SDI_NET - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the SDI Board of Directors
Austen Nenguke is the newest member of the SDI Board of Directors. He is a CFO with over 15 years experience in the health industry. Austen is passionate about business growth, strategy, and financial sustainability and brings his unique expertise to serve on our board. His vision is always to associate himself with organisations which places enthusiasm and professionalism at the root of all it's endeavours. He has served as a voluntary trustee of Table Mountain Fund since 2012 and is enthusiastic about conservation and assisting with poverty alleviation.
Job Titles:
- Ex Officio Member of the SDI Board of Directors
Beth Chitekwe-Biti has been at the SDI Secretariat since 2019 where she served as the Deputy Director and Acting Managing Director. Beth was the Founding Director of the SDI Zimbabwe affiliate NGO, Dialogue on Shelter that works in alliance with the Zimbabwe Homeless People's Federation to advocate for secure tenure and inclusive human settlements. She played a pivotal role in the establishment of SDI processes in Zambia, Malawi and Botswana. Beth holds a planning degree from the University of Zimbabwe, a Postgraduate Certificate in Housing from the University College of London, and a PhD in Development Policy and Management from the University of Manchester.
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Treasurer of the SDI Board of Directors
Dr. Anna Muller is a highly experienced architect and esteemed member of the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG) since 1993. Born and raised in Namibia, she pursued her architectural studies at the University of Port Elizabeth, where she developed a strong foundation in the field. Driven by a passion for housing studies, she further pursued a Master's degree in Housing Studies and a Doctoral Thesis focusing on housing in Namibia at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom. Throughout her career, Dr. Muller has been actively involved in NHAG's collaboration with the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) to empower communities and address crucial issues of land, shelter, and services. SDFN is a national network comprising 1000 low-income saving groups, representing over 30,000 households. This collective effort encompasses urban and rural areas across Namibia. Under Dr. Muller's guidance, NHAG and SDFN have made significant strides in their initiatives. The saving groups have successfully overseen the construction of 7,000 houses, making a tangible impact on the lives of numerous individuals and families. Moreover, through the Community Land Information Program (CLIP), an initiative launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, they have extensively profiled all informal settlements in Namibia. This comprehensive database serves as a valuable resource for informing future strategies and decision-making processes. Recognising the importance of informal settlement upgrading, NHAG/SDFN is currently engaged in collaborative efforts with informal settlement communities in 25 urban areas. In partnership with Local Authorities, Universities, and other stakeholders, Dr. Muller and her team are actively involved in upgrading projects that enhance the living conditions of these communities. Their dedication to sustainable development and community empowerment has earned them widespread recognition. Beyond her work on the ground, Dr. Muller holds a crucial role within the Shack Dwellers International (SDI) network as a representative of the NGO affiliates on the Board of Directors. In her capacity as the treasurer, she diligently manages financial affairs and contributes to strategic decision-making processes. With her vast experience and deep understanding of the challenges faced by marginalised communities, Dr. Anna Muller stands as a beacon of hope for inclusive and sustainable housing in Namibia. As the Co-Director of NHAG, she continues to drive positive change, advocating for equitable housing solutions and promoting community-driven development across the country.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the SDI Board of Directors
Joseph Muturi, Chair of the SDI Board of Directors, is a social activist and leader of Muungano wa Wanavijiji, the national federation of slum dwellers in Kenya. Joe joined Muungano in 1998 after demolitions and forced evictions in Nairobi's Toi market. Muungano is the largest social movement in Kenya, which for over 20 years has campaigned against forced evictions and in support of secure tenure and improved services for Kenya's poor communities, as well as with other federations in East and West Africa. Joe has been extensively involved in government and city-led projects that affect urban poor communities in Kenya, working with donor agencies and academia to build strong relationships between such programmes and the residents for which they are intended. One of these is the precedent setting Mukuru Special Planning Area (SPA) project in Nairobi's Mukuru slums. Mukuru SPA sets in motion one of the largest informal settlement upgrading projects ever, aiming to transform a slum area of 650 acres into a healthy, functioning neighbourhood, improving the lives of people who live there. Joe has for many years worked to assist communities to build consensus on strategy, budgeting, planning, and actual implementation of projects such as Mukuru SPA. He has been instrumental in building federations in East and West Africa, and has established partnerships with government and key stakeholders for Muungano and for the SDI network. Joe sits on the board of Akiba Mashinani Trust a Kenyan non-profit organisation developing innovative community-led solutions to housing and tenure problems for the urban poor. He has served as Chair of SDI's Management Board since 2020, and is part of SDI's global advocacy team.
Job Titles:
- Member of the SDI Board of Directors
- National Leader of the Sierra Leone Federation of Urban
Margaret Bayoh is a national leader of the Sierra Leone Federation of Urban and Rural Poor (FEDURP) which is the community counterpart of Centre of Dialogue on Human Settlement and Poverty Alleviation (CODOHSAPA), both of which are local affiliates of Slum Dwellers International global urban poor network. Margaret joined the federation as the collector of Agape Savings Group which was established in 2008, the same year the federation process was initiated in Sierra Leone. Her dedication and commitment have evolved her into serving in various local and national leadership of FEDURP. She is the head of savings and group mobilisation pillar of FEDURP and leader of the Women's Wing, through which the federation has experienced numerical and spatial growth and expansion. Margaret has participated in series of local and international exchanges representing both her group locally and SL internationally, through which she has made significant contribution to the processes of sharing and learning of vital resources, skills and knowledge in the network. Margaret is a medical nurse who retired this year, after 38 years of dedicated service, especially in various health centers in informal settlements including Dworzack community, where she currently resides. Following, her retirement, she has dedicated over 75% of her time to serving and working with the federation and was recently nominated to serve on the SDI Board.
Job Titles:
- Member of the SDI Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the SDI Board of Directors
William (Billy) Cobbett is the former Director of Cities Alliance and served as the Director General for the South African National Department of Housing in Nelson Mandela's Government of National Unity, overseeing the design and launch of South Africa's first non-racial housing policy under Minister Joe Slovo. While at UN-Habitat, he designed and launched the Global Campaign for Secure Tenure. He served as Director of the Cities Alliance from 2006-2021.