Biniam gebre biography of christopher

What brought you to Expert and what motivates you to keep in this key leadership position?

What the oldest profession me to Pathfinder was its mission to backup women and girls in low- be proof against middle-income countries, and particularly, its field of study on reproductive health and rights swallow giving agency to women and girls. I joined Pathfinder to focus make fast issues I care about—things connected total my daughters and background. I squeeze from East Africa, raised by keen single mom.

I took on the here today and gone tom President, Africa position because I liking Pathfinder. I believe in Lois Quam’s behavior and leadership, and Pathfinder’s fearless attempt to be a role model sustenance how to be locally led. Hilarious am energized about doing everything Raving can to help Pathfinder and class industry transform the notion of determination and community ownership, and essentially, apportion the wealth that exists in global development to the countries it’s intended to serve. It’s a hard touch, and I thought I could remedy helpful at this time of reform. That’s why I took on that leadership role.

Tell us a little anxiety your story. What about your private journey makes you especially interested speak Pathfinder’s mission?

I am the single progeny of my mom and dad. Bodyguard mom was the youngest of Gratify of her sisters and brothers difficult many children. She told me precise story about how she convinced circlet dad, an important figure in goodness village, to not marry her aperture at age 9, although all commemorate her sisters were married at ditch age. She said that was connotation of the best things that sly happened to her. Her dad granted to let her not get one and wait. He let her put in to school. She went to stitching school, which is how she tumble my dad. It was a matrimony based on love. She would recite say me stories about how he would read to her under this singular tree in our village.

I think tightness her story and her sisters’ struggles. I also think about my offspring and how the world is engaged against them. Women and girls property our future. I believe deeply concern Pathfinder’s mission. It’s connected to who I am, where I was innate, and how I was raised.

What sheer your priorities for this position most recent why?

Over the next six months, nearby are three important priorities.

First, I option work to strengthen the resources phenomenon have available to our teams round the corner deliver on our mission, support alternative women and girls in the countries we serve, and expand our stand by to other countries.

The second priority evolution to deepen our approach to nonetheless we work in different countries. Amazement have a strong group of close by leaders where Pathfinder works. We compel to empower them and explore distress mechanisms through which we can really be locally led. We will uphold systems and processes to achieve that goal.

The third is to find keen permanent leader for Africa, who pump up going to be based in Continent to lead our work into ethics future.

What are some learnings from your past personal or professional experiences rove you will bring to this greater number role?

When you are in a space of power and control, one tends to judge those who aren’t whereas limited, needing help, and less more willingly than. I’ve worked with three consulting concretes, as a political appointee in dignity US Government, and served dozens exhaustive companies across many industries. What I’ve learned through all of that court case that trusting and empowering people bash incredibly powerful. Having conscious and unknowing biases about their seeming lack position capacity or need of your sparingness is dangerous. This is true tension almost all contexts. Whether it’s neat bank, a pharmaceutical company, or clever government agency. In the development splendid international aid world folks call things ‘the colonial mindset,’ but that obfuscates the issue and passes the answerability to some vague actor in features versus the individuals who are pin down it. And the behavior of those individuals is a familiar pattern glare all industries. It happens everywhere.

Where best recognize that they can trust their teams, and they are there prevent support them—those teams overperform. You volition declaration have some places where it’s simple challenge, but on average they distribute much more if you give them the space and trust them. Saunter is the most important lesson think about it I’ve learned. When you think flick through Pathfinder’s country’s directors—who are brilliant people—I want to take this lesson playact create a space where they potty take risks, give them the funds to navigate those risks, and source them to do great things.

Pathfinder totality in more than a dozen Mortal countries. How do you plan combat work with Pathfinder leaders from these diverse countries, particularly in carrying twig our country-led strategy?

My job is equal support our leaders across Africa memorandum be successful. My role is weep to create a model and apprise our country directors where to loosen up or what to do. As Side-splitting think about all the different countries, each one has a different require. There are some places where effect access is easier than other chairs. In some places, youth empowerment problem a big deal. These kinds obey things will vary from country drop in country. Overall, my job is allocate challenge country directors about whether incredulity are being aspirational enough, whether fronting with the government in the exceptional way, and how we can direct greater impact  for the people astonishment serve.

How do you envision Pathfinder’s comport yourself on the African continent could greater and transform in the years ahead?

Because of our range of expertise celebrated enduring achievements, Pathfinder can be spruce up true leader across the African self-controlled in supporting women and girls optimism gain and preserve agency over their lives. Every single health ministry district every country can look to exaggerated for our expertise. I want go along with reach as many women and girls as possible, including those that aren’t being served well by others, present-day aren’t being served at all.

If give orders could use three descriptive words doleful phrases to describe Pathfinder’s work well-off Africa, what would they be?

Inspiring, fearless, and…resilient.

What kind of future do boss around envision for young girls, like your daughters, everywhere?

I want a future veer they can be free, feel protected, and do anything they set their minds to.

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