El Equipo del Proyecto

Ranjith de Silva

Graduado como Ingeniero Mecánico en 1972 trabajó en el sector gobierno en Sri Lanka en el desarrollo del sector de Servicio y Fabricación a Pequeña y Mediana Escala por 18 años. Se unió al Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG), oficina de Sri Lanka, en 1991 y fue Gerente de Proyectos de sus proyectos de Fabricación y Transporte Rural hasta 1999. Trabajó como Especialista Principal en Transporte en el Programa Internacional de Transporte de ITDG (hoy Soluciones Prácticas) desde 1999 hasta el 2003. Ha sido responsable de la puesta en marcha de proyectos en transporte en Sudán, Nepal, Bangla-desh, Perú e India principalmente en el transporte rural comunitario. Ha estado trabajando en red internacionalmente con un gran número de individuos y organizaciones del sector transporte. Especializado en la fabricación de Medios Intermedios de Transporte y el desarrollo de infraestructura de transporte comunitario. Actualmente es el Coordinador Regional de Asia del Foro Internacional para el Transporte Rural y el Desarrollo (IFRTD) -desde el 2003.

Kate Molesworth

Kate es la Asesora en Salud Reproductiva y Desarrollo Social del Instituto Tropical Suizo (ITS) con una amplia experiencia académica y aplicada en salud y ciencias sociales en países que incluyen Nepal, Kenya, India, Tanzania y China. Tiene 15 años de experiencia trabajando en los campos combinados de salud, fertilidad en la salud reproductiva, género, relacionados a las intervenciones de caminos, desarrollo social y económico. Antes de unirse al Swiss Centre for International Health en el ITS fue científica principal en el Zürich University Development Study Group/Swiss National Centre for Competence in Research y dirigió la investigación en salud, formas de vida y alivio de la pobreza. Su principal enfoque profesional es la salud integral y desarrollo socio-económico. Recientemente cumplió el 50% de un año de traslado termporal al Centro de Recursos de Salud del DFID, Londres, donde ella fue Especialista en Salud y Editora Técnica del Eldis/DFID Guías para Recursos de Salud sobre Salud Materna y Neonatal y Salud Sexual y Reproductiva. Actualmente ella es líder de proyecto del mandato de apoyo de la Agencia Suiza para el Desarrollo y la Cooperación (COSUDE) como asesora técnica en VIH/SIDA, movilidad y salud y salud integral y desarrollo social. También dirige consultorías y evaluaciones en el acceso de las comunidades rurales a la salud; salud reproductiva; género y VIH/SIDA y desarrollo social integral y salud. Actualmente está en nombre de COSUDE como consejera técnica al Informe Global de la OMS 2006 en Transporte y Salud.

Peter Njenga

Peter tiene un Maestría en Planificación Urbana y Regional, con una especialización en planificación de transporte. El es el Coordinador de Africa del Este y del Sur para el Foro Internacional para el Transporte Rural y el Desarrollo (IFRTD), una red global de individuos y organizaciones que trabajan para lograr mejorar el acceso y la movilidad de la gente pobre rural en países en desarrollo. Actualmente con sede en Nairobi, Kenya, el señor Njenga trabajó previamente en la oficina central del IFRTD en Londres, tanto delegado como Secretario Ejecutivo interino. Peter ha trabajado ampliamente en Africa, así como ocasionalmente en Asia. Ha publicado varios artículos sobre transporte principalmente en el diario "Transport Reviews", así como en el diario "Public Service Review". Peter también es un consumado analista de políticas públicas, anteriormente ha trabajado en una agencia de desarrollo internacional holandesa como asesor de investigaciones sobre políticas en Kenya.

Roger Schmid

La experiencia profesional de Roger Schmid es en ingeniería rural y medioambiente con más de 10 años de experiencia en el desarrollo de estrategias y gestión de programa así como en diseño, planificación, implementación, monitoreo y evaluación de proyectos en los campos de desarrollo de infraestructura rural, agua y salubridad medioambiental y gestión del suelo-agua.
El ha estado comprometido en intervenciones de desarrollo y alivio de desastres como director de programa / proyecto, asesor y especialista en infraestructura en abastecimiento de agua, saneamiento ambiental, movilidad, transporte, vivienda social y desarrollo de pequeña empresa en Madagascar, Mali, Níger, Benin, Burkina Faso, India, Nepal, Albania y China.
Sus fortalezas están en las infraestructuras a nivel de la comunidad / local (entornos rural y urbano), análisis de la situación, desarrollo de la sociedad pública-privada, institución y construcción de la capacidad así como movilización social incluyendo la participación de la comunidad y negociación con grupos de interés, acumulando más de 5 años de experiencia de campo en ultramar.

