SANDRINE WAMBURA
Nairobi
Summary
Results-driven Program Development and Policy Advocacy Specialist with 5+ years’ experience in project planning, stakeholder engagement, and resource mobilization. Skilled in engaging government, civil society, media, and donors to advance governance, accountability, and economic justice initiatives. Proven expertise in donor reporting, fundraising, and delivering evidence-based policy advocacy .
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Program Officer
Women for Cancer Early Detection and Treatment
Nairobi
10.2022 - Current
- Lead program implementation on inclusive access to health services, applying disability-sensitive and gender-responsive approaches.
- Train over 1,500 women and men in community-based sessions on cervical cancer prevention, fostering grassroots understanding of HPV, early detection, and gendered health disparities.
- Coordinate all cross-functional program activities and stakeholder engagement efforts, ensuring seamless implementation of outreach campaigns and health events in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
- Develop detailed annual, quarterly, and monthly work plans, and logical frameworks that enhance team productivity, delivery timelines, and accountability.
- Contribute to the organization’s strategic planning process, aligning program objectives with donor priorities, and national health strategies.
- Manage a team of 3 program staff and interns, providing supervision, mentorship, and performance oversight to ensure effective program delivery.
- Oversee budget tracking and performance monitoring, using real-time data to inform program decisions, and support donor reporting requirements.
- Drive strategic partnerships with government institutions, donors, and international development organizations to amplify cervical cancer advocacy at the county and national levels.
- • Conceptualized and oversaw the rollout of targeted IEC materials ensuring inclusive messaging and community relevance.
- Led planning and implementation of cervical cancer screening events in underserved communities, coordinating logistics, data collection, and post-event reporting.
- Conducted capacity-building workshops for Community Health Promoters on cervical cancer and sexual and reproductive health, embedding gender sensitivity and inclusive health communication.
- Mitigated programmatic risks by identifying operational gaps and leading internal risk response strategies through team-based problem solving and stakeholder consultation.
- Mobilized KES 5 million through the successful planning and execution of two annual corporate golf fundraisers, securing long-term sponsorship and resources for cervical and breast cancer outreach in rural Kenya.
Program Officer
Constitution and Reform Education Consortium
Nairobi
05.2021 - 09.2022
- Executed executive program management tasks in line with conceptualized project work plans and documentation.
- Supported the development and implementation of the organization’s strategic and operational plans, ensuring activities responded to governance and civic engagement priorities.
- Supervised two interns and a team of ten field enumerators, coordinating their work in research, reporting, and community engagement to achieve project targets.
- Coordinated multi-stakeholder initiatives linking governance, civic education, and economic inclusion, including donor-funded projects supporting vulnerable populations.
- Ensured that the information requested on project activities is represented accurately and on time to donors.
- Lead in administrative and logistical planning of workshops, meetings, and training for program activities, as well as generating reports.
- Coordinated internal calendars, recurring reminders, and deadlines using Google Calendar to ensure timely task execution and team alignment.
- Led a project supported by USAID that established a partnership with civil society and other relevant government stakeholders on activities to protect citizens' rights and oversee peaceful, free, and fair elections.
- Developed a successful grant proposal that supported the organization with USD 250,000 for a program on debunking misinformation and disinformation during the Kenyan August 2022 elections.
- Directed and featured in video explainers that were disseminated to the public about the general elections.
- Conducted training for local journalists on tracking misinformation and disinformation online.
- Conducted training for local journalists on tracking misinformation and disinformation online.
- Attended and represented the organization in the Police Reforms Working Group of Civil Society Organizations to collaborate in the areas of reporting, security, political accountability, torture, and protection of human rights.
- Lead a team of enumerators in a 4-constituency research study on 'Extent of Access to Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya,' which generated a report and policy brief among relevant government stakeholders who were lobbied.
- Oversaw, managed, and implemented a KES. 7 million donor grants for the implementation of the project 'Values and Ethos Education in Primary Schools' to promote accountability in Kenya.
Program Assistant
Mathare Social Justice Centre
Nairobi
04.2020 - 05.2021
- Oversaw and guided the launch of a community-driven campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) in Mathare, mobilizing over 300 residents and youth activists to take part in awareness and prevention initiatives.
- Organized weekly engagement forums with GBV network members and special interest groups, creating a consistent platform for advocacy, survivor support, and local coalition building.
- Conducted in-depth research through interactive seminars to document the lived experiences of young mothers affected by GBV, contributing to a community report used for local policy advocacy.
- Introduced an integrated method of voice recording and transcription, increasing the accuracy of data collection, and improving survivor storytelling during focus group discussions and case documentation.
- Formalized and delivered rights-based educational training for young mothers and women in Mathare, strengthening their understanding of GBV laws and available support systems.
- Successfully lobbied for the inclusion of grassroots women's voices in local safety audits and planning forums, improving the representation of women and girls in informal settlement safety policies.
- Co-designed a referral pathway in collaboration with local clinics and legal aid providers, enabling over 60 GBV survivors to access timely medical and psychosocial support services.
- Led the development of a digital campaign highlighting survivor stories, which reached over 10,000 people and sparked public dialogue on structural GBV challenges in Nairobi’s informal settlements.
Education
Master of Public Policy and Management - MPPM
Strathmore University
08.2025
Diploma in French Language -
Alliance Francaise
11.2021
Bachelor of Arts - International Relations, Minor in Development Studies
United States International University Africa
09.2021
High School Diploma -
West Nairobi School
Nairobi, Kenya05-2017
Skills
- Project planning and implementation
- Stakeholder engagement
- Budget management
- Resource mobilization
- Monitoring, evaluation, adaptation, and learning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Partnership coordination
- Compliance management
- Data analysis
- Advocacy
Training
- Washington State University, Certificate in Project Management, 09/24
- Washington State University, Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation, 04/24
- McKinsey & Company, Forward Learning Program for Young Professionals, 12/22
- Kenya Association of Fundraising Professionals, training on resource mobilization, 11/22
- Amnesty International, training on human rights campaigning, 11/20
Languages
English
First Language
Swahili
Proficient (C2)
C2
French
Upper Intermediate (B2)
B2
Certification
Best Delegate – International Model African Union Conference, Howard University, Washington, DC 02/2019
References
Eroll Wekesa (Supervisor at Women for Cancer Early Detection and Treatment)
Senior Project Officer,
Women for Cancer Early Detection and Treatment,
+254 720 143376,
erollweke@gmail.com
Zipporah Abaki, (Former supervisor at CRECO)
Project Manager, EU - TUNU Project,
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung,
+254 721177852,
Abakizip@gmail.com
Michael Kamau, (Former supervisor at Mathare Social Justice Centre)
Principal Convenor, Gender-Based Violence Dept
Gender Based Violence Dpt.
Mathare Social Justice Center,
+254 703326850,
Michaelkamau03@gmail.com
Timeline
Program Officer
Women for Cancer Early Detection and Treatment
10.2022 - Current
Program Officer
Constitution and Reform Education Consortium
05.2021 - 09.2022
Program Assistant
Mathare Social Justice Centre
04.2020 - 05.2021
Master of Public Policy and Management - MPPM
Strathmore University
Diploma in French Language -
Alliance Francaise
Bachelor of Arts - International Relations, Minor in Development Studies
United States International University Africa
High School Diploma -
West Nairobi School
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