2018 Public Management Cohort

 

Addey Terence Adams
Ghana
Addey Terence Adams has over six years’ experience in law enforcement. Currently, Addey is a general lance corporal and a member of the information technology team of the Estate Unit at the Ghana Police Headquarters. The Estate Unit manages accommodations for police service personnel and civilian employees in the police service. Addey holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. He is committed to fighting against cybercrime. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Addey plans to educate the public and netizens during workshops on internet best practices and how to mitigate cyber attacks.

Finagnon Aubin Ahouassou
Benin
Aubin Finagnon Ahouassou has eight years of experience in local development. Since 2012, he has led the Department of Local Development Planning and Cooperation in the municipality of Avrankou. Additionally, since 2010, he has been an active member of GRABE-Benin, an NGO promoting environmental education among youth and adults. Aubin applies his local development experience while working with communities to realize social welfare projects. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Aubin plans to create a laboratory for the research and implementation of community development interventions focused on involving women and youth.

Oyeba Afua Nkunu Akyea
Ghana
Oyeba A. N. Akyea has over five years' experience in higher education planning and management. Currently, she is the assistant planning officer at the Ho Technical University in Ghana. She is responsible for managing her department, the information nerve-center of the university and monitoring the implementation of the university's strategic plan. Oyeba also teaches and supports young women at tertiary institutions, especially those in the science and engineering fields. She holds a master's degree in Urban and Regional Development Planning and a bachelor's degree in Planning. She has a passion for determining, creating, organizing, and managing spaces for development. Oyeba believes that education is a key to societal growth and development and is confident that highly educated females are a catalyst for community development. Oyeba aspires to further her education and form a network of young females who have broken into traditionally male-dominated courses and careers, to inspire and support up-and-coming young females who wish to realize similar dreams.

Olabanji Odunayo Aladejana
Nigeria
Olabanji Aladejana has over six years’ experience in researching public management challenges and the development of custom information technology (IT) solutions utilizing earth observation technology and geographic information systems. He currently works as a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology in Akure and runs a private IT firm, where he consults for state governments, banks, and publicly minded organizations. Olabanji holds a doctoral degree in Ecology and Environmental Management from the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, where he investigated the link between climate change, land degradation, water scarcity, and food insecurity in a typical West African basin. Over the years, he has successfully developed an early warning flood risk system for flood-prone areas in southeast Nigeria, a framework for automated waste management in southwest Nigeria, an automatic customer address verification system for a number of Nigerian banks, and a dynamic geospatial land parcel information system for his hometown. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Olabanji plans to increase the number of employable graduates with adequate IT skills for public management. He also wants to grow his IT firm to maturity, creating jobs and providing opportunities for young and vibrant university graduates in Nigeria.

Ermias Tessema Beyene
Ethiopia
Ermias Tessema is an architect and a town developer with hands-on experience on various projects ranging from designing and constructing building elements, developing housing units, and urban level research projects. Currently, he is working as a town developer in a rural urbanization project called Tukuls to Dachas (T2D), a program aiming at transforming 4,500 rural homesteads into sustainable towns through a participatory approach. Ermias believes farmers in Ethiopia are economically capable; an inefficient system has made it difficult to utilize local asset for a sustainable solution to improve living standards. For this sake, T2D devised a system to plan more populated small towns in the vicinity of farmland, to make the infrastructure provision more efficient and to create alternative economic activities without the need to leave farming. Ermias has been in this project for the past four years starting from its research phase. Now he is planning to go to one of the rural villages as a town developer to realize the proposed plan with the local people.

Benigno Pinto Canze
Mozambique
Benigno Canze has 12 years’ experience working as a manager at the Ministry of Health. He has a postgraduate degree in Public Administration and Governance. Benigno is an active volunteer and founding member of Kumbatiro, a local association meaning comfort, aimed at helping underprivileged children and pregnant women. The organization focuses on malnutrition and access to health care for pregnant mothers to prevent vertigo. He is passionate about public policy and upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, would like to study the subject.

J Antoine Dayrell
Liberia
J Antoine Dayrell has over four years of experience working in the public sector, particularly in the area of procurement. Currently, Antoine is a procurement analyst at the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), where he reviews and analyzes procurement and concession plans for public institutions and ensures conformity with the budget and the Public Procurement and Concessions Act of Liberia. He reviews and recommends procurements and concession contracts for approval and conducts training for public sector procurement practitioners. Antoine is also the founder and CEO of the George Forkpayea Waziyan Dayrell Memorial Foundation, which uses community service to improve the livelihoods of underprivileged kids through education. Antoine holds a postgraduate diploma in Public Procurement Management and is pursuing a master’s degree in Public Sector Management. Antoine is driven by his commitment to good governance, as he strives for transparency and fairness in public procurement and concessions activities in his country. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Antoine plans to continue working in public service and work towards decentralizing the PPCC.

