Class 44

Debra Nhokwara is a media professional with four years of experience in communication and social development. Debra holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism and Media Studies from the National University of Science and Technology (ZW). She was awarded a Chevening Scholarship and completed her Masters in Gender and Media at the University of Sussex. During her tenure at Nhimbe Trust, she helped in developing and implementing COVID-19 Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) policy framework and a CCI portal to support artists and cultural professionals during the pandemic. She served as a Production Assistant for Bulawayo Arts Festival 2020 and the Amavuso Project. As aCommunication and Information Consultant at Transparency International-Zimbabwe (Bulawayo Region) she trained 30 citizen journalists new writing and investigative journalism skills. She was the editor of Hayibo S’khangele (We are Watching), a newsletter used as an advocacy tool to report corruption cases in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe. Debra is an experienced Public Relations Officer skilled in crisis management, project management, advertising, managing digital campaigns, planning digital marketing strategies, designing marketing material, and creating social media content. She is proud to have worked at Mike Hamilton Public Relations Consultants and at 143 Communications. Debra is passionate about women’s issues and she is part of project that manufactures reusable pads for disadvantaged women. Recently, she published a podcast called Shadow Pandemics Behind COVID-19 to raise awareness on child sexual harassment during the pandemic.

Host Organization: The Hunger Project

Role at Host Organization: At The Hunger Project, Debra will be serving as the Global Communications Fellow. Debra will work in partnership with fellow Hunger Project communicators to develop robust content and strategies that elevate the voices of individuals engaged in programs in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. The role will sit within the Global Communications team and work closely with members of the communications, program and fundraising teams to ensure The Hunger Project’s brand, messages and impact are compelling, understandable, accurate and widely accessible. Ultimately, this position drives toward the mission of ending hunger by equipping our global team with the resources needed to expand our global movement of partners, supporters, advocates and investors.

Patricia Ainembabazi has more than nine years of experience in both non-profit, private and public sectors, leveraging expertise in policy advocacy, strategic communications, project management, report writing and public relations. She holds a Masters’ Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) in Tanzania and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Nkumba University in Uganda. She’s also completed a Masters’ in International Law, from Middlesex University in the UK. Over the years, Patricia has been engaged in policy Advocacy for Human Rights and Rule of Law at the regional level with the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Union), as well as the Pan African Lawyers Union in Arusha Tanzania, both experiences that have led to successful judicial reforms to several African governments, NGOs and individuals. Prior to serving in policy advocacy and community management for judiciaries at the regional level, Patricia worked as a news reporter with the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC-Tv) and well as trading with VOLCAFE specialty Uganda. Informed by a deep understanding of current affairs, Patricia’s main interests are political theory, human rights, international public law and international relations. Prior to serving as an Atlas Corps Fellow, she worked as the Engagement Manager at Reteno & Associates, in South Africa, where she to drove several policy shaping projects as well as community development, with an admirable success rate, ranging from the promotion of civic space and reviewing laws that infringe on basic human rights in sub-Saharan African countries.

Host Organization: FACT Coalition

Role at Host Organization: At FACT Coalition, Patricia will be serving as the Research and Advocacy Fellow. Patritia will join a small FACT Secretariat team and will contribute to the achievement of the Coalition’s 2021-22 strategic outcomes. The position is a hybrid post that combines the Atlas Corps’ tracks on research and writing, communications, and policy and advocacy.

Tendai Precious Chimuka has over eleven years’ experience working in the nonprofit sector and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science from the National University of Science and Technology (Zimbabwe) and a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the Midlands State University (Zimbabwe). Most recently, Tendai worked as a Business Development Coordinator for Grassroot Soccer Zimbabwe for three and a half years. Her main responsibilities included cultivating and strengthening relationships with local partners, donors, government, and multi-lateral agencies as well as maintaining a pipeline of new opportunities, and supporting proposal development for donors. Tendai also worked as a District Coordinator under the USAID-funded Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) program where she coordinated project activities implemented directly by FHI360, and SAfAIDS and, other local partners. Previously, Tendai gained experience in project management across areas of human and child rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender, HIV and AIDS and youth empowerment in her roles as Resource Centre Assistant, Program Assistant, and Junior Program Officer – all at SAfAIDS. Tendai enjoys focusing on the topics of youth empowerment, sexual reproductive health and rights, as well as gender equality.

Host Organization: Elton John AIDS Foundation

Role at Host Organization: At EJAF, Tendai will be serving as the Grants Fellow. Tendai will help develop and manage a portfolio of grants in fulfilment of the Foundation’s strategy for reaching key communites. EJAF reaches those globaly who are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS.

Apsara Prabhakar has four years of experience in the social sector, and has earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Psychology, Sociology, English in 2016 from CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in India. Apsara has also completed a Master of Social Work (Clinical and Community Practice) in 2018 from the same University. She was the recipient of the “Best Youth Social Worker” Award by the Institute of Person Centered Approaches in India, 2017. While working as a Senior Program Manager at ShARE, she was involved in implementing and monitoring a leadership program across top universities in Europe, America and Africa. Her role also involved alumni management and communications. Apsara previously worked in Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness as a Program Associate in the Private School Program team. Her responsibilities involved volunteer management, school relationship management, documentation, and being an educator for citizenship values and life skills. Apsara has extensively worked as an intern with Operation Smile (OS) and KAARMIC Education. With OS, she has helped coordinate three medical missions that provided free cleft lip/palate surgeries. She also formed an OS student club at her university in 2017 and was selected to participate in the International Student Leadership Conference in Italy. With KAARMIC, she worked on promotions, recruitment, partnerships and as a trainer imparting learning tools, conversational English and art skills to students. Apsara has also interned and volunteered with various other social sector organizations including United Way, Smileys India, CRY, Make a Wish Foundation, Healing Dove Foundation, NIMHANS, Spastics Society of Karnataka and Centre for Social Action. These experiences have helped Apsara acquire and enhance her program management and implementation skills. She enjoys organizing events and working with youth, and is passionate about leadership and the field of education.

