Dr. Elia Lolem is a highly experienced veterinary professional and development practitioner who represents the Alumni on the Board of FRONTIERS CHILDREN DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. With more than a decade of impactful work across Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda’s Karamoja region, he brings both technical expertise and a deep contextual understanding of the Turkana–Ateker region to his leadership role.

Born in Katilu, Turkana South, Dr. Lolem has dedicated his career to strengthening livestock health systems and resilience in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). He currently serves as a Senior Veterinary Officer with the Turkana County Government, where he leads disease surveillance, outbreak response coordination, and vector control efforts under the Department of Veterinary Services. His work places him at the forefront of veterinary public health in one of Kenya’s most fragile ecosystems.

Dr. Lolem holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Nairobi and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics. In addition, he has earned both a Diploma and Certificate in Animal Health and Production, qualifications that enable him to bridge grassroots service delivery with high-level veterinary systems thinking.

His early career began in South Sudan with the Catholic Diocese of Torit, where he supported livestock recovery in post-conflict Eastern Equatoria through community-based animal health approaches and vaccination campaigns. He later worked with VSF-Belgium on cross-border animal health and peacebuilding initiatives, before contributing to the Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU) under Tufts University. There, he supported influential USAID-funded studies, including Productivity and Economic Value of Livestock in Karamoja and Towards an Economic Valuation of Livestock Systems, which provided evidence for policymakers and donors on the true economic value of pastoral livestock.

From 2020 to 2023, Dr. Lolem served as Coordinator for the World Bank–funded National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) in Turkana County. His work focused on strengthening livestock and crop value chains, building producer organization capacities, and enhancing household resilience. His current research, aligned with his MSc studies, examines veterinary service delivery and disease response capacities in Marsabit County, with emphasis on bridging communication gaps between government and private actors, and aligning practices with WOAH standards.

In addition to his veterinary expertise, Dr. Lolem is proficient in ICT and programming, enabling him to promote digital solutions for animal health data and surveillance. His professional competencies span veterinary epidemiology, One Health approaches, transboundary animal disease control, project coordination, livestock value chain development, and evidence-based policy engagement.

A strong advocate for the pastoralist communities of the Ateker region — Turkana, Toposa, Jie, and Karamojong — Dr. Lolem remains deeply committed to safeguarding livestock as the backbone of rural livelihoods. Through his technical rigor, people-centered approach, and commitment to resilience, he continues to redefine veterinary service delivery in East Africa’s ASALs while advancing the mission of FRONTIERS CHILDREN DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.