10 Questions by Soma De Silva

What IS YOUR NAME and your last assignment with UNICEF? 

Soma De Silva, Regional M&E Advisor, ROSA

How old do you feel? 

Sometimes 35, sometimes 85. Chronologically, 80.

Where do you live?

Colombo, Sri Lanka.

What book do you currently read? 

It's a canonical text.

If you could travel without restrictions, where would you go? 

I would go back to ROSA

Your best experience with UNICEF? 

Many experiences. One heart-warming experience I remember well is a monitoring field visit for polio immunisation in Kabul during Taliban times. I remember families in mountainous terrain keeping their beautiful, rosy-cheeked babies ready for immunizers to come by, and also some hot bread straight off their underground stoves, ready for us. What an incredible job that UNICEF did to take their advocacy to the remote corners of the rugged terrain of Kabul in the midst of the Taliban war.

Your biggest challenge when working for UNICEF? 

Making Governments accept evaluation as a supporting tool in the development process. It was a challenge even for UNICEF offices to support and implement credible, influential evaluations. These challenges continue to this date, demanding more innovative approaches. I am glad to continue in the field and to see small but steady efforts at institutionalisation and professionalisation of evaluation, thanks to the efforts of so many pioneers and champions in the field.

Biggest Fear?: 

Children's education will lose its value systems.

Bigest Hope?: 

Education leaders will somehow instil values in education while minimising child abuse in schools and homes.

 
What is one piece of advice you would wish to give to the UNICEF Executive Director? 

Place more focus on human capital development starting in pre-school, including much greater emphasis on psychological health. Otherwise, future leaders will be devoid of human values and suffer from poor mental health.

Do you have any suggestions to improve XUNICEF - content, format, ideas, etc.? 

I think X-UNICEF is doing great, allowing members to contribute and enjoy the interactions. Let's see how X-UNICEF members have continued in their respective fields and what has made such contributions possible. A small light investigation giving people a chance to share their proud work and helping to maximise such interventions.

Your e-mail (optional): somadesilva@gmail.com