Marinke van Riet

En mayo del 2005 Marinke se unió al Foro Internacional para el Transporte Rural y el Desarrollo como la nueva Directora Ejecutiva después de más de seis años como Jefa del Programa "Trickle Up" para Africa con sede en Nueva York. Ella fue la responsable de administrar una red de más de 60 organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG) y organizaciones de base de la comunidad (OBC) en el este, oeste y sur de Africa. A través del trabajo en red, talleres de capacitación, asistencia técnica y financiera, comunicación, oficinas de campo, visitas regulares y un proceso intensivo de planificación estratégica, Marinke proporcionó supervisión técnica y capacidad de construcción para los socios y empresarios de la red. También tiene una experiencia significativa trabajando con varias fundaciones e instituciones multilaterales incluyendo el Banco Mundial, el Programa de Desarrollo de las Naciones Unidas y varias ONG internacionales.

Marinke nació y se educó en los Países Bajos, se tituló en estudios sobre Africa en la Universidad de Leiden, con grados en licenciatura y maestría. Durante sus estudios, Marinke se especializó en antropología medioambiental y legal lo que la llevó a Kenya, Tanzania y Africa del Sur. En Kenya, Marinke llevó a cabo una investigación sobre varios enfoques en procesos participativos utilizados en proyectos de desarrollo y medio ambiente. Esto dio como resultado su tesis y publicación titulada 'Conservación y participación: bosque o leña.' Marinke ha enseñado desarrollo de comunidades de base en universidades de Columbia y Nueva York. Ella habla inglés y francés, y swahili.

Thomas Zeller

Thomas Zeller es un ingeniero agrícola con casi 20 años de experiencia de campo en el desarrollo rural en América Latina y Africa seguidos de 10 años de experiencia en la oficina central de COSUDE en Berna en soporte temático de las operaciones de COSUDE alrededor del mundo en los campos de desarrollo rural, agricultura, salud y agua.

El ha trabajado para una ONG suiza, la GTZ alemana y COSUDE. Su visión y fortaleza son enfoques integrales, incluyendo la participación de todos los grupos de interés.

Christel Jost, Burkina Faso

Christel has a degree in social sciences from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and has recently completed a Masters in development studies whilst living in Burkina Faso. She has worked for the International Red Cross and various NGOs and community-based associations. Currently she is the impact assessment advisor for the Swiss NGO Helvetas where she is developing tools to assess the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the rural roads programme in East Burkina Faso called – programme pistes rurales – Désenclavement à l’Est du Burkina Faso (PrEst).

As a team leader she is working with economist Brahim Kere on a study to assess the health impacts of a rural roads programme called Pistes Rurales in East Burkina Faso.

Taye Berhanu, Ethiopia

Taye has a long work experience both in government and private organisations. He is currently the Executive Director of the Ethiopian National Forum for Rural Transport and Development. Taye also lectures at Africa Beza College and works as a Consultant in Management. Prior to his present post, he had served as Secretary General of the Ethiopian Private Industries Association and Executive Director of the Ethiopian Employers Federation. He has a B.A. degree in Political Science and Government Affairs, minor in Economics. He has earned his MA and PhD in Economics. He has undertaken different research in various areas and has organised and conducted as well as participated in different seminars, workshops, training and conferences in Ethiopia and abroad.

Taye Berhanu and colleagues Aberra Gobezie and Tiruwork Liyew are working on a study on safe transport of critical patients in rural Ethiopia.

Kenneth Odero, Kenya

Kenneth Odero has advanced degrees in Urban and Regional Planning, specialising in issues of local and regional economic development, decentralisation, and infrastructure development and service delivery in African countries. His research interests span transport and development, local and regional development, poverty reduction, institutional analysis and design, and capacity building. For the past 18 years Ken has put on many hats, including that of a planner, institutional development advisor, project leader, consultant, researcher, university professor, organiser and facilitator of international workshops, seminars and conferences, and entrepreneur.

