Fundraising & Development

Selorm is a dedicated and dynamic professional who is deeply committed to driving positive change and sustainable development across Africa. Armed with a Master’s in Business Administration, Selorm possesses a rich tapestry of skills encompassing project management, research, and social enterprise development. He is a visionary founder and lead strategist at Ecowillow Ghana, fostering environmental governance and nurturing youth talents. Selorm’s extensive engagement with various organizations, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and ActionAid Ghana, demonstrates his passion for societal progress. As a seasoned researcher and recruitment consultant, he has led initiatives amplifying voices in social enterprises and driving impact strategies. Selorm’s trajectory is characterized by a fervent belief in competent leadership, social entrepreneurship, and fostering a sustainable future for generations to come.

Host Organization: Generation

Role at Host Organization: As a Global Business Development Fellow, Selorm will help identify potential employer partners and the key stakeholders at those companies, initiate outreach, and pitch to interested organizations. They will use Salesforce to record and track interactions and analyze their pipeline. They will also provide account management support to key employer partners, support the delivery of key partnership initiatives (e.g. running events, gaining employer feedback, designing capacity building sessions) to grow the relationships.

Lame is a Social Impact Communications Consultant with six years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned an honors degree in Professional Design (Visual Communication), and a diploma in Graphic design from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, in Botswana. Most recently, Lame worked with Our Solid Roots Association, as a communications consultant, managing the nonprofits internal creative projects including its branding, illustrations and publications. In 2019, he worked with (LEGABIBO) Lesbians Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana as a communications specialist, and designed the Visual brand identity, and the marketing materials for an LGBTQI+ advocacy campaign dubbed “beyond the rainbow.” The campaign was a first of its kind in the country, and its events lead to the government’s decision to decriminalize same sex relationships in Botswana. As the Founder of (WAW) “Who Are We Organization”, a youth arts and sports nonprofit, he developed and led an adolescent-youth sexual, and reproductive health rights workshop to bridge the gap between parent –child communication on issues of Sex and Sexual reproductive health which led to the setup of a youth friendly clinic, improving access to Sexual Reproductive Health services for youth in the community. Lame is passionate about using visual storytelling to advocate and create visibility for marginalized communities, and also hosts an indigenous language promotion podcast called “Ipelele Ngwao”, which focuses on preserving the diverse intangible heritage in Botswana. Through these experiences, Lame has gained strong project planning, storytelling, and campaign management skills.

Host Organization: Open Contracting Partnership

Role at Host Organization: As a Digital Strategist and Content Fellow, Lame will leverage all digital channels—social media, the website, newsletters and email campaigns—to engage existing and new audiences. Lame will also write, edit, and produce original OCP content that is compelling, smart, and clear. The Fellow will also manage OCP’s website and coordinate the day-to-day communication stream including social media. Lastly, Lame will help educate editors and journalists around the world as to why the trillion-dollar world of contracting and procurement matters so much for public integrity, markets, and development.

Tarita is a climate activist and an experienced program manager and researcher with over five years of professional experience in research, program development and management, and operations in the nonprofit sector. She completed an accelerated degree program from Drexel University, receiving her Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies & Sustainability and Master’s in Urban Strategy simultaneously. Over the past three years, Tarita has worked on climate and gender justice programming with a global focus. Her work in the nonprofit sector has allowed her to develop a keen sense of social justice issues in our societies, and she focuses on taking an intersectional and participatory community approach to solutions. She complements her background in environmental and urbanism projects with international experience working with diverse communities on climate, resilience and adaptation, and practical knowledge and training. Tarita has developed skills in grassroots organizing, working with youth, and using tools such as power and community mapping, climate vulnerability analyses, and participatory community engagement projects. Having lived in major cities globally, Tarita has worked with underrepresented and Global South communities and can offer a unique perspective based on insight, lived experience, and expertise on the climate crisis, urbanism, and intersectionality.

