Equipo AfricaNguvu – AfricaNguvu

Joan Franquesa

June 21st 1961

I studied secondary school in LaSalle Condal in Barcelona, and later vocational training in the Escuelas Salesianas of Sarrià.

Empecé mi afición por viajar con 34 años y he tenido la oportunidad de visitar Marruecos, Mauritania, Manaos (Brasil Amazónico) y Kenia. En este último país estuve haciendo un voluntariado durante un año trabajando en Kibera, un barrio de chabolas situado en la capital Nairobi y también prestando ayuda en un orfanato y en un colegio con discapacitados.

My profesional life has been intense, mainly in the building sector, where I worked until the big financial crisis of 2008, where I got laid off. At 49 years old and in that industry it was quite hard to find a new job, so I decided to go on a spiritual retreat for almost a year in the Santuario del Lord (Catalan pyrinees). That is where I decided to refocus my life and dedicate myself to helping others in need.

Nacho Verde

October 20th 1988

I studied in the Instituto Véritas of Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid) and later Business Management at the UCM in Madrid.

Already from a very young age, I was very interested in the situation of the African continent. After finishing my studies, I tried to combine work with travelling, spending a year in the UK working and learning english. Later I worked for 2 years in UNHCR's ACNUR, during which I also travelled to Southeast Asia for 3 months.

Towards the end of 2016, I went to Kenya for 6 months to work as a volunteer in Kibera. That's when I was finally able to see and understand the harsh reality of the situation in Africa, and where and when the idea for AfricaNguvu was born.

Miguel Fenollosa

January 19th 1989

Raised in different cities and countries around Europe, I grew up with a big hunger to see all the corners of the world.

In February of 2017, after having lived in Austria for 4 years, I travelled to Kenya for 2 months to help out in a recycling project called Kleanbera Recycling. This is when I met Nacho and Joan, with whom we thought there could be better ways to help the kenyan community.

Now, back in Spain, I still feel Kenya's calling, its beauty and, above all else, its people, some of whom I consider brothers, and all of whom I would like to keep helping as much as possible.

Elizabeth Akinyi Omondi

February 28th 1978

My name is Elizabeth Akinyi Omondi. I was born on February 28th, 1978 in a very humble home.

I went to primary school from 1985 to 1992, then to secondary school and eventually trained as an ECDE teacher. Before working at Trusted School, I spent 8 years working at the GS Academy. Since then, I've been working at the school which today we are trying to support through AfricaNguvu.

Christine Ndalila Namalome

July 25th 1979

I was born in a big family, as the 9th out of 11 children.

From a very humble origin, I went to school from 1985 to 1994. When I was in secondary school, I was unable to finish my studies because, after my father's death when I was only 11, my mother could no longer afford to pay for tuition fees.

Más adelante, pude formarme en Nairobi, donde conseguí un certificado como Cuidadora. Antes de entrar a trabajar en el Trusted School, estuve trabajando en el Kabete Children’s Home de Nairobi durante 4 años. En 2005 me trasladé a Kisumu para trabajar en New Life Home Trust como cuidadora. Tras 12 años ahí, decidí involucrarme en el Trusted School con Elizabeth, donde sigo trabajando a día de hoy.