Michael Louis Phiri

Experience

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  THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA (UNZA)

  Jan 2016 - Jan 2020

  Psychology Tutor

  As a Tutor in Psychology at the University of Zambia, the largest and most prestigious institution in the country, I honed my skills as an effective researcher, advisor, and educator. This role provided me with invaluable experience in academic instruction, student support, and administrative operations within the Psychology Department, contributing to the university's reputation as a center of excellence for research and innovation.Key Responsibilities and Achievements:Delivered tutoring sessions in Introduction to Psychology, enhancing students' understanding of foundational concepts.Assisted in lecturing students, ensuring continuity of high-quality education when required.Provided academic counseling and guidance to students, supporting those facing scholastic challenges, adjusting to the university environment, or exploring career transitions.Conducted administrative tasks such as marking exam and test scripts, maintaining accuracy and efficiency in academic assessments.Contributed to departmental research initiatives as a research assistant, gaining hands-on experience in project implementation and data analysis.This experience deepened my understanding of psychological theories, research methodologies, and the importance of student engagement and support in higher education. Show less

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  Freelance (Self employed)

  Jan 2020 - now

  Counselling and Learner Support Consultant

  Establishment of counselling and learner support departments, implementation of socio-emotional learning in schools, child and adolescent counselling, staff training and development in counseling and learner support.

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  Right to Care

  Feb 2020 - Sept 2020

  Curriculum Development Officer

  Worked on the Scaling Up Early Childhood Development in Zambia project, funded by USAID ($2.5M) and Grand Challenges Canada ($500K). I was responsible for developing comprehensive curricula covering cognitive development, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), nutrition, socio-emotional, physical, and language development. The curricula included tools for parents to track developmental delays and support child health.Key Responsibilities:Curriculum development for early childhood growth domainsConducting developmental assessmentsTraining parents on developmental disorders and delays Show less

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  Zambia National Public Health Institute

  Jul 2020 - Jan 2022

  Public Health Analyst

  As a national public health institute, ZNPHI is mandated to conduct surveys, researches, coordinate public health emergencies & preparedness activities (i.e COVID-19 pandemic) and equip the national surveillance system with high quality data on all national notifiable & priority diseases. As a Public Health Analyst under the ZNPHI, I was responsible for:Duties and Responsibilities:• Conducting data analysis for trends • Publishing Scientific and Public awareness briefings on the Institutional 'Health Press' Journal • Participating in Strategic planning and Emergency Response meetings with various supporting partner organizations (conducted every Tuesday and Thursday) as members of the Risk Communications and Community Engagement (RCCE) committee. • Disseminating Public Health Information in the form of COVID-19 posters and brochures, to all requesting institutions and health facilities in Zambia as members of the Communications, Information and Response (CIR) team.• Given the increasing Covid-19 response needs and activities at the institution, we managed to control the pandemic. Show less

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  Global Health Corps

  Jul 2020 - Jan 2022

  Global Health Corps Fellow (2020-2021)

  As a Global Health Corps Fellow, I engaged in professional development aimed at advancing health equity and social justice. My role focused on leadership growth, advocacy, and program monitoring and evaluation. Key areas of development included job crafting, recruitment and interviewing, collective leadership, and fostering a growth mindset in professional settings. This experience strengthened my skills as an innovative, resilient, and systems-driven leader dedicated to sustainable health solutions. Show less

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  Scientific Initiatives Zambia

  Aug 2020 - now

  Co-Founder

  Scientific Initiative for a Healthy and Developed Zambia is a young Youth-led organization that has been operational since 2020. Our goal is to emerge as the go to community driven organization that seeks to enable the community in a fast changing world we are.We want to develop communities do promote health, human and community development.Join us.https://www.linkedin.com/company/scientific-initiatives-zambia/

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  PsycHealth Zambia-Zambia Centre For Communication Program-STOP-GBV Project

  Sept 2021 - Oct 2021

  Trainer

  As a consultant, I was tasked to train and facilitate Trauma-Focussed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to the trainees who came from all the districts in the country. Their professional backgrounds where diverse ranging from prosecutors, police, teachers, clinicians and psychosocial counsellors. The training was composed of the following thematic topics ie. Understanding Sexual Gender based Violence, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorders, Assessment and Screening for Trauma and Depression using Beck Inventories, Psycho-Education, Child Protection, Self-care and Stress management for employees and mental health practitioners. Main responsibilities• Facilitating the training as trainer in TF-CBT• Assessing the trainees Show less

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  VVOB

  Jan 2022 - Sept 2024

  Research Advisor

  As research advisor, I was responsible for coordinating research projects that sought to evaluate the impact of educational interventions we were running as VVOB Zambia. One of the interventions is the TaRL methodology, a remedial program aimed at improving literacy and numeracy skills in learners in grade 3-5. I was also responsible for coordinating ethical review protocols for the projects. During my time at VVOB we conducted a quasi experimental study on the role of TaRL called Catch Up in Zambia on socio-emotional learning. I also coordinated a behavioural study on enablers and barriers to teacher implementation of Catch Up using the Capacity Opportunity and Motivation Model. Show less

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  Research Advisory Group- Catch Up uptake

  Jan 2023 - Sept 2024

  Co-Chair

  I co-chaired and co-ordinated the Research Advisory Group on the Catch Uptake research which is being funded by Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and being conducted by BUSARA, VVOB and Teaching at the Right Level Africa(TaRL). The membership consists of Ministry of Education, TaRL Africa, BUSARA center for Behavioral Economics and VVOB.The research advisory group is aimed at ensuring quality in research process, findings and also to get direct insight from the Ministry of Education on the context of implementation. It is also to ensure learning from the findings to benefit the major stakeholders in the implementation process(Ministry of Education). Show less

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  Global Health Corps

  Jun 2023 - Jul 2024

  Alumni Chapter leadership Cohort representative

  Coordinated activities for the Alumni Chapter leadership. Specifically, I was responsible for coordinating the annual mental health symposium that brought practitioners and organizations together to raise awareness on mental health in Zambia

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  Intersex Society of Zambia

  Aug 2023 - now

  Board Member

  I serve as a Board treasurer for the Intersex Society of Zambia. I also provide psychosocial care programming for Intersex persons. Intersex people are persons who are born with biological differences in sexual development which very few people understand. They need a voice.

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  Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)

  Nov 2023 - now

  Reviewer: Measurement Library Reference Group

  - I review socio-emotional learning (SEL) measurement tools for the INEE Measurement Library.- Initially assessed training materials; now focused on evaluating the psychometric properties of tools, ensuring reliability and validity.- Support evidence-based SEL implementation in crisis-affected educational settings.

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  Harvard Innovation Labs

  Sept 2024 - now

  Member- Explorer

  At the innovation lab. My aim is to develop an innovation that will impact children, adolescents and the minority groups in low resource contexts. I am passionate about social impact.

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  Harvard Graduate School of Education

  Oct 2024 - now

  Research Assistant at the EASEL lab

  At the Ecological Approaches to Social and Emotional Learning Lab, I am developing the implementation of Trauma-informed Socio-Emotional Learning curriculum targeting selected Massachusetts school districts which seek to make education spaces conducive for building SEL skills in learners.

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  SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ALLIANCE FOR THE UNITED STATES

  Jan 2025 - now

  Research Assistant

  I conduct landscape analysis for Social emotional learning initiatives in the united States.