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2023 Annual Convening in Cape Town, South Africa

The University of Cape Town (UCT) proudly hosted the inaugural Health Collaborative Convening from October 15th to 17th, 2023, at the scenic Protea Hotel by Marriott, Waterfront Breakwater Lodge in Cape Town, South Africa.

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Our team is the heartbeat of our collaborative efforts, comprising diverse experts from various fields. Each member brings unique skills and perspectives, uniting to drive innovation and impact in the health sector. Together, we are more than just a team; we are a community committed to transforming healthcare across Africa.

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, PhD

Regional Lead (Health Networks), International Research Officer

University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-President International

, PhD

Professor, Theoretical Biology and Chief Scientific Officer at AIMS

African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

, MBA, PhD Candidate

Regional Lead (Health Entrepreneurship), International Research Officer

University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-President International

Program Coordinator, Entrepreneurship & Work Integrated Learning - Management Department; Projects Lead - African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge, University of Toronto Scarborough, The BRIDGE

Marketing Manager, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

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, MBA

Deputy Digital Learning Director

Amref International University

, CPA, CMA

Senior Planning and Budget Officer

University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-President International

Founder & Manager of the Black Founders Network; Founder of African Impact Initiative

University of Toronto, African Impact Challenge, The BRIDGE

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Moi University, University of Toronto

Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholar

University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

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Africa Health Collaborative
Africa Secretariat, Office of the Vice-President,
International, University of Toronto.
africasecretariat@utoronto.ca.

27 King’s College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A1

© 2025 AFRICA HEALTH COLLABORATIVE.

Profile

Marie Therese Ndiaye, PhD

Regional Lead (Health Networks), International Research Officer

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Canada

Ms. Marie Therese Yaba Ndiaye is the Regional Lead, Health Networks at the Office of Vice President International at the University of Toronto.

She leads the implementation of the Health Employment Pillar of the Africa Health Collaborative, which aims to expand the capacity to train primary healthcare workers to meet growing demand in Africa. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, she worked with USAID, World Food Programme, and community-based organizations on climate resilience and humanitarian assistance programming. In those positions, she covered and traveled widely in West and Central African countries. She holds a Ph.D. in Rural Sociology and can work in French, English, and Portuguese.

Email Address: marietherese.ndiaye@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Canada
Pillars: Network Learning & Development; Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosytems; Health Employment
Program: Africa Secretariat
Governance: HECO Pillar Advisory Committee; HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee; HENT Pillar Advisory Committee

Profile

Wilfred Ndifon, PhD

Professor, Theoretical Biology and Chief Scientific Officer at AIMS

African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

Rwanda

Wilfred Ndifon is Professor of Theoretical Biology and the Chief Scientific Officer at AIMS, a Pan-African network of higher-education institutes dedicated to catalyzing Africa’s socio-economic transformation through advanced training and research in mathematical sciences.

He has made important contributions to a range of topics at the interface of mathematics and biology, including discovering a mechanism that allows flu viruses to escape from antibodies, with significant implications for the design of more effective flu vaccines; a physical mechanism that governs the generation of T-cell diversity via genetic recombination; and a unified mechanistic explanation for the age-old problem of the original antigenic sin. Recently, he led the development of a new mathematical approach to pooled testing, which has produced substantial testing-efficiency gains in field applications conducted in both Rwanda and South Africa. He took his PhD at Princeton.

Email Address: wndifon@nexteinstein.org
Profile Type: Faculty
Country: Rwanda
Pillars: Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosytems; Health Employment
Governance: Executive Steering Committee

Profile

Anuli Ndubuisi, MBA, PhD Candidate

Regional Lead (Health Entrepreneurship), International Research Officer

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Canada

Anuli Ndubuisi is the Regional Lead, International Research Officer (Africa) at the Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto. She supports partnership engagement and research collaboration for the Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) Pillar of the Africa Health Collaborative.

Anuli’s career has spanned research, program and project management, business analysis, business process improvements and leadership roles within African, Canadian, and US institutions across industry and academic departments. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, Anuli worked with Shell Global in Nigeria and the USA, where she garnered global perspectives working on global multidisciplinary projects.

Anuli holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, U.K. She is completing a PhD in Curriculum and Pedagogy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), with a collaborative specialization in Engineering Education at the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, University of Toronto.

Email Address: anuli.ndubuisi@mail.utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Canada
Pillar: Health Entrepreneurship
Program: Africa Secretariat
Governance: HENT Pillar Advisory Committee

Profile

Celestine Nema

Program Coordinator, Entrepreneurship & Work Integrated Learning - Management Department; Projects Lead - African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

Celestine Nema is a Program Coordinator for Entrepreneurship and Work-Integrated Learning at The BRIDGE, an entrepreneurship accelerator in the Management Department at the University of Toronto, Scarborough.

She also acts as the Projects Lead for the African Impact Initiative, a University of Toronto partner that runs the African Impact Challenge, a startup incubator program that supports young African entrepreneurs to create viable solutions for the most pressing challenges within their communities. Celestine’s career spanned public service for almost a decade before pivoting her career to focus on her passion for entrepreneurship, youth education, and youth development.

