Abdoulie Fye

Mr. Abdoulie Fye joined The Gambia Red Cross as a volunteer in 1990. He served different portfolios: Red Cross Assistant Social Secretary, Link Leader, Area Link Coordinator, Voluntary Branch Officer, Branch Area Youth Representative, National First Aid Trainer, National Youth Director, Central Committee/Governing Board Member and Finance Commission Member.

Mr. Fye worked with The Gambia National Youth Council starting 2000 from the level of Office Assistant to Programme Manager and Child Rights Project Officer at the Child Protection Alliance for 2 years. He is also a Founding Father and First Secretary General of Peace Ambassadors - The Gambia.

In October 2018, he was appointed Programmes Manager of The Gambia Red Cross and now Director of Programmes and Operations from 2021 to date.

 Mr. Fye has vast experience in humanitarian work and holds a Masters degree in Governance and Regional Integration from the Pan African University and University of Yaounde II Cameroon. He also studied Youth in Development Work, Community Development, Population and Development. He attended and completed several trainings in Humanitarian and Development.

Agung Lestyawan

My name is Agung Lestyawan, I work as Senior WASH Officer for IFRC CCD for Indonesia and Timor-Leste based in Jakarta. I have worked in the WASH sector for 14 years in both emergency response and development programs within the Red Cross Movement and NGOs/INGOs. I also have working experience in shelter, livelihood, and DRR sector and as an assessor for ASEAN Standards and Certification for Experts in Disaster Management (ASCEND) for WASH Sector.

I have the premonition that in the future there will be more and more CVA-based programs to be better addressed the need of vulnerable communities. CVA gives the vulnerable community the freedom and dignity to choose what the best to fulfill their needs. It also gives additional value and more impact to the program. It made me interested to learn and know more about cash and voucher assistance as one of the modalities for any humanitarian program sector, especially on WASH.

Alexander Oeze

My name is Alexander Oeze, and I am an HQ based WASH-advisor for the Austrian Red Cross. What I find particularly interesting in market based WASH interventions is the the emphasis on understanding problems with a systemic approach, taking into consideration the complex interlinkages between consumers, traders, producers, infrastructure, legal framework, etc. This enables thinking out of the “direct-problem&solution-box”. I think we would have more sustainable WASH interventions with less negative side effects, if we tackled WASH problems more from a systems perspective. (E.g. rather than destroying local business by importing slightly cheaper pumps ourselves to go for local procurement to strengthen the local economy)

While there is plenty of rhetorics and theory about these issues in the RC WASH sector, I find there is a gap of “walking-the-talk”. So my main interest in joining the WASH&CVA TWiG is to practically move things rather than creating more paper. 

Amar Mani Poudel

I am Amar Mani Poudel, working in Nepal Red Cross Society since 1997 and now as a Deputy Director in National headquarters in WASH Division. I have experience on CASH and WASH in development and emergency programs since 2008. I worked exclusively in CVA specially in 2015 mega earthquake and 2017 flood in Nepal, I have knowledge and skill of planning, implementation and post monitoring of Cash and voucher assistance program. 

This CVA TWG is a knowledge and learning sharing and management platform where I can contribute, learn from others and sharing my experiences. It supports capitalize knowledge and learning in our context and contents. 

Annika Smits

Annika Smits works for the Netherlands Red Cross. She has experience in CVA in emergencies. Her current focus is on setting up several pilots in market-based programming for Wash interventions. The pilots explore diverse ways to make use of Cash and Voucher assistance within Wash programming, aiming to enable sustainable Wash markets pre- and post-disaster.  

Chai Yaw Hong (Andrew)

I am Chai Yaw Hong, an active volunteer for the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) and a Remittance Manager for one of the local financial institutions in Sarawak, Malaysia. I am the Sarawak Chapter CVA focal person and one of the CWG members for MRCS. 

My role involves emergency response programs, MRCS CVA policy and SOP development. My involvement in CVA started back in 2017 where I attended the Cash Based Assisstance Training by MRCS and IFRC, followed by PECT training in 2019. One of my proudful moments in CVA was when I led the Cash For Covid-19 program for hundreds of people in Sarawak whose livelihoods were affected by the pandemic. Through the Cash and Wash TWG, I wish to learn and share as many knowledge as possible for the betterment of my NS and RCRC-wide emergency response programs, particularly in CVA and WASH.

Debora Bonucci

My name is Debora Bonucci.
I work for British Red Cross as WASH Adviser and I am based in London. I have worked in the WASH sector for the last 20 years. In British Red Cross I provide technical support to development and emergency response programme in Asia and Africa regions. 

