Welcome New East Africa Staff

A key element of our strategy has been to strengthen the capacity of our in-country staff by recruiting highly qualified and talented people. In recent months our presence in East Arica has been strengthened by the addition of two outstanding team members: Dagmawi Iyasu Eminetu and Evah Maina.

Dagmawi is from Ethiopia and has had a remarkable career spanning microbiology, cancer research, public health, NGO management and also coffee. It’s hard to imagine a more complete preparation for his new position as Programs Manager with Grounds for Health. This is a role that has previously been filled by US-based staff members—shifting it to Addis Ababa reflects our understanding of the importance of being close to our programs and partners.

Evah Maina is from Kenya and holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing and Public Health and a Master’s degree in Public Reproductive Health. She comes to us with seven years’ experience as a nurse and nursing manager. She has already led the establishment of a strong program in Nyeri County, the heart of Kenya’s coffee industry, by building strong relationships with local health officials and other innovators working to improve women’s health in Kenya.

In the coming months we will share exciting updates on our programs in Ethiopia and Kenya, but for now I thought it important to recognize what Jim Collins observed in Good to Great: that all good work starts with getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats.

We are delighted to welcome Evah and Dagmawi.