Roeland Monasch

Roeland Monasch is the CEO of Aflatoun International (http://www.aflatoun.org). The NGO offers social and financial education in over 100 countries through an innovative social franchise model. The programme reaches four million children and young people each year, empowering them to make a positive change for a more equitable world. They become agents of their own future through Aflatoun’s method, which allows them to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty and inequality, turning dependence into independence. Until June 2015 Roeland was the UNICEF Representative in Sierra Leone. He was responsible for the UNICEF response during the unprecedented Ebola outbreak in the country. He lead a team of 230 staff focusing on Social Mobilization, Supplies & Logistics, Community Care Centers, Child Protection, Education (Back-to-School), Health, Nutrition and Water & Sanitation. From 2009-2012 he was UNICEF Representative in Georgia. The UNICEF programme had a strong focus on the National Child Care Reform, including the deinstitutionalisation of all children living in large orphanages established during the Soviet Union era. He was also responsible for the humanitarian programme of UNICEF in the breakaway region of Abkhazia. He served as UNICEF Representative (a.i.) in Zimbabwe during the Humanitarian Crisis from June 2008 – July 2009 [Cholera/Political violence/Hyperinflation]. He joined that Country Office in 2004 as Programme Coordinator/Deputy Representative. Previously, Roeland was responsible for Child Survival, HIV/AIDS, Adolescent Health & Development and WASH within UNICEF’s Strategic Information Unit, Division of Policy & Planning, in New York HQ which he joined in 1998. From 1993-1998 he worked for the World Health Organization: Division of Emerging & other Communicable Diseases, Surveillance & Control/HQ (1997-98); Division of Strengthening of Health Services/HQ (1995-96); WHO Lesotho Country Office (1993-1995). Before joining the UN-system he worked with the Planning & Development Department, NWFP Government, Pakistan (1991); International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Zambia (1990); and Ministry of Agriculture, Bhutan (1989-90). Roeland is a national of the Netherlands, holds a Masters’ degree in Sociology from the University of Groningen and has an additional degree at MA level in Development Economics. Over the last decade he has published extensively in the international scientific literature, especially on issues related to Orphans and other Vulnerable Children. Roeland is married and has a ten year old daughter.