Meet the team

Board of Directors

Leadership & Staff

Volunteers

Country Partners

A man with glasses and gray hair holding several books, wearing a Lowell, Michigan hoodie.

Craig Anderson
Chair

Craig’s African journey began as a Peace Corps teacher in Lesotho. He stayed, working on education projects. Later, he joined the U.S. Foreign Service. He spent 36 years in Africa. After retirement, a book drive fell in his lap. Knowing books expand horizons, he shipped a container load to his South African home. Serendipity struck! As he promoted literacy in the community, he met an ALP board member. She invited him to join ALP’s Book Summit in Lesotho. He’s hooked!

Zandile Mqwathi
Deputy Board Chair

Zandile Mqwathi is the Community Programme Director at Life Choices in Cape Town and holds a Master’s degree in Drama Therapy. She is a Global Fellow of the Atlantic Institute and WomenLift Health. With over 15 years of experience empowering young people, Zandile focuses on wellbeing, education, and life skills, using creative approaches to build resilience, self-expression, and community connection. She is passionate about literacy, education, and creating safe spaces for young people to thrive.

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Kamala Madavarapu
Secretary

Kamala is a Data Modeling expert at Citibank with a passion to derive actionable insights from huge volumes of data. She grew up in India with a deep interest to spread the value of literacy across the globe and believes "Education is a basic human right". She is extremely motivated by ALP's commitment to serve the African communities and it's profound impact by nurturing the young minds.

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Joash S. Aminga
Board Member

Joash has over 30+ years of experience in Library and Information Services. He serves as a Deputy Director, Library Services and Vice Chairman of the Association of Government Librarians in Kenya. Joash has continuously supported rural communities in knowledge sharing initiatives. He has a BSc degree in Information Management, a Masters of Philosophy, and is currently pursuing a PhD with Kisii University in Library and Information Sciences.

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Joan W. Duncan
Board Member

Joan is a lifelong educator, licensed clinical psychologist, and social justice advocate with deep expertise in designing educational and psychosocial programs with international communities affected by poverty, conflict, and crises. She has consulted for leading international organizations—including UNICEF, Save the Children, IRC, the Ford Foundation, and United with Kenya—and has worked extensively across Africa, including in Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya, Lesotho, and Rwanda. Joan is the founder of the Institute for Professional Development and previously served as Professor of Psychology and Associate Director of the PHD Program in Clinical Psychology at Long Island University, Brooklyn. She completed her Ph.D. at Clark University and postdoctoral training at Yale University. She continues to advise global organizations on community-based educational and well-being initiatives.  

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Hassan Labib
Board Member

Hassan is a seasoned Global Information Security Leader with over 30 years of experience in IT governance, cybersecurity, and risk management across multinational financial and corporate sectors. He has led major security transformations—including establishing the information security function at ALEXBANK as CISO—and brings deep expertise in aligning resilient security architectures with global regulatory standards. Hassan currently oversees global security and risk programs at The Nielsen Company and leverages his MBA, board certification, and professional credentials (CISA, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer) to inform strategic governance and executive-level decision-making.

Itumeleng Malefetsa
Board Member

Itumeleng Malefetsa is a South African fundraising strategist and partnerships specialist with over 10 years of experience in resource mobilisation. He is known for building high-impact partnerships that unlock funding and drive social change. He currently serves as a Board Member of the African Library Project (ALP), where he supports fundraising, development, and strategic partnerships aimed at expanding access to books and literacy across the African continent. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in African Philanthropy at the Wits Business School (WBS). Itumeleng has represented youth voices on global platforms such as the G20 and Y20

Michele McNabb
Board Member

Michele McNabb brings three decades of experience in global economic development, with deep roots in eastern and southern Africa, where she lived and worked for 15 years. Her extensive travel across the region deepened her understanding of the transformative role of education and literacy. Her work with the African Library Project aligns with her belief that sustainable progress grows from local solutions supported by informed and curious minds.

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Tim Pietrack
Board Member

Tim is a U.S. Navy Public Affairs Officer with more than 15 years of experience leading strategic communications across humanitarian, defense, and global engagement missions, and holds an M.A. in Communication from Johns Hopkins University. His passion for literacy deepened as a parent, reading with his children and watching them discover new worlds through stories. Inspired to give that gift to others, Tim sought a way to support communities he came to know and admire through his work in Africa — a journey that led him to the African Library Project.

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Esther Okola
Operations & Impact Director

Esther is the Operations & Impact Director, with over 20 years of experience and a proven track record of driving operational efficiency and productivity across diverse industries. She is an expert in implementing innovative systems and boosting productivity while managing cross-functional teams. Esther is a recreational CrossFit athlete who is passionate about volunteering, children & literacy.

Mr. Haroun Habib
Interim Executive Director

Mr. Haroun Habib is an experienced senior global health and international development professional, project manager, and business development leader. As someone with a deep passion for empowering others to improve their lives through education, Haroun firmly believes in the power of books and learning to transform lives and communities.

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Marie Quety
Container Manager

Nancy Beth Garrett
Container Manager

Marie believes every child should get to experience the magic of books. With her background in Library and Information Science, she’s passionate about helping book drive organizers bring libraries to life and making them warm, welcoming spaces where children can dream big, discover new worlds, and grow into lifelong readers.

