Ange Gaju Umutoni
Kigali
Summary
Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist with over 6 years of experience in international and local NGOs, focusing on gender justice, social inclusion, and advocacy. Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing strategies, and facilitating capacity-building sessions for institutional gender mainstreaming. Skilled in project management, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring and evaluation, with experience in donor-funded projects. Proven ability to drive social change initiatives and empower disadvantaged groups through inclusive communication and targeted program interventions.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Project Coordinator, TINYUKA OSE! Project
RWAMREC - French Embassy in Rwanda Initiative
05.2024 - Current
- Leading the TINYUKA OSE! project, an initiative focused on promoting sexual reproductive health and rights, social inclusion, and economic empowerment for teen mothers in Rwanda.
- Overseeing the development and implementation of project strategies, ensuring that all activities align with the project’s objectives and are executed on time and within budget.
- Conducting needs assessments and coordinating with community stakeholders, including local leaders and community service providers, to ensure the project’s impact at the grassroots level.
- Facilitating regular training sessions on gender-responsive and social inclusion practices to empower beneficiaries and increase community awareness around Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, and gender-based violence.
- Managing relationships with partners, and donor through consistent reporting, updates on project milestones, and showcasing program achievements.
- Leading a multidisciplinary team to maintain high standards of execution, while fostering a collaborative environment to address emerging challenges and adapt project strategies as needed.
- Monitoring and evaluating project impact, preparing detailed progress reports, and identifying areas for improvement.
Communications Advisor & Advocacy Lead
RWAMREC
05.2023 - Current
- Developed robust gender-transformative communication and advocacy strategies to support gender and social justice and inclusion for a multi-country program called Generation G.
- Created training modules tailored to the needs of diverse communities, including youth, people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and government institutions.
- Conducted workshops and training sessions on gender concepts, positive masculinity, and social inclusion, enhancing awareness among staff and community leaders.
- Spearheaded initiatives aligned with gender mainstreaming, collaborating with stakeholders to implement programs that address social and gender-based challenges.
Climate Change and Gender Consultant
GIZ Rwanda
05.2024 - 08.2024
- Moderated Rwanda’s first national workshop on gender and climate change, facilitating discussions among key stakeholders from government, civil society, and community organizations to address the unique impacts of climate change on women and marginalized groups.
- Provided expertise at the intersection of climate change and gender, contributing to the development of strategies that integrate gender-responsive approaches into climate action initiatives across Rwanda.
- Collaborated closely with GIZ’s environmental and social teams to ensure alignment with international frameworks on gender and climate change, such as the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan.
Communications Advisor Consultant
CECI Rwanda
01.2023 - 05.2023
- Strengthened organizations' communication strategies and stakeholder engagement.
- Evaluated current approaches, developed strategic Gender and social inclusion strategies.
- Organized and conducted training workshops on GESI strategy for staff and stakeholders.
Youth Program Associate
Occitanie Coopération
01.2022 - 12.2022
- Facilitated cross-cultural workshops to empower marginalized groups, including women and youth, with gender-responsive tools for advocacy and community participation in Swahili, French and English.
- Oversaw strategic interventions that focused on the rights of immigrants, particularly young women and LGBTQI+ communities, by advocating for their inclusion in program initiatives and ensuring that their voices were central to discussions on social justice and development, resulting in enhanced support for marginalized groups.
- Co-Led the design and implementation of strategic programs aimed at addressing social justice issues such as poverty, gender-based violence, and environmental sustainability, driving significant improvements in targeted communities.
Marketing Communications Associate
Mercure Hotels
07.2019 - 11.2020
- Developed and executed a comprehensive crisis communication plan during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring timely and consistent messaging to both internal staff and external guests, which mitigated operational disruptions and maintained customer trust.
- Enhanced customer engagement by over 50% through strategic social media campaigns and targeted email marketing initiatives, driving higher interaction, loyalty, and online bookings.
- Implemented a new internal communication system, ensuring that health and safety protocols were clearly communicated and understood by all staff, which helped maintain operational efficiency and a safe working environment during the pandemic.
Assistant Project Coordinator
UFOLEP
01.2019 - 06.2019
- Managed gender-inclusive sports programs to promote social cohesion and engage underrepresented women, leading to an increase in participation.
- Co-Creation of inclusive sports initiatives, incorporating feedback from female participants to ensure programs were sensitive to their specific needs and challenges.
