Contributors & Participants
Alina Tokmylenko
Alina Tokmylenko works in the field of social innovation and civic development in Ukraine. She works with The Possible in Ukraine, where she leads the piloting of Social Impact Bonds in Ukraine. Her work focuses on developing new approaches to social impact and working directly with people and communities.
Carly Wickham
Carly Wickham is the Chief Executive Officer of EdelGive with SIX, where she leads the organisation’s mission to build a global ecosystem for social innovation. With many years working across innovation ecosystems, Carly brings experience in building partnerships, designing programs at scale, and stewarding transformation.
Keni Kariuki
As Co-founder and Director of Impact Hub Nairobi, Keni Kariuki has helped build a launchpad for early-stage entrepreneurs, offering funding, incubation and partnerships. A legal and policy expert in agricultural governance, Keni completed doctoral research at SOAS on Kenya's agricultural policy and has worked with organisations including the World Bank and UNIDROIT.
Michael Ngigi
Michael Ngigi is a Kenyan business leader, entrepreneur, and innovation practitioner with over 20 years of experience working across strategy, design, entrepreneurship, and social impact in Africa. He is the Managing Partner at ThinkPlace Africa.
Vijaya Balaji
Vijaya Balaji is Principal Founding Partner of Social Lens Consulting and Managing Director of Toolbox India. She works with funders and social purpose organisations on capacity strengthening, organisation development and impact measurement, and is exploring how AI can make capacity-building support more accessible.
Dr Zipporah Muiruri
Based in Nairobi, Dr Zipporah Muiruri coordinates the MBA in Social Entrepreneurship & Sustainability and the MA in Social Transformation at Tangaza University's Institute for Social Transformation. A management consultant for over a decade, she supports public and private organisations with strategy, performance and capacity building, and is a Non-Executive Director of Wald Energy.
Clara Dawe
Based in Copenhagen, Clara Dawe leads the secretariat of Denmark's Social Innovation Academy, a community of leaders from civil society, business, foundations and the public sector working together on society's biggest challenges. She is co-author of Kollektiv handlekraft, a book exploring how social innovation can drive change in Denmark.
Vincent Odhiambo
Based in Nairobi, Vincent Odhiambo is Regional Director of Ashoka East Africa, where he leads the search for and support of social entrepreneurs driving systems change across the region. He joined Ashoka in 2014 and chairs the board of Lightup Impact, a movement of young grassroots leaders across East Africa.
Philip Kairu
Philip Kairu works with Close the Gap Kenya, a social enterprise that gives computers a second life. Alongside providing affordable refurbished IT to schools, NGOs and small businesses, Close the Gap runs hubs where a makerspace and incubation programme help young local entrepreneurs grow their ventures.
So Jung Rim
Part of the SIX team since 2013, So Jung Rim is Chief Operating Officer of EdelGive/SIX, based in London. She has curated SIX's flagship gatherings, including previous Wayfinders, and built social innovation networks across Asia and Latin America. She previously worked at the Young Foundation in London and the Hope Institute in Seoul.
Peter Ramsden
An urbanist and social innovator, Peter Ramsden has spent decades helping European cities learn from one another. He chairs LDnet, the Local Development Network, and has advised the EU's Urban Innovative Actions and URBACT programmes. He is a Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences.
Kate Philip
Employment creation is the thread running through Kate Philip's career, which has focused on unemployment, inequality and economic marginalisation in South Africa. She is Programme Lead for the Presidential Employment Stimulus, supporting the Presidency on a programme that has supported over a million jobs and livelihoods. Kate also initiated South Africa's Community Work Programme.
Rohit Kumar
Rohit Kumar is representing EdelGive Foundation in Mumbai. EdelGive, one of the partners behind EdelGive/SIX, funds and supports grassroots NGOs across India through long-term, trust-based philanthropy. Rohit works closely with the leadership team on the Foundation's strategy and operations.
Fridah Keitany
A Certified Public Accountant and entrepreneur, Fridah Keitany founded NB Consultancy, a Nairobi-based firm helping startups, SMEs and mission-driven organisations strengthen their finances and grow. She mentors entrepreneurs with the Tony Elumelu Foundation and is particularly passionate about supporting women and young people to build businesses that serve, sustain and scale.
Cynthiah Gicheru
Cynthiah Gicheru coaches social innovators across Africa to design, test and scale community-led solutions, as Regional Coordinator for Africa on RIL Argentina's Local Innovators Program. She has worked with 20 teams across nine African countries. Next, she hopes to turn at-home beauty services into a pathway for overlooked stylists to earn with dignity and build independent futures.
