About Cynthia R. de Windt
Cynthia R. de Windt is a retired employee of the United Nations, she now lives with her family in New York, USA.
SUMMARY
• A facilitator with over 30 years experience in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean doing organizational development, team building, human resources development, social marketing and social mobilization activities.
• Designs and facilitates complex interventions including “Future Search” a whole system’s approach.
• Incorporates client and consumers’ issues as components of participatory community development and health / nutrition programs.
• Has a keen interest in development programs, which involve the communities -for whom they are intended- incorporating them from inception through the evaluation phases, including substantial training components, design and production of training materials.
• Likes the challenge of work that requires innovation and creative application of organizational and managerial skills.
• Enjoys work as a member of a multi-disciplinary and culturally diverse team.
• A Dutch-Antillean national residing in New York, venturing into sculpture to complement skills in drawing, painting and gardening.
ELEMENTS that shaped me as a professional:
Formal Education:
Social Mobilization, Tulane University, School of Health and Tropical Medicine May- August 1994
M.Ed. Harvard University Graduate School of Education 1976
Counseling Program, Antioch College, USA Summer 1975
In-Service Training for Group Facilitators, Curaçao 1971-72
Teaching Certificate, Pedagogische Akademi Curaçao 1970
The various places where I have worked on short or long term assignments:
The Americas: Netherlands Antilles, Venezuela, Jamaica, USA, Bolivia, Ecuador, Salvador, Colombia, Guyana, Surinam
Asia: India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Nepal
Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Zambia, Botswana, the Gambia
Europe: UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark
The different organizations that I have worked with:
Roman Catholic School Board - Curaçao,
Fundashon Humanas Consultancy firm - Curaçao,
Government of the Netherlands Antilles,
New Era - Social Science Research - Nepal,
Asamblea del Pueblo Guarani - Bolivia,
Save the Children, UK - Colombia & India
Steve Jones Associates – Cambridge, UK,
International Agricultural Center - University of Wageningen, Netherlands
Manoff Group International - Washington DC
Peace Corps – Chad
World Health Organization - Chad
FAO-Dimitra Project – Belgium
UNICEF –in several countries
The types of work that I have coordinated, conducted, facilitated:
Organization Development focus: Ad-interim head of office in UNICEF-Madhya Pradesh, India; In charge of organizing the first ever all India meeting for all UNICEF-staff (300 persons from 14 offices), Work process analysis & redesign, Future Search, Team building, Performance Review, Mid-Term Review, End-Year Staff Retreat for Annual Work planning, Strategic planning, Participatory planning, Conflict mediation and resolution.
Human Resource Development focus: Listening and Interviewing Skills, People Skills, Cluster-group Networking.
Development Program focus: Strategic Planning with African Network Organizations (focus: fight Gender-inequality in access to land; Rural women collaborate in the fight against HIV/AIDS), Project Preparation, Multi-sectoral materials development for Nutrition Education, Developing simulations and games for Nutrition Education, Dynamic Agriculture Extension, Inter-regional Meetings to place Gender on the National Agenda, Participatory Planning related to Child-friendly cities, Social Mobilization, Social Marketing for Primary Health Care, Strengthening Participatory Attitudes in Communication and Development, Multi-disciplinary experts reviews (on Birth Registration and on Indigenous Children’s Rights),
Coaching: on management, leadership and career development issues either face–to-face or through the internet/VOIP & email
The kind of Community Activities in which I have volunteered:
UNICEF Staff Association – Jakarta, Indonesia (Chairman)
PTA, British Primary School - Katmandu, Nepal (Chairman)
Governing Board American International School – N’Djamena, Chad (Chairman)
Association Femmes Amies du Chad – N’Djamena, Chad (Secrétaire)
British Women Association for Social Welfare – Bogota, Colombia (Vice Chairman)
United Nations Women’s Association - New Delhi, India (Secretary)
PTA American Embassy School –New Delhi, India (Member Events Coordination Committee)
Red Cross School for Asylum Seekers’ Children - Copenhagen, Denmark (remedial teacher)
Baan Din = Building an Earth Village - Esaan Province, NE Thailand (volunteer construction worker)
Planning team - Future Search Network Annual International Learning Exchange – Derry, Northern Ireland
Teachers’ orientation to Escuela Nueva, multi-grade education system - Guyana
The languages I speak:
Papiamentu, Dutch, English, Spanish, French, Bahasa Indonesia
The countries in which I have lived since 1972 (on average between 2 – 4½ years):
USA, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Nepal, Chad, Bolivia, Colombia, India, Denmark