Skills
Professional skills
- Coordinator for the We Are Able! baseline study in six fragile and conflict affected countries
- Acted as team leader for the mid-term review of an IFAD funded agriculture project in Afghanistan commisioned by the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock
- Reviewed and developed program and project indicators for a variety of organizations
- Performed the mid-term review of the CLAP - Kuchi project for the Dutch Committee for Afghanistan
- Research Fellow on One health for the University of Reading, (Reading, UK), and Research Associate on Antimicrobial Resistance for the Royal Veterinary College, (London, UK.)
- Designing impact study methodology for a national Impact study in Egypt including formulation of data collection methodologies and supervision of data collection teams in Egypt, developing analysis procedures, and evaluation of findings with the aim of assisting national government policy development
- Developed, coordinated and implemented a poultry value chain study in Egypt in collaboration with three National FAO consultants
- Coordinated and supervised 'Animal Health, Breeds and Livelihoods' project activities in Cambodia for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- Developed and managed a national level Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza impact study in Egypt for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- Initiated the development of a program level Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and learning (MEAL) system for the Dutch Committee for Afghanistan
- Prepared and implemented a 5-day mixed-method research skills training program for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Egypt. Specifically, carried our training of 15 national researchers
- Developed and managed a livestock extension training program for Afghan district government agricultural extension staff
- Developed the research and M&E skills of staffmembers of various NGO's in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Egypt
Software skills
Photography
I have always felt compelled to give a face to contemporary social and development issues by presenting the perspectives of everyday people impacted by issues such as poverty, the food crisis, infectious animal diseases and environmental degradation among others.
I have interviewed farmers in Afghanistan, India, Turkey, Bangladesh, and Cameroon on a wide range of issues pertinent to their livelihoods. In 2010 I interviewed garbage collectors in the slums of Cairo affected by the culling of their pigs due to swine flu. Photos taken during these interviews and others have been exhibited at a gallery in Cairo in 2010. Recently I interviewed a family of livestock keepers in Afghanistan who used to be nomadic (Kuchi) but due to conflicts over grazing land, widespread insecurity, local militias, and landmines, their access to grazing land is severely limited. This coupled with years of drought and environmental degradation has further deteriorated their access to pasture land forcing them to sedentarize and find other sources of income.
My photography skills were developed through self-study, courses, and workshops but above all by going out there and practicing observation and experimenting with different shutter speeds, aperture and viewpoints.
Exhibitions
- November 2011
- September 2011
Group photo exhibition ‘Everyday life in Egypt’ (‘Leven van alledag’). The exhibition was organized by Saxion University Deventer and myself at Saxion University Deventer, Netherlands.
- November 2010
‘Urban Expo’ group exhibition at the Technical University Eindhoven main building on urban photography organized by ‘Dekate Mousa’ photo society of the Technical University Eindhoven, Netherlands
- July 2010
‘Panorama’ a solo exhibition of 28 photos at el Balad gallery for contemporary and visual arts, downtown, el Tahrir, Cairo, Egypt
Publications and features
- National Geographic
One of my pictures was selected by National Geographic editors for publication in National Geographic’s Daily Dozen on August 20th, 2013.
- New Agriculturist
Geerling, Ellen (2013) Afghan nomads – changing lives. New Agriculturist, May 2013 WRENmedia
- New Agriculturist
- Bikyamasr
‘Egypt photo exhibit looks at farmer and farmed’ a feature on my photo exhibition in Cairo by bikyamasr an Egyptian and regional independent news site.
- National Geographic
My entry ‘airbag’ was selected by National Geographic editor Susan Welch for publication in National Geographic’s Daily Dozen in December week 4 2009.
- Thomas Cook
My photos ‘Floating on air’ and ‘Sognedal fjord’ are being used by Thomas Cook to promote travel to Norway. My photos are displayed on their website.
- Other features
My photos have been used for lesson materials and as cover photos and illustrations for several journals, magazines, books and other publications including for United Nations Organizations.
ellengeerlings.wordpress.com
a view from my window
National Geographic
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