Tok MEL Pasefika Episode 2: Who holds the pen? Shifting Power in MEL Narratives

Valery Wichman, Sioeli Tonga and Joy Waffi discuss honouring culture, working with cultural power dynamics in MEL and ensuring the hard to reach in the Pacific can be reachable within MEL practices. They also unpack data sovereignty and how MEL can work for donors as well as communities. 

This podcast was made possible through SPC’s Funding with Intent initiative, funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  

Please provide us feedback here: https://forms.office.com/r/yHK0eDhrex   

Guests:  

• Sioeli Tonga – Head of Digital and ICT, Pacific Data Hub  

Sioeli works at the intersection of technology, development and policy, turning complexity into clarity and data into action. A stauch advocate for ethical data use, all while leading development and innovation for digital public goods that serve the Pacific community, such as the Pacific Data Hub. 

• Valery Wichman – Lead of Strategy and Innovation, SPC  

Valery is a lawyer by trade but has worked in the public policy space for the last 12 years - with her previous role as Director of Central Policy and Planning Office, Cook Islands Office of the Prime Minister, and the most recent project being the development of the Te Ara Akapapa’anga Nui 2020+ (the Cook Islands National Sustainable development Agenda  2020+) which gives a 100 year vision towards Turanga Memeitaki (wellbeing) and puts values at the forefront and people at its core. 

• Joy Marie Waffi – Development Practitioner and Consultant   

Joy is an experienced Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) specialist with over 16 years of experience in research, evaluation, and inclusive governance across Papua New Guinea and, more recently, Vanuatu. She is passionate about ethical, locally led development and MEL practice that centres the voices and lived experiences of people, particularly women, youth, and marginalised groups. 

Links: 

Te Ara Akapapa’anga Nui (National Sustainable Development Agenda (NSDA) 2020+) 2021–2121: https://www.pmoffice.gov.ck/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Turanga-Meitaki-100-mataiti-Digital.pdf  

Māori Data Governance Model: https://www.waikato.ac.nz/assets/Uploads/Research/Research-institutes-centres-and-groups/Institutes/Te-Ngira-Institute-for-Population-Research/Maori_Data_Governance_Model.pdf   

Pacific Data Hub: https://pacificdata.org/