Etienne Mashuli is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Tujenge Africa Foundation. He is a blogger, connector, educator, Africanist and political activist. Born in Rwanda in 1986, he is among the last generation that witnessed and survived the Rwandan civil war and subsequent genocide. In 2007, Etienne won a full scholarship to attend North Central College where he graduated with the Senior Man Award, the highest honor bestowed to a graduating senior. Previously, Etienne had been honored as the “Outstanding Senior in Political Science”. In 2010, Etienne was invited to cover the high-level UN Millennium Goals discussions as an Oxfam Voice Fellow. He is a member of the Oslo Freedom Forum, a human rights organization dubbed the “Davos for dissidents.” Etienne holds an MA in African Studies from Yale University where he attended as a recipient of the prestigious Paul and Daisy Soros New American Fellowship. Moreover, he has gained extensive teaching experience working with underprivileged high school students in New Haven and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He is a senior fellow with Humanity in Action.
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Ben was the in-country director of operations for the Tujenge Scholars Program from 2017-2022. Today, he works with the program as a visiting instructor.
Prior to joining TAF, Ben spent time as a launch engineer for the aerospace startup SpaceX, working in a technical engineering and project management role. He left to join TAF to pursue a dream of working at the intersection of international development and education. Ben received his S.B. in electrical engineering from Harvard University in 2015.
As the program manager for Tujenge Africa Foundation, Neuilly is responsible for daily operations, managing finances, and scheduling logistics. He has had a passion for philanthropic work since his childhood, when he would work with a variety of associations or on his own to provide clothes and food to those in need. He started his professional career as an insurance broker in 2014 before joining TAF in 2016.
A business, administration and management graduate from Hope Africa University, Neuilly is currently writing his MBA thesis.
Neuilly was born in 1988 in Gitega (the 2nd province of Burundi) in a Christian family. He left Burundi in 1991 to move to Kenya where his father was studying theology. With the outbreak of civil war in 1993 Neuilly was unable to return, instead becoming a refugee in various countries of Africa (Central Africa, Chad and Cameroon), where he completed most of his secondary school before being repatriated in 2004.
Carol Jean Gallo is a writer, Africanist, feminist, and perpetual student currently working on her PhD in Politics and International Studies for Cambridge University. She did her fieldwork in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in two nine-month-long stints. She loves languages, history, art, music, traveling, and chocolate - among many other things. Part-way through her BFA in Film at the School of Visual Arts, Carol got political; so after she graduated she pursued and earned an MS in Global Affairs at NYU. After that, in the middle of a job search, she applied to Yale for an MA African Studies - where she earned her degree with the support of a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship for Swahili (which she now speaks fluently).
After teaching for a semester at Temple University in the United States, it became clear to Carol that she really enjoys teaching; and based on her student evaluations, students enjoyed her teaching too. For the foreseeable future, she plans to continue teaching, writing, traveling, and learning.
Innocent is the groundskeeper for Tujenge Africa Foundation at the Bujumbura Office.
David serves as the Lead College Counselor for the Tujenge Scholars Program (TSP), where he fulfills two primary roles: guiding students through the university application process and establishing a robust support network for those transitioning to a university environment.
Having initially joined TSP as an intern in 2018, David played a pivotal role in SAT preparation and student mentoring. His journey includes graduating from Moi University, Kenya, with a B.A. in Economics, and completing an internship at One Acre Fund, a nonprofit focused on eradicating hunger and poverty among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, David pursued African Studies classes at Yale College from 2009 to 2014, enriching his understanding of regional dynamics.
Beyond his professional endeavors, David finds solace in the scenic hills of Bujumbura, indulging in the cultural and culinary richness of Burundi. His passion for a unified Africa is evident through his keen interest in the progress of regional integration within the East Africa Community.
Ashraf Kamwithi Munyi, a University of Nairobi graduate and Global Ugrad Alumni (from North Central College, Illinois, is a dedicated Development Communication professional with a passion for Geopolitics. Currently, he serves as the Incoming college counselor at Tujenge Foundation, an NGO dedicated to transforming youth through the creation of thriving educational centers of thought and inspiration.
