International executive committee

Kgosietsile II Matthews Mmopi, born and raised in Botswana, is responsible for the overall oversight and strategic direction of the organization across Africa and the Diaspora, including the advisory board, international executive committee and regional NGO bodies of YALDA. He has received numerous awards in recognition to his commitment to youth-based development in Africa, including the Aspen Institute Fellowship and the United Nations Gilbert Murray Trust Award, among others. Matthews is also a Rhodes Scholar, a Davis Scholar and a member of the MasterCard Foundation's Transformative Leadership Advisory Group. He holds an MPhil in Development Economics from the University of Oxford and an A.B. in Economics from Harvard College. He is also currently an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company.

Rehbeh Poubom manages the operations, compliance and overall implementation of all YALDA programmes and initiatives. He has over four years of experience in legal profession and eight years experience in the nonprofit sector. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Buea in Cameroon and a Certificate of Call to Bar from the Nigerian Law School. Rehbeh is also an advocate of the Supreme Courts of Nigeria and Cameroon. He worked at a prominent law Chambers where he was the head of the Probono Division which offered legal aid to underprivileged accused persons. Rehbeh is the founder and Managing Partner of Poubom and Partners Law Firm where he launched the Cameroon Law Laboratory and Education initiative to increase access to justice, educate and create employment for youth.

Bitania Lulu Berhanu is a young African leader committed to empowering bright African minds to become change agents in their communities and countries. She holds a BSc Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Addis Ababa University Institute of Technology in Ethiopia and is pursuing her Masters Degree in Human and Economic Development in African Studies at Addis Ababa University. She is the founding Executive Director of YALDA Addis Ababa University (YALDA-AAU), where she has partnered with the African Union Commission to hold the first ever AU AGENDA 2063 Youth Summit. Bitania has received the Female Personality of the Year 2015 (Africa Youth Awards), Honorary Award (The Black History Month celebration), BHM 2016 (United Stated International University-Africa), and Pan African Science Award 2017 (Pan African Youth Union Congress). She was also identified by the African Youth Awards as one of the 100 Most Influential Young Africans in 2016.

Charles A. Mokuolu is very passionate about advancing the development of others particular young Africans. He actualizes this desire through mentorship and serves first-generation college students through America Needs You and Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). Charles currently works on the investment team of Africa50 Infrastructure Fund. In his previous professional pursuits, Charles held various leadership roles at a multinational industrial conglomerate and worked on Wall Street as an investment banker at a bulge bracket bank. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master of Engineering Management from Duke University, and a B.Sc. Civil Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. Charles draws inspiration from listening to audio books and travelling. He is also an aspiring competition equestrian and a remedial golfer who enjoys dancing and eating culinary delights.

Publicity and Communications Chair

Achieng' Sheila Ochieng is passionate about transforming Africa through youth empowerment. She holds an Msc. Marketing degree from the University of Nairobi with experience in development and implementation of national branding campaigns. She’s also an Amref Youth Advocate and champions the provision of quality healthcare as a precursor for the realization of sustainable development goals on health. As a beneficiary of a World Bank training on sustainable agriculture, Achieng’ emphasizes the need gender equitable agricultural development by encouraging young girls and women to explore opportunities in agribusiness. Based on her engagement with the youth, she has received recognition for her efforts in addressing key policy issues affecting youth and adolescents in Kenya. Achieng’ is also a Commonwealth Leadership Fellow and works within the Akili Dada mentorship network to develop productive capacity, nurture leadership potential and position young women as change agents within society.

John Obuaba is a young Ghanaian passionate about driving change in his country and across the African continent. John holds MA in Development Economics and Bsc in Planning and is a Development Planner and a Business Strategist. He is the President of YouthLEAD Africa, a youth-led organisation that inspires and develops leadership in young people in Ghana. He has worked for several local and international NGOs promoting youth development, climate change, local economic development, local governance and social accountability. John also leads a microfinance organisation that supports rural women with micro credit to improve their businesses and reduce poverty. John hopes to lead a change process in Africa, through YALDA, by bridging the knowledge gap in young people in African societies. He hopes to see an African continent where the youth are active participants in the development process and driving the needed change.

