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Since our work focuses on helping Africans set our own priorities and craft our own solutions, we believe the composition of our board and staff should reflect this aim. Accordingly, TrustAfrica is governed and led by Africans with extensive experience in philanthropy and development as well as an unwavering commitment to good governance. TrustAfrica is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and individuals from Africa are encouraged to apply for all job openings. Staff
Adwoa Agyeman (Ghana/United States), Grants Administrator
Akwasi Aidoo (Ghana), Executive Director
Briggs Bomba (Zimbabwe), Coordinator, Zimbabwe Alliance
El-Hadj Diallo (Sénégal), Driver
Kadji Diop (Sénégal), Finance Manager
Issa Diouf (Sénégal), Accountant
Linda Bessem Ebot (Cameroon), Senior Administrative Assistant
Facoumba Gueye (Sénégal), Program Assistant, ICBE Research Fund
Sunday A. Khan (Cameroon), Program Specialist, ICBE Research Fund
Timing Lama (Liberia), Administrative Assistant, Liberia Civil Society Initiative
Rose Maruru (Kenya), Director of Operations
Lyne Mendy (Sénégal), Operations Manager
Bhekinkosi Moyo (Zimbabwe), Program Director
Tendai Murisa (Zimbabwe), Coordinator, Agricultural Advocacy Project
Angela Naggaga (Uganda), Project Director, International Criminal Justice Project
Ezekial Pajibo (Liberia), Project Director, Liberia Civil Society Initiative
H. Aminata Seck (Sénégal), Grants Associate
Sue Telingator (United States), Communications Officer
Sandra A. Zerbo (Burkina Faso), Program Specialist, Early Learning Innovations Project
 Adwoa Agyeman, Grants Administrator
Ms. Agyeman joined us in June 2010 as Grants Administrator. She previously spent three years at the Campaign for Tobacco Free-Kids in Washington, D.C., as the international grants administrator for a new initiative to prevent and reduce tobacco use in low- and middle-income countries. She assisted with the design and implementation of the campaign’s grant-making process as its portfolio grew to more than 100 grants totaling over $21 million. Earlier Ms. Agyeman worked at the Moriah Fund, a family foundation where she was the senior program associate for both the Women’s Rights & Reproductive Health and the Economic Justice programs, which granted an average of $3.5 million annually. Ms. Agyeman holds a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College, where she majored in government and minored in African studies. She is Ghanaian but was raised in Papua New Guinea. She speaks English and Twi and is working on her French.
 Akwasi Aidoo, Executive Director
Dr. Aidoo has extensive experience in philanthropy in Africa. His previous positions include regional program officer for West and Central Africa at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), head of the Ford Foundation’s offices in Senegal and Nigeria from 1993 to 2001, and director of the Ford Foundation’s Special Initiative for Africa from 2001 to 2005. Dr. Aidoo sits on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including the Resource Alliance, Fund for Global Human Rights, Global Greengrants Fund, Open Society Institute for West Africa, and International Beliefs and Values Institute. He was educated in Ghana and the United States, completing his Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Connecticut in 1985, and has taught at universities in Ghana, Tanzania, and the United States. He writes poetry and short stories in his free time.
 Briggs Bomba, Coordinator, Zimbabwe Alliance
Mr. Bomba coordinates the Zimbabwe Alliance, a funding collaborative that works to promote a vibrant civil society and a successful democratic transformation in Zimbabwe. Anchored by TrustAfrica, it identifies, engages and supports local initiatives through grant making, capacity building, networking and mobilizing international solidarity. Previously Mr. Bomba served as Director of Campaigns for Africa Action in Washington, D.C. He holds a Master’s Degree in Social and Applied Economics from Wright State University (Ohio, USA). He has served on the steering committees of the Zimbabwe Social Forum and Southern Africa Social Forum as well as on the board of Jubilee USA. A leading analyst on democracy and economic development in Africa, Mr. Bomba has appeared on CNN, BBC, WorldFocus, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CBC, Press TV, Al-Jazeera, Voice of America, SW Radio Africa, KPFA, WPFW and Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Keeping Hope Alive radio show. His commentary and analysis has appeared in Alliance Magazine, Foreign Policy in Focus and Pambazuka News, among other outlets.
El-Hadj Diallo, Driver
Mr. Diallo previously worked for the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). A trained mechanic, he is now taking courses in bookkeeping at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar. He is multilingual in several African languages, French, English, and German.
 Kadji Diop, Finance Manager
Ms. Diop has over fifteen years of experience working in finance and accounting in Africa and the U.S. Before joining TrustAfrica, she worked in Senegal as the Head of Finance and Administration for the African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF), West Africa, an international NGO headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Her vast experience also includes finance and accounting positions at the North Carolina Credit Union League (North Carolina, U.S.A) and Open Door Child Care Center (New York, U.S.A). Ms. Diop holds a Bachelors degree in Accounting from Monroe College (Bronx Campus, New York), and is currently pursuing an MBA in Finance. She is fluent in English, French and Wolof.
