Leila Thesen is a Social Development and PMEL practitioner, facilitator, and human rights activist. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science with a double major in Sociology and Social Development and completed her Honours and Master’s (with distinction) specialising in Social Policy and Management. Her postgraduate work sparked a strong interest in the policy process and the persistent gaps between policy design, implementation, and evaluation.She has worked across the non-profit, public, and private sectors, partnering with a wide range of stakeholders and organisations to strengthen research, coordination, and policy implementation efforts. In her current role at Southern Hemisphere, Leila has contributed to several multi-country projects in both research and coordination capacities.
Recent applied research and evaluation experience includes:
• UNICEF: Study on the Scale of Teenage Pregnancy in Uganda: Unveiling the Hidden Realities
• DeafKidz International: Realist Evaluation of the DeafKidz Defenders Programme
• Zenex Foundation: Summative Evaluation of the Teacher Internship Collaboration South Africa (TICZA)
Leila’s work is driven by her commitment to gender equality, social policy, youth and community development, and climate equity. She also serves on the board of the Starting Point Foundation, which empowers Cape Flats youth through sport, mentorship, and leadership. Alongside her professional practice, she volunteers as a facilitator and is developing a blog that makes sociology concepts accessible to wider audiences by linking theory to everyday life.