Expertise in international development
I have multiple interests in international research for development, initiating and managing community development projects (whole project cycle), doing rapid appraisals and assessments for project planning and evaluation, coaching, teaching and capacity building. My work experience in East Africa since 1999 comes from the World Agroforestry Centre, NGOs and consultancy companies specializing in international development.
Yoga classes online and in Karisjärvi
I teach Hatha yoga spiced with Vinyasa. I have learned this style of yoga and my teaching style in Mysore, India. Yoga keeps your joints flexible, muscles strong, balance steady, and soothes and refreshes your mind and develops your concentration skills and ability to be present. Yoga sessions are currently online.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
I offer tailored conversation sessions from basic chatting to scientific conversation and writing. My diverse and multifaceted life experiences and interests allow for almost all kinds of conversations. Lessons are currently online.
Solution focused coaching or brief therapy
Solution focused approach steers the discussion and coaching situation, following a certain logic, in a direction aimed at improving the quality of life. The discussion or the coaching situation focuses on the present and on the future goals and aspirations. It makes visible your strengths and resources. It outlines a route in front of you to follow.
I have completed the 40 credit coursework of an Advanced Solution-Focused Practitioner at Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute (LTI). I am offering my services in counceling and coaching online.
“Navigating among many interests in life…”
East Africa is an integral part of Eija’s identity and life. Her history with East Africa goes back to 1970s when she was seven and her family moved to Kenya and she spent most of her childhood between ages 7 and 15 in Kenya. Her long work experience in East Africa (since 1998 in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia) comes from the World Agroforestry Centre, NGOs (especially Liana of which she is a founder member), consultancy companies specializing in international development and different voluntary work.
Eija has multiple interests in interdisciplinary research for development, initiating and managing community development projects, doing rapid appraisals and assessments for project planning and evaluation, facilitation of participatory situations for investigation and awareness raising, teaching and capacity building. She especially enjoys fieldwork in rural East Africa, the direct interaction with people – which is made possible by her conversational Swahili skills. And she enjoys spending time in quiet natural places admiring vast pristine landscapes, birds, plants and wildlife.
Eija loves studying and she constantly acquires new knowledge and develops her skills. In 2014 – after moving to Finland – she completed TESOL qualification to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages. In 2016 she acquired teacher qualification in adult education and environmental education. In 2018 she completed RYT200 yoga teacher qualification in Mysore, India. In the summer 2020 she got an Advanced Solution Focused Practitioner’s diploma from Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute (LTI) and has now started to offer counselling services (coaching or therapy – the customer decides) privately. Her current big interests are healthy nutrition for holistic well-being and philosophy of happiness and well-being – which she is trying to understand by taking courses and reading relevant literature.
She has been volunteering for various purposes since late 90’s. Her first overseas voluntary position was in Uganda as a teacher. Currently much of her work through Liana is voluntary work. Liana helps farmers in Northern Tanzania to transfer their degraded open fields into Forest Gardens that produces some crops all year round and help the natural environment to heal and thrive with increased biodiversity. Liana also helps schools in Northern Tanzania to acquire rainwater harvesting tanks, improved stoves, hand washing places and to start school tree nurseries by recycled water. Eija is also the Chair of Liana Board.
With one foot in research and another in practical interventions, Eija is a strong advocate of evidence based approaches in whatever she does. Knowledge is like a compass – an absolute necessity to help one steer by (the logo represents many things…). With one foot in Africa and another in Finland, and a marriage with an Englishman, it is easy to feel at home in many places.