Anastasia Juma

Founding Director, Our Lady of Perpetual Support (OLPS),  Kenya
Anastasia Juma was born and raised in Kenya. She founded OLPS in 1992 in order to care for people living with HIV/AIDS in her community. Before starting OLPS Anastasia worked as a counselor, a home based care giver and a teacher at the Koru Girls Secondary School. Under her administration, OLPS was recognized as the first organization in Western Kenya to initiate counseling of people with HIV/AIDS. OLPS was also awarded the Best Organization Award in implementing Home Based Care from the Department for International Development in 1999.

Jeremiah Kuria

Co-Founder, Comfort the Children International, Kenya
Jeremiah graduated with his Bachelors degree in Educational ministries from Kuyper College in 2005. He joined Grand Rapids Theological Seminary of Cornerstone University and graduated this year with a Masters degree in Counseling. During his time in Kenya, Jeremiah started looking for ways to meet the needs of the Maai Mahiu community which has been badly hit by poverty and lack of opportunities. After visiting local homes and listening to stories, Jeremiah decided that the best way to help this community was by living with the people to understand their needs and issues. Jeremiah is now the Kenyan Director of Comfort the Children International. He enjoys working with the community and he is bringing together different organized community groups with a hope of looking for greater ways of meeting the people’s needs in Maai Mahiu.

James Nathaniel

Founding Director, Tanzania Children Concern, Tanzania
James graduated with a Diploma in Education in May of 1993 in Arusha, Tanzania. In 2003, he formed a group of 5 people whose objective was to support orphans with school supplies. This group grew into an active organization called Tanzania Children’s Concern (TCC). Since then, TCC has grown quickly and now provides affordable education at St. Timothy’s. TCC also supports people living with HIV in villages surrounding Moshi, Tanzania. James also has a BA in Theology from Beacon University  in Columbus-Georgia and will be pursuing his masters in 2012.

Ibrahim Mkwizu

Founder and Executive Director, Afrishare Solutions, Tanzania
Mr. Mkwizu graduated from the Open University of Tanzania where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Education. Since then, he  has been working with different groups from around the world who have visited Tanzania for research, volunteering and/or tourism. He was the Program Officer at Cross Cultural Solutions, an international volunteer organization, for four years before founding his own international exchange company, Afrishare. As Executive Director of Afrishare, he aims to support the local community around Moshi-Kilimanjaro and Tanzania economically, socially, culturally and educationally.

Khadija O. Rama

Founding Director, Wind of Hope in the Arid,  Kenya
After graduating from Kericho Teacher’s College, Khadija taught school in Kenya and abroad. In 1994, she began the Isiolo AIDS Awareness group to assist people living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in Isiolo, Kenya. In 1997 Isiolo AIDS Awareness evolved into Pepo La Tumaini Jangwani (Wind of Hope in the Arid) and Khadija registered this community based organization with the Kenyan government as its’ founder. In 2004, Khadija received the United Nations Commendation, Person of the Year in Kenya for her exemplary work with people living with HIV/AIDS. In 2007 she received the Presidential Award. Khadija also is certified as a Counselor and has degrees in both Special Education and Sociology.

Elisha Asamoah

Founding Director, United Hearts Children Center, Ghana
Elisha Asamoah studied at Kikam Technical Institute in Kumasi, Ghana. After identifying a consistent need to care for orphaned children in the rural town of Bawjiase, he opened a home for five children in 2007 and began farming yams and corn to provide food. Today, this home is known as United Hearts Children Center. Elisha, his wife Martha and 6 other local staff members care for 30 children and run a local school for children in the community.  Elisha understands the importance of healthy children to the long-term success of the entire community and is committed to working with United Hearts’ local and international partners to give the children of Bawjiase a brighter future.