Ms. Irene Gathinji is a capacity development specialist with over 23 years of practical experience in capacity development of civil society organizations (CSOs) and systems strengthening to enable the operating environment for effective service delivery. She has worked in sectors / thematic areas of HIV&AIDS, environment and conservation, democracy and governance, and economic empowerment/livelihoods with cross-cutting issues of gender and youth. She is a seasoned project manager, trained in PMD Pro and having implemented several large 5-year programs from start to finish addressing areas of capacity development, program design, development, implementation, monitoring, oversight, and evaluation. She has worked with over 400 CSOs ranging from national and provincial government departments and government agencies, international and national NGOs, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations.
Irene is currently the Project Director of Yetu Initiative at the Aga Khan Foundation East Africa, from May 2020 and most recently worked with Pact Inc. serving in various position capacity development positions including Capacity Development Director in Accelerating Support to Advanced Local Partners (ASAP), May-Dec 2019, Human Capacity Development Advisor, Pretoria, South Africa, Oct 2013 - June 2018, Organizational Development Advisor, Pretoria, South Africa, Nov 2007 - Sept 2013.
Ms. Gathinji holds an MPhil in Workplace Ethics from University of Pretoria, South Africa, 2012, MA Science and Technology Policy from Murdoch University, Western Australia, 1995, Graduate Diploma in Women Studies from Murdoch University, Western Australia, 1992 and a Bachelor of Education from Kenyatta University, Kenya, 1990.