Kenneth is working with Jeffrey Maganya and Kaendi Muguti on a general assessment of the linkages between Mobility and Health: the case of Suba District.

AzizaBenegusenga, Rwanda

Aziza holds a degree in economy and has seven years of experience in the public sector. Since 2002 she has been working in transport planning with the Ministry of Infrastructure. Aziza is also a founding member of the local IFRTD affiliated national forum group called: Forum Rwandais pour le Transport Rural et le Developpemtn (Rwanda NFG).

Aziza Benegusenga and her team members are working on a study to assess the impact of the traditional stretcher as the main means of transport in rural Rwanda: the Ingobyi in Gatsibo.

Rose Mlay and Helen Smith, Tanzania

Rose Mlay is a holder of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Nursing degrees with a Major in Public/Community Health from Dalhousie University, Canada. She has been teaching nurses and other health students for most of her life both in class, at maternal and child health clinics and in communities inTanzania. She has conducted and published research studies including among others “Women's experiences in combining, exclusive breast feeding and working outside the home: Tanzania and Canada Situation”, “Using an Educational Workshop to Promote Mobility during Child Birth in Government Hospitals in Dar Es Salaam and Coast Regions, Tanzania”  Rose participated in training of trainers in HIV/PMTCT counseling. She was one of the initiators of Africa Midwives Research Network and training midwives in the region on research methodology and evidence based practice. She also initiated the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood in Tanzania, which she is currently coordinating.

Helen is Research Associate and Deputy Director with the Effective Health Care Alliance Research Consortium, funded by the Department for International Development and based at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Helen has a Masters in Applied Population Research and wrote her PhD on implementing evidence based obstetrics in resource-poor settings. Helen has worked as a social science health researcher for 8 years and is experienced in systematic reviewing and applied qualitative research; her research interests include qualitative research methods, qualitative synthesis, quality of reproductive health care, and translating research into policy and practice in developing countries. Helen provides technical support and capacity strengthening to projects developed with consortium partners in Africa and Asia, and has published research conducted in China, South Africa, Tanzania and Thailand.

Rose Mlay and Helen Smith are working on a study titled "Mobilising communities: strengthening transport systems for obstetric emergency cases in Tanzania."

Paul Kwamusi, Uganda

Kwamusi Paul is a transport specialist interested in a number of transport areas particularly those affecting development issues. These are Traffic safety and rural transport. He is a Sociologist by education. He has for the last 17 years worked continuously in the area of traffic safety. He started his transport career as a traffic Police but left after three years of service. His work in Police enabled him to be interested in the area of road safety till today. Currently he runs a road safety consultancy in Kampala. The main work involves development of road safety materials, promotion and policy issues.

Regarding rural transport, he has been involved in rural transport issues for a long time. This was especially with the creation of the National Forum Group of Uganda (TFG) in 1997. TFG Uganda is affiliated to International Forum for Rural Transport and Development (IFRTD). He is currently the convener of the Ugandan Forum. As a member of IFRTD, he has been involved in a number of research programmes and capacity building workshops. He was involved in Gender and Transport Research Programme; Water ways and Livelihoods and Transport and; Poverty Research workshops. In addition, through IFRTD, Kwamusi was one of the main researchers in a programme called Improving Crop Marketing for Poor People through Appropriate Means of Transport.

Paul Kwamusi and Alice Nganwa are working on a project to assess the feasilbity of a mobile doctor service for poor people living on the islands in Lake Victoria.

Enock ZIbengwa, Zimbabwe

Enock is the Community Manager for Riders Zimbabwe, responsible for spearheading Riders’ transport for development programmes particularly in rural communities.

Enock holds a Bachelor of Social Work Honours degree and a Diploma in Personnel Management and Training. He is currently studying for his Masters degree. He has vast academic and applied experience in participatory training and needs assessment, qualitative and quantitative social research, participatory project planning, monitoring, evaluation and management; and gender policy analysis and mainstreaming.

