ABOUT Sheillah N. Simiyu

Sheillah has expertise in and leads research work focusing on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) within the Population Dynamics and Urbanization theme at the Center. She has experience and interest in implementing WASH studies and projects in Kenya and Africa, engaging stakeholders in interventions, and using the research results to improve policy and practice. She leads and collaborates in studies focusing on WASH in urban and rural areas and the intersection with public health outcomes across population groups. Her current and previous research work focuses on enteric disease transmission among children, hygiene and behavior change interventions in urban, rural and humanitarian settings among different population groups, fecal waste management, shared sanitation, and assessing the impact of interventions on gender and quality of life. Her work also explores the interlinkage of WASH and other disciplines such as One Health, environmental and economic impacts, and general urban and rural development.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies (Kenyatta University), a Master’s degree in Public Health (Kenyatta University), and a Ph.D. in Public and Development Management (Stellenbosch University). Before joining APHRC, she was a postdoctoral fellow managing the implementation of a cluster randomized controlled trial on WASH and Nutrition at the Great Lakes University of Kisumu and has been a lecturer (in full time and part-time capacities) and mentor at the Great Lakes University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, and at Kenyatta University. She is an advisor and mentor to undergraduate, MSc and PhD students, and collaborates with various national, regional and international academic and non-academic stakeholders.