Patrick Okwen

Patrick Okwen

Patrick Okwen is a medical doctor and researcher with experience working with policy makers, governments, and development agencies at international level. He has experience working within the basic services (health, education, climate resilience, and agriculture) and knowledge brokering in Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and Chad.  

Patrick dedicates much of his time to training young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in development work and work across the evidence ecosystem. He is part of the Daara Development Academy, a league of promising African leaders promoting Early Child Care and Education. He has won several leadership awards with Joanna Briggs Institute, Cochrane Aubrey Sheiham, Africa Evidence Network, Campbell Robert Boruch, French Embassy in Cameroon, and the World Bank. 

Patrick has led projects across the evidence ecosystem, including evidence brokering, storytelling research evidence, and evidence contextualization with partners like Education Endowment Foundation, CEDIL Programme, Grand Challenges Canada, IDRC, iScientia Belgium, and Wakka Foundation Holland. 

"We are more similar than we different, however, the little difference could completely spin around an effective intervention. It is therefore important to contextualize."

"As researchers we keep talking to ourselves, we forget that research is meant for those who do not understand scientific jargon. We must begin to actively speak to people if research must beat misinformation and disinformation."