Our People
Advisory Board
Justice Rutenge
Foundation for Civil Society
Justice Rutenge
Justice Rutenge is the Executive Director at Foundation for Civil Society (FCS), based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He has over 14 years of experience in development, with expertise in results measurement, program and strategy design, strategic communication, and resource mobilization. Before joining FCS, he founded and served as the Managing Consultant at iDev Tanzania Limited and iDev Consulting, where he provided advisory services to national NGOs, donor agencies, multilateral organizations, global philanthropies, and corporates.
Justice holds a BA in Integrated Community Development from Daystar University, an MSc in Media, Communication, and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and is currently pursuing a PhD in Business and Management at Strathmore University Business School. He is an alumnus of the Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) and the Program for African Leadership (PfAL) at the LSE. Justice is an avid writer, with over 50 published op-eds covering various national, regional, and global issues.
Ebrima Sall
TrustAfrica
Ebrima Sall
Ebrima Sall, the Executive Director for Trust Africa is the immediate past Executive Secretary of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, CODESRIA, Africa’s leading social research council that was ranked top think tank of Sub-Saharan Africa in the 2016 Goto-Global Think Tanks Report of the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to becoming the Executive Secretary (April 2009 to June 2017), he was a Senior Programme Officer and Head of Research at CODESRIA for five years (2004-2009). He has also held senior positions in other institutions, including as Managing Director of the Center for the Promotion of Village Savings and Credit Associations (VISACA) in BrikamaBa, The Gambia, which was then under the Gambian Ministry of Agriculture (1992-1994); and Senior Research Fellow and Programme Coordinator at the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden (2001-2004). He taught as an adjunct professor at the political science department of Gaston Berger University, in Saint-Louis, Senegal, from 1996 to 2000.
In 1992, he was promoted to the rank of ‘Maitre de Conferences’ (Associate Professor) in ‘sociology-demography’, by the National Commission of Universities of France. He holds a ‘Maitrise’ (MA) degree in Economic and Social Administration from the University of Grenoble in France, a Diplome d’Etudes Approfondies (DEA) in the Socio-economics of development, and a doctorate in sociology from University of Paris I-Pantheon-Sorbonne.He was a post-doctoral fellow of Yale University’s Program in Agrarian Studies in 1997-98, and is currently a Senior Research Fellow of the Center for African Studies, Harvard University. Ebrima is the (co-)author/editor of several publications on higher education, academic freedom, the social sciences, social movements, citizenship, governance, and post-conflict transitions in Africa. He is a citizen of The Gambia.
Jenny Hudgson
Global Fund for Community Foundations
Jenny Hudgson
Jenny Hodgson has been the Executive Director of the Global Fund for Community Foundations (GFCF) since it was established in 2006. She has overseen its emergence as the leading global voice on community philanthropy as a core strategy for people-led development and shifting power closer to the ground. Based variously in Uganda, Kenya, Russia, Singapore and Thailand, Jenny has been involved in philanthropy development in emerging markets and developing contexts for the past two decades. She has a BA (Hons) in English from Emmanuel College, Cambridge and an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She is a board member of the African Philanthropy Network and a trustee of Comic Relief.
Ndanatsei Tawamba
Urgent Action Fund-Africa
Ndanatsei Tawamba
Ndanatsei Bofu-Tawamba is the Chief Executive Officer of Urgent Action Fund Africa (UAF-Africa). She brings to the global human and womn’s rights movements a wealth of international experience across a broad spectrum of equity-focused issues. Ndana has built bridges between civil society, feminist, and social justice funders for over two decades to address gender, racial, socio-political, economic, environmental, and climate injustices.
Ndana is a staunch feminist voice for enhanced womn’s rights investments. She has leveraged over USD200 million towards strengthening African feminist and womn’s rights movements. She is a published writer and public speaker on Pan-African and Feminist Philanthropies, African Womn’s Leadership, and the Power of Social Movements in Africa.
Ndana is an alumnus of Harvard Kennedy School of Government in the USA, the University of Stellenbosch Business School in South Africa, and INSEAD Business Schools in France and Singapore. She is a Senior International Fellow at the Centre on Philanthropy and Civil Society at CUNY, USA. She earned her Master’s Degree in Women’s Studies from Lancaster University, UK, and obtained her Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Social Psychology from the University of Zimbabwe.
Ndana serves on the Board of the African Philanthropy Network. Her leadership at UAF-Africa, the UN, academia, international civil society boards, and regional consultancies on philanthropy, human rights, social movements & governance has meant extensive engagements across the world, thereby presenting her the opportunity to weave her commitment to social justice with an opportunity to further explore womn and girls’ realities across the globe.
