YES! TANZANIA - Key Persons
Alex has been working in the voluntary sector in Edinburgh for 12 years. He currently works with the national family support charity Circle (SC 037181) managing Circle's West Lothian & Haven Projects. Previously he worked as a youth development worker at the Muirhouse Youth Development Group (SC 028495) and has also worked for The Council of Europe's Youth Department as a freelance trainer. Alex visited Arusha in Tanzania in October 2012 to gain a better understanding of the needs and hopes of young people in Tanzania and so he could more effectively support the organisation's work.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Special Adviser
Amalie was born in 1995 in Copenhagen, Denmark. From her earliest years, she has been committed to sports both in Denmark and in the USA. In 2014/2015, she was selected to be a volunteer through Action Aid International for 5 months in Kenya and Tanzania. Amalie founded a boxing project for street children at the stadium in Arusha. In August 2015, the boxing project became part of YES! Tanzania's Programme and has since expanded to new locations and new initiatives. Amalie is based in Copenhagen, where she studies medicine at the University of Copenhagen.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Director, Umoja Tanzania
Caroline is from Australia and the UK, spending many years in both countries. The poverty and inequality she saw while travelling inspired her to study International Development at the University of East Anglia, UK. In 2008 Caroline came to Arusha for a second time and, with friend Emma Wagner, conducted comprehensive research in the community. They discovered the need for a youth project and together they founded Umoja Tanzania Incorporated, which opened its doors to students in 2009 to provide young Tanzanians with the opportunity for a better future. Caroline has BIG dreams for Umoja and hopes the centre will be a part of the Arusha community for many years to come.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Programme Manager
Huruma worked as a community development consultant with CASEC for 10 years in different parts of Tanzania. Using sports as an entry point, he established a number of youth clubs in schools and out of schools for the purpose of creating awareness about HIV/AIDS, STDs and illegal drugs. He also established 40 school health clubs in Mbulu and Kilolo Districts, and 20 school health clubs in Arusha.
Ken has 35 years' experience in community sport, leisure management and sport for development. From late 2004, he spent 2 years in Tanzania as a VSO volunteer before returning to his home country of Scotland where he set up his own sport and international development consultancy called Sport+. This led to Ken returning to Tanzania to carry out various assignments from clients such as UK Sport. In 2009, Ken founded YES! Tanzania,and in the same year he left his consultancy to join Pilotlight, a UK charity that helps other UK charities with their strategic business planning. In 2016, Ken left Pilotlight to enable him to take up the position as part-time CEO of YES! Tanzania.
Mark has worked in social and market research for 25 years and is also a non-executive director of two companies and an advisor to boards of charities in Scotland. Mark undertakes strategic development research for governments and third sector organisations, and through this, has experience working in health, sports for development, social justice, education and career development amongst other areas of societal development. In 2010, Mark visited Tanzania to help YES! Tanzania determine how best they could help young people through sport. Mark was so enthused by the potential for YES! Tanzania that on return he was delighted to accept the role of Chairperson.
From 2002 onwards Robbie became actively involved in delivering football/HIV education projects throughout Africa on behalf of TackleAfrica. In this capacity Robbie has delivered football for development programmes in countries including Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, which Robbie first visited in 2004. An experienced community football coach with a background in sports/social inclusion initiatives, Robbie is employed as programme manager with Street Soccer Scotland in Edinburgh. Robbie plays football regularly and travels extensively as a proud supporter of Hibernian Football Club and the Scottish national team.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Senior Consultant With IOD PARC
Sarah is a senior consultant with IOD PARC, specialising in peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects. Before joining IOD PARC, she lived in Tanzania for almost 6 years, working as the East Africa Regional Programme Director for a small organisation, focusing on community empowerment projects in the areas of education, gender and health. As part of her role with YES! Tanzania, she supports strategy development and capacity strengthening activities.