Child Rights and Development Expert | Regional Programme Development Advisor, East and Southern Africa | Lead, Global Expert Group on Child Care Reforms – SOS Children’s Villages International
With 20 years of experience in childcare and protection, programme development and management, donor relations, monitoring and evaluation, and capacity strengthening across international NGOs, Eyob is a passionate child rights advocate and development practitioner. He has an excellent understanding of local, regional, and global development dynamics, and is widely recognised as an innovative, committed, and results-driven leader.
Currently, Eyob serves as Regional Programme Development Advisor (Content Leader-Alternative Care and Child Care Reforms) at SOS Children’s Villages, where he leads programme changes and innovation while supporting Member Associations in child care reforms and de-institutionalisation processes.
He began his career as a Social Worker with SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia in 2006 and rapidly transitioned into leadership roles, including more than seven years as National Family Strengthening and Community Empowerment Advisor/Manager. Over the course of his career, he has designed, developed, and managed numerous programmes in family strengthening, alternative care, child protection, education, gender, livelihoods, health, and advocacy. His experience spans grassroots implementation, national programme coordination, and regional advisory roles.
Professionally, Eyob has:
- Coordinated major development frameworks such as CISU, NORAD, ADA, and GLGC (Global Leadership Giving Campaign).
- Led research initiatives including Child Rights Situation Analyses, baseline studies, feasibility studies, impact assessments, and social action research on alternative care and livelihoods.
- Facilitated international trainings and workshops on Child Rights Programming, Result-Based
- Management, Human Rights-Based Approaches, Resource Mobilisation, Institutional Partnership
- Development, and Sustainable Livelihoods.
- Contributed to policy and guideline development within SOS Federation, including frameworks and manuals on family empowerment, reintegration, foster care, child care reform, psychosocial support, and grant management.
Earlier in his career, he worked with ActionAid Ethiopia, Alem Children Support Organization, and Hiwot HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Support Organization.
Eyob Berhanu Negash holds a BA in Sociology and Social Anthropology (2005) and an MA in Regional and Local Development Studies (2021) from Addis Ababa University. He is currently completing a Master of Advanced Studies in Children’s Rights at the University of Geneva.
Posts
Building systems that protect and support families before they break apart
After years of research, reform and advocacy, there is broad consensus on one essential truth: children thrive best when they grow up in families, not institutions.