Alpha Amadou Diallo
Guinea
Alpha Amadou Diallo is the executive coordinator of Axiome Génie Conseil, an international health, safety, and environment firm. He is also the associate founder of AlfaVert, a pan-African network of environmentalists. In collaboration with government authorities, Alpha works on creating a hygiene, health, and safety code, which regulates laws in the workplace, to avoid accidents and diseases. Additionally, he manages ''The Step of the Internship'' project, which supports young people in internships and employment. The project aims to provide training to 3,600 young people in workplace health and safety within five years. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Alpha plans to establish a national health, safety, and environmental policy in cooperation with the government.

Ndella Diop
Senegal
Ndella Diop has over seven years of experience as a computer science engineer. She has worked as a consultant to Senegal’s Ministry of Higher Education and as a developer at an information technology (IT) services company, SEYSOO. Currently, she is the chief of the Information Systems Division at the Gaston Berger University IT Office. During her career, Ndella was involved in designing the CAMPUSEN platform which is used to select students applying for Senegalese public universities. As a senior developer, she contributed to the implementation of the Ministry of Higher Education’s information system. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Ndella hopes to found a space that supports a change in the public sector through supporting youth with innovative IT projects.

Essi Farida Geraldo
Togo
Geraldo Essi has over three years of experience in architecture and environment sector. Currently, Essi is the city planning officer at the Ministry of Urban Planning and Housing, where she designs national landscape planning projects. She is also the director of a firm working on environmental issues, sustainable development, and renewable energy. She holds a master's degree in Architecture and Urbanism from EAMAU, an architecture and urban planning school in Togo, where focused on eco-construction. She is passionate about promoting environmental protection to address climate change. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Essi plans to continue her work in promoting environmental care with a focus on eco-construction, using recycled materials for crafts, renewable energy, and climate change. She hopes to reduce unemployment and facilitate housing access through her work.

Maereg Gebregziabher Gidey
Ethiopia
Maereg Gebregziabher Gidey works as Senior Legal Expert at the Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia. Her primary responsibility is undertaking research that aims to improve the laws and efficiency of organizations in the administration of justice. Prior to this, Maereg Gebregziabher worked as a Research Affiliate in the “Indicators for Safety and Justice Project” of the Program in Criminal Justice of the Harvard Kennedy School. This job was a continuation of her engagement at the Justice and Legal Systems Research Institute, where she worked as a Legal Researcher head of the Communication and Networking Directorate, as part of which she carried out various research projects. Maereg Gebregziabher also worked as a Legal Officer at the Ministry of Women and Children. She chose her current work because she believes that she can build a career and contribute better to the justice system by working with government using the research experience she has developed.

Jordan Luke Griffiths
South Africa
Jordan Griffiths is currently the policy advisor in the Office of the Executive Mayor in the City of Tshwane, the capital of South Africa. He was previously an elected councilor in the city and has been active in student and local South African politics for the last eight years. He has also worked extensively as a media strategist, assisting numerous corporate and public entities in growing their media profiles. His academic background is in politics and economics, and he has a master’s degree in security studies examining cybersecurity and its impact on South African national security. He is also a trained financial journalist and a group fitness instructor, spending many of his early mornings and evenings teaching fitness classes.

Kendoara Badjigui 
Chad
Kendoara Badjigui has almost two years of experience as an English language teacher and over four years of experience in civil engineering construction focusing on building construction, bill of quantity preparation, and site construction management and supervision. Currently, Kendoara is a senior engineer at Nickel Sarl enterprise, where he works as a building designer and construction site supervisor. Kendoara holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria where he focused on the modification of black cotton soil with groundnut shell ash using British Standard Light Compactive Effort. Kendoara is motivated and dedicated by his civil engineering work and his English teaching in a secondary school. Upon the completion of Mandela Washington Fellowship, Kendoara plans to continue his construction work with Nickel Sarl enterprise and teaching, with the hopes of opening an English club and a computer training center.

