KANCO is a regional membership-networks of NGOs, CBOs, FBOs, Private sector Research and Learning institutions as well as associate membership that includes individual internationals Non -Governmental organizations involved in or that have interest in HIV & AIDS. 

Established in the early 1990s, KANCO is the largest network of Civil Society Organization(CSO) in Kenya with a membership of over 1200 organization that are networking , collaborating and are bounded together by a common cause of response to HIV &AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) other public health conditions of national significance. KANCO supports its members across Kenya’s 47 counties to respond to health challenges in line with existing health policies, legislative and institutional frameworks. Guided by the vision of Healthy people, Empowered communities over time KANCO has evolved to become a premier agency for sensitizing, mobilizing and promoting collaboration among civil society organizations (CSOs) working in the region. 

CURRICULUM VITAE

Name: Allan Ragi

Position: Executive Director

Organization: KANCO 

Key Achievements

• Convened a regional high level policy dialogue meeting bringing together Members of Parliament from the Eastern African region in Tanzania in 2016
• Facilitated the formation of the Africa TB Caucus which rides on elected leaders to champion for TB in the region
• Director of International HIV AIDS Alliance as a linking organization
• Providing regional leadership in mobilizing resources from the Global Fund
• Successfully set up and run Ray drop in Centre- a model drop in Centre for service provision among young people and key populations
• Facilitated acceleration of community land reforms that influenced the lives of 4.7million lives in 2007
• African regional capacity building network for HIV AIDS prevention in treatment and care Project

Key Qualifications

• Public Health specialist with experience in National Policy Development and Advocacy, Capacity Building and Networking Community Service Organizations including networks of People Living with HIV& AIDS, and regional advocacy networks
• Leadership in the Civil Society Organization set up with key roles in the Kenya Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism, the Kenya National AIDS Control Council, and other donor health related Harmonization committees.
• Providing leadership in networking and linking through South-south collaboration with RESULTS Education Partners.

Strategic leadership Roles

• Executive Director, Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO)
• Chairman of the ACTION Partners Leadership Group
• Member of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance Policy Advisory Committee
• Member of the GFATM Developing NGO Countries Delegation, and The Finance Operation and Performance Committee (FOPC) of GFATM.
• Advisor at St. Paul’s University Institute of Long Life Learning and Leadership Development

Education

• Diploma in Nursing - College of Health Professionals, Nairobi Kenya - 1977
• Diploma in Midwifery - College of Health Professionals, Nairobi Kenya - 1980
• Cambridge School Certificate - Karima - Secondary School

Certificate/ Short Courses

• Organizational Development and Leadership Training
• Planning for Social & Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS in Developing Countries
• Effective Communication Course
• Participatory Community Mobilization Course
• Project Design and Leadership Management Course
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Fundraising strategies course
• Aids Management Trainer Course
• Institutional Development Manager Course

Professional Experience and Key Responsibilities

(1994-Present) Executive Director, Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium

• Oversee the implementation of policies developed and approved by the Board of Governance and present overall operation report to the Board.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of the strategic plan, annual operating plans, management plans and budgets to ensure that they are in accordance with KANCO’s mission
• Ensure adequate accountability and transparency systems are in place and operational, including internal controls to meet the requirements of the board and funding partners.
• Ensure timely and accurate program and financial reporting, providing for adequate management information at all times to the board, Statutory bodies and other development partners.
• Direct, manage and develop staff, including hiring, orientation, training, and counseling and staff performance appraisal.
• Lead and guide staff in their work to achieve KANCO’s goals and objectives
• Develop and maintain productive relations with the government, funding partners, Non-Governmental Organizations, media, membership and other interested parties and partners
• Represent KANCO to the government, donors, partners and other related agencies and act on behalf of KANCO in meetings and forums of interest.
• Manage fund raising strategies and initiatives in accordance with KANCO’s policies and strategic plan
• Chair the Quarterly Meetings for members and all management team meetings.
• Secretary to the Board and Annual General Meeting (AGM)
• Perform any other duties and responsibilities, which may be assigned by the Board.

