Jeff Thindwa
Senior Civil Society Specialist for the World Bank Group

Jeff Thindwa’s experience is focused on mainstreaming civic engagement in Bank-supported operations. This was preceded by 18 years of non-government organization (NGO) experience covering Africa, Asia, Europe/Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and the United States. His work included the following: policy dialogue and advocacy work; developing, coordinating, and overseeing community development and complex humanitarian emergency programs; coalition building/networking with NGOs and other civil society groups. His experience has also included government relations and management.

He has been associated with World Vision Malawi since 1982 serving as Associate Director and National Director, and as Senior Executive, Africa Office, World Vision International-California, where he was in charge of operation coordination for all World Vision operations in Africa. From 1989-99, he was Director of International Programs for World Vision UK. There he had overall responsibility for World Vision UK’s international programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and UK programs.

In 1997 he led a special initiative to review the government of Eretrea’s decision to end NGO presence in the country. The same year, he was the founder and member of the Project on the creation of an Ombudsman for Humanitarian Assistance, initiated by United Kingdom NGOs as an exercise toward self-regulation. Prior to that, he led World Vision strategy to open up presence in Brussels to upgrade lobbying and resource mobilization. He also Developed World Vision’s country-entry strategy for Nigeria for purposes of the international board. In 1985 he founded the Council for NGOs in Malawi and, as the first chairpoerson, led strategy and program development and resource mobilization.

Mr. Thindwa holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Malawi; a post-graduate diploma in EEC Law from the University of London, Kings College; and a post-graduate diploma in Political Economy from the London School of Economics and Social Sciences.