INEE Member Spotlight: Petra O. Ogunfowokan

Name:  Petra O. Ogunfowokan 

Location:  Nigeria 

Title: Chief Executive Officer, Frontida Zois Initiative 

Contact: [email protected]; [email protected] 

Introduce yourself to other members. Tell us who you are and summarize the work you do or the interest you have in EiE. 

I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frontida Zois Initiative (FZI) – a community-based charity organization envisioned to combat hunger, poverty, and illiteracy in communities. 

I also coordinate Civil Society Organisations in Oyo State Nigeria working with Vulnerable Children (VC) - in ensuring VC have access to comprehensive and quality basic care. I also advocate, protect, and promote their rights via this platform. 

Currently, due to my immense contribution and positive impact on humanitarian service; I was awarded “The Canvas Ambassador for Sustainability for SDG number- 10 (Reduced Inequalities)”. This is to enable me to leverage my experiences, networks, and stories to bring significant impact to the narrative of SDG 10, painting the picture of sustainability- leaving no one behind.

What has been a highlight of your work as a professional in EiE? Feel free to share a personal story.  

My organization works to promote the rights of vulnerable children including children in emergency conditions within the domains of Education, Nutrition, Health, Protection, Shelter, Psycho-social support, and Household economic strengthening through direct and collaborative approaches. I have profiled 7000+ beneficiaries over the last 3 years.

When and why did you join INEE, and what is the value of INEE membership to you?  

I joined INEE in 2022. I read the guiding principles and policy brief from "Partnerships in Education in Emergencies" by Francine Menashy and Zeena Zakharia and as presented at a webinar hosted by INEE in March 2022. I got really curious about the whole research and particularly about "Transformational shifts for Humanitarianism". I appreciate the work and the team for coming up with such fantastic research outcomes. So, I was hoping for possible direct engagement and partnership with INEE on Education in Emergencies (EiE) - to gain possible access to tools, technical and needed assistance to scale my organization's impacts in the area of Education, particularly during Emergencies- for Vulnerable Children in Nigeria.

How do you currently engage with the INEE network? 

I engage with the INEE network by accessing tools, and technical assistance to scale my organization's impacts through attending events and webinars, receiving news, and using EiE resources.

How would you like INEE members to connect and engage with you? What skills, experience, and/or technical support would you be willing to share or provide to other members and/or INEE Secretariat?  

I am available and open to partnerships with INEE members and Secretariat and I am willing to leverage my experience and skills to achieve this. 

In alignment with INEE goals, my areas of competence and expertise include: Vulnerable Children (VC ) Programming, Resource Mobilization, Training and facilitation, Fund Management, HIV Counseling and Testing, Malaria Testing, Psycho-social First Aider, Team Building, Economic Strengthening and Livelihood Programming, Planning and Coordination, Project Management, Report Writing and Documentation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Advocacy and Communication, Mobilization, and Needs Assessment and Research

Software Skills: Good in data management and analysis using National OVC Management Information System (NOMIS) and Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Canva for graphic designs.

Other Skills: Experienced in championing advocacy outreaches and addressing issues on gaps in policies, budgets, and administrative frameworks; technically efficient in reviewing and updating strategic framework guiding multi-sectoral operationalization for Vulnerable Children programming; Good interpersonal communication, teamwork, supervisory and mentoring skills; Problem-solving skills; Experienced in conducting research and surveys; strong ability to oversee the development/implementation of work plans, reports, and presentations; Ability to detect early bottlenecks in a project intervention and implementation process.

Anything else you want to share with members?  

I am currently part of the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the development of the Oyo State (Nigeria) Guideline for Alternative Care and the Lead for the 5-man Committee to develop a quorum of engagement/ Standard Operating Procedures for the TWG.

I am also a member of the National Informatics Task Team (ITT) under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Women's Affairs.

*Published on July 2023.