Meet the Dedicated Team Behind WFT Trust’s Feminist Mission

Feminist activist, scholar, and political scientist, Prof. Ruth Meena has dedicated her life’s work to demonstrating the importance of women in development; particularly in political participation and leadership. While at the University of Dar es Salaam, Prof. Meena introduced the first course in gender and politics, and over her long-standing career has founded several organizations including Envirocare, TAMWA, TAWLA, and ESRF. She has published works on women’s political leadership, Tanzania’s foreign policy history, and constitutionalism.

Mary Rusimbi is a feminist leader, activist, and facilitator with a 35+ year background in training, adult learning, gender and development analysis and NGO management. In addition to co-founding WFT Trust with Marije te Riele, Mary Rusimbi also co-founded the Gender Desk at the Netherlands in Tanzania. With a long-standing career in feminist project implementation and movement building, Mary Rusimbi has excelled in founding several civil society institutions including many NGOs like AMREF, TPHS, TGNP, REPOA, and Partnership African-Canada, HakiElimu, and the Foundation for Civil Society. She is highly skilled in resource mobilization and feminist institution development.

Marije te Tiele is an experienced networker, fundraiser, coach, mentor, trainer and facilitator with over 45 years of combined experience in human/women’s rights programming, movement building, resource mobilization, and management of social justice programmes in Africa. In her work, she skillfully combines head and heart issues, and prefers horizontal leadership in order to build common ground and commitment for practical visions, actions and real results. Together with WFT Trust co-founder Mary Rusmbi, Marije formed the Gender Desk at the Netherlands Embassy in Tanzania. She has also founded the Sheroes Foundation which has supported civil society initiatives since 2009.

Nuria Mshare is a passionate feminist leader who works to see a world where children, youth, and women can get their needs, engage in issues, and be heard. She is the current Tanzania In-Country Representative for the Malala Fund. She has policy analysis, advocacy, development programs, and strategic communications skills. Nuria has led campaigns on food and climate change, led youth leadership programs, and girls’ rights to education. She is an active member of the Africa Women Leadership Network (AWLN). In addition, she serves on the boards of Tanzania Youth Vision Association (TYVA) and Amref Health Africa in Tanzania.

Nasim Losai is a development practitioner with vast experience in grant making, gender and development, project design and management, resource mobilization and philanthropy, and strategic planning. She has conducted research and consultancies on the state of the state of civil society organizations in Tanzania, natural resource management, gender and development, child nutrition, and HIV/AIDS impact on food security. Nasim worked with Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) in the Gender Training Institute. Nasim currently serves as the Business Development and Partnerships Manager at the Foundation for Civil Society.

A playwright, academic, administrator, and researcher, Dr. Penina Mlama has had a diverse background that has weaved together her interests in gender, the performing arts, development, and education. Dr. Mlama has facilitated workshops in primary, secondary schools and Teacher colleges on girls' empowerment and Gender Responsive Pedagogy, published several books and plays on popular theater, and received several awards in recognition of her commitment to Theater for Development and girls' empowerment. She worked as professor at the University of Dar es salaam for many years where she also held the Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial Chair in Pan African studies and where she is currently Professor Emeritus. She also served as Executive Director for the Pan African Forum for African Women Educationalists, Nairobi. She currently serves on several boards including the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, Tanzania Commission for Universities, The Geneva based South Centre and St. John’s University of Tanzania.