Host Organization: Collaborating for Resilience (CoRe)

Role at Host Organization: As a Strategy and Partnerships Fellow, Tarita will gain experience in principles of multi-stakeholder dialogue to promote citizen engagement in policy reform and implementation. The Fellow will apply these principles in the development and implementation of several international partnerships. The Fellow will design and manage partner collaborations and undertake action research in one or more program areas, and lead analyses focused on outcome monitoring, learning and evaluation to support strategy development and organizational expansion. Tarita will also help support action research and learning systems that build the capacity of civil society partners to drive governance innovations, distil insights from comparative analysis of outcomes across different partnership sites working towards systems change, and communicate lessons for policy and practice.

Shilton is an innovative development professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with Library and Information Science, and a professional certificate in Qualitative Data Analysis with NVIVO from the University of Zambia. He is currently pursuing an MBA in Projects Management. Shilton comes with a rich background of professional training and work experience that reflects his passion for social impact and justice. Shilton has demonstrated proficiency in project management, monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and data management. In the recent past, Shilton worked as a Programs Officer to support the programming, communications, and grant-writing, for projects aimed at empowering young women and girls in leadership and SRHR. Previously, he worked as a Data Manager on a carbon project, where he managed over two hundred and fifty thousand household data in Zambia, Angola, and Tanzania. In 2019, Shilton founded Mentor Dreams, an initiative to mentor and empower the Zambian youth in leadership and skills development, respectively. He has also worked as a Communications and Donor Relations Officer on projects relating to child care, access to primary education, and fundamental freedoms for children in rural areas. Shilton is an aluminate of the United States Exchanges Program in which he obtained a professional certificate in Civic Leadership, covering cross-cutting issues and specialized skills for international development management. Driven by a strong vision for global impact, he continuously acquires cutting edge skills and carries out policy research that strategically positions him for high level professional consultancy and contractual work. He has special interests in youth empowerment and attaining decent work for all.

Host Organization: The Climate Initiative

Role at Host Organization: As a Monitoring and Evaluation Fellow, Shilton’s role is focused on bringing and utilizing data to demonstrate The Climate Initiative’s impact as it can be mapped against the overall theory of change. The Fellow will work with the TCI programs and policy teams and TCI Executive Team on projects related to climate action and building out metrics and tracking frameworks.

Tafadzwa has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He holds an MSc International Relations degree from the University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, and a BSc in Media and Society Studies from the Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. He is a YALI Regional Leadership Center Southern Africa alumnus. Tafadzwa is an Operations Manager at Bayethe Development Institute, an SRHR and economic empowerment organization in Zimbabwe. He is a transformational leader and social change agent who believes in turning his vision into reality through strategic alliances and coordinated action. He is responsible for initiating and developing clear, concise proposals, grant writing, and implementing fundraising activities, donor cultivation, and stewardship. He has managed to raise US$ 800,000 from 2017 to date on advancement of SRHR access for young people, economic empowerment of LBTQI people, and child rights programming. He researches, writes, and edits time-sensitive program documents, budgets, activity reports, and cultivates relationships, including communicating with relevant local partners, stakeholders, and donors. Among the various duties in this portfolio is working in concert with the finance and administration team to oversee grant management, draft budgets, and disbursement of funds, including monitoring budgets and expenditures. Tafadzwa worked for the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC), a child rights coordinating and umbrella body in Zimbabwe as an Advocacy and Communications Officer. He organized and coordinated child rights actors and led successful advocacy and lobbying activities, chief among them establishment of the Parliament Caucus on Child Rights in 2020.

Akriti is a dynamic professional with a passion for building communities and a 6+ years of experience in alumni relations under her belt. She’s the kind of person who knows how to connect people, inspire engagement, and get things done!

Akriti’s career journey has taken her through both for-profit and non-profit sectors and her unique blend of experiences has shaped her into an alumni relations expert. In her most recent role at the prestigious Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Akriti wore many hats as the Alumni Coordinator for the India system. She dived into four main areas: Learning and Development, Events Management, Communications, Alumni Induction and Database Management, to ensure that the alumni network stayed organized and thriving.

