meet the Pan-African Secretariat

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Hardi Yakubu

Movement Coordinator

Hardi Yakubu is a Pan-African activist, movement builder, and social justice advocate committed to advancing African unity, Pan-African solidarity, ethical governance, and people power across the continent.  

In Ghana where he is based, Hardi played a significant role in the building of movements like the Economic Fighters League, #FixTheCountry etc. as well as notable campaigns such as the #DropThatChamber campaign that stopped a Parliament of Ghana project to build a new Parliamentary meeting place at the cost of $200 million that was to be borrowed. His central role in organizing a series of protests across Ghana’s cities in 2021 under the hashtag #FixTheCountry is also recognized, notably becoming one of the leading voices advocating for a New Constitution for Ghana. 

Hardi Yakubu also serves on many boards and committees including as Chair of the Board of Climate Action Network Africa, Member of the Global Council of Fight Inequality Alliance, Member and immediate past Chair of the Steering Committee of the Africa Water Justice Network; Member of the Board of Governors of Social Movement Technologies; Member of the Steering Committee of Africa Climate Movement of Movements.

Hardi believes in African unity as a guarantee of justice, peace and dignity

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Ousman Sarr

Finance and Amin Lead

Ousman

Fatou Gillen Njie

Finance and Amin Officer

Fatou

Fatoumata Sowe

Finance and Amin Assistant

Fatou

Prince Akpah

Pan-African Solidarity & Mobilisation Lead

Prince Akpah is the Pan-African Solidarity & Mobilisation Lead at Africans Rising, where he coordinates solidarity efforts and mobilisation initiatives across the continent. In this role, he supports cross-border collaboration among social movements and civil society actors working to advance justice, democracy, human rights, and civic freedoms in Africa.

Within the Pan-African Solidarity & Mobilisation Unit, he leads initiatives that strengthen collaboration among grassroots movements and develop mobilisation actions that enable timely and effective responses to key crises and emerging issues across the continent.

He brings nearly a decade of experience working with social movements across Africa, with a focus on mobilisation, movement building, communications, and campaign development. Throughout his career, he has supported movements and organisations in strengthening their capacity, visibility, and collective impact.

Prince holds a Master of Arts in Development Communications from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). His thesis, “The Role of Social Media in Influencing Social Movements and Protests in Ghana: A Study of #FixTheCountry Protests (2021–2024),” explored the intersection of digital platforms, civic engagement, and contemporary social movements.

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Angela Ngulube

Digital Support Officer

Angela Ngulube is a Communications and Digital Advocacy Specialist with a strong background in women’s rights, gender equality, and Pan-African advocacy.

She advances Pan-African solidarity and movement mobilization through her work with Africans Rising, leveraging strategic communications to strengthen collective action across the continent.

Angela has extensive experience mobilizing young people and women through both digital and community-based advocacy. She is passionate about using strategic communication, storytelling, and digital platforms to amplify social justice movements, inspire civic engagement, and drive meaningful change both online and in person.

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Mluleki Mvelasi

Pan-African Solidarity Officer

Mluleki Mvelase is a Pan-African and social justice activist with over 10 years of experience supporting grassroots movements and advancing liberation struggles across Africa and the Global South.

As Pan-African Solidarity Officer at Africans Rising, he coordinates continent-wide solidarity initiatives, strengthens movement collaboration, and supports rapid response efforts that advance collective action and people-to-people solidarity. His expertise spans programme coordination, Pan-African movement-building, political education, holistic protection, and supporting grassroots organising. 

Passionate about advancing critical consciousness through political education, Mluleki serves as Coordinator of the Ubuntu Collective for Popular Education and is a member of the Protection Experts Group with Protection International. He believes that lasting social transformation is built through politically conscious, organised communities working together across borders to advance justice, dignity, and self-determination.

 

Gervas Damas

Graphic Designer & Video Editor

Gervas is 

Ancel Langwa

Movement Building & Support Lead

Ancel Langwa is the Movement Building and Support Lead Officer at Africans Rising, where she leads efforts to strengthen grassroots movements, deepen member engagement, and foster collaboration among activists and civil society organisations across Africa and the Diaspora. She is committed to building people-powered movements that advance justice, dignity, democracy, gender equality, and Pan-African solidarity.

Ancel is also a communications expert with over a decade of experience in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and advocacy.

Prior to her current role, Ancel served as Engagement and Collaboration Lead at Africans Rising, where she led the Movement’s membership engagement strategy and campaigns, strengthened relationships with members and partners across Africa and the Diaspora, coordinated major convenings, and spearheaded initiatives that fostered collaboration and collective action.

Before that, she served as Communication and Media Lead at Africans Rising, overseeing strategic communications, digital storytelling, media relations, and advocacy campaigns that enhanced the movement’s visibility and impact across the continent.

Ancel holds a Professional Master’s Degree in International Relations, specialising in International Communication and Public Action, from the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC), and a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea.

Driven by the belief that lasting change is achieved through organised people and collective action, Ancel is passionate about connecting movements, nurturing leadership, and empowering Africans to shape a just, peaceful, and united continent.

Itati Dzekedzeke

Digital Support Officer
As a digital communications strategist with over six years of experience, I am happiest when working as part of a team.
 
I have extensive experience leading cross-functional projects, formulating narrative strategies, managing multimedia production, and driving digital mobilization for social change initiatives. In my role at Africans Rising, I drive the strategic development of digital content and coordinate various campaigns to amplify our mission and strengthen engagement across Africa and the diaspora.
 