Ashraf has also gained experience in Communications while working at Public Relations Society of Kenya and HealthRight Kenya. In these roles, he demonstrated proficiency in event planning, social media management, partnership development, and resource mobilization.
Through international programs like the Youth Energy Summit, Democratic Journalism Bootcamp, and the Global Ugrad Exchange Program, Ashraf has cultivated a multicultural perspective, showcasing his adaptability and commitment to impactful initiatives.
He was an active member of the University of Nairobi's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Research, Innovation, and Linkages Committee, and served as the class representative for the Development Communication program.
Additionally, Ashraf is involved in philanthropy as a volunteer consultant for Safari Strives, an NGO in Rwanda focused on uplifting communities through social enterprise programs.
Jean de Dieu Ndayishimiye is the Program Manager at the Tujenge Africa Foundation in Burundi, where he oversees the overall operations of the Tujenge Scholars Program. He also teaches Agile Project Management, a ground-up course on leadership and entrepreneurship that guides students from strategy development to the implementation of real-world community solution. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications with a concentration in Business from Southern New Hampshire University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management in Entrepreneurship from the University of Cape Town, where he was a Mandela Rhodes Scholar in the Class of 2023.
In addition to his leadership roles and among other social ventures he has been involved in Jean de Dieu co-founded Umwizero Social Enterprise, a Burundi-based organization where he currently serves as CEO. Since 2018, Umwizero has empowered rural communities by equipping disadvantaged populations including street children and orphans with essential skills for self-sufficiency and financial independence. The enterprise provides practical training in sewing, entrepreneurship, and digital literacy, creating viable pathways to income generation.
Motivated by a deep commitment to vocational education and social entrepreneurship, Jean de Dieu is passionate about driving sustainable development and empowering young generations to put a positive impact at the core of every choice they make. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys connecting with people, sewing, reading, debating, and singing.
Brad is the Lead STEM Instructor for the Tujenge Scholars Program. He is the primary curriculum designer and teacher for the science, technology, engineering, and math components of the academic program. Brad also teaches a liberal arts seminar, covering wide ranging topics in the social and hard sciences.
Brad graduated from Bowling Green State University, in Ohio with degrees in Philosophy and Psychology. After undergraduate, he received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience under the supervision of Michael A. Arbib at the University of Southern California. For his thesis, he developed computationally-specific and empirically-constrained models of primate brain systems involved in learning, cognition and communication, as a research venture towards understanding the evolution of language capacity in humans.
Following graduate school, he worked with the US Peace Corps in Mbingo, Cameroon teaching mathematics and computer science.
Christian Hakizimana is a dedicated technology specialist with a focus on IT and web development. Beyond his passion for technology, Christian is the founder of HAKIKRIS, an agri-business venture dedicated to providing nutritious local rice in Burundi. Holding a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Ashesi University, he brings a strong educational background to his diverse skill set.
Committed to fostering diversity and inclusion, Christian actively volunteers within the tech community. He serves as a Google developer in Burundi, contributing to local initiatives and extending his impact globally by actively participating in remote open-source projects. Christian's multifaceted expertise and commitment to community engagement showcase his dedication to making a positive impact in both the technological and entrepreneurial realms.
Nganyu Dominic Nformi is the Lead English Instructor with Tujenge Africa Foundation Burundi. He is a seasoned lecturer, Africanist, poet and experimental novelist. Born in Cameroon in 1973, he studied with the university of Yaounde I and the University of Buea, Cameroon. He lectured with the University of Buea and the University of Burundi before joining the staff of Tujenge Africa Foundation. He was awarded the prize for the best graduating student in African Literature at the end of his M.A at the University of Buea. Nganyu Dominic holds a Masters degree and a DEA in African Literature from the University of Buea and University of Yaounde I respectively.
He lectures literature and English language. He is a political activist, feminist and writer. He is a traditionalist and loves reading extensively. He crusades for social, political and gender justice.
Executive Director & Co-Founder
Program Director
Program Manager
IT Manager and Web developer
Lead English Instructor
Lead College Counselor
Visiting Faculty
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