Before her BCG adventure, Akriti was managing the Alumni Relations Office of Ashoka University, where she had the unique honor of being a founding member. In this role, she served as the bridge between the university administration and its valued alumni, forging meaningful connections. Akriti also led the university’s alumni fundraising program which contributed towards scholarships for socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

Akriti holds a master’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University, following which she embarked on a transformative path that led her to the esteemed Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University. This postgraduate diploma in Liberal Arts ignited her passion for the intersection of humanities and inclusive leadership. It’s here that she discovered her belief in the driving forces behind growth—innovation and adaptability.

Akriti is a slow solo traveler and a storyteller at heart. She finds solace and inspiration in exploring new places at her own pace. Slow solo traveling allows her to immerse herself in different cultures, savor local flavors, and discover the beauty of the world, one destination at a time.

Host Organization: American Red Cross

Role at Host Organization:As a Learning and Development Fellow, Akriti will be supporting the Learning and Development efforts for the department. She will help facilitate access to, utilization of and learning from existing data, evidence and knowledge generated from past operations both within the American Red Cross and with the RCRC Movement.

Nitisha is a gender justice advocate and a communications professional with eight years of experience in project management and social media marketing in the nonprofit sector. A computer science engineer by education, Nitisha started her career in the corporate and moved to the impact space with the motivation to do meaningful work and the need for job satisfaction. During her Post Graduation from Indian School of Development Management, she became passionate about gender equality and developed a bias for action in her personal life. She identifies as an evolving feminist and is actively working towards a future where all women and girls can fulfil their potential. She currently leads the Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program at the country level in Nomi Network which is impacting the lives of 500+ girls in three states of India at risk of child marriage, child labor and, school dropout which results in exploitation and trafficking of girls. In her role, Nitisha has designed the program strategy and life skills curriculum which empowers girls from vulnerable communities to make decisions about their life and career while also being active voices of change in their communities. Previously, Nitisha has worked as a fundraising professional with CARE India and Indian School of Development Management working with corporates, institutions and, individuals. As a proactive person with excellent management, communication and networking skills, Nitisha has a knack for thriving in fast paced environments. As a trained menstrual heath educator and sustainability advocate, Nitisha has facilitated over multiple trainings on sustainable menstruation directly engaging with more than 700 people. With a determination to improve the health of all women and girls, Nitisha founded The Bloody Feminist on Instagram where she creates purposeful communication to educate young people to feel confident and have control of their own bodies.

Host Organization: Women’s World Banking

Role at Host Organization: As a Marketting and Social Media Fellow, Nitisha will develop social media content, create compelling and meaningful media graphics, track and report on performance metrics using data and social listening to identify industry trends and cultivate peers, partners and other key stakeholders activities.The Fellow will engage with the team to support on a range of activities including the production of marketing materials, updating reports and presentations, conducting relevant research on industry trends and relevant event/speaking engagement opportunities.

Lame is a Social Impact Communications Consultant with six years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned an honors degree in Professional Design (Visual Communication), and a diploma in Graphic design from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, in Botswana. Most recently, Lame worked with Our Solid Roots Association, as a communications consultant, managing the nonprofits internal creative projects including its branding, illustrations and publications. In 2019, he worked with (LEGABIBO) Lesbians Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana as a communications specialist, and designed the Visual brand identity, and the marketing materials for an LGBTQI+ advocacy campaign dubbed “beyond the rainbow.” The campaign was a first of its kind in the country, and its events lead to the government’s decision to decriminalize same sex relationships in Botswana. As the Founder of (WAW) “Who Are We Organization”, a youth arts and sports nonprofit, he developed and led an adolescent-youth sexual, and reproductive health rights workshop to bridge the gap between parent –child communication on issues of Sex and Sexual reproductive health which led to the setup of a youth friendly clinic, improving access to Sexual Reproductive Health services for youth in the community. Lame is passionate about using visual storytelling to advocate and create visibility for marginalized communities, and also hosts an indigenous language promotion podcast called “Ipelele Ngwao”, which focuses on preserving the diverse intangible heritage in Botswana. Through these experiences, Lame has gained strong project planning, storytelling, and campaign management skills.