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Kathleen Long
Ghana Liaison

Kathleen is a corporate leader committed to the liberation of all people. She is a diversity and inclusion champion and a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher. She had many challenges growing up, but she made her own way in life by reading the stories of others. Kathleen is in love with literature and enjoys volunteering with African Library Project and as a literacy tutor to spread this joy worldwide.

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Nyasha Satande
Intake Coordinator

As an Intake Coordinator at the African Library Project, Nyasha facilitates the intake process for new Book Drive Organizers (BDOs), ensuring they are efficiently connected with our team. She holds a postgraduate diploma in Library and Information Studies from the University of Cape Town and is currently pursuing her master's degree in the same field. Her academic background equips her with strong skills in information management and organizational processes, which she applies to support the mission of increasing access to books and promoting literacy in African communities.

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Haadi Yakubu
Container Manager

Haadi love for books began in childhood, where reading sparked his imagination and shaped his belief that stories can bring people together. His passion for volunteerism grew from this conviction, leading him to support community service and literacy efforts. As a Container Manager with the African Library Project, Haadi is proud to help connect communities through books and expand access to the joy of reading.

Samwel Sitati Wanyonyi
Senior Library Assistant

Samwel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Science from Kisii University, a diploma in Library and Information Studies, and a Certificate in Computer Literacy from Siaya Institute of Science and Technology. He has vast experience in library matters spanning over 10 years. Currently, he is the Senior Library Assistant at Kibabii University and previously worked at Laikipia University as a Library Assistant.

Malawi Partners

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Patrick Jafali
Resource Mobilization Officer

Patrick is a project manager, teacher educator, trainer in early childhood development, and a passionate librarian with experience in working with teachers and students. He is also a coordinator for education in emergencies and currently works as a resource mobilization officer, in addition to serving as the Country Coordinator for the African Library Project in Malawi.  

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Nancy Namwai Mpekansambo
Senior Assistant Librarian

Nancy is a Senior Assistant Librarian at the
University of Malawi Library, specializing in Reader Services.
Formerly a secondary school teacher, she transitioned to librarianship
in 2008. Nancy helps coordinate library applications, support
partner communication, and mentor new volunteers. She is committed to
promoting literacy and strengthening community libraries across
Malawi.

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Abigail Njolomole
Library Assistant

Abigail is a Library Assistant at the University of Malawi (UNIMA). She supports the marketing, application processing, and applicant WhatsApp group for the African Library Project, thus keeping the Malawi team, partnering schools, and communities connected.

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Francis Kachala
WBF Book Coordinator

Wungwero Book Foundation

Kenya Partners

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Joel Nakitare
University Librarian (Head of Library Services)

Irene Achayo is a professional librarian with a deep passion for advancing literacy and expanding access to knowledge. Through the African Library Project (ALP), she has been instrumental in establishing school libraries, supporting everything from implementation to capacity building. Her work includes monitoring and evaluation to ensure library programs are sustainable and effective, as well as training teacher-librarians to strengthen school library management and promote meaningful use of resources. Irene believes that reading opens doors to opportunity, knowledge, and personal growth. Through her work with ALP, she is committed to creating brighter futures for children and communities across Africa.

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Irene Achayo
Deputy Librarian

Joel Nakitare (PhD) is a librarian, researcher, and community empowerment leader with 15+ years of experience in library, data, and knowledge management. He has published over 13 peer-reviewed papers referencing his data on educational systems, libraries, and Indigenous knowledge. By day, he serves as Deputy University Librarian at Rongo University. Beyond his role at the University, he has served as a literacy champion, advancing Kenya's information landscape since 2016.

During his time as our Country Coordinator for the African Library Project (ALP), he has worked tirelessly to establish over 350 school libraries and professional training centers, impacting 500+ teachers and community librarians. His grassroots work is fundamentally reshaping access to information for marginalized communities. He has also partnered with Project Humanity, Start a Library Trust, Knowledge Empowering Youth (KEY), and the ABC Project Kenya, bringing lasting change to Kenya’s communities.

Meave Achieng Ombima
Library Assistant

Meave is a librarian at Rongo University and an ALP Liaison for partner schools in Migori & Homabay counties. She guides teachers through the library application process and manages all partnership communication with the schools. She also coordinates teacher training workshops and the collection of books upon shipment arrival. She enjoys supporting literacy by helping schools create strong and meaningful library spaces for their learners.

Ghana Partners

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Ernest Ankomah Kyeremeh
Founder

Michael Lapsley Foundation

Uganda Partners

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William Mukisa
Chief Literacy Officer

William Mukisa is the Chief Literacy Officer at Enjuba, where he leads efforts to build foundational literacy and numeracy skills for children ages 3 to 8. He believes the early years are critical for developing a lifelong love of learning, and his work focuses on ensuring every child has access to the educational foundation needed to thrive. Through Enjuba, William equips caregivers, teachers, and communities to nurture confident young learners.

Lesotho Partner

  • Monica Letsoha

  • Senior Librarian 

  • Botho University