Amalia is the Head of Programmes at HiH (UK) and has worked in international development for more than 12 years, specializing in financial inclusion and supporting rural livelihoods. Prior to joining Hand in Hand, she was Head of Financial Sector Development at Nathan Associates, overseeing the organization’s portfolio of financial sector focused work. Amalia has worked with and advised a range of institutional and corporate donors, including DFID, SIDA, FSDA, Access to Finance Rwanda, MasterCard Foundation, Barclays, and Deutsche Bank. She also worked at Plan International UK, and spent several years at the OECD and in the UK financial industry. She has
a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge.

Prof Catherine Ndungo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kiswahili at Kenyatta University. She holds a PhD in African Oral Literature.

She also holds a Masters degree in Linguistics and African Languages. Prof Catherine Ndungo was formally the Associate Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Previously she was the Director, Institute of African Studies. She was the founder Chairperson of the Department of Gender and Development Studies.

She has published widely in her area of Scholarship. She is also a member of many professional bodies such as Association of African Women for Research and Development, Organization for Social Science Research for Eastern Africa among others. She sits in several boards and is also the Chairperson of British Institute of East Africa.

Albert joined Hand in Hand Eastern Africa in 2012 as Head of HR & Administration, and has served as CEO since February 2017. He has played a major role in the creation of more than 300,000 businesses and 400,000 jobs in Kenya, as well Hand in Hand’s expansion into Rwanda to help create 115,000 jobs. Before joining Hand in Hand Eastern Africa he spent 13 years in senior roles with CIC Group, one of Kenya’s fastest-growing insurance companies, including five years as HR Manager.

Albert’s belief in Hand in Hand Eastern Africa’s mission – fighting poverty with jobs – goes all the way back to childhood. Growing up on the slopes of the Aberdare Mountains in central Kenya, he split his time between school and the family farm – not unlike many of our members’ children today. “It was a very rustic community, but very close,” he says. “Everybody was brought up in the spirit of having to work hard.”

That spirit, combined with a decades-long history of volunteering in his local community, is what led him to Hand in Hand Eastern Africa.

Abraham Barno has an education background with a MSc in Agriculture Economics from Benguet State University- Republic of Philippines and BSc in Agriculture from the University of Nairobi. He worked in the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation as Project Coordinator Small Scale Irrigation and Value Addition. He is also an alternate Director in a Government parastatal. Previous responsibilities include working as an Agriculture Attaché at the Kenya High Commission in London. He previously worked extensively as the Head of Agriculture extension services in the former Western and Rift Valley provinces in Kenya.

Edwin Njamura joined the Capital Markets Authority in July 2012 as Director, Corporate Services. With tremendous support of CMA colleagues and the Board through its various organs, he has been instrumental in the development of the institutional capacity of the Authority by leading transformational programs and maintaining high standards around Accounting & Finance, Human Capital & Administration, Information Technology, and Procurement operations.  That is besides involvement in other CMA initiatives and activities including activation of the Code of Corporate Governance for Issuers of Securities to the Public.

Edwin sits on the Council of ICIFA – Kenya’s Institute of Certified Investment and Financial Analysts and is a pioneering committee member of the AIRC – Africa Integrated Reporting Council. He is also a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.

Janet Maro is a graduate of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Tanzania. She holds a BSc. In Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness as well as a MSc. Project Management.

Janet has a strong passion for sustainable agriculture and rural micro financing and this crystallized out during her work at Bustani ya Tushikamane (ByT) where she works with farmers on agro ecological farming, group saving and lending.

Janet is a co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT), a national organization in Tanzania. SAT’s vision is to reduce the social and environmental problems and as well to provide sustainable food for the fast-growing global population. She was appointed to the Hand in Hand Eastern Africa Board in 2015 and has supported in the establishment of the Hand in Hand Eastern Africa -Tanzania (HiH EA -TZ). Janet is also a Board member of the Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM).

Felisters is the Deputy Managing Director (Commercial) – Farmers’ Choice.  

She provides strategic advice to the Board and prepares & implements comprehensive business plans. Also plans cost effective operations & market development activities. Other highlights:

• Verified Finance stewardship through planning and oversight of expenditure with budgets exceeding $130M annually. 

• A knack for Regional Business with 12+ years’ experience in domestic and export markets across Sub-Saharan, Asia and Middles East region.

• Track-record of growing topline performance over 40% year on year by guiding business development initiatives to originate multi-million business case development.
• People leader; managed and mentored over 500 staff across the ladder.