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Rinji Lekyes Kwarkas

South Africa

Rinji Lekyes Kwarkas Member since 16/06/2026

Graca Machel Trust

MERL Specialist

Rinji Lekyes Kwarkas is a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) specialist with active experience in the development sector since 2014. As the convener of SHEvaluators and National Secretary General of the Nigerian Association of Evaluators (NAE), he is committed to advancing the field of evaluation, particularly in promoting localization and gender-responsive practices. His work spans designing and managing MERL systems for national and international organizations on a myriad of donor funded projects for the African Union, USAID, European Union, MasterCard Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, African Development Bank (AfDB) etc. Rinji directly mentors an average of 10 MERL personnel annually from local organizations, helping them to enhance their project delivery and sustainability. He has also coached no less than 40 organizations in strengthening their Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) systems. He is Fluent in Hausa, English, and Mupun. Rinji is a conflict-sensitive communicator and a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. His experience extends across various sectors, including democratic governance, conflict resolution, and socio-economic development. He works in Nigeria and several African countries. Rinji’s research into gendered socialization has informed his commitment to raising the next generation of African female evaluators through his initiative the SHEvaluators.

My contributions

  • Across my work in food security, agriculture, enterprise development, governance and humanitarian response, I have seen national organizations navigate the demands of multiple donor-funded programs, often at the same time. Each new project can bring its own evidence requirements: a new measurement framework, dashboard, reporting format and sets of indicators. Initially, this appears to strengthen accountability, but after years of building and restructuring MEAL systems, I have begun asking myself : Who are we actually measuring progress for? Powon Long'ironyang of I_Rep Foundation Kenya When...
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