Host Organization: Atlas Corps

Role at Host Organization: At Atlas Corps, Apsara will be serving as the American Express Leadership Fellow. Apsara will support the overall strengthening of leadership development in the nonprofit sector by helping to expand the American Express Leadership Academy franchise. Building on the American Express role in supporting best-in-class leadership practices and capacity building, the anticipation is that Apsara will serve to coordinate and grow the alumni network; manage and coordinate the global Alumni Summit, help develop and improve communication and dissemination of best practice and provide overall project support for the American Express Leadership website.

Brighton Musevenzo has five years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He earned a Bachelor of Science Honors in Sociology with the University of Zimbabwe, and a Master in Human Rights, Peace, and Development with Africa University. He holds Post Graduate Executive Certificates in Programme, and Project Monitoring, and Evaluation from the University of Zimbabwe. Previously, Brighton worked with the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Equality, Non-discrimination, and Participation Unit of the Special Procedures Branch in Geneva, Switzerland. He worked with various national, and regional nonprofit organizations in the capacity of research, monitoring, evaluation, and data driven human rights advocacy. Brighton is an alumnus of the World Federation of the United Nations Associations (WFUNA) Human Rights in Action Programme, and was trained in Project Monitoring and Evaluation with the Project Management Institute, Switzerland Chapter. He is passionate about social justice, global diversity, and inclusion, social development impact tracking, economic development, and the impact of climate change on livelihoods in developing countries.

Host Organization: American Red Cross

Role at Host Organization: At American Red Cross, Brighton will be serving as the Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning Fellow. Brighton will operate in support of the Service to Armed Forces and International Services departments, one of a team of Technical Advisors, as part of the larger Quality, Data and Learning (QDL) business unit. The DMERL team comprises three technical specialists and Atlas Corp Fellows responsible to provide technical support to project teams on all aspects of design, planning, implementation, performance management research, evaluation, knowledge management and learning.

Neelima Raheja is a creative and passionate development professional with 6+ years of experience, and a diverse skill set across project management, capacity building, program strategy & design, and implementation. She discovered her passion for empowering the community and working in the nonprofit sector during her college years, wherein she volunteered for high-impact civic initiatives on issues such as education, gender-based violence, environment, and mental health. She holds an undergraduate degree in commerce; with a diploma in Guidance & Counselling from Panjab University. In her role with Bhumi as a Program Director for Supplementary education, she designed the program’s long-term strategy to ensure holistic education and sustainable livelihood for the children from under-served backgrounds. Previously, Neelima worked with Make A Difference – a volunteer-driven organization, as a Program Operations Director to improve the long-term outcomes for youth from institutional care by supporting and preparing them for life outside institutions. She is currently pursuing a Diploma in Expressive Arts Therapy and Masters in Counselling Psychology. Her goal is to continue empowering children and youth through holistic care with a focus on emotional well-being for better life outcomes.

Host Organization: Heartland Alliance International

Role at Host Organization: At Heartland Alliance International, Neelima will be serving as the Field and Program Operations Fellow. Neelima will help standardize operations and key business process workflows, and support the organization’s strategic planning process. The Fellow will support the development of a global field operations manual and contribute to the new roadmap and strategy for the organization’s future. In addition, the Fellow will provide support to local Chicago-based efforts to support health and healing activities held in conjunction with HAI’s Kovler Center.

Karen Michelle Zapata Herrera has 4 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Mexico, and a Master of Management Science in Global Affairs as a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University in China. As a Schwarzman Scholar, she specialized in the global governance of migration, leadership in public crisis and emergencies, and civil society organizations, and wrote a thesis titled “The role of national policies and NGOs in addressing the mental health of left-behind and migrant children in China, Mexico, and the U.S.”. She is currently the Social Investment Coordinator at the Mexican nonprofit Alternativas y Capacidades, managing civil society strengthening projects, as well advising donors on how to improve their philanthropic programs. Previously, as a Jr. Project Manager at Hult Prize Foundation, she contributed to young entrepreneurs’ development and leadership by recruiting young leaders across the Americas region and operating the global communication strategy for mentors. Previously, as the Fundraising and Grants Specialist at World Vision, she managed and designed the private international grants proposals in topics such as WASH, education, economic empowerment, child protection, among others. Michelle has also volunteered and interned at several other nonprofits aimed at children and youth development and protection, including Children International, International Youth Federation, among others. Through these experiences, she has developed strong project management, grant writing, business development, and volunteer management skills. Michelle is passionate about child migration, social entrepreneurship, and youth empowerment.

Host Organization: One to World

Role at Host Organization: At One to World, Michelle will be serving as the Fundraising Fellow. Michelle will help implement strategies to meet the organization’s annual fundraising goals, working closely with One To World’s Executive Director, Director of Development, consultants, and Board of Directors. The Fellow will support all functions of the Development department, including gift processing, management of donor data, special events planning and execution, cultivation and stewardship of donors, and private grant prospecting, writing, and reporting. The Fellow is a vital piece of a small team that generates revenue to support the organization’s direct services for K-12 youth and international scholars, and will contribute to meeting a fundraising goal of almost $1 million a year.