Chikondi MpokosaProgramme Director, Women and Girls

As Programme Director for Women and Girls, Chikondi Mpokosa is responsible for setting strategies that will better serve the needs of women and girls living in challenging circumstances in the countries in which Opportunity works. She works alongside both our partners in the field and our philanthropy teams to understand the unique needs and risks facing women and girls and aid knowledge sharing and fundraising activities. She develops programmes, products and tools to serve these identified needs and aligns the gender strategy with Opportunity’s broader global goals.

Chikondi has spent her career managing programmes for international development, children’s rights, human rights, education, humanitarian and capacity-building projects and organizations around the world. Originally from Malawi, Chikondi has gained experience from her work in Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Niger, Mozambique, Mali, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria and South Sudan.

Most recently, she served as the National Advocacy Manager for the Malala Fund, developing advocacy programmes around the world to encourage and empower girls to complete 12 years of free, safe, quality primary and secondary education, achieve their potential and be agents of positive change in their communities.

Prior to the Malala Fund, Chikondi served as an Education Specialist for UNICEF in South Sudan, developing innovative programmes to address and eliminate gender inequalities in education. She also worked with UNICEF in Zimbabwe, helping to design and launch their Education Transition Fund.

Chikondi spent many years working as a Programme Manager and then a Country Director for VSO in Nigeria, Malawi and Tanzania, eventually becoming their Senior Policy and Advocacy Adviser on Education. Following her tenure with VSO, she took a role as the Global Programme Adviser on Education for Oxfam.

Throughout her career, Chikondi has served in various consulting, management and programme implementation roles at Leonard Cheshire Disability—London, the Chisomo Children’s Club in Malawi, Forum of African Woman Educationalist and the Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Center.

Chikondi holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Malawi, a post graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of London and a Master of Arts in education, gender and international development from the University of London. She currently lives in Oxford, United Kingdom.