Cabzeel Kuria
Pencil artist and entrepreneur Cabzeel Kuria is the founder of Cabzeel Arts, which uses detailed graphite artwork to tell stories and spark conversation. Alongside personal commissions, Cabzeel Arts runs social impact projects, including mental health awareness for young people, and uses art to engage and empower working-class and underserved communities.
Hawa Evakali
Having experienced a mindset shift herself, Hawa Evakali wants young people to see the problems around them and believe they have the power to solve them. She supports students at Tangaza University's Social Innovation Sandbox to develop ventures that tackle social challenges while generating income, and founded Tyfer Enterprise, which recycles old tyres into furniture.
Khadijah Ibrahim
Based in Nairobi, Khadijah Ibrahim has worked as a Protection Monitor with the Refugee Consortium of Kenya in Eastleigh, safeguarding refugees' rights and leading youth forums on peacebuilding and social cohesion. Trained in peace leadership and mediation, she wants to help communities turn lived challenges into solutions that people shape, own and care for.
Rupert Corbishley
Based in Nairobi, Rupert Corbishley is Education Advisor for Africa at the Aga Khan Foundation, where he leads the strategic direction of its education and early childhood development programmes in East Africa. He has been with the Foundation for over 14 years, including nearly five in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Juliana Kiio
A gender and social inclusion specialist with over 15 years in development, Juliana Kiio is Executive Director of the Democracy Trust Fund in Nairobi, which works to increase women's representation in leadership across Kenya. She previously led the Women Leadership, Political Participation and Governance Centre at Echo Network Africa Foundation.
Josephine Muhuko
Driven by a belief that mental health care should be a given for everyone, Josephine Muhuko is a Kenya-based entrepreneur. She founded Faraja Hostels, offering students safe, affordable housing with a strong sense of community, and the lifestyle brand Joy & Co. She is also Board Secretary of Lengo Moja Initiative, which supports entrepreneurs in low-income communities.
Nancy Kimani
Building a greener future through farming, Nancy Kimani is CEO of Nesal Harvest Ventures in Kenya. Her work focuses on helping women and young farmers move from subsistence farming with recycled seed to profitable farming, with certified seeds, training and support delivered to their door.
Ruth Soi
Ruth Soi believes lasting change begins with people. Over seven years at Ashoka East Africa, she has designed learning and leadership programmes for fellows, social entrepreneurs and young changemakers, and is currently Youth Years Manager. Ruth holds a Master's in Clinical Psychology and founded Soi Afrika, an art-for-wellbeing practice.
Markus Lux
Markus Lux has been at the Robert Bosch Stiftung in Stuttgart since 2002. He is currently Vice President Special Division Ukraine. He is Chair of the Board of Social Innovation Exchange and a member of various Advisory Boards and Steering Committees.
Ruth Davison
Ruth Davison has spent over 20 years leading philanthropic and charitable organisations, including as CEO of both frontline and grant-making charities. Now a Senior Consultant at C&E Advisory, she supports social innovators, investors and leaders to scale solutions to global challenges. She sits on the boards of UKCEH and the National Emergencies Trust.
Sir Geoff Mulgan
Sir Geoff Mulgan is Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at UCL and a co-founder of TIAL, the Institutional Architecture Lab. He was previously Chief Executive of Nesta and head of policy in the UK Prime Minister's office. Geoff has helped found many organisations, including the Social Innovation Exchange (SIX).
Jadiel Guantai
Jadiel Guantai is a Senior Investment Manager at Energise Africa, an impact crowdfunding platform that lets everyday investors fund renewable energy projects across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Zipporah Abaki
Zipporah Abaki is a programme management, governance and monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) professional with over 12 years of experience advancing accountability, gender equality and inclusive governance across Kenya and East Africa. She currently works at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Kenya.
Adelaide Sheik
Adelaide Sheik is a lecturer in the Business Management Department and the coordinator of Continuous Education Programmes at the University of Johannesburg. Her recent qualifications include a MBA and a PhD - Organizational Effectiveness in Social Enterprises.
Oliver Muchiri
Oliver Muchiri is fascinated by how to design well with people, in all their complexity. As Managing Director of ThinkPlace Africa, he leads the firm's work across the public, private and development sectors, using design to tackle complex challenges. He also co-founded the School Painting Drive, which co-paints classrooms with children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Felix Saro-Wiwa
A London-based Associate at EdelGive/SIX, Felix Saro-Wiwa joined through the OnPurpose leadership programme, having previously been an Associate at Reboot the Future. Before that, he was one of the founders of ARC Ride in Nairobi, a company building a network of battery-swap stations for electric motorcycle taxis in Kenya.