I am joining the CVA and WASH TWG because I would like to contribute to strengthen the experience and evidence based within the RC movement in delivering WASH assistance through markets-based programming.

Dikendra Pokhrel 

I'm Dikendra Pokhrel, working in Nepal Red Cross Society as program officer since 2016 in WASH Division. I'm member of Cash and Voucher assistance technical working group (CVA TWG) of Nepal Red Cross Society since 2019 and have been engaged in CVA related orientation, training and market assessment in different context and commodities of the disaster within the country as well.

 This CVA WASH TWG is a learning sharing, operating as well as management platform to have an enhancing timely and better response to affected community in effective and efficient approaches where I will learn and share my knowledges and practices through this platform and will cascade CVA as a new response option / humanitarian assistance within NRCS.

Fadhil Yusri Aksa

I currently work as a Cash and Voucher Assistance Specialist at CCD for Indonesia and Timor-Leste based in Jakarta, Indonesia. I have around 20 years of working experience in humanitarian field in which around 10 years with RCRC Movement.

My interest on Cash and Voucher Assistant since it enables beneficiaries to maximize the value of assistance provided to them, the possibility to support indirect beneficiaries and improving the pre disaster condition by supporting the local market, while maintain beneficiaries' dignity. I foresee the CVA still have a lot of room for exploration on the implementation and capacity building through the use of technology as well as sectoral focused, i.e for WASH, Health, Livelihood and so on. The reason I join TWG is to better prepared to support National Societies as well as to gain knowledge and network on CVA and WASH.

Fredrick M. Orimba

Fredrick worked with Kenya Red Cross Society as the Focal Point for CVA for 6 years and Co-chair of the Kenya CWG.  He is currently working with German Red Cross as the Technical Lead for CVA, and Social Protection based in Berlin, Germany. He has extensive training and experience in Cash and Voucher Assistance, designing, implementing, and monitoring CVA programmes in humanitarian contexts and linking humanitarian cash to Government social protection systems. He is also alumni of the British Cash School and currently supports the school as a resource for mentoring new cash students.

Fredrick has good knowledge and experience in institutionalization of cash /cash preparedness and currently supporting different National Societies to become cash prepared as well as the use of cash, vouchers, and market-based approaches in different sectors such as WASH, Health, Livelihoods, Shelter, and Basic needs in the disaster management continuum. His main reason for joining the Cash and WASH TWG is to contribute to actualizing the use of Cash and Market-Based Programming in achieving WASH outcomes, learning, and sharing experiences.

George Kiragu

Kiragu George currently works for the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) through its research unit: The International Center for Humanitarian Affairs (ICHA) as the Cash Information Management Officer supporting all Information Management needs for CVA programs, In the East-Africa Region, he supports the host NS in co-designing for CashIM. In addition, he supports the Kenya Cash Working Group (KCWG) in all its Information Management needs. His interest in joining the CASH and WASH TWG is to contribute to and strengthen the experience and evidence-based programming to achieve WASH outcomes through Market-Based Programming, Research, Learning, and Sharing Experiences.

Jamilee Al Doueihy

WASH Regional Program Officer at IFRC MENA. 

Previously WASH Officer at Lebanese Red Cross, trained on IFRC CASH transfer programming and Livelihoods training and IFRC CASH level 2 training, with experience with the Red Rose System for provision of hygiene kits for Syrian refugees using restricted CASH assistance.

I am joining the CVA to increase technical knowledge on latest interventions related to WASH and CASH assistance, to support MENA national societies in innovative approaches to introduce CASH to WASH activities at a later stage.

Kiran K. Acharya

My name is Kiran K. Acharya, I am currently working as a WASH Engineer for Nepal Red Cross Society at the National Headquarters. I have 10+ years of engineering experience predominantly in water supply, sanitation, DRR, Farmer managed Irrigation Systems (FMIS), and community infrastructures projects. Since 2015, I am capitalizing on my experience in the humanitarian sector of WASH (both emergency and development) through the RCRC movement.

CASH-based intervention in WASH is not new to the sector, we've been practicing cash-for-work modality for years. However, in recent years, market-based programming and green response have emerged as major interventions in the humanitarian nexus. After recent involvement in the Pre-Crisis Market Assessment (PCMA) of essential WASH items in the terai and hilly regions of Nepal (2021 & 2022), my eagerness to understand Market Based Programming (MBP) in WASH has been exponential.

