Dr. Israel Ribeiro Da Sousa

Dr. Israel Da Sousa is Smile Train’s Program Manager, Francophone West Africa.

A versatile medical doctor with more than 18 years of experience, Dr. Da Sousa is a healthcare and health system-strengthening specialist with multiple board certifications. He is passionate about birth differences and disabilities and has an extensive, strong experience in various sectors including healthcare, child protection and rehabilitation, female genital mutilation, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV/AIDS, and nutrition. He has worked and collaborated with several international organizations such as UNV/UNDP/UNHCR/WFP/WHO and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and the US and has served as Head of Mission and Country Medical Coordinator for Humedica e.V. in Niger.

He is distinguished by his ability to work closely with key stakeholders in governments and national authorities. With in-depth experience in multilateral diplomacy combined with strong scientific and technical expertise in healthcare, he is an expert in strategic planning and thinking and an outstanding collaborator with emotional intelligence and a sense of humor. His results-based orientation makes him well-equipped to coordinate multiple multicultural teams.

Dr. Da Sousa holds his medical degree from Abdel Gamal Nasser University in Conakry and  a diploma in Assessing Public Health in Emergency Situations and Health Management & Coordination from UCL – Belgium, alongside many certificates, including Hospital and Budget Management from Tondji University in China; an International Surgeon Certificate from the University of Salzburg in Austria; and Child Protection, Monitoring and Rehabilitation, “Leadership, Youth and Development” from the National University of Singapore, just to name a few. He was also trained as a journalist in ORF, Austrian National Radio-TV and initiated a development project with the UN Industrial Development Organization called “The Road to Prosperity” at Malaka Vocational Training Centre, South Sudan.

His professional objective is to continue building on his leadership skills through helping solve the world’s most complex issues in collaboration with others.

He loves farming, fishing, and traveling and is always open to learning new things.