Naomi Kalemba
Lilongwe,Malawi
Summary
Dynamic communication professional with over 15 years of expertise in crafting and executing comprehensive communication strategies, specializing in digital communications, donor and media relations, and youth advocacy. Proven track record in behavior change communications and project management, collaborating with esteemed organizations such as UNICEF, Jhpiego, and Save the Children in Malawi during both regular and emergency periods. Adept at fostering impactful relationships and driving engagement through innovative approaches tailored to diverse audiences.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Communications Officer
UNICEF Malawi Country Office
08.2017 - 02.2024
- Strategy Implementation: Implementing UNICEF Malawi’s communication and advocacy strategies and work plan with a special focus on youth supporter engagement and innovations programmes.
- Communication and advocacy materials: Conceptualize and produce communication, advocacy and donor retention communication materials including human interest stories, videos and photos. Overseeing the quality and branding adherence of the contents and products when being produced by consultant story writers’ photographers, and videographers. Some of the most significant materials that I worked on include: a. Back-to-school campaign following Cyclone Freddy disaster b. Mental Health campaign c. World Children’s Day 2020
- Advocacy: From 2019 to 2021, I led the planning and hosting of UNICEF's flagship child rights commemoration, World Children's Day in Malawi. The 2020 commemoration resulted in the President making six child rights commitments which the government will follow through until 2025. From 2018 to 2019, I led all communications-related activities on ending child marriages and keeping children in school campaigns.
- Media relations: Supported national and international media visits to UNICEF-supported programme sites during regular and emergency programming periods. In this role, I achieved the following: a. Supported media training for journalists during the 2018 Cholera outbreak to encourage positive reporting and counter misinformation b. Planned for and hosted international and national journalists to document successes around the newly established drone corridor in Kasungu district and the ADDA academy in Thyolo district c. Supported media visits in the central and northern region during the Polio emergency
- Digital communications: Managed UNICEF Malawi social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube) and was a backup focal person for unicef.org/malawi and WeShare platforms. I also developed content- photos, videos, and stories for the digital platforms and managed the day-to-day work of a digital UNV and consultants to assist with the tasks above. In this role, I achieved the following: a. Grew the social media audience from 11,000 in 2019 to 1,800,000 in 2023 b. Developed multilingual content to highlight donor visibility, showcase government support and build UNICEF Malawi’s support engagement base in Malawi and in donor and potential donor countries c. Run several successful social media campaigns including the launch of the African Drone and Data Academy, COVID-19, Polio, and Cholera awareness, prevention and vaccine campaigns d. I was also responsible for optimizing content to data analytics insights to grow reach and engagement
- U-Report: Lead the entire range of operations of the U-Report Malawi, a social messaging tool and data collection system developed by UNICEF to improve youth participation in child rights matters. I managed resource mobilization, scale-up campaigns, contracts with mobile and website companies, and policy interpretation with full responsibility for U-Report's social media accounts and website. In this role, I achieved the following: a. Grew U-Report in Malawi from 240,000 to 307,00 between 2022 and 2023 through partnerships with The National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM), The Ministry of Youth and Sports, Timveni Youth Media organizations and Communications Development Trust b. Established U-Report champion youth groups to scale up U-Report in four districts
- Donor relations: Managed donor events and visits to UNICEF-supported programs across Malawi. The visits included virtual visits during the COVID-19 travel ban period. I also supported high-level government visits to UNICEF-supported programmes. Some of the most significant donor and government visits that I led include: a. Japanese Ambassadors visit to Health Programmes in Dedza district b. Joint Japanese Ambassador and UNICEF Representative visit to health, nutrition and child protection programmes in Nsanje and Zomba district c. The EU representative visit to Phalombe during cyclone Freddy response d. Joint UNICEF and Ministry of Health monitoring visit to Polio vaccines campaign in Dowa district e. Joint UK NatCom and ARM visit to African Drone and Data Academy, WASH and Nutrition programmes
- Youth participation coordination: a. Established the Youth Media Programme in four districts through partnerships with the Ministry of Education and Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) which resulted in 800 primary and secondary students being trained in basic journalism skills to increase their participation in child rights issues in Malawi b. Enrolled and managed for three years UNICEF Malawi's first cohorts of Youth Advocates that represented Malawian children and youth at various global forums on child rights including the COP27, UNGA 2022, Transforming Education Summit c. Coordinated UNICEF Malawi youth advocates national mental health campaign d. Coordinated communication aspects of Ending Child Marriages and Keeping Children in School campaign
Communication and Knowledge Management (CKM) Manager
JHPIEGO Malawi
01.2014 - 03.2017
- Provided leadership and direction, to contextualize, implement, and monitor JHPIEGO’s communication strategy in Malawi. Worked with the Jhpiego Leadership Team and programme staff to drive results and retain donor support, support from the Ministry of Health, communities, community leaders and community structures that hospitals serve.