He is networked with a number of professionals and organisations in the area of health and development, and has been engaged in various pieces of HIV/AIDS research and relief intervention programmes with the World Health Organisation, the University of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.

Enock Zibengwa and a team from Riders for Health are working on a study to examine the role and impact on the health of disadvantaged groups of an appropriate, replicable community ambulance infrastructure (the Uhuru)

Shamim Hassan, Bangladesh

Shamim is a chemical and mechanical engineer who has worked in the public and private sector and with international development organisations. He is curently working for Practical Action-Bangladesh (ITDG), an international development organisation as a Programme Manager in Rural Transport and Farm Power under the International Programme Aim “Access to Infrastructure Services”. Before joining Practical Action-Bangladesh he was involved with manufacturing enterprises in operation, maintenance and safety for over 20 years.

With Practical Action-Bangladesh he has worked as a project manager of a multi country development project promoting the technology and capacity of small informal workshops; a water transport development work component and projects on adaptation, demonstration, hire service and skill training of farm machinery.  Shamim’s strengths are in participatory project development involving baseline surveys and need analyses, project management and implementation, community mobilisation, capacity building, support to technical skill improvement, and technology management.

As a team leader Shamim is working on a study access and mobility which impact the health of low income communities in remote riverine islands in Faridpur district

Vardhani Ratnala, India

Vardhani is a development professional from India. She has done her masters in rural management and has been working in this sector for 6 years. She has been involved in project management, research, monitoring and evaluation on health, microfinance and disability issues. Currently, she is working as Knowledge Manager in the South Asia Office of Leonard Cheshire International, a well-known disability NGO based in UK, taking care of monitoring, evaluation, capacity building and communication.

Prior to this, Vardhani has been working as a freelance consultant with various NGOs and was also associated with a national level study on “Impact of Microfinance in India”. Her strengths are in developing and designing evaluation tools like LFA, impact assessment studies and conducting evaluation studies and capacity building programmes.

Vardhani Radnala is working on a project on accessible transport and health of people with disabilities in rural India.

Tarsis Hurmali and Karen Whitby, Indonesia

Tarsisius Hurmali is the director of the NGO Ayo Indonesia, a local development organisation in Ruteng, Flores, Indonesia. Through the organisation Mr. Hurmali and his friends have been promoting rural roads as an important part of rural development. The organisation has encouraged the local poor communities' self-help initiatives in constructing roads through which they can have access to the existing road networks.

He has a teaching background, and in his career development he found that working in development world has been more challenging and interesting. Tarsis used to be a staff of a Swiss NGO, Intercooperation, from 1993 – 1999, whereby he made himself experienced and skilled in some important rural development programmes, such as rural road construction, drinking water supply programmes and sustainable farming.

Karen Whitby is a skilled and experienced researcher, and has a strong track record of organising, coordinating and participating in research activities including desk, survey and field-based research. Karen is adept at analysing and synthesising information for a range of audiences, and is accomplished at reporting research findings, both orally and in written form. Utilising skills in communication and organisation, Karen is expert at liaising across project teams and departments, with senior managers and national and international contacts (including organisations, government departments, NGOs and the voluntary sector) to build relationships and partnerships. Karen has pubslihed various publications such as for example Thematic Probe: The Teaching of Skills in Primary and Lower Secondary Education in the International Review of Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks.

Karen and Tarsis are working on Mobility relating to Maternal and Child Health in the Manggarai district, Eastern Indonesia.

Ansu Tumbagangfe, Nepal

Ansu is a graduate in Social Work with an interest in community organisation and rural development. Upon graduation, she has worked as a research consultant in the rural water supply and sanitation sector in Nepal. At present she is part of the social team of Trail Bridge Sub Sector Project (TBSSP)/ Helvetas, involved in carrying out case studies focusing on inclusion, poverty, gender, conflict and good governance; and developing and implementing social monitoring guidelines. Presently, she is also pursuing her Masters degree in Rural Development.

Ansu Tumbahangfe and her team members are working on an impact study of transport Interventions on Health related issues for Marginalised group. A Case Study: Trail bridges built under the Trail Bridge Sub-Sector Project (TBSSP) in Nepal.