(1989-1994) Senior Programme Officer in Health Education, AIDS & Blood Donor Programme- Kenya Red Cross Society

• Coordinate with Branches, Regions and other stakeholders to develop an integrated HIV/AIDS strategic plan and budget in line with the Government’s efforts towards reducing prevalence and impact in the country.
• Coordinate baseline surveys using participatory approaches to identify the number of persons as well as orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) afflicted and affected with HIV/AIDS so as to determine their capacities, available resources, coping mechanisms and essential services required for home-based care and support.
• Develop and disseminate advocacy and behavior change communication materials to increase knowledge and create awareness on HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention.
• Develop and implement social support programmes to assist caregivers to provide counselling, homebased care and psychosocial support to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) including orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) afflicted and affected with HIV/AIDS to participate in productive activities.
• Coordinate the design, development, implementation and evaluation of capacity building programmes aimed at equipping and strengthening staff, volunteers and communities with capacity to provide HIV/AIDS care and support.
• Develop and deliver HIV/AIDS workplace training programmes through sensitization of corporate clients for adoption of an appropriate HIV/AIDS workplace policy
• Coordinate monitoring and evaluation of donor funded programmes by staff in order to evaluate progress, ensure accountability, determine impact and report on significant achievements to ensure organizational learning.
• Prepare concept papers, periodic progress reports and annual reports showing achievements against planned targets as well as providing justification for performance variances and areas of improvement.

(1989) Assistant Director- World Missionary Evangelism

• Assisting in the implementation of policies established by the World Missions
• Serving as liaison to the various fields through the Continental Directors
• Serving as administrator for the World Missionary office at the Global Ministry Center
• Serving as liaison between the Conference Missions Directors and World Missions
• Processing candidates for missionary service and special programs

Other roles and responsibilities (1978-1990)

• Assistant Head of Food & Nutrition Department - USCC/CRS 1985-1987
• Senior Food and Nutrition Supervisor with Catholic Relief Services 1982-1984
• Nursing Officer District Hospitals and Egerton University 1978-1982
• Manager HIV/AIDS Policy & Advocacy Project
• Manager HIV/AIDS Resource Centre Project
• Manager, Establishment of HIV/AIDS and Development Project
• Manager-Child Centered Approaches to HIV/AIDS Project
• Manager-Prevention of Mother to child Transmission of HIV/AIDS Project
• Manger- HIV/AIDS and Development Project

Membership In Other Organizations

• Member, Reference Group for Africa- (SIDA)
• Member, National AIDS Control Council(NACC)
• Board member National AIDS Control Council(NACC)
• World Bank funded Regional Capacity Building Network for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care(ARCAN)
• East African AIDS Service organization
• Member, Country Coordination Mechanism(CCM)
• Member, Action TB Project
• Member, Kenya Legal and Ethical Network (KELIN)

Publications

• Networking guide for NGOs, CBOs and religious Institutions - ©2000
• Partner and AIDS Action- newsletters of the Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium
• Lessons Learnt KANCO on Policy Development and Advocacy
• Lessons Learnt booklet on Capacity building for NGOs/CBOs ©2000
• Lessons Learnt booklet on Political and Community Support initiatives, ©2000
• Information Packs in media and HIV/AIDS Home Based Care, Members of Parliament, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, People Living with HIV and AIDS, Gender and HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS Policy development and Advocacy
• “Living Positively with AIDS” An adapted booklet from living Positively with AIDS in the community.
• “More about AIDS” A question and answer booklet available in English, Kiswahili, Dholuo and Kikuyu languages
• A directory of NGOs/CBOs involved with HIV/AIDS activities in Kenya - 1998
• AIDS in Kenya – a directory of HIV/AIDS Service Organizations in Kenya - ©2001
• Essential HIV/AIDS Resource List for Kenya
• “AIDS/HIV Counseling The Basics” An AIDS/HIV Counseling video
• “AIDS/HIV Education Counseling in Schools”, A documentary video
• “So Sweet a Bite”, a video drama on adolescents
• “AIDS/HIV Counseling Trainers Manual
• Assorted booklets and leaflets both in AIDS and primary health Care
• Co-facilitator on procedures for NGOs participation in the STI (World Bank ) Project in Kenya
• Field Reports in Policy Development and Advocacy
• Coping: Empowering Communities to respond to AIDS – A Video Documentary
• A video on Child Cantered Approaches to HIV/AIDS - 2001, by Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium ©2001
• Turning the Tide – The journey of Allan Ragi - Autobiography 2016

Languages

English and Kiswahili