Françoise Moudouthe
Africa Women’s Development Fund
Françoise Moudouthe
A pan-African feminist with roots in Cameroon, Françoise Moudouthe is passionate about advocating for women’s rights and fostering sisterhood within African feminist movements. Before joining the African Women’s Development Fund as CEO, Françoise established Eyala, a bilingual platform that amplifies the voices and lived experiences of African feminists, and worked as an international consultant for gender justice in Africa. She also played an instrumental role in incubating Girls Not Brides, the global civil society partnership to end child marriage, and in spearheading its growth in Africa. Françoise is a Board member of the Malala Fund and Womankind Worldwide.
Evans Okinyi
East Africa Philanthropy Network
Evans Okinyi
Evans Okinyi is the CEO for East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN), a regional network of over 100 organizations developing and nurturing philanthropy in East Africa. He is a seasoned Non-Profit Executive, with over 12 years progressive experience in Networks Management, Policy Formulation & Implementation and Stakeholders & Partnerships.
Mukami Marete
UHAI East Africa
Mukami Marete
Mukami is an African queer feminist mother of two, with a long and broad activist career of 18 years, working at the intersection of organizational development, human rights and social justice. Her career has focused in particular on the resourcing organizing for and by LGBTIQ persons and sex workers. Mukami applies her personal values of feminism, social justice, service to others, integrity and excellence, as well as professional and social skills, towards making this world a just and loving place to live in. She holds an MBA with extensive skills in financial management and sustainability, human resource management and programme execution.
She is currently the Executive Director of UHAI – the East Africa Sexual Health and Rights Initiative (UHAI EASHRI). UHAI is an activist LGBTIQ and sex workers fund. Prior to joining UHAI, she worked for the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and was actively involved in the sexual and reproductive health rights program, particularly the right to safe and legal abortion and the rights of LGBTIQ people. Mukami also serves on the Boards of the Black Feminist Fund (BFF), the Global Philanthropy Project (GPP), the East African Philanthropy Network (EAPN) and the African Philanthropy Network (APN). She previously served at the Board of Green Peace Africa as well as the Sex Worker Donors Collaborative (SWDC). She has an MBA in strategy and a bachelor’s degree in building Economics and management – both from the University of Nairobi. She has a postgraduate degree in Human Resource Management and is a certified public accountant trained by Strathmore University.
Alice D Kanengoni
Southern Africa Trust
Alice D Kanengoni
Alice D. Kanengoni is the Chief Executive Officer for Southern Africa Trust. She is a feminist development practitioner with over 20 years of experience advocating for social justice, gender justice and women’s rights on the African continent. She has served in regional organisations in roles providing strategic leadership, programme design & management, grant-making, advocacy and communications, accountability and learning. Alice has successfully led the design and implementation of a number of power-shifting strategies and interventions towards women’s economic justice, including strategies to support self-organizing movements of domestic workers, women informal and cross-border traders, rural women farmers and young women – among other marginalized groups in Africa. Her research and knowledge generation work has contributed towards shaping Afro-centric discourses on feminist macroeconomics, inclusive health and education among others. She is passionate about feminist and liberatory knowledge management praxis and has contributed to the body of knowledge challenging inequalities and poverty on the African continent. Alice earned tertiary level qualifications in Arts, Media & Communications, Executive & Team Coaching and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning.
Grace Maingi
Kenya Community Development Foundation
Grace Maingi
Grace, the Executive Director for Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) is a Human Rights Lawyer and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with extensive work experience in the governance sector spanning over the last nineteen years. She has worked at the national, regional, continental, and international level in key governance civil society organizations. She has a wide experience in social justice and societal transformation work.
For most of her career, Grace has focused on the advancement of human rights, gender equality, access to justice, governance and democracy, civic education and engagement, civil society strengthening, community development, and transitional justice issues. Grace has a deep passion for human rights, environmental conservation, and social justice.
Grace holds a Law degree from the University of Leicester, United Kingdom (UK), and a master’s degree with a specialization in Human Rights from the University of London, United Kingdom (UK). Grace previously worked as the Executive Director at Uraia Trust and the Federation of Women Lawyers – Kenya, (FIDA Kenya). She has also served in senior management roles at the Law Society of Kenya, and the Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW-K) among other civil society organizations.
