Caroline Onyadi
Caroline is a dedicated International Programme Development and Fund Raising Specialist with post graduate qualifications in Environmental Management. She has 20 years’ experience in Resource Mobilisation, Programme Design and Management and Monitoring & Evaluation. She is committed to the global course pursued by development practitioners: to improve the lives of those most in need. She has contributed to this noble goal through her work with various international organisations including world Vision, Christian Aid, UNDP and the International Rescue Committee, where she started as a graduate volunteer in one of the Kenyan refugee camps. She has since worked in at least 10 African countries including; Kenya, Lesotho, DRC, Malawi, Sudan, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Caroline has also done some work for organisations in India and Asia.
As a fund raiser, Caroline has worked with international donors including European Union, USAID, DFID, AUSAID, Irish Aid, CIDA, SIDA, FinAid and the UN, raising in excess of US$ 50 million over the course of her career.
About ten years ago she launched her career as a full-time consultant in resource mobilisation. Clients vary in size and expertise from large international organisations such as the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Center for Wheat and Maize Improvement (CIMMYT), FAO, international NGOs such as Heifer International, Christian Aid and Plan, to national NGOs, such as the Tanzania Legal and Human rights Center; to smaller local organisations, such as Africa Community Publishing and Development Trust (ACPDT). She is more and more engaging in fund raising training with the long-term view of passing on the skills and tools she has acquired.
Caroline is interested in helping organisations realise their fund raising goals in order to achieve their wider objectives. She desires to see people within organisations realise their potential as marketers, upon whom their organisations rely to bring in the much needed finances for their projects. Fund raisers can realise they have – or can acquire – what it takes to raise sufficient funds for their organisations to implement their dream projects and enjoy what they do. At the same time, Caroline is passionate about sound programme management, particularly as it links to fund raising.
Above all, Caroline values people and finds strength in our diversity, appreciating what each person can contribute to the body of fundraising knowledge and practice.
By editing their strategic plan, Caroline has been instrumental in helping the Legal and Human Rights Center in Tanzania to secure 75% of the funding they need for the next three years.
She has also been a tutor for our blended learning programme in Kenya for the Advocacy Accelerator.