Our Leadership Team
Meet the dedicated individuals driving AYISD's mission forward
Co-Founders
Mbilizi Kalombo
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Mbilizi Kalombo is a social worker by profession with a bachelor's degree in social work and social administration and currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma in Public Administration. Kalombo has a deep passion for environmental and biodiversity conservation as well as poverty alleviation among the agonized communities.
Kalombo attended a food web school to broaden his knowledge about soil health and effective measures to increase soil health in order to increase food security among smallholder farmers. He has led a number of rural development projects and won an array of grants including the UNHCR innovation grant in 2022.
Kalombo is an active member of international consortia like the Ecosystem Restoration Alliance (ERA) and the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH). He is a co-founder and executive director of AYISD, a youth-led organisation operating in southwestern Uganda/Nakivale refugee settlement.
Baraka Benedict
Co-Founder & CEO
Benedict Baraka is a visionary young entrepreneur and the CEO of AYISD, formerly known as KBTN. Since 2009, Benedict has been actively volunteering with various organizations, starting during his school days, driven by a strong passion for community service and development.
Inspired by influential leaders, Benedict established a kindergarten in a refugee camp, which later transformed into a full-fledged school. This institution now provides quality education to over 10,000 children in the camp, offering them a chance at a brighter future.
Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Social Work with honors at La Trobe University in Australia. Through his leadership in various professional and creative initiatives, Benedict remains steadfast in his commitment to building resilient and impactful communities.
Advisory Board
Dr. Mara Huber
Senior Director, University at Buffalo
Dr. Mara Huber is an educator, innovator, and global advocate for experiential learning, sustainability, and capacity building. As Senior Director for Instructional Innovation and Transformation at the University at Buffalo, Dr. Huber leads efforts to support the exploration, integration, and scaling of generative AI, active learning, and PEARL projects. Globally, she serves as Senior Special Advisor to the Governor of Enugu State, Nigeria, advancing the Smart Green School initiative.
Diana Doheny
Founder & Chairperson, Ampli5E
Diana Doheny is a US-based businesswoman with extensive experience in project management, real estate development, finance, manufacturing, and sales. She is a founder and chairperson of Ampli5E, a non-profit serving the Northeast US and Africa dedicated to empowering women and girls, promoting education, employment, and protecting the environment. She holds an MBA from Louisiana State University.
Francis Bosah
Soil Health & Regenerative Agriculture Expert
Francis Bosah is a renowned expert in soil health, regenerative agriculture, and ecosystem restoration. As the co-founder and CEO of Health of the Soil Education, Advocacy and Leadership (HotSEAL) Organization, Francis has dedicated his career to empowering smallholder farmers, ecosystem restorers, and communities to adopt regenerative knowledge design systems that prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and climate stability.
Prof. Rasel Madaha
Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania
Rasel Madaha serves as the Departmental Chair at Sokoine University of Agriculture. He has expertise in community development, gender and development, development economics, rural development, African studies, social anthropology, political economy, and agricultural extension. He holds a Ph.D. in Development Studies from the University of Dar es Salaam and is a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright award.
Richard Morfaw
Microenterprise Development Manager
Richard is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in microenterprise development, vocational education management, and public administration. As a Microenterprise Development Manager, Richard provides expert business coaching to 40 aspiring entrepreneurs annually. He previously served as City Manager of Mildura for seven years and as CEO for three vocational training colleges in Australia.
Hanna Linden (she/her)
Gender & Social Inclusion Researcher, CIFOR-ICRAF
Hanna is a gender and social inclusion researcher working with CIFOR-ICRAF, and Global Communications Lead for the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH). She holds an MSc in Environmental Forestry and an MA in Gender, Feminist and Citizenship studies. Her current doctoral research is investigating the impact of male outmigration on women's access to land in The Gambia.