I wish to join this CVA and WASH TWG to primarily deepen my understanding of MBP and secondly, bridge the gap between the limited capacity of NS and the rapidly growing market of which proper understanding is required for sustainable market-based programming in WASH, especially in a disaster-prone country like Nepal. 

Liyel Eyo

My name is Liyel Eyo, I am a volunteer with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, and also a member of the state Emergency First Aid Team (EFAT). My areas of expertise are in community engagement, hygiene promotion, disaster risk reduction / awareness creation and  community participation.

During the Covid -19 outbreak, I was involved in the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) response towards Covid – 19 prevention and awareness. I also have a keen interest in WASH promotion, and have been a school unit facilitator on promotion of correct hygiene and sanitation practices among school goers.

Through the cash and WASH TWG, I hope to learn, share and contribute towards the achievement of the group’s aim.

Rayson Khoo

I am Rayson Khoo, an active volunteer from Malaysian Red Crescent based in Penang. I have been an active member for many years and have actively participated in ambulance service, disaster relief, community outreach programmes and as a first aid instructor.

I come from an accounting and finance background, with experience working in auditing firms, banks and stockbroking companies.

I am glad to be given this opportunity to serve and broaden my knowledge base in Cash and Wash, areas which will influence how we respond in relief operations in coming years.

Reem Jawhari

I am a Lebanese Red Cross Volunteer. I have previously worked with LRC as an Economic Security Officer responding to the Cash intervention for Beirut Blast.

I see CVA has become a major response mechanism for the humanitarian sector in the MENA region since it is an efficient and transparent way of providing assistance to the most vulnerable. CVA ensures that people have the freedom, dignity and independence to decide on their own recovery, and that's what drives me to put more in there. 

I have completed several Cash related trainings (Cash Transfer programming, CaLP), and this has helped me widen my knowledge on CVA. 

I am joining the Cash and WASH technical working group in order to upsurge my technical understanding on WASH and CASH and develop my ability to create impact.

As in my current position as MENA Cash Center of Excellence officer, it will be a major asset in helping support MENA national societies.

Sarosh Naqvi

My name is Sarosh Naqvi and I’m a Health Officer with the Canadian Red Cross, based in Toronto. I have been involved in Epidemic Prevention and Control during the COVID-19 pandemic and public health programming across Canada. My background is in Public Health with a focus on Reproductive and Sexual Health. I joined the Cash and WASH TWG to improve my technical skills on market-based WASH programming, and WASH from a health focus. I would also like to delve deeper into MHM-related Cash and WASH programming.

Suvechhya Manandhar

My name is Suvechhya Manandhar. I am working for Nepal Red Cross Society and currently engaged as PMER coordinator in WASH division. I have been working with Nepal Red Cross for last eight years in different roles. I have been part of post-monitoring of cash assistance during 2015 mega earthquake. I am joining the CVA and WASH TWG to better understand and also contribute in the group which will also enrich me personally in developing WASH assistance through markets-based programming in development as well as emergency programming. 

Sylvester Bett

Sylvester Bett is currently the Austrian Red Cross WASH delegate in East Africa. Prior to this deployment he worked with the Kenya Red Cross Society for a period of nine years were he started as the WASH manager and later served as the Head of WASH. He is a WASH practitioner with vast experience in the Humanitarian WASH sector as well as in government, having worked for the Kenya Government prior to joining KRCS for four years as the technical services manages for the western water services company which operates in the western region of the country. 

Sylvester Hold a Bsc. Civil Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology(kenya) and an Msc. In Water and Environmental Management from Loughborough University(UK). He is a registered Graduate Engineer with the Engineers board of Kenya(EBK) and the Institute of Engineers of Kenya(IEK). He is a registered lead ESIA expert with the National Environment Management Authority(NEMA) in Kenya among other professional bodies.

CVA has emerged as an effective and preferred response mechanism for the humanitarian sector due to the effectiveness and the dignity it offers to affected populations/beneficiaries of the response services. WASH & CVA TWG is therefore a platform in time to align WASH responses with this new tool for humanitarian action by allowing discussion among WASH and CASH practitioners to develop the standards and procedures for its deployment in WASH humanitarian actions.

Terry Wong

My name is Terry Wong. I work for Hong Kong Red Cross as the disaster response team lead. I have work experience of implementing CVA projects in Hong Kong and supporting other National Societies to develop CVA pilot projects and cash readiness plan in East Asia and beyond.

I like the concepts of CVA because it puts accountability to affected people at the center, promotes dignity and respects individual choices. I am glad to join the CVA and WASH TWG and contribute to knowledge exchange and networking with the RCRC Movement partners.