Janet Leparteleg
Kenya
Janet Leparteleg has over four years of professional experience in various sectors, including the banking and fast moving consumer goods industries, as a banking assistant, customer service representative, and a system analyst. Currently, Janet is an assistant information communications technology (ICT) officer for the ICT Authority in Kenya, where she is involved in projects aiming to improve government service delivery. Janet holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology and is a certified incident handler of cybersecurity. She is committed to women’s empowerment in the STEM fields, especially for women from marginalized communities. She is a trailblazer for women in the cybersecurity field, which is male-dominated. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Janet plans to scale up the activities of Butterfly Technies, her community-based organization, using her newly acquired skills and network. She also looks forward to sharing best practices to improve operations at the ICT Authority.

Daniel Kanyambu Mbonzo
Kenya
Daniel Mbonzo has over five years’ experience in public-private partnerships in managed health care. Currently, Daniel is the relationship manager at First Assurance, the insurance arm of the Barclays Africa Group. Daniel has successfully piloted successfully his brainchild, H.E.A.R.T (Health Evaluation Awareness Review and Treatment), a program aimed at achieving complete body wellness. Daniel is a registered nurse with a passion for correct, efficient, and effective first-time diagnosis, which he believes will reduce complications from curable disease and untimely deaths from common illness and manageable chronic conditions. He is a graduate of Moi University in Eldoret-Kenya. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Daniel will advance the universal healthcare agenda and provide capacity building on accessible diagnostics by expanding his H.E.A.R.T initiative within Kenya and East Africa.

Gaofswepelo Mpelo Mokgwathi
Botswana
Gaofswepelo Mpelo Mokgwathi has four years’ experience working as a doctor in the medical field. Currently, Gaofswepelo is employed by the Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness and based in the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital. She is responsible for providing both clinical and psychosocial support services in the infectious disease control clinic (IDCC), which is an outpatient center for HIV related cases. She is a point person for Extension to Community Health Outcomes, an interactive teleclinic run by the Botswana-University of Maryland School of Medicine Health Initiative. She is also a co-investigator in a collaborative study between the Botswana Harvard Partnership and Nyangabgwe IDCC. She is committed to activities that strengthen care linkages for HIV positive people who have not started treatment. Reaching the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets by 2020 is a major driving force in her work. Gaofswepelo holds a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine from St. George's University in Grenada. Upon her completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Gaofswepelo's goal is to strengthen adherence interventions for patients failing to follow treatment. She also plans to continue her volunteer work at HIV children's camps and continue research in HIV medicine.

Botlhale Tebogo N Monametsi
Botswana
Botlhale Monametsi has over seven years’ experience in the development and implementation of wastewater monitoring programs. She is experienced in laboratory testing, quality management systems, and wastewater treatment. Botlhale is currently a senior laboratory technician at the Water Utilities Corporation. She is focused on organizing and coordinating wastewater quality issues, evaluating and characterizing wastewater quality statuses, and assessing water compliance with national regulatory standards. Botlhale holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She is passionate about the protection of the environment and promotion of public health through proper management of wastewater and fecal sludge. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Botlhale plans to continue her work on wastewater management and expand her mentorship program for young water professionals.

Chiwali Johnson Mwambazi
Zambia
Chiwali Mwambazi is an economist, working as a socioeconomic planner for the Ministry of Local Government in the Central Province of Zambia. Chiwali is responsible for designing and implementing development programs to foster socioeconomic development. Through his work, Chiwali has secured funding to improve access to clean and safe drinking water. He is currently coordinating a government community development fund, which will facilitate the extension of school facilities, health centers, and staff housing in the Ngabwe District of the Central Province. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Chiwali plans to continue advocating for development and securing funds for development projects. He aspires to see schools within a five-kilometer radius of all community settlements and access to clean and safe drinking water in Zambia by 2030.

Lucy Samwel Mziray
United Republic of Tanzania
Lucy Samwel Mziray has over five years of experience in regulating, supervising, and monitoring of traditional and alternative medicine in Tanzania. Currently, Lucy is a quality assurance manager at the Traditional and Alternative Health Practice Council, where she assures the safety and quality of locally manufactured traditional medicine for public health protection. Lucy is also pursuing a Master of Pharmacy in Quality Assurance and Quality Control at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences. She is driven by her commitment to promoting traditional medicine that will serve areas with an inadequate supply of conventional medicine due to insufficient drug budgets. Upon completion of Mandela Washington Fellowship, Lucy plans to pursue research on how traditional medicine can facilitate equity in healthcare provision.

