Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

School of Oriental and African Studies, U. of London

Universidad Complutense de Madrid

MIT Professional Education

Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Social Innovator and Builder  -  Digital for Development Strategist  -  Director of Partnerships at Viamo  -  Passion for Chatbots, Conversational AI & Data Science for Social Good

Berlin, Germany

At Viamo, we believe that information is power. We envision a world where all people have access to the information they need to make decisions for healthy, prosperous lives, and have meaningful relationships with governments, civil society, and businesses. We do this by overcoming information gaps and implementation challenges on large scale, high impact projects with a focus on the devices people have, the languages they understand, and the digital channels best suited to their needs. With more than 30 million unique users in 2020 alone, we are well on our way to meeting our goal of reaching 50 million people annually by 2023.Partnerships Management & Business Development- I lead Viamo's rapidly growing European Partnerships team and build strategic relationships with key European donors such as FCDO and GIZ and their commercial and INGOs implementers.Digital Strategy Consulting- I am Viamo's Digital Strategy Lead and co-create impactful digital engagement approaches and projects with donors, INGOs and governments through a blend of Design Thinking, Human-Centered Design (HCD) and SBCC and a clear focus on user-centric development.Thought Leadership & Knowledge Sharing- I regularly voice ideas about user-centred digital innovations and speak at Digital for Development events, forums and webinars and contribute to the growing digital innovation ecosystem in international development.Business Strategy Support- I am a member of Viamo's Leadership Cadre and work closely with the Executive Management to review and evolve Viamo's business strategy.Selected Short-Term Assignments- Since 09/2020: Technical Backstopper for the GIZ CallVsCorona project in Madagascar, design and testing of large-scale gamified COVID-19 response- Since 06/2020: Team Leader for the GIZ ECCAS border program, design and implementation of COVID-19 mobile engagement campaigns in Rwanda and DRC

Viamo

Director of European Partnerships

Digital Strategy Consulting & Human-Centred Design- I co-created numerous impact-focused and user-centred digital engagement strategies with clients, partners and stakeholders through Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) and Design Thinking and facilitated many HCD workshops and events with senior governmental officials, technical experts and beneficiaries.Social Innovation & Impact Partnerships- I created sustainable impact partnerships based on shared value and purpose with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Madagascar like Airtel and expanded Viamo’s vital local telco integrations to expand our impact to 900,000 unique users annually.Partnerships Management & Business Development- I built strong partnerships with donors and INGOs and the government and grew Viamo’s Madagascar portfolio from $0 to $1.5 million annually in 24 months.Selected Short-Term Assignments- 11/2019 - 05/2020: Team Leader for the GIZ PRCCC program, iterative HCD with the Ministry of Health to develop IVR-based health calendars- 10/2018 - 04/2020: Team Leader for digital SBCC for the GIZ PrAda program, co-creation and design and implementation of numerous high-impact IVR campaigns such as gamified audio games and IVR cropping calendars reaching 1 million people- 06/2018 - 04/2020: M4D Team Leader on the USAID Mikajy biodiversity program in Madagascar- 03/2018 - 04/2020: M4D Team Leader for the World Bank-funded PREA anticorruption hotline project in Madagascar- 01-04/2018: Led the implementation of the national public health emergency hotline for USAID SHOPS Plus in Madagascar- 10/2017 - 01/2018: Developed a Digital Strategy for the GIZ PrAda climate-change adaptation program in Madagascar- 10/2017: ICT4Ag Strategy Advice for the GIZ PAD agricultural program in Tunisia

Country Director Madagascar

Cotton made in Africa is the largest sustainability standard for sustainable cotton from Africa, working with more than 900,000 smallholder farmers all across the continent. CmiA leverages the global demand for cotton to improve the social, economic and environmental livelihoods of these farmers through training, improved agricultural extension and qualification programmes. CmiA and its partners also support co-investments in sustainable cotton production in cooperation with African cotton companies to help more farmers benefit from sustainably produced cotton.M&E & Innovation- I managed the development of a new M&E, Research and Learning (MERL) strategy. I also prepared the implementation of a digital M&E, data analysis and reporting tool based on Salesforce to allow for results-based programme management and coordinated with pro-bono data scientists to tap into Big Data.ICT4D & Digital Development- I led the work on a wider ICT4D and digital development approach to have a bigger, faster and more efficient impact on the smallholder farmers. This role included close cooperation with consultants, digital innovators from Africa and African Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

Cotton made in Africa (Aid by Trade Foundation)

