Alive & Thrive (A&T) is a global nutrition initiative to save lives, prevent illness, and ensure healthy growth of mothers and children. From 2009–2014, A&T demonstrated that rapid improvements in infant and young child feeding (IYCF) are possible in settings as diverse as Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Viet Nam. In 2014, A&T began working in Burkina Faso, India, Nigeria, and throughout the Southeast Asia region, expanding its scope to include maternal and adolescent nutrition, and using agriculture and social protection programs as delivery mechanisms for maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN). Currently, A&T is leveraging its robust network and knowledge base to strengthen systems and build capacity in these and other countries across Africa and Asia, and disseminate innovations, tools, and lessons worldwide.
The Alive & Thrive initiative, managed by FHI 360, is currently funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Irish Aid, the Tanoto Foundation, and UNICEF.
See What We Do and How We Work for more information.
Ethiopia
Abdulaziz Ali Oumer, MD, MPH
Abdulaziz is a public health and nutrition professional with 20 years of experience working with the Ethiopian health care system. He is a medical doctor by training but has worked at several international NGOs. Prior to joining A&T, Abdulaziz worked as the Chief of Party for the INSPIRE project at Save the Children, a $30 million multisectoral nutrition project that aims to improve maternal, infant and young child nutrition. Abdulaziz also served as the Project Director for the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance III (FANTA III) project implemented by FHI 360. He has extensive experience providing technical assistance at national and regional levels and has contributed to several national guidelines, policy documents and training guides in the areas of nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and child health.
Ethiopia
Yonas Taffesse Asrat
Yonas has over 20 years of experience in research, planning, monitoring and evaluation, and leadership. Prior to joining A&T, he served as the monitoring and evaluation director with Washington University International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) Ethiopia. Prior to I-TECH, he worked with the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) where he managed programs, finance, and monitoring and evaluation efforts. Earlier in his career, Yonas also worked for the Ethiopian Nutrition Institute (ENI).
Ethiopia
Tadele Bogale Yitaferu, MD
Tadele is a public health professional with more than 15 years of experience leading the implementation of successful programs. Prior to joining A&T, Tadele worked at Jhpiego Ethiopia, and has previously held positions at various donor (CDC) and other international organizations (JSI, and ORBIS International). Tadele began his career as a General Medical Practitioner, providing clinical services at rural health centers in southern Ethiopia and taking an interest in maternal and child health. Tadele has served in full-time and part-time faculty positions, and currently serves as an adjunct faculty at Addis Ababa University’s School of Public Health, and at Santé Private Medical College.
Ethiopia
Azeb Aberra
Azeb has more than 23 years of work experience working as as an invoice clerk, store keeper, and sales supervisor. She worked at the Misrak flour and bread factory for 16 years and for the General Service Office at the World Health Organization for three years.
Ethiopia
Ayele Bekele Agedo
Ayele has over 10 years of experience working in government and non-governmental organizations. He has worked as a loan distribution and collection officer in the Bureau of Micro & Small Scale Enterprise Office at the Woreda level, and as a teacher at Hossaina TVET College. He has also worked for World Vision International Ethiopia for over seven years as an accountant, finance officer, support services coordinator, and procurement officer, where he managed financial transactions, administrative, and procurement related activities.
Ethiopia
Tigabu Amebafrash, MPH, MBA
Tigabu is a public health expert with more than 17 years of experience, working in both government and NGOs. Prior to joining A&T he worked as the prevention of mother-to-child transmission regional advisor in Amhara with JSI/AIDSTAR-One Ethiopia. He has also served as a water, sanitation, and hygiene officer in Gamebela for a South Sudanese refugees’ emergency program with Lutheran World Federation (LWF).
Ethiopia
Samuel Asfaw
Samuel manages finance and operations for A&T Ethiopia. He has over 17 years of experience in accounting and financial management with NGOs, including working at Fida International for over 10 years. As administration and finance manager for the AED/LINKAGES project, he was responsible for office setup, recruitment, and project close-out. Samuel also worked as a finance and administration director for Prison Fellowship Ethiopia and as finance and as the operations manager for EngenderHealth Ethiopia.
Ethiopia
Desta Kebebe
Desta has 17 years of experience in SBCC. Since 2004, he has managed social and behavior change programs for FHI 360 ranging from HIV/AIDS prevention to reproductive health. Desta has overseen large-scale training and capacity building of partners (governments and NGOs), and has worked with communities in leading the development of curriculum and proven SBCC materials. Desta is currently pursuing a master’s degree in sociology.
Ethiopia
Sintayehu Mekonnen
Sintayehu has nearly two decades of experience working in government and the Embassy of Ireland (Irish Aid). He worked as a budget and disbursement expert in the Bureau of Finance and Economic Development and as finance head, and auditor for the Sector Offices supported by Irish Aid, during the Area Based Program with Embassy of Ireland/Irish Aid – Tigray Liaison Office. Sintayehu also worked as finance and administrative officer in the Budget Support Program of Irish Aid.
Ethiopia
Amare Birhanu Mengistu, MSc
Amare holds a master’s degree in Human Nutrition from Wolaita Soddo University and a bachelor’s degree in Public Health from Gondar College of Medical Science. He has been providing advisory services to project woredas, zones and regional stakeholders, strengthening coordination, integration and networking among stakeholders. He was a seconded Global Sanitation Fund consultant at SNNPR Regional Health Bureau for the Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (MIYCN-NSA) Project. He worked for SNV Ethiopia in the capacity as WASH Advisor for the “NUWI II Project” and project coordinator for the UNICEF and SNV College capacity building project. He previously served as Alive & Thrive's Regional Coordinator for SNNPR/ Hawassa.
Ethiopia
Tamirrat Tafesse Walissa, MPH
Tamirrat has over 10 years of experience in the areas of health and nutrition. Prior to joining A&T, he worked as a social and behavior change specialist with the International Medical Corps for USAID’s Livestock Market Development project. He has also worked as an IYCF coordinator with World Vision Ethiopia.
Ethiopia
Tewodros Wuletaw
Tewodros has more than 10 years of experience in research, monitoring, evaluation, and knowledge Management. Prior to joining A&T, Tewodros was working for Oxfam Intermon as the Monitoring & Evaluation Advisor on projects dealing with food security, livelihood, and WASH. Prior to Oxfam, Tewodros provided monitoring and evaluation leadership for numerous nongovernmental organizations on various health related projects, including Westat Inc., Engender Health, and JSI. Tewodros has also worked as a Researcher and Statistician in the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia.
