MBA Class of 2010

As District/Provincial AIDS Task Force Manager in the Support HIV/AIDS Response in Zambia II (SHARe II) Project I serve as a primary liaison between the project and regional coordinating structures and stakeholders. We provide technical support on all aspects of organizational development and coordination to regional SHARe II programs.

Working with the Zambia National AIDS Council we recently completed work on the District Coordination Guidelines which aim to standardize and galvanise the multi-sector coordination and management of the response to HIV and AIDS at the regional levels.

To operationalise these guidelines we have also launched a management certification pilot for the regional district level structures known as District AIDS Task Forces. This management certification as a business practice is supported by behaviour change facilitator-guided organisational capacity self-assessments.

Considering that the HIV and AIDS pandemic has had its greatest impact on sub-Saharan Africa with the epicentre being in the Southern Africa region, the region of which Zambia the country we work in is part of; the work that we are doing will go a long way in strategically positioning the country multi-sector response at the sub-national levels to effectively and efficiently coordinate and manage the response to HIV and AIDS.

Significantly, however, it is noteworthy that my current position has greatly benefited from my MBA training which I did with the University of Bedfordshire. The supported learning platform the university afforded me has greatly enhanced my ability to deliver reports online while out in the field where there is internet connectivity. While further reading in public policy management and organisational development will surely do me a lot of good the firm foundation laid by my MBA studies will act as the catalyst for a more professionally satisfying development work experience.