- Communication: Led the contextualization and implementation of the global communication strategy. Was responsible for developing human-interest stories for reports and oversaw the design and printing of all programme documents for distribution in hospitals
- Capacity building: Trained communications officers in 11 districts on Jhpiego communication strategy, story writing, and photography
- Collaboration: Led the collaboration between Jhpiego and the Ministry of Health – Health Education Unit section to develop maternal and newborn health behaviour Change Communication materials for hospitals in 11 districts in Malawi
- Event management: Led the planning and execution of all Jhpiego public and advocacy events including Jhpiego’s 50 Years celebration which included Jhpiego President and Malawi’s President, Dr Joyce Banda
- Knowledge management and sharing: Was responsible for editing and proofreading all donor reports, training manuals and information tool kits produced for the Ministry of Health
- Documentation of the Performance Based Incentives (PBI) programme: Developed and implemented the communications plan for the pilot SSDI- Services PBI programme that was implemented in 12 hospitals in three districts in Malawi
Social Behaviour Change Communications (SBCC) Officer
Save the Children Malawi
02.2012 - 01.2014
- Led the development and implementation of the behaviour change communication component of the integrated package of maternal, newborn, child health, and family planning project- Child Survival 27 in 13 health centres in Blantyre district in collaboration with the Blantyre district health office, the College of Medicine and communities surrounding the hospitals.
- Social behaviour change communication: Developed and implemented a social behaviour change communication plan targeting hospital staff, community health workers and volunteers, women of childbearing age, and all gatekeepers in maternal and newborn health issues. Through this plan, the project managed to increase the number of women seeking maternal and newborn health services in the targeted hospitals by 5%
- Research: Supported the operation research and monitoring and evaluation component of the project through planning for and conducting baseline assessments of the projects and planning for all logistics for quality assessments in the targeted hospitals
- Logistics: Handled the planning, budgeting, and logistical arrangements for all project meetings, workshops, training and donor visits
- Project management: Was responsible for developing and monitoring work plans for all behaviour change activities, budgets, and compilation of project progress reports and success stories
Communications Officer
Save the Children Malawi
09.2008 - 02.2012
- Supported communications and media functions within Save the Children Malawi Country Office.
- Communications: Participated in the development and implementation of communication strategy and outreach plans for programs; wrote media releases, organized press conferences, and planned and conducted media visits
- Content creation: Documented case studies and success stories from donor reports and publication on Save the Children website and social media platforms and sponsorship newsletters
- Documentation and reporting: Provided editing, designing and proofreading oversight for reports to ensure the quality and adherence to branding guidelines
- Event Management: Organized all public-facing project activities, donor visits and commemorations of Save the Children Child Rights flagship day, International Children’s Day. Planned for, hosted and acted as a translator during donor visits including the visit of Save The Children president Caroline Miles
- Media Relations: Hosted international media to document success stories from Save the Children-supported projects across Malawi
- Communication materials: Supported the development of communication materials to support resource mobilization for Save the Children sponsorship programmes in Malawi through collecting stories, photos and videos
- Liaison: Coordinated communication between child sponsors and their sponsors in the United States through the Save The Children USA office
Education
Student - master’s in social work (Qualifying) -
Western Sydney University
01.2025
Bachelor of Arts Humanities Degree - undefined
University of Malawi
01.2005
Skills
- Social media management
- Web content management
- Media relations
- Internal communications
- Brand messaging
- Copy writing and editing
- Events planning
- Youth advocacy
Timeline
Communications Officer
UNICEF Malawi Country Office
08.2017 - 02.2024
Communication and Knowledge Management (CKM) Manager
JHPIEGO Malawi
01.2014 - 03.2017
Social Behaviour Change Communications (SBCC) Officer
Save the Children Malawi
02.2012 - 01.2014
Communications Officer
Save the Children Malawi
09.2008 - 02.2012
Bachelor of Arts Humanities Degree - undefined
University of Malawi
Student - master’s in social work (Qualifying) -
Western Sydney University
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