Email Address: celestine.nema@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Canada
Pillar: Health Entrepreneurship
Program: African Impact Challenge

Profile

Sharon Ngugi

Marketing Manager, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

LinkedIn

Sharon Ngugi, a distinguished Pan African Change Leader and Marketing Guru, is committed to driving positive change across Africa through the art of storytelling. As the Marketing Manager for the African Impact Initiative, she harnesses her multifaceted skills to inspire transformation.

A “Brand Whisperer” and “Favorite Storyteller,” Sharon recognizes that stories possess the extraordinary power to ignite social change. She masterfully employs storytelling to amplify the impact of the African Impact Initiative’s projects. Sharon’s narratives not only raise awareness but also forge genuine connections with audiences, motivating them to become catalysts for change.

Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice & Influencer, Sharon utilizes her influential platform to share compelling stories of resilience, progress, and hope from Africa. Her dedication to illuminating these narratives has not only expanded the Initiative’s outreach but has also ignited thought-provoking dialogues about the continent’s potential.

Sharon’s innovative marketing strategies, coupled with her passion for storytelling, position her as a driving force behind the organization’s growth and success. Her ability to seamlessly blend storytelling with impactful marketing has not only made her an industry influencer but has also led to tangible change within African communities.

Through her visionary leadership and distinctive approach, Sharon inspires others to join the African Impact Initiative’s journey toward a brighter, more prosperous future for Africa.

Email Address: sharon@africanimpactinitiative.com
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Kenya
Pillar: Health Entrepreneurship
Program: African Impact Challenge

Profile

Willie Ngumi, MBA

Deputy Digital Learning Director

Amref International University

Amref International University / Amref Health Africa

Kenya

Willie has a strong technology and business development background spanning private sector and the development sector.

He has over 11 years of experience in ICT4D space implementing solutions in Digital health, health system strengthening, behavior change communication, Human Centered Design and Digital Identities targeting underserved communities. Willie previously worked with the GSM Association, a global association for mobile network operators, CDC Foundation / mHealth Kenya, providing technical support for the conceptualization, design and deployment of mHealth applications through Public Private Partnerships. Willie also previously worked at the Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy Nairobi, and in the Internet Service Provision industry as a web developer. Willie has an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi and a BSc. in Computer Science from Africa Nazarene University, trained in Human Centered Design and a Certified Development Project Manager.

Email Address: willie.ngumi@amref.org
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Kenya
Pillar: Health Ecosytems
Governance: HECO Pillar Advisory Committee

Profile

Edward Nkole, CPA, CMA

Senior Planning and Budget Officer

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Canada

Edward Nkole is a seasoned professional who, since March 2022, has been dedicated to his role as the Senior Planning and Budget Officer at the Office of the Vice President International (OVPI).

His responsibilities encompass providing invaluable financial management counsel, ensuring meticulous preparation of financial reports for the Foundation, and fostering collaborative partnerships both within and outside the organization.

Edward’s role is marked by dual reporting, where he effectively liaises with the Senior Director, International Relations, Africa for the Mastercard Foundation Grant. Furthermore, he holds a pivotal position as the finance lead within OVPI, reporting directly to the AVP International Engagement and Impact.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Edward’s true passion lies in the realm of education. With a remarkable twelve-plus years of experience in the university sector, he brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to the table. Edward Nkole is a dynamic individual who continues to make a significant impact in the field of international relations and education.

Email Address: edward.nkole@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Canada
Pillars: Health Entrepreneurship; Health Employment; Health Ecosytems
Program: Africa Secretariat

Profile

Efosa Obano

Founder & Manager of the Black Founders Network; Founder of African Impact Initiative

University of Toronto

LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram
Facebook

University of Toronto

Canada

Efosa Obano started and manages the Black Founders Network (BFN), which supports Black entrepreneurs across Canada with capital, community, and capacity building.

He also started and leads the African Impact Initiative (AII), which enables early African innovators to create solutions to challenges in their communities. He has expertise in using technology to create social impact, invest with impact, and build early-stage ventures. For this work, he has been recognized by the United Nations and the Ontario Minister’s Award of Excellence.

Prior to these, he led a team that guided start-ups on their digital transformation journeys with Dell Technologies Canada. He also led community outreach for Dell Canada’s Social Impact Team & Dell Canada’s Black Networking Alliance. He received Dell’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award for this work. He is an alumnus of the University of Toronto, where he specialized in Strategic Management.

Email Address: efosa.obano@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Canada
Pillar: Health Entrepreneurship
Program: African Impact Challenge

Profile

Kennedy Owino Ojowi

Master Scholar

Moi University

Moi University

Kenya

University of Toronto

Canada

I am grateful for the opportunity to study health informatics as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Toronto.

This life-changing experience has challenged me to reach my full potential and has given me the opportunity to meet some of the most inspiring, intelligent, and supportive people in the world. I am confident that the experiences and relationships that I am building as a Mastercard Scholar will help me make a positive impact on the health system.

Profile Type: Scholar
Country: Kenya; Canada
Pillar: Health Ecosytems
Programs: Master of Health informatics Executive (EMHI); Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program

Profile

Gladys Olisaekee

Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholar

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Canada

Email Address: gladys.olisaekee@mail.utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Scholar
Country: Canada
Pillar: Health Employment