My Passion
I am passionate about communications that spotlight authentic, nuanced storytelling approaches which challenge stereotypical narratives of Africa and empower local communities. My work leverages secure, tech-savvy communication and digital storytelling to unite diverse populations, bypass traditional media, and foster transnational solidarity for lasting social change.
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Tenin Cissouma

Volunteer

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Stephane Douanla

Graphic Designer & Video Editor

“There are countless ways to tell the same story. My goal is to find the one that resonates, inspires, and moves people to action.” I create visual content that transforms ideas. I leverage my expertise to support projects that inform, inspire, and mobilize. I enjoy designing compelling visual materials that strengthen messages, enhance organizational visibility, and foster meaningful audience engagement. With a Professional Diploma in Production Graphic Design and a Certificate in Visual Communication and Multimedia, I also serve as an Trainer, in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere Pro. Through training and mentorship, I help creatives and professionals develop practical technical and creative skills, driven by the belief that every image has the power to tell a story and create lasting impact.

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Anne Osamba

Campaigns & Advocacy Lead

Anne Rose Osamba is a Pan-African feminist , A trained journalist ,peacebuilding practitioner, and policy advocate with over a decade of experience advancing peace, governance, democracy, regional integration and social justice across Africa, particularly in conflict-affected contexts in the Horn of Africa. She serves as the Lead Campaigns and Advocacy Officer at Africans Rising, where she leads the organization’s continental advocacy agenda, including the Borderless Africa Campaign and the Reparations Campaign. Through these campaigns, she mobilizes citizens, strengthens grassroots movements, and collaborates with African Union Member States, regional institutions, and civil society partners to advance the ratification and implementation of the African Union Free Movement Protocol (FMP), promote free movement, and drive advocacy for reparative justice across the continent. She also represents East Africa on the African Union WISE Youth, a subsidiary mechanism of the African Union Panel of the Wise, contributing to continental efforts on conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding. 

Previously, through the Uzalendo Afrika Initiative, Anne contributed to governance and democratic reforms by supporting electoral reform processes, election observation missions, civic participation, and community-based early warning and early response systems. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with the African Union, IGAD, UN agencies, governments, grassroots movements, and civil society networks across the continent to strengthen democratic governance, influence public policy, promote youth and women’s leadership, and build resilient Pan-African movements committed to justice, peace, and accountable governance. 

Anne is deeply passionate about Africans reclaiming ownership of their own narratives and stories. Her work centres on amplifying the lived realities, knowledge, and perspectives of African women, believing that their experiences must shape public discourse, influence policy, and advance peace, democracy, economic justice and rights, and more inclusive futures across the continent. Through advocacy, movement building, strategic communications, and narrative change, she continues to champion a Pan-African vision rooted in African agency, feminist leadership, and citizen-driven transformation. 

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Kimani Nyoike

Digital Support Officer

Kimani Nyoike is an African from Kenya, a digital strategist and Pan-African advocate serving as Digital Support for the Campaigns and Advocacy Unit. 

He specializes in movement communications, digital advocacy, and storytelling, using creative campaigns to advance free movement, African unity, and citizen-led action across the continent.

Eunice Odhiambo

Reparations Campaign Officer

Eunice

Choombe Sylus

Graphic Designer & Video Editor

Choombe Sylus Matina is a Graphic Designer and Video Editor at Africans Rising under the Campaigns & Advocacy Unit, where he develops compelling visual content that strengthens the movement’s advocacy, campaigns, and Pan-African storytelling. With expertise in graphic design, video production, and digital communications, he transforms complex social justice issues into engaging multimedia that amplifies African voices and drives collective action. Beyond his creative role, Choombe is a passionate advocate for the rights of women and girls in Zambia. As a member of the Red & Black Movement, he supports campaigns to end gender-based violence, child marriage, rape, and defilement, and contributed to advocacy efforts that culminated in Zambia’s legal reform removing bail and bond for suspects charged with rape and defilement.

Choombe’s commitment to Pan-Africanism is rooted in the belief that Africa’s progress depends on unity, justice, and Africans telling their own stories. He is passionate about using creative media to challenge harmful narratives, celebrate African identity, and contribute to movements that advance social justice, gender equality, and continental integration.

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Maurice Samba

IT Lead

Maurice is a passionate Pan-Africanist, activist, and social actor from the province of Senegal dedicated to driving positive change across the continent. With a background in Human Geography from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, he merges his academic insights with hands-on experience in digital media, event organization, and advocacy.

He currently serves as the Lead IT Officer at Africans Rising for Justice, Peace, and Dignity, where he plays a key role in overseeing digital operations and technology infrastructure.

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Mawuli Kuwornu

Research Assistant

Mawuli Kuwornu is a Research Assistant, Geospatial Analyst and GIS Officer at Africans Rising, where he manages, process, and validate geospatial datasets to support the movement’s planning, research, and reporting. Skilled in ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth Engine, and Power BI, He produces thematic maps and spatial data products that inform evidence-based decision-making across the organization. His background also includes serving as a Teaching and Research Assistant at the University of Ghana, where he trained over 1,200 students in GIS and remote sensing, and conducting research on land use and cover change across Ghana.

Passion

Driven by a commitment to pan-Africanism, I am passionate about using geospatial technology and data-driven research to advance unity, justice, and sustainable development across the African continent.

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Aneth Mbame

Content Writer

Aneth is a dynamic communication professional and project leader dedicated to driving social impact across Africa. This unique blend of skills allows me to seamlessly bridge the gap between strategic storytelling and rigorous operational execution. In my role as Content Writer at Africans Rising, I coordinate and develop strategic cross cutting content across various platforms, to craft narratives that empower communities and foster sustainable advancement.  

My Passion 

I am deeply passionate about communication for development and change using storytelling approach to pitch contents that drive the African narrative. My work is a mirror, spotlighting and reflecting the vision and mission of the movement.

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