research and education. Mathew has experience in evaluation public health programs in Uganda and internationally, notably he was lead evaluator of socio-economic program for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Lesotho, Ending Child marriages program in Western Tanzania. He has experience working with international Donors such as USAID through his past engagements with USAID Cross Boarder Initiative and USAID Maternal and Child Health program in 4k Districts implemented by ABT Associates among others. He has also worked on DFID grants through Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic development. In research, Mathew possesses vast experience in quasi experimental studies such as randomized control trials, panel surveys, cross-sectional studies, and process evaluations. His skills spread through project design, participatory MEL approaches, outcome monitoring and evaluations. He has enormous expertise in both quantitative and qualitative evaluative research approaches in evaluation design and data analysis (using SPSS, Nvivo, Atlas ti, SPSS, Stata), report writing and research/knowledge translation.
At AfriChild, Mathew has been responsible for successful implementation of scaling up positive parenting practices project, an implementation science study conducted in Lira in Partnership with LACCODEF; He oversaw the successful implementation of the inter-university and PPURE First Cohort capacity building program. Mathew is currently the Research Manager for the Good School Tool Kit for Secondary Schools, a Co-principal Investigator AfriChild study on effects of COVID-19 on the Wellbeing of Children in Uganda and Co-Investigator for the Formative Research on the impact of Men’s Active Positive Presence on the Lives of Children.
CLARE AHABWE BANGIRANA
DIRECTOR, RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT
Clare is a development researcher and Evaluation practitioner with a blend of competences in research, program development and monitoring and evaluation. In particular, Bangirana has focused on issues of vulnerable children, child protection for children in different contexts including street connected children refugee children and children in post conflict settings. She has 15 years’ expertise in research particularly leading, managing and coordinating complex qualitative and quantitative research projects in Uganda and the East African Region. In addition to being involved in the Uganda VACS, other studies she has managed include; A qualitative study of risks and protective factors for violence against children in three regions of Uganda by AfriChild, Violence Against Children Outside Family Care; on the Streets and in Residential Care Institutions. She has also been involved in a systematic review on risk factors for Violence Against Children in Low and Middle Income Countries, a UNHCR/Columbia University/TPO Uganda study on measuring impact of child protection systems using a child protection index in two refugee settlements in Uganda as well as a host of other child related research projects cutting across social protection, public health, and justice. She holds a Master’s degree and Post-Graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation as well as a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies.
EMMANUEL AKUTI
CAPACITY BUILDING ASSISTANT
Emmanuel Akuti is currently the Capacity Building Assistant at the AfriChild Centre. This role involves administrative, procurement and logistical support to the inter university training project specifically: administering of the Training Needs Assessment (TNA) for practitioners, organization of learning symposiums, managing small grants awards and identification of relevant potential funding opportunities. He is also in charge of routine ICT support at the Centre. Emmanuel is an IT professional with hands on experience in data entry, computer networking, troubleshooting, software installations and social media management. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology, CCNA (level IV and Google Digital Skills Certificate).
JOHN BOSCO APOTA
RESEARCH OFFICER
John is a community development worker holding a Bachelor’s degree in Adult and Community Education from Kyambogo University. He has over 8 years’ experience in carrying out quantitative and qualitative studies and has expertise in study tools development, training of study teams, data management and analysis. At AfriChild Centre, he has successfully coordinated research projects such as impact assessment for WASH interventions in schools and communities, The National Survey on Violence against Children (VAC) – Both Household and Street components, The Impact of men’s Active, Positive Presences in the lives of children in Uganda. He has also coordinated Community Based Child Protection Systems mapping in more than 8 Districts of Uganda in partnership with Colombia University and Child Fund International. He also vast experience in participatory research techniques such as free listing cartographic interviews, auto-photography and place perception. He supports qualitative data analysis for the Good Schools Toolkit Trial Pilot Study and The effect of COVID-19 on the Wellbeing of Children in Uganda. John is currently pursuing a Post-graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation at Uganda Management Institute.
EMILY ATHIENO
PROGRAMS ASSISTANT
Emily is a Monitoring, Evaluations and research practitioner, with several years of experience working with humanitarian, development and research institutions. She is the M&E focal person at the AfriChild Centre and also supports program implementation functions. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluations and is currently finalizing a Master’s in Management Studies (specializing in Monitoring and Evaluation) from Uganda Management Institute. She is a Programs Assistant at AfriChild Centre.
MARIA NDIBALEKERA
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Maria Ndibalekera supports the AfriChild Centre work in two major arms. First as an Administrative Assistant an area in which she has proved herself a great player. Working together with the administration and finance departments, Maria ensures smooth running of the day today planned activities by timely provision of the required logistics and all the necessary administration support. On the other hand, Maria too is a key asset to the research component of the Centre. Drawing from her educational background and passion for social research, the Centre has provided a platform for her to grow in research knowledge and skills thus enriching her potential. Similarly, she too has participated in the implementation of several research studies at the Centre. She is a key player in seeking for ethical reviews for upcoming studies, a great asset in field preparations and an excellent mixed methods data collector who is well informed of the several child-focused methods. Her zeal and passion for research and children are tailored well with the Centre’s vision and mission. Maria holds a first class bachelors degree in Social Work and Social Administration from Makerere University and looks forward to a career in family and child social work.
EUNICE ALADO
VOLUNTEER FINANCE & ADMIN
Eunice supports the Finance and Administration team at AfriChild. She is CPA Level II student at The Institute Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU).