Twambo Nambao
Zambia
Twambo has over six years of experience in clinical and public health. She is currently the health director of the Chikankata District Ministry of Health, where she focuses on policy and program management, budgeting, capacity building, performance management, clinical care, and research. Twambo is also a volunteer for the Little Color Foundation, a nongovernmental organization, which paints children’s hospital wards. She believes that a little color and cartoons in a hospital ward can brighten a child’s stay in the hospital. Twambo holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Zambia. She is committed to providing universal health coverage and will work to ensure that poor patients can access quality health care through succinct policy and program management. Twambo plans to improve her leadership and management abilities through the Mandela Washington Fellowship’s cross-cultural experience. Upon her return, she plans to build a vibrant public health framework for her district and country.

Theoneste Ngiruwonsanga
Rwanda
Theoneste Ngiruwonsanga has over eight years of experience in the information communication technology (ICT) and management fields. Currently, Theoneste is a senior information technology (IT) security engineer at the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), where he builds Rwanda’s cyber-security capabilities to increase the capacity of early detection, prevention, and response to computer security incidents. He is also responsible for securing Rwanda’s cyberspace and IT assets based on digital signature and certificate technology. Theoneste holds a postgraduate diploma in Leadership Development in ICT from Dublin City University and is a member of the Knowledge Society. He believes that hard work, a positive attitude, integrity, commitment, professionalism, and a willingness to learn are the six things that make a great person. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Theoneste plans to continue his work, focusing on conducting cybersecurity awareness training in the public and private sectors, as well as with general public, including youth.

Ugochi Augusta Obidiegwu
Nigeria
Ugochi Obidiegwu has over six years’ experience working in aviation. She is a cabin crew and safety officer with Aero Contractors which ensures the safety of passengers and provides monthly safety training to the crew. Using her "The Safety Chic" persona, she creates unique safety education products for children and educators to groom safety conscious African children. Her Train Them Young Initiative (#2TYI) has taught safety skills to over 1,500 students across Nigeria through direct training and her child safety storybook series, The Adventures of Muna. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Language Arts from The University of Ibadan. Ugochi is committed to integrating safety education into the school curriculum. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she plans to continue introducing innovative safety programs and products that enhance safety awareness.

Amani Anthony Rukoijo
United Republic of Tanzania
Amani Rukoijo has over three years of experience in the public sector working as an investigator for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau of Tanzania (PCCB). As an investigator for PCCB, Amani employs a three-pronged approach in the fight against corruption, which includes educating the public about the effects of corruption through public speaking events, investigating corruption offenses, and finding and plugging corruption loopholes through research and control. Amani holds a bachelor’s degree in Information and Communication Technology from the Open University of Tanzania. Amani is motivated by the belief that the best way to unlock the potential of Tanzania and Africa, in general, is to remove corruption from all its institutions. He hopes that one day Tanzania will become a true meritocracy. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Amani plans to continue being at the forefront in the fight against corruption in Tanzania by focusing his efforts on public education.

Djeneba Beldohore Thiam eps Diarra
Mali
Djeneba Beldohore Thiam is a freelance biostatistics consultant with over eight years of experience, focused on health and education. In health, she works with physicians and public health specialists at the Senegal Ministry of Health, Belgian Development Agency, Sos Medecin Senegal, and Fann Hospital Cardiology Department. She was also a malaria research assistant for the French National Institute of Sustainable Development in Cotonou, Benin, and Paris, France. In education, she has trained and mentored students and professionals in biostatistics for over nine years. She is the co-founder of Asymptote; a company specialized in consulting, training, and coaching. She also works to improve students’, especially girls’, performance in STEM. She believes that Africa cannot address endemic diseases without reliable data management processes. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, she intends to have a greater impact by using evidence-based policy and practice.

Tsempet Felicity Walu
Nigeria
Felicity Walu has over five years of experience in program design and implementation. Currently, Felicity is a counterterrorism operative with Operation Rainbow, a state-owned security outfit. In her role, she gathers and processes intelligence and organizes and facilitates security workshops and seminars. Felicity obtained a degree in Law. She founded and manages #MYOPINIONMATTERS, a network of young, committed professionals who address burning issues and provide community assistance, such as giving pads to young girls. Felicity volunteers with the Women Without Walls initiative and the Heartsmile Emotional Care Foundation. Her work is driven by her own story of having survived a terrorist attack. She hopes to see Nigeria and the world free from terrorist attacks in the future. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Felicity plans to provide training in basic security techniques for women and girls to increase their survival skills in a terrorist attack.