Effective knowledge management bridges the gap between what we know and what we do by turning experience into action, evidence into learning, and learning into better outcomes and systems.
Tsegaye Yeshiwas
Tsegaye Yeshiwas has spent his career helping organisations capture, organise, and share knowledge that drives meaningful change. Beginning his professional journey as a journalist in Ethiopia's media sector, he learned how to uncover stories, communicate complex issues clearly, and connect evidence with audiences. Those skills later became the foundation of his work in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector, where knowledge is most valuable when it informs decisions, strengthens systems, and improves services.
For more than six years, Tsegaye has worked with IRC WASH Ethiopia/Riva, helping transform research findings, implementation lessons, and field experience into practical knowledge products that support governments, development partners, practitioners, and communities. Currently serving as Communications and Knowledge Management Manager, he leads knowledge management, communications, advocacy, and learning initiatives that strengthen WASH systems and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Through different initiatives, he has helped ensure that evidence and lessons generated from implementation are translated into actionable insights for decision-makers and sector actors.
Having worked as a broadcast journalist, newspaper reporter, editor, and development communication professional, he brings a unique ability to bridge technical knowledge and public understanding. He believes that sustainable WASH services depend not only on infrastructure and financing, but also on effective learning systems that enable organisations and institutions to improve continuously.
Tsegaye holds a Master's degree in Media and Communication and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Communication from Bahir Dar University. He is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Highlights
- More than 15 years of experience spanning journalism, communications, and knowledge management
- Over six years leading knowledge management and learning initiatives in the WASH sector
- Facilitated organisational learning processes, knowledge capture, and dissemination across multiple WASH projects
- Developed and managed policy briefs, research publications, newsletters, online courses, multimedia stories, and advocacy materials
- Member of IRC's/Riva’s Global Editorial Guidance Team
- Published researcher on risk communication and public health response
- Fluent in Amharic and English, with extensive experience translating technical knowledge into accessible content for diverse audiences.