I am passionate about empowering MSMEs, building resilient food systems, and designing practical, community-led solutions. What motivates me in my daily work is seeing local actors take ownership of their development pathways, and knowing that with the right support, they can influence policy, improve livelihoods, and protect natural resources.

Looking forward to learning from all of you and sharing experiences.

I am a sales and business development strategist specialized in building, commercializing and growing markets for the long term.

I have over 20 years of experience in sales and commercialization strategy, SME consulting, sales management, and business development. I manage both sales and technical teams

to grow business, deliver solutions and services to clients, and manage key client relationships in both the public and private sectors.

I am an insightful and intuitive trainer passionate about supporting young people and entrepreneurs to build sustainable and profitable businesses.

You’ll usually find me somewhere between a field visit, a strategy session, report writing or trying to make sense of a complex analytical spreadsheet.

Let’s make it an engaging and impactful journey together!

Passionate about sustainable agri-food systems—let’s innovate together!

Hello everyone, greetings from The Gambia!

I am a Program Management Specialist and currently head the Business Support and Program Delivery Unit at SMD Policy Management Group, (www.smd-institute.org) a consulting and training firm working across Africa to strengthen institutional capacity, performance, and service delivery.

My work involves designing and coordinating institutional capacity-development initiatives, conducting assessments, and facilitating stakeholder dialogues to strengthen collaboration and improve program outcomes. I’m particularly motivated by opportunities that bring together diverse actors to address complex development challenges, especially in the areas of environmental governance, organizational performance, and inclusive development.

I’m excited to join this FAO training and look forward to learning from your experiences, sharing insights from our work in The Gambia, and exploring how multi-stakeholder dialogue can enhance impact in complex development settings.

I’m Rukia Kitula, and I'm deeply passionate about community building and the power of collaboration.

My Role & Organization

I am a Lecturer at the Institute of Marine Sciences.

Our Institute focuses on the three pillars of teaching, research, and public services in all aspects of marine sciences.

My role involves educating the next generation of scientists and conducting research, with a focus on ensuring our work translates into meaningful public service.

My Motivation

What truly drives me daily is fostering a collaborative environment. I firmly believe that shared knowledge is the key to progress, and that every small detail contributes to the bigger picture.

I look forward to learning from all of you and exploring potential collaborations!

My work focuses on fisheries management, sustainable aquaculture, and multi-stakeholder partnerships that enhance community livelihoods and promote the sustainable use of aquatic resources.

Through this training, I hope to strengthen my skills in fisheries and aquaculture governance, facilitation, active listening, conflict management, and multi-stakeholder process design to improve collaboration and decision-making in sustainable resource management.

I’m Asha Sabour, and I'm more about safeguard and manage an organization's financial health by overseeing financial operations, planning, and strategy.

My Role & Organization

I am a Principal Accountant at the Institute of Marine Sciences.

Our Institute focuses on the three pillars of teaching, research, and public services in all aspects of marine sciences.

My role includes, Preparation of financial reports, creating forecasts and budgets.

My Motivation

What truly drives me daily is Preparing accurate and timely financial reports for internal and external stakeholders, including management, board members, and auditors.

I look forward to learning from all of you and exploring potential collaborations!

Communications and Development Specialist with SMD Policy Management Group. My role is centered on supporting the firm’s communications and visibility efforts, including content development, documentation, and enhancing the visibility of SMD PMG projects and partnerships.

I’m Mwanahija Shalli, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam. I have over 20 years of experience in aquatic resource management, with expertise in socio-economics, natural resource governance, and promoting sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities. My key strength is bridging scientific research with community needs and private sector engagement.

Currently, I serve as a Junior Economist at SMD Policy Management Group, where I contribute to research, data collection, and the implementation of impactful projects that drive institutional reforms and promote excellence in public service delivery. My work also involves proposal development, report writing, and drafting concept notes that support evidence-based policymaking and sustainable national development.

I am deeply passionate about personal development, youth and women empowerment, sustainable development, economic growth, research, and leadership. What motivates me daily is the drive to contribute meaningfully to creating a more equitable and progressive society, one where ideas, innovation, and inclusion shape the future.

Beyond work, I see myself as a lifelong learner, constantly seeking knowledge, building connections, and using my voice to inspire change within my community and beyond.