MEL systems
Theories of change, results frameworks, indicators and practical monitoring systems.
Monitoring · Evaluation · Research · Learning
Evidence that moves programmes forward.
I'm Elmer Ongus, a Kenyan monitoring, evaluation and learning specialist helping organisations strengthen evidence, improve decisions and deliver meaningful results.
- 6+
- Years of progressive MEL experience
- Since 2020
- Research and advisory support
- Kenya
- Nairobi · Lamu · Coastal and northern counties
Based in Kenya
Working across community health, youth, education and inclusive development.
01 / About
Making evidence useful—not merely available.
My work sits where programme strategy, field realities and data meet. I design and strengthen MEL systems, lead mixed-method research, assure data quality and help teams interpret findings honestly. The goal is practical: evidence that improves implementation, strengthens accountability and supports better outcomes for communities.
I bring a Bachelor of Science in Statistics, ongoing postgraduate training in Monitoring and Evaluation, and hands-on experience working with local, international and remote teams. Participation, inclusion, ethics and methodological rigour are central to my practice.
02 / Expertise
From programme logic to decision-ready evidence.
Evaluation & research
Mixed-method baselines, endlines, assessments, contribution analysis and learning agendas.
Data quality & systems
Data governance, digital workflows, verification, dashboards and decision-ready analysis.
Learning & adaptation
Facilitated reflection that turns evidence into programme improvements and better decisions.
Donor reporting
Clear technical writing, evidence synthesis, results narratives and measurement approaches.
Inclusive practice
Participatory, gender-responsive, disability-inclusive and safeguarding-conscious MEL.
03 / Experience
Grounded in programmes. Built for decisions.
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
Safari Doctors
Coordinates MEL across mobile health outreach, school health, youth health, nutrition and One Health portfolios. Leads data-quality assurance, donor measurement, programme learning and evidence use across field and management teams.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Analyst
United States International University–Africa
Designed mixed-method evaluations, results frameworks and monitoring tools; led strategic reviews and translated evidence into recommendations presented to senior management.
Inclusive MEAL Advisor · Volunteer
EAAL Foundation
Advises programme teams on inclusive indicators, participatory monitoring, feedback mechanisms and evidence use for initiatives involving girls, young people and persons with disabilities.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Officer
Jenga Future Initiative
Developed MEAL plans, logframes, tools and reporting calendars while strengthening accountability, field data quality and adaptive programme reviews.
04 / Selected contributions
Evidence translated into action.
Students
Supported an integrated mixed-method baseline across 19 schools, combining survey, focus-group and key-informant evidence into programme recommendations and an endline foundation.
Programme contacts
Consolidated and quality-assured six months of programme participation and service contacts while preserving reporting definitions and preventing duplication.
Connected evidence
Strengthened data quality across Banda Health, MEDIC CHT, KoboToolbox and paper-based records through practical protocols, structured workflows and team coaching.
05 / Research & authorship
Contributing programme evidence to global research.
Manuscript in preparationWork in progress · 2026
Co-author · Safari Doctors affiliation
Artificial intelligence in community health worker programmes in low- and middle-income countries: a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectional, international survey of activity, readiness, and priorities
Co-authored with James O'Donovan and an international, multi-institutional research team. Elmer contributes a programme monitoring and implementation perspective, including interpretation of findings, denominator clarity, AI readiness, frontline realities, discussion development and research-in-context framing.
The manuscript remains under development and is not yet published.
Grand Challenges Canada-supported programme · Research pathway
Two distinct manuscripts. One responsible evidence pathway.
The integrated YHA School Health Programme has an agreed two-manuscript research pathway. Keeping the baseline and endline papers separate protects methodological integrity and ensures that every conclusion reflects the evidence available at that stage.
01In preparation
Baseline manuscript
Establishing the programme's starting conditions
Development of a baseline paper using evidence from 895 students across 19 schools. It will examine starting conditions in knowledge, information needs, help-seeking and service awareness. Programme reach and routine monitoring data remain implementation context—not evidence of effectiveness or impact.
Current status: analysis and manuscript development in progress.02Planned after endline
Endline manuscript
Examining change after comparable endline evidence
Planned after endline data collection and analysis. The second paper will examine whether programme participation is associated with changes in knowledge, confidence, help-seeking and youth-friendly-service awareness, without claiming causal impact unsupported by the study design.
Future status: conclusions will be developed only after the endline evidence is complete.Publication status, journal details and authorship order will be stated only when formally confirmed.
Ongus Research & Impact Advisory · Practice since 2020
Evidence for decisions.
Insight for impact.
ORIA brings into public view a research and advisory practice that has supported clients since 2020. Across individual and institutional assignments, the practice has provided close, practical guidance in research design, data analysis, evaluation, MEL systems, academic research and donor-ready reporting.
The ORIA identity formalises a track record already built through service—working alongside clients from the first research question and methodological decision to analysis, interpretation and a strong final product.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworksBaseline, midline and endline studiesQuantitative and qualitative researchData analysis, dashboards and evidence productsProgramme design and donor-ready reportingResearch methods and capacity strengthening
2020Research and evidence-support practice established
2023Expanded institutional evaluation and analytical work
2026ORIA public identity introduced
06 / Services
Focused support for organisations and researchers.
Engagements are shaped around the question you need answered, the evidence available and the decision the work must support.
Research design & proposals
Clear research questions, methodology, sampling, data-collection tools, analysis plans and submission-ready proposals.
Request this serviceBaselines, endlines & evaluations
Mixed-method studies using surveys, KIIs, FGDs and programme evidence, followed by practical findings and recommendations.
Request this serviceMEL systems & frameworks
Theories of change, logframes, indicators, monitoring plans, donor frameworks, data-quality processes and learning systems.
Request this serviceData analysis & visualisation
Quantitative and qualitative analysis, dashboards, interpretation and decision-ready evidence products using appropriate tools.
Request this serviceAcademic research advisory
Proposal and thesis review, methods, analysis, interpretation, referencing and presentation support that preserves the researcher’s authorship.
Request this serviceReports, manuscripts & learning products
Donor reports, analytical briefs, presentations and publication support that turn complex evidence into clear, credible communication.
Request this serviceAccepted payments
Flexible local payment options.
Clients receive the correct payment instructions with their quotation and invoice.
- M-Pesa+254 719 286 277
- Bank transferEquity Bank · Kingdom Bank · DTB
- International clientsInvoice-based transfer · Secure card option being prepared
For your protection, bank account numbers are issued on the official invoice rather than displayed openly on the website.
07 / Qualifications
Technical depth with a learning mindset.
Postgraduate
Master of Arts in Monitoring and Evaluation
Daystar University · Ongoing
Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science in Statistics
Laikipia University · Completed
Professional development
MEAL, inclusion and safeguarding
MEAL DPro · Gender-Transformative Evaluation · Child Protection · Disability-Inclusive Programming
Tools
Data collection, analysis and communication
KoboToolbox · ODK · Power BI · SPSS · Stata · R · NVivo · Dedoose · Tableau · Advanced Excel
Professional enquiries
Let's turn evidence into better decisions.
Available for selected research, evaluation, MEL systems and programme-learning assignments.
Emailonguse@gmail.comPhone+254 719 286 277LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/elmerelmago ↗
LocationNairobi / Lamu, Kenya