The 7th Eastern Africa Research and Innovation Management Association (EARIMA) Conference, held from September 22–26, 2025, at Protea Hotel, Entebbe, Uganda. Theme “Driving Research and Innovation for Socio-Economic Transformation,” the conference focused on advancing the growth, impact, and inclusivity of research and innovation management in Eastern Africa. It convened research managers, administrators, scholars, funders, and partners to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and strengthen regional research ecosystems. The event featured keynote speeches, oral presentations, panel discussions, and workshops addressing critical topics, including research integrity, grant management, intellectual property, policy translation, and strategic human capital development in research administration.
Mohamed Christian Ngaujah, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer at Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society (WAVES) Sierra Leone, represented the organization at the conference. His participation encompassed both the broader EARIMA conference,
and the parallel Good Grant Practice Writing Workshop organized by APHRC. Mohamed actively engaged in the conference by attending keynote sessions on research integrity and policy translation, contributing to panel discussions on grant management, and networking with regional funders to explore collaboration opportunities for WAVES. His involvement in the workshop focused on building capacity in effective grant proposal writing and management, where he made significant contributions through group work, discussions, and question-and-answer sessions.
Good Grant Practice Writing Workshop
Running concurrently with the conference from September 22–25, 2025, at a dedicated venue in the Protea Hotel, the Good Grant Practice Writing Workshop provided intensive training on grant proposal development. The workshop covered:
- Overview of grant proposal writing and funder identification
- Developing problem statements, goals, and objectives
- Implementation planning and project evaluation
- Budgeting for research proposals
- Risk management and sustainability considerations
- Writing abstracts, cover letters, and appendices
Mohamed’s contributions during the workshop were substantial. In group exercises, he led his team in drafting a problem statement for a WAVES initiative addressing gender-based violence, which received positive peer feedback for its clarity and alignment with funder priorities. During discussions, he shared insights from WAVES’ monitoring and evaluation practices, enriching conversations on project evaluation and sustainability. In question-and-answer sessions, Mohamed posed thoughtful queries on budgeting strategies, prompting facilitators to provide practical examples that benefited all participants. These contributions not only enhanced his learning but also elevated the quality of group outputs.
Mohamed’s participation in the EARIMA conference and Good Grant Practice Writing Workshop equipped him with advanced skills in grant writing, budgeting, and risk management. Notably, he gained expertise in crafting compelling problem statements and developing sustainable project plans, which will directly enhance WAVES’ ability to secure funding for community-based initiatives tackling violence and exploitation. His active engagement in the conference’s keynote sessions and networking with funders opened doors for potential partnerships, amplifying WAVES’ mission to drive socio-economic transformation. By applying these skills, Mohamed will strengthen WAVES’ monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes, ensuring more competitive grant proposals and impactful program outcomes. His contributions during group work, discussions, and Q&A sessions underscored WAVES’ commitment to regional research and innovation platforms, positioning the organization to leverage capacity-building opportunities provided by EARIMA and APHRC for institutional growth.