Aunde Aga Godwin
Believing every young life carries dignity and potential, Aunde Aga Godwin founded and leads Vox Humanitas Africa in Nairobi. The organisation supports at-risk and underserved youth through addiction prevention, psychosocial support, mentorship and life skills, working with schools, families and communities. Aunde brings over a decade of community and pastoral work, and speaks five languages.
Dennis Ndun’gu
Dennis Ndun’gu is Community & Ecosystem Lead at Impact Hub Nairobi, where he builds partnerships and programmes that connect entrepreneurs with capital, networks and markets across Africa. Alongside this, he scouts agtech innovation for The FutureList and runs his own farm, Integrated Gardens, in Juja.
Mercy Gathoni
Mercy Gathoni is Project Officer for Social Entrepreneurship and Programmes at the Comboni Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship in Nairobi. The Alliance helps young people turn local social problems into sustainable enterprises. Mercy leads its capacity-building work and previously supported a micro-lending programme with Alliance for African Assistance.
Thadius Olum
Thadius Olum has volunteered as programmes lead at Zwara Arts & Theatre Society in Nairobi since 2020, tackling issues such as mental health, gender-based violence and substance abuse. Thadius now develops wellness training at Wellness Wanderers Consultants, and previously led leadership programmes for adolescent girls with Nice Place Foundation.
Kgautsang Molelekeng
Based in South Africa, Kgautsang Molelekeng is a development strategist at Ranyaka Community Transformation, where she builds partnerships between communities, government, business and civil society. Her work spans youth development, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability. She wants to understand why so much development activity leaves conditions in communities unchanged, and how communities can shape systems that support their own self-determination.
Katlego Chibamba
A human rights defender with nearly 20 years in social impact, Katlego Chibamba is Executive Lead at Catalyst Now South Africa, a network of social entrepreneurs advancing locally led solutions to the SDGs. He also founded Sego sa Botho, a consultancy strengthening development and philanthropic organisations across Africa. Most recently, he convened a national symposium on South Africa’s Social & Solidarity Economy.
Tetiana Vasylyk
Tetiana Vasylyk is COO at Promprylad.
Promprylad Foundation is Ukraine’s living blueprint for community-led, human-centred recovery and innovation through programs in culture, economy, and education
Prof. Daniel Kitonga
Prof Daniel Kitonga is Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics, Research and Student Affairs at Tangaza University in Nairobi. Holding a PhD and an MBA, he specialises in strategic management, social entrepreneurship, leadership and marketing, alongside social science research.
Dr. Benard Domara
Dr Benard Domara is Director of the Institute for Social Transformation at Tangaza University in Nairobi. The Institute is a leader in social entrepreneurship training in Africa, founded by the Comboni Missionaries, and offers a PhD in Social Transformation, the first of its kind on the continent.
Rob Burnet
Rob Burnet is CEO of Shujaaz Inc, a network of social ventures based in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam that reaches millions of 15 to 24-year-olds across East Africa. Its flagship youth platform, Shujaaz, won an International Digital Emmy, and was conceived as a response to Kenya’s 2007 post-election violence. He previously worked at the Ford Foundation as a programme officer for media, arts and culture.
Sithembiso Malevu
With over 10 years of experience in development planning, Sithembiso has extensive proficiency in various participatory planning techniques, including the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and Asset-Based Community Development. These skills enable her to engage diverse stakeholders from both public and private sectors, fostering meaningful partnerships and driving inclusive development outcomes.
Sawa Nakagawa
Sawa Nakagawa is Executive Director at AlphaMundi Foundation, bringing over 20 years of experience across impact investing, private equity, investment banking and strategy in emerging markets. She previously founded ThreeArrows Impact Partner, an advisory firm in Johannesburg and Nairobi, and was CEO of E2 Investments, a South African impact investor focused on sustainable jobs. Earlier roles include the IFC, Absa and UBS.
Rosemary Amondi
Rosemary Amondi is a strategic leader and social entrepreneur with over 16 years’ experience in international development and social entrepreneurship. She is currently the Steering Committee Chair at Impact Investing Kenya.
Asaph Change
Asaph Change is a human-centred design practitioner passionate about creating solutions that respond to people’s lived experiences. With expertise in research, co-creation and systems thinking, he works across healthcare, education, climate resilience and public systems. He is interested in how understanding people and the systems around them can lead to better decisions and lasting change.
Bonface Odianga
Bonface Odianga is a young social innovator from Huruma, Nairobi, Kenya, who uses music, art, and culture to support young people facing social and psychological challenges. He co-founded Sensations, a youth group dedicated to helping young people address issues such as depression, stress, trauma, and suicidal thoughts. Through this initiative, he created the Akili Yangu, Raha Yangu (“My Mental Wellness, My Happiness”) project, which promotes mindfulness and encourages young people to prioritize their mental well-being.