Project Manager for Impact, ICT & Innovation

GFA is a leading international development consultancy with more than 30 years of experience in designing and managing donor-funded projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. More than 1,400 experts implement close to 400 projects annually. GFA is one of the biggest contractors of GIZ, KfW and the EU.Business Development- I won two GIZ-funded ICT4D and agricultural innovation projects with a value of 3 Mio EUR.- I built excellent relationships with GIZ missions and headquarter staff, private sector companies and government representatives on numerous fact-finding trips to Africa.ICT4D & Digital for Development- I initiated an ICT4D working group and developed a Digital for Development strategy for the stronger integration of ICTs and digital solutions in GFA project approaches.- I provided in-house ICT4D advice with a focus on M4D solutions and organised learning events. - Also, I contributed to an ICT4Ag Strategy Input for KfW and to an M4D strategy for an SDC-funded agriculture project in Afghanistan.Project Management- I backstopped two GIZ projects and was responsible for overall project management, planning and budgeting and reporting.- This role included regular missions to Togo to reassure alignment with key stakeholders.Selected Short-Term Assignments- 06-10/2016: Contribution to a global ICT4Ag Strategy for KfW - 03-10/2016: EU-funded feasibility study for a social business venture in agriculture innovation for smallholder cotton farmers- 10/2015 – 10/2016: Junior Study Coordinator for the GIZ-funded SEWOH GIAE farming innovation baseline study with more than 6,000 farmers in 12 countries (development of Data Science and mobile data collection strategy) - 09/2016: Development of an M4D strategy for the SDC-funded GIAA agriculture innovation program in Afghanistan- 01-02 & 07-08/2016: Two missions as Interim Team Leader in the GIZ-funded SEWOH GIAE agriculture innovation program in Togo (e-extension component)

GFA Consulting Group GmbH

Consultant for Private Sector Development & ICT4D in Africa

Kienbaum is an international strategy, management and recruiting consultancy with 33 offices in 18 countries. The Kienbaum public management practice works with state-owned companies, public institutions and government authorities at federal, national and international levels to analyse, evaluate and improve their public service delivery. Kienbaum regularly evaluates EU-funded programmes and helps to implement EU legislation and regulations.I worked with the public management team in a project mandated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs (BMWi) on digitising the public procurement statistics in Germany. I designed and implemented online surveys and expert interviews among public procurement officers and contributed to the final analysis and reporting.

Kienbaum Consultants International

Public Management/ Monitoring & Evaluation Intern

GIZ is Germany’s agency for technical development cooperation. GIZ is mandated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and other public entities to design and implement international development programmes in line with the BMZ development policy priorities. I supported the Sector Project Development Economics that consulted the BMZ on developing Germany's strategies in multilateral development discussions e.g. at the World Bank and the IMF. I analysed World Bank Program for Results (PforR) indicators and contributed to briefing papers e.g. on the revised Corporate Scorecard of the World Bank Group.

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Development Economics Intern

OxAID is a pro-bono strategy consultancy that brings together teams of motivated students from top UK universities to volunteer on consulting projects for organisations in international development. OxAID teams typically provide strategy development, research and analysis skills and M&E support to development agencies, think tanks, NGOs and local charities.I led a team of four students that supported the strategy development of an NGO-run volunteering and career service at Makerere University of Kampala, Uganda.

Oxford Associates for International Development

Project Coordinator

Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is one of the largest bilateral donors in international development. BMZ sets the principles and strategies of German development policy as the basis of cooperation with partner countries and international organisations. I supported the Africa Division in their policy coordination with other donors and prepared and reviewed socio-economic background papers.

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Africa Division Intern

The German embassy in Togo is responsible for coordinating the bilateral German-Togolese development cooperation in collaboration with the Togo head offices of GIZ and KfW. I assisted the Economic Cooperation Officer and contributed to preparations for an increased and intensified international development cooperation with Togo.

German Foreign Office, German Embassy in Togo

Economic Cooperation Intern

GIGA is an independent research institute with more than 50 years of experience in applied research in politics, economies, and societies of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The institute is a member of the Leibniz Association, and the 160 GIGA fellows are committed to science for the benefit of society. Regular research funding partners include the World Bank, and GIGA researchers provide regular international development policy advice.I contributed to research on land grabbing in Sub-Saharan Africa, helped manage the GIGA research programme on growth and development and assisted with and supported the analysis of studies, reports and monitoring documents.

GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies

Research Assistant

ASA is a BMZ-funded active learning and internship programme for young people with interest in international development and social and political issues. More than 250 participants annually receive intensive training before joining local grassroots projects in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe for mutual learning and experience. I supported local journalists in northern Togo and designed and produced French-language radio transmissions for a local radio station to promote endogenous expertise on topics linked to local socio-economic development.

ASA-Programme

Rural Development Intern

Diguna is a Germany-based NGO that manages humanitarian assistance and local development programmes in close cooperation with local NGOs and stakeholders in Chad, DR Congo, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda. I helped distribute supplies to refugee camps in North-Eastern DR Congo, contributed to coordination meetings with UNHCR, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and other NGOs and repaired road bridges on main convoy routes.

Lukas Borkowski

Lukas Borkowski