Helen A. Cruz
Sr. Gender & Health Expert
PhD Rural Sociology
MSc Development Sociology
Med Educational Guidance
BA Social Work
Helen’s 40+ years of experience is as diverse as it is vast. A respected development consultant, she is particularly adept at harnessing a soft power approach to gather information at the grass roots. Fluent in Indonesian, Malay and Tagalog, with a good working knowledge of Arabic, Portuguese, and Spanish, her career has taken her throughout Central and Southeast Asia, North America and beyond.
As Impact Resolutions’ Senior Human Environment Specialist, Helen draws upon an abundance of social science research processes she has applied including:
Participatory rural appraisal: often used by NGOs to incorporate the knowledge and opinions of rural peoples’ in the planning and/or design of a project/programme development cycle. It’s comprised of: planning/design; implementation; monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Helen has experience in all three aspects, most intensively M&E pertaining to water and irrigation management projects and dam projects
Logical framework approach: an analytical method used to design, monitor and evaluate international development projects
Environmental monitoring: water and irrigated agriculture management; watershed and protected area management; environmental impact assessments in oil, gas and multi-purpose dam projects
Gender mainstreaming (to promote gender equality): women’s empowerment
Good governance: transparency, accountability and anti-corruption
Institutional/organizational strengthening: training and development where cross-cultural sensitivity, interpersonal skills and language proficiency are essential
Helen has provided advisory and support services to multi- and bilateral aid agency-funded programs of governmental and non-governmental organizations. Assignments have taken her to Afghanistan, Canada, China, East Timor, Indonesia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan (ROC), the Philippines, the United States and Vietnam.