Khumo Pule

I am honored to accept the nomination as a potential board member of SAMEA. My vision for SAMEA aligns closely with the association's mission to contribute to equitable and sustainable development in South Africa (SA). I envision SAMEA as the driving force behind building a vibrant, inclusive, and dynamic society of evaluators where professionals at all stages of their careers, from Emerging evaluators (EE) to Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) experts come together to share knowledge and support one another to collaboratively strengthen the evaluation landscape in SA and widely.

EE’s can be catalysts for positive change in the development of the country. Herein, I see SAMEA as the key platform for their growth and development because it is best suited to empower EE’s as future leaders of SAMEA and the evaluation field. As a board member, I will be committed to working tirelessly to transform this vision into a reality, building bridges between EE’s and seasoned M&E professionals, thereby fostering an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to our nation’s development. I will harness the collective expertise and passion of SAMEA members to drive progress in critical and emerging areas such as Made in Africa, adaptive management, Tech-enabled M&E, environmental sustainability, etc.

My academic training in social sciences, particularly Development and Population studies and Monitoring and Evaluation equip me with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively contribute to SAMEA’s mission. I have a demonstrated commitment to EEs, having served as a convenor of the SAMEA EE Topical Interest Group (TIG) since 2019 and participated as a panelist in discussions related to EEs in SAMEA conferences in 2019 and 2021. Additionally, I gained valuable experiences as an evaluation intern at the Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation (DPME) in 2015 and as a mentee in Eval Youth's first mentorship program in 2019. My work in consultancy, participation, and facilitation of sessions on evidence use and embedding environmental sustainability in M&E practices further highlight my dedication to the field.

I co-authored a book on equity and served as a panelist in the 2nd M&E week in Tanzania in 2023, further expanding my engagement and contribution to the evaluation community. Originally, I am from the North West province and currently residing in Gauteng province, specifically in Pretoria. I bring a diverse perspective and regional awareness to the board. I am excited about the opportunity to serve SAMEA and work together to achieve our vision of equitable and sustainable development in SA and beyond.