Binjwala Shrestha, Nepal

Ms Binjwala Shrestha holds a Masters in Sociology and a Bachelor degree in Public Health (BPH), She has specialised in Collaborative Research, Qualitative Methods for Health Programme Planning and Assessment, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Reproductive Health in Emergency Setting, Appreciative Enquiry, Health and Human Right, Communication and Advocacy, and Gender Mainstreaming in Medical Education

Binjwala Shreshta and her team are working on the effects of restricted access on maternal health in remote and mountainous areas of rural Nepal: the DRSP experience

Jun Hada, Nepal

Jun Hada is a team leader with Practical Action in Nepal Team Leader in the area of access to infrastructure services. As an Urban Planner and Architect, Jun has 10 years of professional experience in Nepal in the field of site planning, building designs, construction and supervision, participatory community development planning and monitoring, city development planning of various municipalities (Kathmandu, Tansen Lalitpur), planning for housing for the poor (slum upgrading, infrastructure upgrading etc. inn Kathmandu). Her experience also includes preparation of physical plans for housing development for middle and low income people in the eastern region of Nepal. She has experience in computer applications in planning projects and other urban information system.

Jun is leading a research on the economic and social benefits of Non-motorised Intermediate Means of Transport (IMTs): Case Studies of Rural Nepal

Abdul Shakoor, Pakistan

Shakoor holds degrees in City and Regional planning and is currently pursuing a masters in Environmental Design from Allama Iqbal Open University in Pakistan. He is the Principal Coordinator with the Rural Development Policy Institute (RDPI) in Islamabad-Pakistan. This is a civil initiative aimed to stimulate public dialogue on policies; inform public action; and activate social regrouping to celebrate capacities and address vulnerabilities of resource-poor rural communities in Pakistan. RDPI undertakes research, planning, training and advocacy endeavors to streamline appropriate and people-centered rural development. The thematic areas for RDPI’s working include Environment, Disaster Management, Appropriate Technologies, local governance, Education, Community Media and Gender.

With his team members Shakoor is carrying out a Research into the Health Impacts of Community Based Transport interventions in Pakistan.

Andrea Gutierrez, Argentina

Andrea Gutiérrez, was born in Buenos Aires in 1966, and has a doctoral degree in Geography from the National University of Buenos Aires (UBA). She is a university lecturer for under- and postgraduate degrees at both UBA and the National University of La Plata. She has also been a guest lecturer at several universities in Argentine, in national training and education programmes as well as universities abroad. As a researcher with UBA’s Department of Geography she has specialised in transport and spatial geography, working on mobility, public and political spaces, taking part in national and international projects. She has written over 50 articles related to these areas in books, academic journals both published in Argentina and abroad some of which have won awards.

Andrea Gutierrez is doing a study into Mobility, poverty and adolescent health in Argentina. The case of rural-urban areas in Buenos Aires.

Mirian Sanchez Uzeda and Julio Cesar Sanchez Uzeda, Bolivia

Mirian Milka Sanchez Uzeda is a social scientist by training with a focus on social work. She has specialised in finding solutions for social conflicts at family, group and community level.
She is currently working on ILO-funded social projects to help improve access to basic services and improved sanitation as well as organisational capacity building and community empowerment in the peri-urban settings of Oruro, Bolivia.

Julio Cesar Sanchez Uzeda and Mirian Sanchez Uzeda are carrying out a Participatory Appraisal of the Health Mobile units, in the rural area of Bolivia.

Cecilia Bellido and German Delgadillo, Bolivia

Cecilia Bellido is an economist having spent most of her career in the financial sector: private and commercial banking and in credit cards. Currently she is a consultant and administrative manager with Ecosol SRL, a company dedicated the microenterprise sector. She is also pursuing a master in International Trade and a diploma in using IT for project design and evaluation.

German Delgadillo and Cecilia Bellido are studying maternal health and mobility among indigenous health networks in rural Bolivia.

Rebeca Orellana and Macro Aurelio Colindres, Guatemala

Rebeca Orellana is a biologist and holds a Master in Project Design and Evaluation. She has worked mainly in the biodiversity sphere: such as medicinal and edible plants, health and botanical taxonomy.  Rebecca prefers to work with databases, GIS and health.  Currently she is working as a researcher with the Centre for Conservation, Botany and Databases in Guatemala.