Natalie Sonia Mukundane is an industrious visionary youth leader and activist hailing from Uganda. She holds a Bachelor of Law at Middlesex University and is currently the Africa Regional Development Manager at Hatchings Ltd for Marketing MAG Africa. Natalie is also presently the Deputy Executive Chairperson of the African Youth Commission, and the co-founder of Young and Rich Africa, a skills development NGO based in Uganda. Her work with youth and leadership enabled her to represent Uganda and Mauritius at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Oxford University, and participate in international conferences and forums where she was nobly awarded at both national and international levels. Natalie aims to work with young people all over East Africa to not only help them realise their leadership potential but also to encourage them to increase their networks through hosting various events with highly regarded professionals in the region.

North Africa Regional Associate

Mostafa Adel is a dynamic development professional who aspires to create communities of practices across the non-profit sector. Having pursued masters’ degrees in Project Management and Public Administration, he graduated with honours from Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University and the American University in Cairo respectively. He possesses extensive work experience in leading international organizations from previous engagement with Save the Children, United Nations Volunteers and GIZ. He currently works with UNICEF as Education Officer working on the Life Skills and Citizenship Education component, contributing towards the education reform process in Egypt. A firm believer that we can change the face of our societies through professional volunteerism, Mostafa was awarded the Chevening Social Media Ambassador and the UK Alumni Awards for the Social Impact Category by the British Embassy and the British Council. He was also selected to join the Obama Foundation Leaders for Africa program.

Southern African Regional Associate

Chelvin Ramsamy’s dream is to strive towards realizing the SDGs, UN Vision 2030 and AU Agenda 2063, “The Africa We Want”.  Chelvin has undertaken President Obama’s YALI (Public Management and Governance Track) and was a Keynote Speaker for the Global Social Leader Forum 2017. He was nominated as the Top 100 YALI Alumni across Africa. Chelvin is enrolled in the Young Professional Development Program and the AGLA Transformed Leaders Program. Winner of the Noble Citizen Award and Outstanding Management Committee Member Award, Chelvin forms part of the Pan-African family of exceptional professionals that will drive the AU’s human development goals.  Chelvin also co-founded Let's Glow Organisation to promote educational, environmental and empowerment initiatives. He serves as Global Peace Ambassador, Continent Director for the Africa-Asia Youth Foundation (AAYFO) and several other organisations in different capacities. Chelvin is a Tax Consultant at ‘Big Four’ accounting firm KPMG where he has previously won the KPMG Standing Ovation Award.  Chelvin’s vision for a prosperous and highly advanced Africa driven by youth fuels his service towards the African continent as YALDA’s South African Regional

Lusophone Regional Associate

Arcénia Notilija Vilanculo, believes that educating women and leadership by example is crucial for the development of communities and improvement of social conditions. Born and raised in Mozambique, Arcénia holds a BSc. Agronomic Engineering from Eduardo Mondlane University, and Agricultural and Rural industries from the Savónia University of Applied Science. She has worked within different fields of community development such as empowerment of girls and women and training of small farmers outside and inside conservation areas on production techniques and post-harvest management of products. Arcénia advocates for good production practices that encourage the conservation and restoration of forests and improvement in the consumption of more nutritious foods through social and behaviour change communication. She currently works with the Global Alliance for Improving Nutrition focused on Better Diets for Children.  Arcénia was named the 2017 Girl Mover and is an alumnus of the 2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship program. As the YALDA Lusophone Regional Associate, she aspires to influence and inspire young Africans to take up an active role in decision making within their communities.

YALDA Senior Advisor

Laone Bukamu Hulela is one of the co-founders of YALDA and is very passionate about inspiring young Africans to dare to dream and to adamantly pursue the implementation of their dreams and thereby show the greatness of the African continent and its people. She currently works at Africa50 an infrastructure investment fund established by the African Development Bank. She holds an MBA with Honors from Harvard Business School and is also a graduate of Harvard College. Ms. Hulela has varied career experiences having worked for the United Nations in New York, where she also served as President of the United Nations Africa Club. Prior to this engagement, she was at McKinsey & Company in Johannesburg office and also worked at Standard Bank Africa in Corporate and Investment Banking.