Host Organization: Open Contracting Partnership

Role at Host Organization: As a Digital Strategist and Content Fellow, Lame will leverage all digital channels—social media, the website, newsletters and email campaigns—to engage existing and new audiences. Lame will also write, edit, and produce original OCP content that is compelling, smart, and clear. The Fellow will also manage OCP’s website and coordinate the day-to-day communication stream including social media. Lastly, Lame will help educate editors and journalists around the world as to why the trillion-dollar world of contracting and procurement matters so much for public integrity, markets, and development.

Tarita is a climate activist and an experienced program manager and researcher with over five years of professional experience in research, program development and management, and operations in the nonprofit sector. She completed an accelerated degree program from Drexel University, receiving her Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies & Sustainability and Master’s in Urban Strategy simultaneously. Over the past three years, Tarita has worked on climate and gender justice programming with a global focus. Her work in the nonprofit sector has allowed her to develop a keen sense of social justice issues in our societies, and she focuses on taking an intersectional and participatory community approach to solutions. She complements her background in environmental and urbanism projects with international experience working with diverse communities on climate, resilience and adaptation, and practical knowledge and training. Tarita has developed skills in grassroots organizing, working with youth, and using tools such as power and community mapping, climate vulnerability analyses, and participatory community engagement projects. Having lived in major cities globally, Tarita has worked with underrepresented and Global South communities and can offer a unique perspective based on insight, lived experience, and expertise on the climate crisis, urbanism, and intersectionality.

Host Organization: Collaborating for Resilience (CoRe)

Role at Host Organization: As a Strategy and Partnerships Fellow, Tarita will gain experience in principles of multi-stakeholder dialogue to promote citizen engagement in policy reform and implementation. The Fellow will apply these principles in the development and implementation of several international partnerships. The Fellow will design and manage partner collaborations and undertake action research in one or more program areas, and lead analyses focused on outcome monitoring, learning and evaluation to support strategy development and organizational expansion. Tarita will also help support action research and learning systems that build the capacity of civil society partners to drive governance innovations, distil insights from comparative analysis of outcomes across different partnership sites working towards systems change, and communicate lessons for policy and practice.

Becs Brocken is an experienced fundraiser with experience working for and volunteering alongside non-profit organizations and leaders in the UK and North America. With a particular interest in youth activism, access to education and gender equity, Becs joined CAMFED, the Campaign for Female Education, in 2021. While at CAMFED as the Senior Manager of Corporate Relations, Becs has developed opportunities for entrepreneurs, small business owners and global corporations to engage their teams and customers with global social impact goals. Becs earned her bachelor’s degree in Arts Management from the University of Leeds, where she explored how non-profit organizations motivate employees. Since then, Becs has worked to build philanthropic partnerships with forward-thinking organizations and their leaders to support the long-term sustainability of non-profit organizations committed to making the world a fair and equitable place for everyone.

Jessica Sanchez was born in Michoacán, Mexico, and at a young age, she was sent to live in South Central Los Angeles, California, which became her home. Currently, she is working towards earning her High School Diploma at Twilight Charter High School with the intention of attending UCLA, where she plans to major in psychology. For the past six years, Jessica has been a Social Justice Advocate in the Government Relations Department of Homeboy Industries, focusing on serving the formerly incarcerated and underserved minorities in Los Angeles County and beyond. Her work revolves around empowering marginalized communities by facilitating the transfer of power to them. Notably, Jessica has led advocacy coalitions to successfully pass bills like SB731, which will provide over one million Californians with increased employment, housing, and other crucial opportunities. Through her efforts, she has established essential relationships with influential political figures who support Homeboy Industries’ mission as the world’s largest reentry organization for formerly incarcerated and gang-involved individuals. In addition, Jessica has managed voting flex centers, educating individuals on candidate research and policies to enable informed voting decisions, resulting in hundreds of first-time voters. She has also taken the lead in developing and facilitating educational classes that empower individuals and communities to advocate for their rights and navigate the legislative process.

Samanta Farahnaz is a development professional with eight years of experience and a Master’s degree in Economics. She has experience working in projects with multiple stakeholders, including the government, non-government organizations, and the private sector. She has led the design of holistic and inclusive development and humanitarian projects with cross-cutting teams and partners in South Asia. As a process-oriented and results-driven person, she has a proven track record in effectively managing large-scale projects.