GALS related experience

Deeply concerned with issues of gender in rural areas and marginalized communities (for over 25 years now). Thomas has;
• Vast, solid, and robust experience in facilitating and training GALS in agriculture- and non-agriculture settings. A seasoned Trainer in his own right, Thomas has trained, facilitated, and cascaded GALS methodology to over 60000 smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe.
• Was exposed and trained in GALS in 2010 at Bukonzo, Kasese in Uganda. Continues to be involved with the development and evolution of the methodology to be able to reach over a million people-the Amoeba stage’;
• Introduced and mainstreamed GALS in all FACHIG program activities in 2010.
• Among the first people to experiment a “pilot short version” of GALS in Muzarabani district of Zimbabwe in 2013-2014. 5000households were trained.
• Took a leading role in the design and development of a GALS methodology Practical Guide: GENDER ACTION LEARNING SYSTEM PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR TRANSFORMING GENDER AND UNEQUAL POWER RELATIONS IN VALUE CHAINS: (http://www.oxfamnovib.nl/Redactie/Downloads/English/publications/150115_Practical%20guide%20GALS%2)
• Up-scaled GALS in mid- 2014 with the methodology put at the center stage of a DanChurchAid –funded value chain development project “Diversifying and intensifying inclusive agricultural value chains for food and income security of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe “
• Successfully lobbied for a grant from the United States of America Embassy in Zimbabwe to implement the “Gender Action Learning for behavioral change, improved nutrition and income-generating capacity among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Guruve District of Zimbabwe” covering a total of 3000households

• Designed and implemented GALS programming in the DFID/FAO-funded Livelihood and Food Security Programme (LFSP) in Zimbabwe (2016-2021). In this project, GALS act as a catalytic factor for enhanced production, the profitability of agro-value chains, and behavioral change in nutrition and health practices.

• Provided consultancy to the DFID/FAO funded INSPIRE and EXTRA Project(2017) to train staff and champions and facilitated roll out of GALS methodology in various project sites

• Designed and rolled out GALS in the SPOTLIGHT Initiative funded by UN Women (2019-21). GALS is being used to Strengthening Movement Building to End Violence against Women and Girls in Mashonaland Central Province.
• Signed and MoU with the Ministry of Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development(MAMID)’s Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme(SIRP) to train Ministry Staff and facilitate rolling out the GALS methodology at 8 sites across the country.

• Successfully trained and built a team of Local GALS consultants providing methodological support and guidance to an increasing number of NGOs implementing GALS in the country.