Buba Darboe

Dynamic non-profit professional with over 15 years of proven leadership in local and global humanitarian operations, peace & conflict training, dedicated to saving and improving lives affected by disasters, public health emergencies, and displacement.

Seeking to further enhance skills, knowledge, and career advancement through admission to DIHAD Humanitarian College

Peace Ambassadors The Gambia

• In 2001, co-founded the organization. As the co-founder I contributed to the development of the core values, mission, and vision statement of this organization which engages in international peace education and advocacy. Initially the focus was on youth and peace. I participated as a regional coordinator, then second Vice president, and then third President. During my presidency, led the organization in transformative policy changes. These changes included broadening the organizational scope and operational areas including the establishment of multiple chapters in Senegal and Guinea-Bissau as well as an annual Peace Summer Camp. The 10-day Peace Summer Camp brings together young people across Africa, the Military, the Police, and civil society to learn the importance and the absence of peace in our societies under a theme encouraging everyone to "Find Peace in Africa” by creating it. Since then, many people from all over Africa have been trained and returned to their communities to serve in a peace-building capacity.

International: United Nations UNDAC

• In 2016, nominated by the Government of the Gambia as an UNDAC member because my experience and involvement in-country National Disaster Preparedness, Planning & Operations.

• Various Countries and Dates: International meetings together with other UNDAC professionals to develop global assessment standards and tools continuously improving processes, procedures and the effective use of the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment Toolkit.

• In 2019, successfully coordinated international and local operations efforts responding to Mozambique Cyclone Idai Disaster. Created and led an operations centre in the field close to disaster location, coordinating over 25 humanitarian actors, including multi-donor and bilateral donors for the four humanitarian clusters: Food Security, Shelter, Education and Relief.

International: International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC)

• In 2011, served as Head of Field Operations leading a team of 50 field staff and volunteers for the Liberian population movement. Supported the Liberia Red Cross by implementing and installing water pumps and sanitation facilities, constructing shelters, distributing relief, and providing livelihood support to thousands of refugee families and host families. Managed contracts, operations staff & finances and resources. Coordinated the overall logistics system, including fleets. Developed situational reports, up-scaling the emergency response in coordination with other humanitarian agencies, and developed operational reports for donors and partners.

• In 2014, deployed to support the Sudanese Red Cross Complex Emergency Appeal. I closed the three ongoing operations, wrote final reports of these operations, and launched one consolidated International Emergency Complex Emergency Appeal resulting in multi-million dollor funding from major donors, including USAID.

• In 2015, Headed up the regional response effort for the Cholera Outbreak in Nigeria. Developed effective operations plans and the tools for the implementation of the operation which prevented death by containing the spread of the contagious infection, trained health workers, community members and Red Cross volunteers. Providing life-saving supplies and resources to health facilities in affected areas.

National: The Gambia Red Cross

• Headed and managed The Gambian Red Cross Society as in various roles up to Secretary General. I managed personnel, fixed assets, financial assets, with over 25,000 volunteers, as well as core staff and outside resources, in accordance with legal and statutory procedures and regulations of the organization.
  Development of the strategic direction and ensure the implementation and coordination of the Red Cross Society's programs according to approved plans and budgets, with a particular emphasis on the effective implementation of sound financial and management systems.
  Conceived and supported initiatives and functions of statutory commissions and committees for effective coordination, quality and accountability, monitoring and evaluation, planning, and reporting.
• Managed budgets in support of Programs, appeals, and activities, in close coordination with the Director of Programs and Operations and Department Heads. Closely monitor and evaluate staff performance towards target objectives.
  Report to the Governing Board as required, and kept relevant departments and staff regularly informed on developments and partner relations. Ensured that Governance through the statutory bodies was kept fully informed on developments, compliance with approved procedures, regulations, and policies.
  
• As the Head of the Disaster Management department, I contributed in saving innumerable lives and inspiring hope among the affected populations when disaster strikes.
  Our interventions evacuated, sheltered, and provided clean drinking water to victims, especially the most vulnerable. Built back better communities, more resilient to future hazards, teach communities to prepare, plan, adapt, to turn vulnerability into empowerment.
  I provided International Humanitarian Law (IHL) training to military contingents (UN Peacekeeping and African Union peacekeeping forces), the rebel groups and non-state actors and volunteers.

• From 2020 to 2021 – Headed the Gambia Red Cross COVID-19 Intervention Livelihood Project - funded by European Union and Spanish Red Cross Multi-donor funding (EU, WFP, Spanish Red Cross, IFRC appeal). Mobilized staff and volunteers to educate the public on preventative measures, distribution of masks and sanitation products. Provided options for safe and dignified burial so that remote communities would contact the Red Cross instead of handling infectious bodies themselves. Provided cash-assistance to small business vital to the function of basic needs.