“Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world. Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have.”
~Margaret Mead
Meet the AGYA Leadership Team, a small, diverse group of young people who recognize that they are global citizens who can use their talents to change the world!
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Executive Director, AGYA After School Program
Abraham Matovu, 25 years old
Hometown: Kampala, Uganda
Known affectionately as “Uncle Ibra,” Abraham has over 5 years of experience working with Uganda youth. Abraham is passionate about African culture, fashion design, and working with children. His dream is to start an orphanage for Ugandan children, especially those who lost their parents to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Executive Director, AGYA Girls Program
Divinity Lashelle Barkley, 22 years old
Hometown: Racine, Wisconsin
Divinity graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Southern California with a B.A. in Political Science and African American Studies in 2008. Specializing in outreach to teen girls, Divinity has 4 years experience as a mentor, youth coordinator, and program facilitator. She is passionate about African culture, African history, and women’s issues. Her dream is to create an organization which fosters and promotes leadership development and higher education for women throughout the African continent.
AGYA Program Coordinator
Mary Richards, 25 years old
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Mary is a working artist with more than 7 years of experience teaching and volunteering in the arts. She graduated Cum Laude from the Columbus College of Art and Design in Ohio with a B.F.A. in glass and printmaking. She is passionate about youth education and development. As an AGYA Program Coordinator, Mary teaches art and creative writing classes.
AGYA Program Coordinator
Happy Caitrine Namutebi, 18 years old
Hometown: Kampala, Uganda
Happy is a Senior 4 student at Nakulabye High School. She enjoys poetry and creative writing, fashion design, and photography. Happy dreams of becoming a successful actress who will help to catapult Uganda’s film industry. As an AGYA Program Coordinator, Happy facilitates poetry and creative writing as well as numerous film and media projects.
AGYA Program Coordinator
Sarah Mulekatete, 18 years old
Hometown: Kampala, Uganda
Sarah is in her first year at Uganda’s prestigious Makerere University studying Mass Communications. Sarah dreams of becoming a successful radio and television personality who represents the voices of Ugandan women. As an AGYA Program Coordinator, Sarah facilitates the fashion design program, English language instruction, and film and media projects.
AGYA Program Coordinator
Richard Bugeza, 18 years old
Hometown: Kampala, Uganda
Richard Bugeza is a Senior 5 student who currently attends Nakulabye High School. As an AGYA Program Coordinator, Richard tutors small children (ages 3-12) and facilitates arts and crafts activities. An orphan since his infant years, Richard’s dream is to provide loving homes to orphans and street kids who are left to fend for themselves in poverty-stricken conditions.
AGYA Program Coordinator
Akila Hunte, 22 years old
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Akila graduated from Howard University with a B.S. in Health Management. In addition to her volunteer experience with organizations in Trinidad and Belize, Akila founded Girls Talk, a mentoring program for young girls in Washington D.C.’s inner city. Inspired by leaders like Gandhi, Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey, Akila stays inspired by reciting Thomas Sankara’s maxim: “you must dare to invent the future.”
AGYA Program Coordinator
Tiffany Lucero, 22 years old
Hometown: Oakland, California
Tiffany graduated from California State University of Northridge in 2008 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Pan African Studies. Upon graduation she was honored with a "Black Family Specialist” Certification. Tiffany has held leadership roles with campus organizations such as the Black Student Union, NAACP, and the Harambee Student Association. A firm advocate for youth development programs, Tiffany is passionate about the opportunity to enable youth in Uganda to realize their full human potential. She maintains an optimistic outlook, nurturing the notion, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," profoundly stated by Mahatma Indira Gandhi.
