Geoffrey Kalyanga Sakulala

• Covering a cumulative period of 16 years across 3 refugee field locations/settlements, I contributed to the international refugee Protection environment which enabled a total of 60,000 persons, forced to flee conflict and served by UNHCR and Zambian Government, to rebuild their lives and have access to and enjoy their basic human rights.
• Through field based hands-on coordination of the UNHCR’s Protection function at Refugee settlement level, supervising internal teams of about 12 staff members, and working with the Zambian Government and international and national NGOs as implementing partners, I provided oversight and guidance on operationalisation and monitoring of Protection results based plans anchored on KPI.
• Notably, under applicable international refugee Protection SOPs and Guidelines, among the broad Protection spectrum of Access to territory; RSD; Registration; Camp Coordination and management; Protection from GBV and SEA; Child Protection; support to PSNs; Education; and durable solutions; significant achievements were made in the following results areas:
• Saved lives of asylum seekers and refugees at border entry points, who had fled persecution and violence, through a facilitated process of access onto Zambian territory and, research on and sharing of Country of Origin Information to aid national asylum procedures. This was made possible through my focal point facilitation of working with and building capacities of Government security committees at the border towns.
• Protected affected populations from gender based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse as indicated by a total of 2000 cases reported and responded to over the 16 years period served.
• Represented field offices at country operations level on inputs contributions to multi year multi partner plans and, more specifically, formulation of periodic Protection strategies.
• Further, my Protection skills and competencies can be demonstrated by the following positive results from the most recent accomplishments at Mantapala Refugee Settlement during 2023, which was my last full year in UNHCR before my voluntary separation:
• As Officer In Charge for the Field Office Protection Unit in 2022 and 2023, Refugee rights promoted and risks to and cases of violations prevented, mitigated and responded to under GBV; Child Protection; PSEA; AAP; registration and documentation; and access to territory and RSD procedures through (i) reorganization, capacity building and operationalisation of AGD based CBP structures (5 major decision making committees formed); (ii) inclusion in national systems such as incorporation of settlement BIP into the Government district based BID panel (3 meetings held); (iii) engagements with Government authorities at border entry points (a Protection monitoring mission conducted December 2023); (iv) monitoring of and reporting on partner activities’ implementation (inter alia, 130 GBV cases reported and provided with responses; 298 UASC identified, verified and provided with various interventions under BIP; 456 out of target of 1441 Alien Cards and 407 Birth Certificates out of target of 989 issued to eligible refugees within 2023; and over 400 PSNs continuously verified as UNHCR CBI beneficiaries; and establishment and process flow operationalisation of CBCFM by way of complaints boxes, protection help desks, mobile phone hotline, PSEA community and partners focal points and an All Partner Ethics Committee (inter alia, 4 complaints boxes sessions and 1 Ethics committee meeting held).
• I also managed to contribute to and support the Field Office (FO) on: Participatory Assessment 2023 conducted and report was prepared - Provided guidance on methodology for and had provided oversight on how it was conducted in the settlement.
• Other information shared with country representation office in response to various ad hoc reporting needs included inputs into country contingency planning on anticipation of asylum seekers influx; then the draft Government National Refugee Policy; and contributions to the proposal for an MoU with government’s Ministry mandated with Child Protection.
• Guidance on preparations for IWD (included review of Concept Note)
• Oversight on preparations for 16 Days GBV activism and represented FOK OIC at main event at which I provided a speech.
• Partner planning and performance monitoring through Multi Functional Team processes.
• Promoted gender equity, inclusivity of vulnerable persons and accountability to beneficiaries through gender mainstreaming and AGD programming tools and through which, e.g. between 2019 and 2024, results such as increase in female participation in leadership and decision making from 18% to 43%; and identification of average per year of 950 persons with specific needs inclusive of unaccompanied and separated children; were achieved.
• Supervised and provided oversight on the provision of education thereby attaining 80% enrolment or 3696 learners; improved teacher learner ratio from 1:90 to 1:70 and Learner textbook ratio improved from 1:8 to 1:4.
• Under supervision of the Head of Field Office, I was Durable solutions focal point at field level and as a result facilitated the voluntary return of 11,170 refugees back to the DRC between 2021 and 2023 - achieved on basis of durable solutions coordination focal point responsibility the office had bestowed upon me as a Protection function.
• Accountability and safeguarding: Refugee settlement community based complaints and feedback mechanisms on prevention of and response to GBV and SEA, among others through supervision, guidance and oversight I provided to focal points in the operationalisation of Men and women Networks and inter partner Ethics committees.
• Member of UNHCR internal oversight committees - Local Assignments Committee - 2020 and 2021; Fraud Committee - 2022; Regional Assignments Committee under the Regional Bureau of Southern Africa - November 2021 to October 2023; and Implementing Partner Management Committee (IPMC) until mid year 2023.

Provided advice on operational processes, business development initiatives, organizational changes and other areas of improvement.

• Led organizational development and capacity building for 12 rural commercial enterprises under ZATAC consultancy funding. This was achieved through advisory guidance on operational processes and business development initiatives for organizational improvement through facilitated participatory meetings with boards and general membership to enhance engagement, resulting in the following documents:
• Developed Administration and Governance manuals for improved organizational structure.
• Created corporate strategic plans to guide future growth and sustainability.

Defined project scope, objectives, and deliverables through collaboration with stakeholders.

• Facilitated formation of eight community-based natural resources management committees and their resource management plans, funded by Community Based Natural Resources Management Programme.
• Conducted two capacity needs assessment research assignments as co-lead consultant in basic education and local government sectors, funded by SNV Zambia Mongu Office.

Contributions toward government decentralization policy through strengthening the institutional capacities of district-level government and NGO structures on methodologies and modalities for development planning and monitoring processes of District Planning Units (DPU) and District Development Coordination Committees (DDCC).

• Through coordinated and collaborative partnership processes with government departments, NGOs, CSOs, and traditional authorities:
• Facilitated the meetings and provided socioeconomic inputs in discussions of 48 DDCC subcommittees, 12 DDCCs, and 12 Provincial Development Coordinating Committees (PDCCs).
• Facilitated the preparation of five-year district strategic development plans.
• Facilitated the establishment of 15 Sub DDCCs in Kaoma, Mongu, and Lukulu districts to further strengthen bottom-up community needs assessments for district planning and enable grassroots inputs into project monitoring.
• Enabled the implementation of 12 socioeconomic projects in the water and road infrastructure sectors, whose identification was based on community participatory appraisals in prioritizing felt needs.
• Contributed to the design of a small enterprises promotion program and funded six small-scale entrepreneurs in the value chains of food, wood, and forestry processing.