Abiel Gakwa
Abiel is a Kenyan social innovator focused on the role of ecosystem building in advancing public health and disability inclusion across Africa. Through his initiative 4NGO AFRICA, he is exploring ways of turning fragmented efforts into coordinated sustainable impact through bridging gaps between research, civil society, lived experience, government and philanthropy, using the Autism and Neurodivergent sector as a case study. When he is not trying to figure all that out, you can find him walking the nearest trail or hiking!
Doreen Mutune
Doreen Mutune is a facilitator and curriculum designer with over ten years in enterprise development, supporting young people and women to build sustainable livelihoods. She has trained more than 5,000 people across East Africa in entrepreneurship, design thinking and leadership. Drawing on her own experience, she also founded M’awa Gold Hive, an organic honey business championing the care of bees in Africa.
Esther Nyangahu
Esther Nyangahu is a Visual Designer at ThinkPlace Africa with over six years of experience in visual communication, brand development, data visualisation and human-centred design. She is interested in decolonisation, economic empowerment and strengthening communities’ agency over their own resources. Her work explores how design can make knowledge accessible and amplify diverse perspectives.
Mehtab Ali Shah
Mehtab Ali Shah is a dedicated civil society advocate, legal practitioner, and grassroots leader from Pakistan. Serving as the Regional Executive Head (Asia & Pacific) for the Global Grassroots Alliance (GGA) and Founder of Virtuocracy Integrated Development Network, he works extensively on youth empowerment, human rights, civic education, and merit-based governance across global networks.
Naserian Saruni
Naserian Saruni is a Manager at ThinkPlace Kenya, an urbanist and researcher passionate about leveraging design, innovation and systems thinking to drive meaningful social change. With a background in architecture and urban development, she works at the intersection of people, systems and policy, exploring how human-centred approaches can unlock new possibilities for addressing complex societal challenges.
Adrianne Wabakwira
Adrianne Wabakwira is Women in Tech Community Manager at Village Capital, overseeing an initiative that runs across ten countries with ten partner teams. Over seven years coordinating programmes across Africa and the Middle East, Adrianne has built initiatives in more than ten countries and managed million-dollar budgets, driven by a belief that when systems run well and scale, more people benefit.
Liz Wanda
Liz is a communications professional passionate about the people and ideas shaping social change across Africa. Her work cuts across strategic communications, storytelling and digital advocacy, with a particular interest in social justice and community-led change. She is interested. in how stories can shift perspectives, bring people into conversation and open up new possibilities for change.
Victor Ratego Ochieng
Victor Ratego Ochieng is a Conservation Education Program Officer at the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife - Giraffe Centre. With extensive experience in environmental stewardship, Victor specializes in coordinating large-scale educational programs, managing youth-focused sustainability initiatives, and facilitating ecological workshops. His work centers on promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), driving community engagement, and supporting critical wildlife conservation efforts across Kenya.
Erick Kiarie
Erick Kiarie is the founder of EngageXpress. He specializes in transforming ideas into engaging visual narratives. By combining artistic vision with strong communication skills, our work bridges the gap between concepts and impact, creating graphic recordings that are both captivating and informative. With a background in design and communication, Erick is passionate about making complex ideas accessible, relatable, and engaging.
Greta Anderson
Greta Anderson is Community Coordinator for the World Café Community Foundation, which supports people worldwide in hosting meaningful large-group conversations. A full-stack designer, humane technologist and community builder, Greta facilitates collaborative research and design initiatives for organisations, creating learning experiences that inspire, cultivate meaning and guide people towards empowering outcomes.
Vane Kerubo
At her best when she’s building the foundations that allow great ideas to thrive, Vane Kerubo is the Workplace Experience Manager at ThinkPlace Africa. She is passionate about nurturing right systems and operation models for the people that design and innovate across the social impact and development sector.
Emmanuel Ngumbi
Emmanuel Ngumbi is the Conservation Education and Tourism Programmes Manager at the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW Kenya) – Giraffe Centre, with over two decades of professional experience in environmental conservation, education for sustainability, and biodiversity stewardship. His work focuses on conservation education and nature-based tourism programmes that advance public awareness, institutional impact, and long-term environmental responsibility.
Syeda Re'em Hussain
Syeda Re’em Hussain is a Gender, Youth, and Intergenerational Co-Leadership Adviser with 15+ years of experience in research, policy analysis, and programme design across Africa and global institutions. She has served in board and governance roles including Board Chair of the African Legal Think Tank on Women's Rights and Working Group Member on Statelessness with UNHCR.
Branice Kazira
Branice Kazira is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Signvrse, an AI-powered assistive technology startup transforming communication accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities across Africa.