- Supported project budgeting, planning, and reporting activities, ensuring compliance with organizational guidelines.
Youth Program Presenter
TV10 RWANDA
11.2017 - 07.2018
- Hosted and led the Code 250 youth program, passionately advocating for youth empowerment and bringing critical issues affecting young women to the forefront of public discourse.
- Developed and delivered impactful programming that directly addressed the challenges and aspirations of Rwandan youth.
- Engaged a diverse demographic through strategic storytelling, contributing to an improvement in program satisfaction and an increase in youth advocacy initiatives, promoting positive youth development across Rwanda.
Education
Bachelor's Degree - Bachelor of Journalism And Communication
University of Rwanda
Rwanda07-2017
No Degree - Exchange Academic Year : Journalism And Arts
Ecole Superieure De Journalisme
Paris06-2016
Skills
- GESI Strategy Development and Implementation
- Capacity Building and Training Facilitation
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Team collaboration
- Project Management and Budgeting
- Critical thinking
- Multilangual
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Adaptability
Accomplishments
- Moderator at the first workshop on Gender and Climate Change in Rwanda, bringing together stakeholders from government, NGOs, and local communities to discuss gender-responsive strategies in climate action.
- Moderator at the National Conference on Expanding Paternity Leave in Rwanda, facilitating dialogue among policymakers, NGOs, and government institutions to advocate for increased paternity leave policies, emphasizing the importance of shared parental responsibilities and equality in the workplace.
- Conducted and created modules for various training sessions for youth trainers and youth led organizations on understanding gender concepts, gender-based violence (GBV), and sexual harassment, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to promote and advocate for safe, inclusive environments within their communities.
- Participated in the development of a policy brief on Safeguarding Against Sexual Harassment in the Workplace in Rwanda, contributing to guidelines and recommendations aimed at supporting policy reforms to prevent and address sexual harassment.
Certification
- Gender Concepts and International Frameworks for Gender Equality – UN Women
- Men Engagement in Violence Prevention, Gender Equality, and Positive Masculinity – Merge For Equality
- Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Outbreaks in Humanitarian Settings – Humanitarian Leadership Academy
- Project Management – Humanitarian Leadership Academy
Languages
Kinyarwanda
Native language
English
Proficient
C2
French
Proficient
C2
Swahili
Proficient
C2
References
- Fidèle Rutayisire, Executive Director RWAMREC, Contact: fidele@rwamrec.org
- Dr. Pascal Lopez, Commission Manager GIZ Rwanda’s Climate, Energy, and Sustainable Urban Development Cluster, Contact: pascal.lopez@giz.de
- Florent Massat, Attaché de cooperation et d'action culturelle Ambassade de France au Rwanda, Contact: florent.massat@diplomatie.gouv.fr
- Olive Ingabire Zimulinda , Country Representative CECI Rwanda, Contact: olive.ingabire@ceci.ca
- Dr Ilaria Buscaglia, Researcher on gender and women empowerment, Contact: ilaria.buscaglia@gmail.com
- Laurence Romeo, Marketing director Mercure Hotel, Contact: H2183@accor.com
- Roma Richardson, Equimundo, Content strategy, Contact: r.richardson@equimundo.org
Timeline
Project Coordinator, TINYUKA OSE! Project
RWAMREC - French Embassy in Rwanda Initiative
05.2024 - Current
Climate Change and Gender Consultant
GIZ Rwanda
05.2024 - 08.2024
Communications Advisor & Advocacy Lead
RWAMREC
05.2023 - Current
Communications Advisor Consultant
CECI Rwanda
01.2023 - 05.2023
Youth Program Associate
Occitanie Coopération
01.2022 - 12.2022
Marketing Communications Associate
Mercure Hotels
07.2019 - 11.2020
Assistant Project Coordinator
UFOLEP
01.2019 - 06.2019
Youth Program Presenter
TV10 RWANDA
11.2017 - 07.2018
- Gender Concepts and International Frameworks for Gender Equality – UN Women
- Men Engagement in Violence Prevention, Gender Equality, and Positive Masculinity – Merge For Equality
- Risk Communication and Community Engagement for Outbreaks in Humanitarian Settings – Humanitarian Leadership Academy
- Project Management – Humanitarian Leadership Academy
Bachelor's Degree - Bachelor of Journalism And Communication
University of Rwanda
No Degree - Exchange Academic Year : Journalism And Arts
Ecole Superieure De Journalisme
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