 Issa Diouf, Accountant
Mr. Diouf brings three years of work experience after having graduated with honors in accounting from Ecole Supérieure Polytechnique (Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal). Prior to joining TrustAfrica, Mr. Diouf worked as a Financial Analyst for Dalberg’s Desk Business Services in Dakar, Senegal. His experience also includes budget analysis and accounting in different sectors including international organizations (e.g. Save the Children), and large groups such as CCBM Holding in Dakar. He is competent in conversational and written English and fluent in French, Wolof and Sérère.
 Linda Bessem Ebot, Senior Administrative Assistant
Ms. Ebot comes to us with previous administrative and secretarial experience at the U.N.’s African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) in Dakar. She is fluent in English, French, and several African languages.
 Jeanne Elone, Program Officer, International Criminal Justice
Ms. Elone rejoins TrustAfrica as Program Officer for the International Criminal Justice fund, which aims to combat impunity and build African capacity to address atrocity crimes. Previously, Ms. Elone coordinated research on North African civil society, examining the role of civil society in the political transformations that shook region in 2011 as well as analyzing the legal and regulatory environment in which these groups operate. She also worked with the ICBE Research Fund and managed grant-making in TrustAfrica's three core programs. Ms. Elone has lived in Cameroon, Burkina Faso, France, and the United States, working on a range of issues from fair trade and agricultural subsidies to human rights to development finance. She studied at Columbia University in New York and at the National Institute for Political Science in Paris and is currently pursuing a doctorate at the School for Advanced International Studies (Johns Hopkins University) in Washington, D.C. She is bilingual in French and English.
 Facoumba Gueye, Program Assistant, ICBE Research Fund
Facoumba Gueye joined TrustAfrica in February 2011 as Program Assistant for the Investment Climate and Business Environment (ICBE) Research Fund. She previously worked as a research assistant for the Emergence Consulting Group, a Senegalese firm where she specialized in development strategies. Keenly interested in the field of development and in international solidarity, she has also served as a volunteer in project development for the Digital Freedom Initiative, a project financed by USAID in Senegal, and as the project assistant for eRider Senegal, an ICT support program financed by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa. Ms. Gueye will soon defend her Master’s thesis in human resource economics. She holds other certificates in the field of business development and the economics of knowledge and innovation. She speaks French and is working on her English.  Sunday A. Khan, Program Specialist, ICBE Research Fund
Dr. Khan joined us in August 2010 as a Program Specialist for the Investment Climate and Business Environment (ICBE) Research Fund. He comes to us from University of Yaoundé II, where he has been a senior lecturer in economics since 2003. He is also affiliated with the Centre for Research in Economics and Management. Dr. Khan holds a doctorate in economics from the University of Yaoundé and has consulted for the World Bank, North-South Institute, African Economic Research Consortium, NEPAD and ActionAid International. He was a Visiting Research Scholar at the IMF in 2001 and a Helleiner Visiting Scholar at the NSI (Ottawa) in 2005. Dr. Khan has published extensively in such peer-reviewed journals as the Brussels Economic Review, The African Finance Journal, The African Journal of Economic Policy, The Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social Studies, and The Journal of Educational Planning and Administration and has also published several book chapters and research papers. He speaks English, French and Pinyin.
 Timing Lama, Administrative Assistant, Liberia Civil Society Initiative
Timing Lama joined Trust Africa in November, 2011. Previously, she was an Administrative Assistant at AEP Consultants, Inc. a private firm in Monrovia, Liberia. Timing has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Don Bosco polytechnic (Now Stella Maris Polytechnic) in Monrovia and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Liberia Graduate School. She is fluent in English.
 Rose Maruru, Director of Operations
Ms. Maruru joined our staff in December 2009 as Director of Operations, a new position created in response to the phenomenal growth of TrustAfrica’s work. Originally from Kenya, she brings 18 years of experience in international development and nonprofit management. Ms. Maruru has worked at the Population Council in New York and Dakar, the Coalition for Children’s Rights in Yemen and Save the Children in The Gambia, Egypt and Westport, Connecticut. She holds a Masters degree in development management and planning from L’Institut Africain de Développement Economique et de Planification (IDEP) in Dakar, a post-graduate diploma in American Studies from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and a BA (Honors) in government and literature from the University of Nairobi in Kenya. She is fluent in English, French and Kikuyu.
 Lyne Mendy, Operations Manager
Ms. Mendy joined us in June 2012. She became part of the permanent staff after working as a consultant for three months. She previously worked at the Ministry of Institutional Relations and at the Ministry of Social Action and National Solidarity in Senegal. Ms. Mendy has also worked in the healthcare industry as a Financial Specialist at Theracom, a CVS Caremark Company and as a Patient’s Accountant at Suburban Hospital in the United States. She is a certified translator and holds a degree in Business Administration. She is fluent in English and French.