Advisory Board
Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu
Star Ghana Foundation
APN Board Chair
Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu
Moreen Majiwa
African Women’s Development Fund
Deputy Board Chair
Moreen Majiwa
Evans Okinyi
East Africa Philanthropy Network
Board Treasurer
Evans Okinyi
Dr. Moses Isooba
Uganda National NGO Forum
Board Member
Dr. Moses Isooba
Dr. Moses Isooba is the Executive Director of the Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) – a sharing and
reflection platform for NGOs to influence governance and development processes in Uganda and enhance their
operating environment. As a thought leader in the area of Localization, he has accompanied a number of INGOs
who desire to start their journey on locally led development. He is very passionate about how local national NGO
actors can be the pivot for the localization agenda and how to leverage community resources for development.
Dr. Isooba currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Forus International Governing Council. Forus is an
innovative global network empowering civil society for effective social change.
Abdoulaye Sawadogo
Association Burkinabè de Fundraising
Board Member
Abdoulaye Sawadogo
Engwase B. Mwale
Zambian Governance Foundation
Board Member
Engwase B. Mwale
Tsitsi Marylin Midzi
Urgent Action Fund-Africa
Board Member
Tsitsi Marylin Midzi
Rotimi Olawale
Youth Hub Africa
Board Member
Rotimi Olawale
Jacqueline Asiimwe
CivSource Africa
Board Member
Jacqueline Asiimwe
Ebrima Sall
TrustAfrica
Board Member
Ebrima Sall
Grace Maingi
Kenya Community Development Foundation
Board Member
Grace Maingi
Ese Emerhi
Global Fund Community Foundations
Board Member
Ese Emerhi
Suraj Ray
Mauritius Council of Social Service
Board Member
Suraj Ray
Our team
Stigmata Tenga
Executive Director
Goodchance Mariki
Data and Learning Consultant
Tarisai Jangara
Communications and Membership Manager
Magaluda Magobe
Chief Accountant
Fortunata Thobias
Administration and Accounts Assistant
Jestina Blazi,
Assistant Accountant
Kelvin Kelya
Program Associates, IT and Youth
Vanessa Donkeng
Communications & Translation Associate
Yvone Mpambara
Program Advocacy Lead
Lifetime African Philanthropy Awards Recipients
Janet Mawiyoo
Janet Mawiyoo
Janet Mawiyoo, the award recipient for 2022 is an Organizational Development and Leadership Coach with over 30-years’ experience in the global non-profit sector. Her work as a leader in building development and philanthropic institutions has stood out over the years, with a very rich experience on leadership and governance matters, organizational development, resource mobilization and asset development, just to name a few. She works with families, corporates and other local and international development actors on impactful giving. For 17 years, Janet worked as the Executive Director of the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) until the end of June 2021, when she stepped down. She holds a Master’s in Development Administration and Management (MA-Econ) from the University of Manchester (UK), a Post Graduate Diploma in Organization Development Consultancy from the Swiss Institute of Applied Psychology, Switzerland, and is a Synergos Fellow.)
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, the award recipient for 2022 is a Feminist Activist, Policy Advocate, Social Change Philanthropy Practitioner and Writer. In 2001, she co-founded the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), the first Pan-African grant-making organisation based in Ghana, and served as the first CEO from 2001-2010. She served as a UN Women Nigeria Senior Advisor, and was appointed as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College, University of London in 2017. She is the CEO of Above Whispers Limited, and runs an online community called abovewhispers.com. She is a 2007 recipient of the Changing the Face of Philanthropy award from the Women’s Funding Network and was named one of the 20 most influential African women in 2009 by the New African magazine. In 2011, Women Deliver listed her as one of the top 100 people in the world advancing the rights of women and girls. She has a BA (1984) and MA (1988) in History from the University of Ife, Nigeria (now Obafemi Awolowo University). She also received an MA in Gender and Society (1992) from Middlesex University, UK. She is also one of the founders of the African Grantmakers Network (now African Philanthropy Network) in 2009. Bisi is the author of ‘Speaking for Myself: Perspectives on Social, Political and Feminist Activism in Africa (2013), ‘Speaking above a Whisper’ (2013) and ‘Loud Whispers’ (2017). She also co-edited ‘Voice, Power and Soul’, with Jessica Horn (2008) – a compilation of images and stories of African Feminists.
Salome Lemma
Salome Lemma
Salome Lemma, the award recipient for 2018 is the executive director at Thousand Currents, where she works to bolster funding and support for organizations led by women, youth, and Indigenous people working to advance food sovereignty, climate justice, and economic empowerment in the Global South—and to make philanthropy more equitable along the way. Previously, Lemma worked with Africans in the Diaspora (AiD), Global Fund for Children, and Human Rights Watch in New York. She received a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor’s in international relations from Stanford University. Her work and writings have been featured in Forbes, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Inside Philanthropy, among others, and she has been a guest on NPR, BBC, and Al Jazeera.