Our Team.

Meet Our Leadership

We are proud of our committed and diverse staff driven by our common goal to create lasting well-being for children and families through Education Initiative.

Yasmin Morais

Co-Founder & Advisor

 

Yasmin is our co-founder and lead advisor in charge of strategic partnerships and networking.  Yasmin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Affairs from Boston University, bachelor’s degree, International Relations and Affairs from Universidad Anhembi Morumbi, a Master of Arts-MA, Power, Participation and social change at the Institute of Development studies, University of Sussex. Yasmin is an experienced programs manager, mentor and advocate for improved livelihoods. Yasmin is a  Chevening Alumni of the University of Sussex, a former Social Business Development Facilitator, Community Manager and Fellow at Yunus & Youth, a former programs manager at Global Change Makers and Currently a Programs Assistant at Rede Comua in Brazil where she is working on creating connections that will strengthen civil society in Brazil in order to shift power structures and ensure access to rights and resources for Marginalized communities.

Albert Frank Jimenez

Co-Founder & Advisor

Albert is our Co-founder and advisor in charge of educational programming and content development. He is a first-generation college graduate who earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in International relations and economics and Masters of Education from Boston University. Originally from San Diego, California, Albert got interested in education via his internship in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Albert worked in New Orleans as a middle school science teacher where he developed his own rigorous curriculum for 180 5th-6th graders. Currently, Albert is the assistant principal of John M Tobin Montessori school. At RefEd Initiative, Albert uses his past and current work experiences to influence educational programming and content. Albert is at the forefront of revolutionizing education for refugees and immigrants through the RefEd Mobile application

Our Staff (Uganda Local Team )

Niyonsaba Gilbert
Local Team Lead, Uganda.
Gilbert joined RefEd Initiative in 2021 as a volunteer education content developer and has been at the forefront of all interventions in Uganda. He worked as a fellow at Building Tomorrow Uganda where he was involved in implementation of the thriving schools’ program of Building Tomorrow in last mile schools in Uganda for two years. He gained passion for education when he was serving as an assistant teacher at Kisoro Vision Secondary school. Gilbert led the pilot project for RefEd Initiative in Rwamwanja Refugee Camp in western Uganda. He led the efforts of registering RefEd Initiative in Uganda as a community based not for profit organization and has been at the help of overseeing RefEd Programs in Uganda. Gilbert holds a degree in Business Computing from Makerere University and a certificate in Working with children with special education needs from Alison Academy.
Ndanyuzwe Eliyazari
Projects Lead
Eliyazari holds a bachelors degree in Environmental Health from Makerere University and a post graduate diploma in project management majoring in educational projects from Uganda Management Institute. He previously worked as a Fellow at Building Tomorrow Uganda in Kamwenge District where he was the District Cluster Leader implementing the Thriving Schools program of Building Tomorrow Uganda. He is an environment health and safety consultant at SEAMS and previously served as a district volunteer in the education department before joining RefEd Initiative. At RefEd Initiative, Eliyazari manages the recruitment, skilling and deployment of the Refugee Education Volunteers who implement the Literacy and Numeracy program in their communities.
Munezero Doreen Esther
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION ASSISTANT
Doreen is a graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in community development and social justice from Kyambogo University in Uganda. She is an experienced social work who has implemented different projects in Inclusive education and child protection with Kisoro District Local Government. She is passionate about Girl Child Education and is now supporting RefEd Initiative in implementing a comprehensive Inclusive Education Project and child protection. Doreen has also worked as an Internee for Joy for Children, a non-governmental organization working towards ending violence against children in Uganda.
Ainembabazi Immaculate
EDUCATION PROJECT ASSISTANT.
Immaculate is the education project officer at our Rwamwanja field office, Rwamwanja refugee camp. She started working with RefEd Initiative in our pilot project in July 2022 and has continued to render her experience as a teacher in implementation of the Literacy and Numeracy community camps. Immaculate leads the capacity building and skilling of volunteers and oversees the literacy camps in the communities. She has taught primary school students in Kamwenge District since 2021.