Bhekinkosi Moyo, Program Director
Dr. Moyo joined TrustAfrica in March 2007 as a research fellow and became Program Director in May 2009. Known for his expertise in philanthropy, civil society, and governance, he holds a doctorate in political science from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He previously worked at the Africa Institute of South Africa and at the Institute for Democracy in South Africa. He has written and published more than 15 conference papers, journal articles, and book chapters and co-edited What About the Children: The Silent Voices in Maintenance (2004), which explores issues of poverty, abuse, and the social security system in South Africa in the 21st century. His latest collection of edited articles, Africa in the Global Power Play: Debates, Challenges and Potential Reforms (Adonis & Abbey, London, 2007), addresses the current position of Africa in international political and economic relations. He is fluent in English and working on his French.
 Tendai Murisa, Coordinator, Agricultural Advocacy Project
Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Dr. Murisa joined TrustAfrica in December 2009 to coordinate our efforts to build an effective advocacy movement for sustainable and equitable agricultural development in Africa. He is responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing the project’s implementation and reporting on its results. Dr. Murisa holds a B.Sc. in political science and administration from the University of Zimbabwe, where he graduated with honors; a Master’s degree in development studies from Leeds University in the UK; and a doctorate in sociology from Rhodes University in South Africa. He brings eight years of experience at the African Institute for Agrarian Studies in Harare, where he developed policy dialogues and training programs aimed at improving pro-poor land and agrarian policies in Africa, and two years of experience at the Poverty Reduction Forum, also in Harare.
 Angela Naggaga, Project Director, International Criminal Justice Project
Angela Naggaga joined us in December 2012. She previously worked for over six years as Deputy Director of the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), a pan-African NGO based in the Gambia focusing on using African Union human rights treaties and mechanisms to advance human rights in Africa. Prior to joining IHRDA, Angela was an Assistant Lecturer at the faculty of law of Makerere University in Uganda (four years), and also served as Senior Legal Officer of the faculty’s Refugee Law Project providing legal aid to refugees and asylum seekers (five years). Ms. Naggaga has a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University, and a Master of Law from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. She is fluent in English and is working on her French.
Ezekiel Pajibo , Project Director, Liberia Civil Society Initiative
Ezekiel Pajibo joined TrustAfrica in September 2011 as the Project Director for the Liberia Civil Society Initiative. Mr. Pajibo comes to us from Witts University where he was a Research Fellow for the Encyclopedia of Genocide in Africa project. A graduate of Howard University in the US, Mr. Pajibo has a remarkable track record in the fields of civil society advocacy and policy research. In the early 1980s (during the military rule of Samuel Doe), he served as the president of the Liberia National Students Union (UNSU) and was imprisoned by Doe and spotlighted by Amnesty international as a prisoner of conscience. He also worked for the Africa Faith and Justice Network as well as the American Friends Service Committee and as a consultant for AFRODAD, MWENGO and Human Rights Watch. At the end of the Liberian civil war in 2003, Mr. Pajibo returned home and worked as a consultant for the Open Society Institute and subsequently served as the Executive Director of the Center for Democratic Empowerment. He has written extensively and seminally on civil society issues and is a highly-respected champion for human rights in Africa. He speaks English, French and Krao.
 H. Aminata Seck, Grants Associate Ms. Seck joined TrustAfrica’s staff in May 2011 as Grants Associate. As a consultant for our grants administration team from October 2010 through March 2011, she conducted a thorough internal audit of our grant files, which brought greater clarity and efficiency to our grants administration system and processes. Ms. Seck previously worked at Oxfam GB and Save the Children UK. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in history from the Sorbonne and a Master’s degree in marketing management from l’Institut Supérieur de Management (ISM) in Dakar, the first private university accredited as a Center of Excellence by the West African Economic and Monetary Union. She is currently working on a Master’s in project management.  Sue Telingator, Communications Officer
Ms.Telingator comes to us with over 27 years of experience in the communications field. Most recently, she was the Development Outreach and Communications Specialist with USAID/Senegal. She has also worked for UNICEF and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia. In addition to being an author and ghostwriter, Ms. Telingator has worked as a journalist for the Chicago Tribune, among several other publications. She also served as President of the National Writer’s Union in Chicago, where she helped in the fight for writer’s e-rights resulting in a landmark Supreme Court decision against The New York Times. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College, Columbia University and Master’s degrees from DePaul University in the US, and the Network University in The Netherlands. She speaks English and French.
 Sandra Zerbo, Program Specialist, Early Learning Innovations Project
Ms. Zerbo coordinates our Early Learning Innovations project, which is funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and focuses on developing and piloting innovative and relevant learning approaches that can effectively deliver adequate literacy, numeracy and critical thinking skills to all early learners. Ms. Zerbo, who joined our staff in September 2009, holds a Master of Science degree in political science and international relations from Suffolk University in Boston as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. She is fluent in English and French.
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