Marco Aurelio Colindres is a Civil Engineer who graduated from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala and also holds a Masters in Planning and Urban Management. He is an active member of the Commission for Accessible Transport and Public Spaces and the Independent Living Group in Guatemala. His main objective to participate in these groups is to offer technical support on mobility and accessibility for Persons with Limited Mobility. He has worked extensively researching access and rural roads. At the moment he is coordinating a project in Water and Sanitation, and municipal Capacity Building  in the municipalities of San Andrés' Semetabaj and Santa María at the Department of Sololá in Guatemala.

Marco and Rebeca are working on a study titled:  The impacts of mobility on the health of displaced groups in rural areas of Huehuetenango District in Guatemala

Alfonso Balbuena, Mexico

José Alfonso Balbuena Cruz is a transport engineer with a Masters in transport system and cargo management and at present is an associate researcher with the Mexican Institute of Transport focusing on rural transport and community development. He has carried out several studies related to this topic especially in the state of Querétaro, Mexico. Studies on rural transport, for example are "the potential of a public transport service for rural areas", and an analysis of rural transport patterns among rural communities". In addition he has presented papers on rural transport at national and international events. Since 2002 Alfonso has been a member of the Executive Committee of the IFRTD in Latin America and in this capacity his institution the IMT has hosted the fifth Regional Meeting and the Latin American Regional Workshop for Mobility and Health.

As a team leader Alfonso is working on a study titled: Women's mobility in accessing health services in rural areas. a Case Study of  Pinal de Amoles, Querétaro, Mexico

Diogenes Ampan and Eduardo Neira, Peru

Diogenes Ampan Wejin is a Awajun, an indigenous community living in the Amazon in Peru. He graduated in Industrial Relations at the University St Martin of Porres, Peru. He has a diploma in the Design and Evaluation of Social Projects at the Catholic University of Peru and a Masters in the Study of the Amazon at the National University of San Marcos. He continued his education with a course on Nature and Wildlife Conservation Management at the University of Colorado in the United States. Since 2002 he has been employed as the indigenous community liaison with the National Institute of Natural Resources under the Department of Agriculture. This institute enjoys funding from the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility for a project promoting participation of indigenous communities in natural resource management of protected areas in the Amazon.

Eduardo Neira has been trained as an urban and regional planner, with a postgraduate degree in planning and non-profit management. From 1993 to 2002 he was employed by the Intermediate Technology Development Group (now called Practical Action) as a programme manager in rural transport. In 2002 Eduardo participated in IFRTD’s networked research on Rural Waterways and Livelihoods, carrying out a study on rural water transport in the Amazon. At present, he is employed with the Office of the Ombudsman of the People of Peru at the Office of International Cooperation.

Diogenes and Eduardo are working on a study titled "The role of water transport in accessing conventional and traditional health service in the rural Amazon in Peru."

Carolina Tarqui Mamani and Juan Contreras Sepulveda, Peru

Carolina Tarqui Mamani graduated as a midwife and pursued further studies in epidemiology. Currently she is specialising in applied research statistics. She is currently employed as a researcher and statistician with the National Institute of Health focusing on the prevention, cause and effects of malnutrition and bad diets. She develops protocols, sampling design and writes final reports. She is also a visiting research fellow with the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the largest National University of San Marcos. In addition she is a guest lecturer for post-graduate students at the private University of Huanuco and the University of San Marcos.  She has carried out numerous researches in reproductive health, home births and the health status of indigenous communities in Peru.

Juan Contreras Sepúlveda, a Chilean national, graduated in Sociology with specialization in microfinance. Juan as worked as a university professor in Chile, Peru and Ecuador and as a consultant in Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras. He has worked with a diverse range of organisations including OIT, O.A.S., the PNUD, international OPS, NGOs and missions working on international anti-poverty programmes.  His field of experience and skills encompasses support to microenterprises, maintenance of rural roads, working with people with disabilities, capacity building, implementing best practice systems and developing methodologies and tools of management and decision making.

Juan and Carolina are working on a comparative and gender analysis of the Rural Roads Programme in Peru, with a particular focus on its health impacts on the surrounding moutainous communities.