Our team comprises of a variety of visionary, energetic young people who are eager to see change in their respective societies and in Africa as a whole. The pool of young people who collaborate to make this great initiative a reality hail from diverse academic, cultural and geographical backgrounds but they strive for the same goals: to see a just and prosperous Africa. The following are some of the members of our team:
Whitney Ndusilo
Email: whitney@virtualplanetafrica.org
Whitney is an ardent believer in the power of youth in bringing about community development, having led and participated in a number of youth engagement initiatives in Tanzania herself. She has worked with various community organisations such as WTP Badilika on sustainable waste management. She is also active in the fight for the betterment of the position of the girl child in society, a cause for which she developed the ‘Giving them Wings’ initiative which equipped young mothers with entrepreneurial skills. She has also pursued studies in Social Entrepreneurship in Japan in order to equip herself to better effect change for girls and other vulnerable groups on the African continent.
Edson Chiwenga
Email: eddie@virtualplanetafrica.org
Edson is a Financial Inclusion expert and Doctoral Researcher in Digital Finance in the Human Economy Programme at the University of Pretoria. He has experience and expertise in development programming, empowerment of vulnerable groups, youth and gender analysis. He is a published researcher on artisanal mining as a livelihoods strategy, informality and national policy analysis. He has done projects with organisations like WHO, FAO, Women and Law in Southern Africa, UNICEF and others.
Chisola Nyala
Email: chisola@virtualplanetafrica.org
Hailing from Livingstone in Zambia, Chisola is a natural leader who is great at making teams work. Chisola is an early career Electrical Engineer who has overcome a myriad of challenges in his own life. Throughout his academic and social life Nyala has developed a sense and awareness of community, sacrifice and service. His work feeds into the field of Renewable Energy, particularly solar energy which he believes can help ameliorate current African energy challenges. He is working on innovative projects in order to improve the livelihoods of people in his community and beyond.
Tendai Sylvester Mhlanga
Email: tendaisylvester@virtualplanetafrica.org
Tendai is an Urban and Regional Planner whose specialisation is in Spatial and Regional Resilience. He has experience In local governance, town planning, rural, regional and urban development. He has experience working with international NGOs and local authorities in Zimbabwe. He has also published work in sustainable energy modelling, with his current work contributing to the understanding and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and better livelihoods for vulnerable populations.
Ishmael Bhila
Email: ishmael@virtualplanetafrica.org
Founder and Director of Virtual Planet Africa, Ishmael is a social scientist with experience in International Development, International Relations, Civil Society and Youth programming. He has worked in different countries including Zimbabwe, Uganda and Hong Kong and has been involved in high level researches and development evaluations in various countries including South Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and The Gambia. Ishmael’s work is geared towards the achievement of human rights, youths, gender inclusion and the organisation, structure and changes in civil society, particularly in the context of Globalisation.
Chigaemezu Ibegwam
Chigaemazu Ibegwam is an avid reader and prolific writer whose passion lies in mental health. As a student of Psychology in Japan, she is working towards the eradication of stigma, judgement and discrimination surrounding mental illness through advocacy. She hopes to further her studies in Child Psychology with a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Her ultimate goal is to contribute to the African and global society as a mental health worker
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