E20 - Exploring Sajilu Kamwendo's Evaluation Career: Curiosity, Patterns, and the "Made in Africa" Narratives

Godfrey Senkaba chats with Sajilu Kamwendo, the Director, Outcome, and Impact Evaluation at Mastercard Foundation. Sajilu has over 20 years of experience in program evaluation which includes work with international organizations, implementing or funding relief and development programs.

 Sajilu elaborates on how his passion for curiosity and patterns propelled his journey in evaluation, ultimately leading him from a novice to the position of directing impact evaluation at the MasterCard Foundation. He discusses the significance of his current role and how it has shaped his evaluative priorities. For instance, he underscores MasterCard's evaluation approach, which is rooted in the belief that "Africa Works." 

 He also emphasizes the ongoing campaign at the Africa Evaluation Association, advocating for "Made in Africa evaluation." Sajilu encourages evaluators of all levels—whether young, mid-career, or experienced—to join this movement, emphasizing the importance of supporting Africans in narrating their own stories of change using indigenous language, style, and approaches.

 Below is the discussion outline: 

[00:34] Hello, everyone!

[02:00] Introducing Sajilu Kamwendo.

[03:03] A ‘youthful’ Sajilu and career dreams before his first professional job?

[8:18] How working different evaluation jobs shaped Sajilu’s evaluation perspective, and interests and shared her career goals.

[12:50] The uniqueness of MasterCard Foundation’s approach to Evaluation and how it is shaping Sajilu’s evaluative approach. 

[15:18] How to raise the indigenous voice in evaluation.

[18:34] Top 2-3 skills every evaluation professional should have. Key soft skills include curiosity, point of view, and pragmatism.

[22:06] Biggest challenges Sajilu has faced as an evaluator and how she overcame them. 

[25:08] Top monitoring and evaluation tools and/or methods Sajilu uses to improve her work.

[29:02] Sajilu’s career growth strategies and recommendations to evaluators.

[33:58] Evaluation in the post-COVID-19 evaluation era. 

[37:05] Sajilu’s best moment as an evaluator 

[39:07] Sajilu’s plans.

[40:39] How to contact Sajilu Kamwendo

[44:58] Thank you, Sajilu. Thank you everyone for listening!

I would like to hear your feedback on this episode, and your suggestions for future episodes. Use the comment box below or send me an email. Thank you for your feedback. 

Connect with Godfrey Senkaba:

Website: https://www.mandeboost.com

Email: info@mandeboost.com

X (formerly, Twitter): https://twitter.com/senkaba_g

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-senkaba-32452428/

Connect with Sajilu Kamwendo: 

E-mail: sajilu_kamwendo@yahoo.com 

X (formerly, Twitter): https://twitter.com/sajilu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajilu-kamwendo-b5705276/