About Us

Our Story

MAMA HOPE founder Nyla Rodgers finds hope when visiting a community in Kenya that her late Mother had called family.

MAMA HOPE began in 2008 with a simple idea: to fund community organizations directly, giving them the resources they needed to make a real difference. It started with our founder’s late mother, who supported an organization in East Africa by providing funds and trusting their agency in deciding how to use them.

Our founder, Nyla Rodgers, was inspired by the sustainable impact these organizations achieved; and came to understand that when communities are supported in making their own decisions, they direct resources where they are most needed. This understanding led her to start MAMA HOPE that has been operating as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit since inception.

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Our Vision, Mission & Values

Vision: A world where the existing power of Locally-led Organizations is acknowledged and utilized, leading to the creation of a more equitable and prosperous future for all.

Mission: To accelerate Locally-led organizations through systems strengthening fostering effectiveness, efficiency, and equity in locally-driven development leading to a balance in power dynamics.

Values:

Love – Community-driven solutions start with relationships.
Partnership – We work with locally-led organizations, not for them.
Integrity – We uphold transparency and respect in everything we do.
Transformation – Change comes from within communities, not ou

Our Approach

We have developed a multi-pronged approach that includes system strengthening, sustainable impact investing, building community, and advocating for a change in the global development’s narrative.

Systems Strengthening

We run the Localization Development Accelerator (LDA) program, a 9-month intensive training program for leaders of locally-led organizations. It is a cost-effective and intensive program. We also partner with funders and institutions to run 5-day bootcamps for their grantees, focused on their most urgent barriers in achieving resilience and sustainability.

Impact Investing

Reducing donor dependency is key to building resilience for locally-led organizations. We work with organizations to achieve self-sustainability through our Social Enterprise Impact Investing (SEII) Program by partnering with early-stage social entrepreneurs to identify pathways for sustainable revenue generation, supporting scalability through flexible funding models.

Advocacy

True change happens when we shift focus from short-term aid to sustainable, community-initiated solutions that support proximate leaders to drive their own futures. We are advocating for the sector to fund faceless impact by challenging everyone to look beyond picture-perfect projects and invest in the essential backend work—the systems that allow organizations to grow and thrive for years to come. We believe in ethical storytelling that moves beyond narratives of pity and charity, rejecting the single-story lens and saviorism.

Network Building

We act as a connector, bringing together the doers and the donors. Our approach creates space for peer-to-peer learning for participating organizations to replicate successful models, as they grow. Program graduates are invited to join The Collective, a global alumni community for locally-led organizations with access to further learning, networking, referrals, and funding opportunities. We also serve as a pipeline partner to support funders in finding and partnering with impactful and sustainable organizations.

Operations Team

Margot HincheyCo-Executive Director (Sustainable Impact)

Margot is passionate about working with young leaders in the early stages of building their organizations. She sees this phase as a time of immense creativity, innovation, and bold ideas — where the energy to drive meaningful change is at its peak. As an entrepreneur herself, she thrives in these dynamic environments, drawing inspiration from the vision and determination of those shaping their communities’ futures.

Vincent MwangiCo-Executive Director (Program Development)

Vincent is driven by the question: how can we truly actualize a world of abundance? He recognizes that a scarcity mindset has fueled competition, deepening inequalities and injustices — challenges that he is committed to addressing. In his community, there is a saying, kamûingî koyaga ndîrî, meaning “unity is strength.” This belief underpins his work, as he sees collaboration as the key to building a better, more just world.

Wambui JLDirector of Communications & Advocacy

Wambui is dedicated to ensuring that authentic narratives drive the conversation around development. With a strong background in graphic design, digital communications and strategy she is committed to amplifying the voices of communities and shaping narratives that center lived experiences.

Sara SwettPartnership Manager (Fundraiser)

Sara sees herself as a “Dreamcaster,” dedicated to making the visions of innovators and change makers a reality by connecting them to the resources and networks they need to succeed. As a natural connector, she believes her purpose is to bring people together to build a more just and equitable world.

Ali CareyDevelopment Manager (Fundraiser)

Ali is passionate about connecting locally-led, impactful solutions with the financial resources they need to thrive. She shares MAMA HOPE’s vision for transforming how the development sector invests, recognizing the barriers that many organizations face in accessing the funds necessary for growth and sustainability.

Board Members

Tom HenryBoard Chairperson

Tom blends two decades of venture-backed startup leadership with experience in global philanthropy and higher education fundraising. His strategic and operational expertise supports MAMA HOPE’s growth and resource mobilization.

Muthoni ThuoVice Chairperson

Muthoni is a strategic advisor to African-led organizations, offering deep experience in capacity building and sustainable funding. At MAMA HOPE, she supports locally-rooted partners to grow resilient and lasting institutions.

Juan Enrique GarcíaBoard Treasurer

Juan brings 25+ years of global leadership in public health, nonprofit strategy, and sustainable development, having led initiatives across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. He has deep expertise in fundraising, operations, and partnerships. He’s passionate & committed to dignity-first development.

Katie MingayBoard Secretary

Katie is a social impact leader with expertise in corporate philanthropy, strategy, and program design. Her years in Uganda shaped her belief in community-led change—making her a natural fit for MAMA HOPE’s mission.

Jakob RusinekGovernance Chair

Jakob is a governance expert at the IFC, supporting boards across emerging markets. With field experience in fragile settings and skills in fundraising and ethical storytelling, he helps MAMA HOPE amplify community-led change.

Brighton KaomaYouth Board Member

Brighton is the Co-Founder of Amano So and a global leader in youth empowerment, AI, and impact storytelling. With a background spanning the UN, WWF, and Forbes, he brings tech-savvy leadership to MAMA HOPE’s board.

Dr. James WanjagiBoard Member

With 25 years spanning tech, finance, strategy, and nonprofit leadership, James helps organizations scale impact with integrity. As CEO of Iricon Group, he brings governance and sustainability insights to MAMA HOPE’s board.

Susan DavisBoard Member

Susan is a social impact strategist with 30+ years of global experience. From founding roles to advising hundreds of donors, she brings unmatched insight into effective, locally-led philanthropy. She supports MAMA HOPE in pushing for equity, dignity, and innovation in development.

Gidibo TindwaBoard Member

Gidibo is a development strategist supporting African-led organizations through The Peter Cundill Foundation. His philanthropy, investment, and ecosystem-building experience bolsters MAMA HOPE’s efforts to back bold, locally-rooted solutions across the continent.