Professional History: Grace Ofem is a Co-founder and Executive Director of a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization (Initiative for Peoples’ Good Health), Cross River State – Nigeria. Since 2005, the organization has collaborated with international development partners to build the capacities of communities to be able to respond to health and developmental challenges through training, advocacy, community mobilization, and sustainable delivery of social services to vulnerable populations. The organization’s core service areas include HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support, community tuberculosis and malaria prevention and care, sexual and reproductive health education and related services including gender-based violence (GBV) interventions, care for orphans and vulnerable children and youth mentoring. The NGO service to communities has been with support from USAID, DFID, Canada Funds for Local Initiatives, and Cross River State government. Over 6000 households access services annually and 50 young people run annual internships to gain community social work experience.

In 2013 Grace started an early child care development center that has grown to an accredited school (Eugenia Schools) providing nursery, primary, and secondary educational services in a semi-urban town. The resources generated from the school are used to bridge some funding gaps in the community health interventions of the NGO described above and provides additional support for the education of orphans and vulnerable children. The school staff strength of 52 has facilitated a reduction in unemployment and related vices among youths in the community. She is working with her young team to have a boarding facility in place to help take-in more vulnerable children from distant communities.

Grace currently coordinates the Cross-River State Civil Society Network for HIV/AIDS (CiSHAN) and a Board Member at the World Bank Assisted Cross River State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA). Through these platforms, she is able to contribute to ensuring equitable release and distribution of resources to populations in need, and human resource development for quality service delivery.

Academic and professional credentials: Master’s Degree in Public Health from The University of Calabar, Nigeria
Bachelors Degree in Education Science from The University of Calabar, Nigeria
Bachelors Degree in Public Health from The University of Calabar, Nigeria

Programs: