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Meet the Mentees

Heather Knorr

Nationality / Country of Residence: USA

Languages: English

Heather Knorr

Heather Knorr recently joined USAID’s Act to End Neglected Tropical Diseases West Program as a Program Officer II with FHI 360. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University. She has completed internships with the United Nations World Food Programme, Catholic Relief Services, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and also served as a Community Health Educator with the United States Peace Corps in Ethiopia focusing on WASH, nutrition, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and maternal and child health. 

A fun fact about me: I absolutely love being outdoors, especially hiking and running! I am currently training for a half marathon in the spring. 

Kevine Tiogouo

Nationality / Country of Residence: Cameroon

Languages: English. French

Kevine Tiogouo

Kevine Tiogouo is an epidemiologist by training and comes to the program with an in-depth knowledge of infectious diseases. She began her career in clinical research by working as a data manager and data analyst at the Research Foundation of Tropical Disease and Environment in Cameroon. Through her work, she helped carry out behavioral change activities within communities in Cameroon to diminish the propagation of infectious diseases and conducted monitoring and evaluation of data to ensure decisions taken were based on evidence and the project course was continually redirected for a better response.

I am excited about the mentorship program because: it will give me an opportunity to gain knowledge and awareness about water and hygiene practices as this will contribute to solving public health issues and promoting health.

Lia Clark

Nationality / Country of Residence: Chinese/USA

Languages: English

Lia Clark

Lia Clark recently completed her Master’s of Development Engineering at UC Berkeley and holds a Bachelor’s in Environmental Engineering from Colorado State University. During her Master’s program, Lia worked on solving water scarcity issues in Peru, Yemen, and Kenya. For her capstone project, she co-created and designed a community-centered learning platform that promotes nature-based solutions to strengthen the capacity of Indigenous communities in conservation project management. Lia has also spent time as a consulting engineer in water resources and sought out additional volunteer opportunities with non-profit organizations in the past, including with the student chapter of Engineers without Borders CSU and No Barriers USA.

I am excited about the mentorship program because: it will give me an opportunity to learn more about the sector and create lasting relationships.

Persis Ramírez

Nationality / Country of Residence: Dominican Republic

Languages: English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese

Persis Ramírez

Persis Ramírez is a water professional from the Dominican Republic with experience in overseeing projects and programs related to Integrated Water Resources Management in the Caribbean region. She has a background in engineering and a Master’s in Water Sanitation and Health Engineering. Her areas of interest are Water Management, Menstrual Hygiene Management, and Sanitation. In addition, she is a volunteer with the Water Youth Network and the International Water Association on youth initiatives that advocate for diversity and inclusion in decision-making to achieve the SDGs.

A fun fact about me: I am a big fan of observational documentaries.

Ilham Hamid

Nationality / Country of Residence: Ghana

Languages: English

Ilham Hamid

Ilham Hamid is a civil engineer currently completing her Master’s degree in Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. For her senior year undergrad project at KNUST, Ilham worked to redesign a biofilm toilet technology addressing the challenge of groundwater pollution and then used this design to run a fully funded project with SEESA Canada, thereby reaching poor households and rural institutions in Ghana. Ilham has a particular interest in design-led innovation, eco-innovation of nanomaterials in water, and waste, as well as research into how they interact with the environment and how they might be engineered to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals.

A fun fact about me: I could eat yogurt every day, forever.

Geetika Pandya

Nationality / Country of Residence: India/USA

Languages: English

Geetika Pandya

Geetika Pandya is a development research professional with a strong passion for gender equity. Geetika has experience working on WASH projects with a menstrual health and hygiene focus and has conducted field research in India and Myanmar and secondary research on menstrual waste disposal in Uganda. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley’s Master of Development Practice program and currently works as a project manager at the Energy Institute at Haas where she manages a socioeconomic evaluation of energy reliability in Ghana.

A fun fact about me: I say hi to every dog I pass on the street.

Puvaneswari Shanmugam

Nationality / Country of Residence: India/Switzerland

Languages: English, Tamil, Hindi

Puvaneswari Shanmugam

Puvaneswari Shanmugam holds a Master’s in Environmental Engineering from ETH, Zurich with a specific focus and interest to pursue a career in the global WASH sector. Puvaneswari hails from a very small town in south India, where getting access to safe water and sanitation was difficult, and these challenges led to her motivation to pursue a career in WASH. During her studies at ETH, she worked as a research assistant at the Swiss Federal Aquatic Research Institute focusing on research on resource recovery from sanitary waste with urine diversion toilets and the treatment of source-separated urine to fertilizer. For her Master’s thesis, Puvaneswari worked on bacterial quality monitoring of treated grey water.

I am excited about the mentorship program because: it will be very beneficial in connecting me with senior professionals in the sector who could provide me with some career guidance.

Rosangela Araujo

Nationality / Country of Residence: Dominican Republic

Languages: English, Spanish

Rosangela Araujo

Rosangela Araujo is a medical student hailing from the Dominican Republic. Since 2015, Rosangela has been actively engaged in environmental and climate activism, and currently serves as the Executive Sub-Director of Juventud Sostenible (Sustainable Youth), an organization that empowers young people to tackle climate change and environmental issues, and equips them with the tools to fight for a healthier planet. She is also a member of YOUNGO and the Global Youth Movement for Water and has completed the Integrated Management of Water Resources course offered by CAP-NET as well as many different related qualifications.

A fun fact about me: I have a weird obsession with the fungi kingdom.

Lusungu Gausi

Nationality / Country of Residence: Malawi

Languages: English, Chichewa, Tumbuka

Lusungu Gausi

Lusungu Gausi comes to the program with experience working in Community Development, after having pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Irrigation Engineering from the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Lusungu recently joined the WASH sector by working with WelthungerHilfe on a BMZ-funded project called “Strengthening WASH Governance.” In the near future, she would like to pursue a Masters’s Degree in Water Resources and Supply Management.

A fun fact about me: I am a professional risk taker (and so far, it has paid off)!

Bridget Atuhaire

Nationality / Country of Residence: Uganda

Languages: English

Bridget Atuhaire

Bridget Atuhaire currently works with the Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment and is passionate about the sustainable use and management of natural resources in Uganda and East Africa. Bridget is a graduate of Petroleum Geosciences and Production from Makerere University and is currently seeking opportunities to complete her Master’s in sustainable development and management of natural and energy resources. Under the Ministry of Water and Environment, she works on the contract management team for a World Bank-funded project on Integrated Water Management and Development, implementing catchment priority measures in the Aswa II sub-catchment.

My biggest accomplishment is: when I was listed on the Vice Chancellor’s list and was the best college student that year.

Magdalene Njola

Nationality / Country of Residence: Malawi

Languages: English, Chichewa, Sena

Magdalene Njola

Magdalene Njola currently works as a Community Development Facilitator with the Malawi Red Cross Society under the Community Resilience Program. She believes that to realize the Sustainable Development Goals, there is a need to involve young professionals that understand the local context and who can also be involved in decision-making. Magdalene brings diverse experience in urban and rural sanitation in Malawi and her research interests include social behavior change and advocacy in Sanitation, WASH in emergencies, WASH in schools, and WASH and climate change.

I am excited about the mentorship program because: it is an excellent platform for me to network and learn more about WASH.

Phourngkev Yangny

Nationality / Country of Residence: Cambodia

Languages: English, Khmer

Phourngkev Yangny

Phourngkev Yangy currently works as a program intern at WaterAid Cambodia and is also in her senior year at Panhasastra University of Cambodia, majoring in International Relations. Before joining WaterAid, Phourngkev worked with youth groups to raise awareness about SDGs and it was around then that she also started to see the gap in living standards between people in my community, especially those who are vulnerable. She also brings some experience in communications including content writing, video and photography, and storyline development. 

I am excited about the mentorship program because: I will have a chance to learn from women from diverse backgrounds and have a chance to support and help each other.

Ruvarangu Mberi

Nationality / Country of Residence: Zimbabwe

Languages: English, Shona, Ndebele

Ruvarangu Mberi

Ruvarangu Mberi is a water engineer by training and has recently started her career focused on integrated water resources management, service delivery, and sustainable development (mainly SDG 6, 11, and 13). Ruvarangu aspires to be a well-rounded leader and has thus been equipping herself by studying diverse topics like policy frameworks, circular economy, and gender mainstreaming. She is passionate about improving livelihoods, especially in underprivileged and marginalized communities with a particular interest in women and children. She is guided in her work by the African proverb “Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu,” which translates to “I am because you are.”

I am excited about the mentorship program because: I get to meet brilliant minds from diverse backgrounds and learn from them to improve my knowledge of challenges and practical solutions for the WASH sector.

Miharisoa Andrianasolo

Nationality / Country of Residence: Madagascar

Languages: French, Malagasy

Miharisoa Andrianasolo

Miharisoa Andrianasolo is currently a master’s student in social policy and development in Madagascar. Her research focuses on local community engagement strategies, with a particular interest in waste management and the study of rural populations’ access to drinking water. In past roles, Miharisoa served as a technical assistant at Happy Tap Co to promote appropriate behavior for hand hygiene among students in public primary schools, and also as a social animator in the field of the promotion of community waste management within the non-governmental organization EDEN.

I am excited about the mentorship program because: it will equip me with the knowledge and skills I need to carry out my work in the WASH sector more professionally.

Ainasoa Rakotondramaka

Nationality / Country of Residence: Madagascar

Languages: English, French, Malagasy

Ainasoa Rakotondramaka

Ainasoa Rakotondramaka completed higher education in the social development field and currently holds a Master’s degree in Population and Development. Ainasoa recently gained her first professional experience related to WASH through a project implemented in the Malagasy territory, known as RANO WASH, whose objective is to improve access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services in the rural areas of Madagascar. Previously, she held internships and job opportunities in various fields, such as project monitoring, gender equality, and social inclusion.

I am excited about the mentorship program because: it is an opportunity for me to acquire knowledge and develop theoretical and practical skills concerning the WASH field.

Samantha Wind

Nationality / Country of Residence: USA

Languages: English

Samantha Wind

Samantha Wind is an environmental health engineer who is passionate about WASH systems strengthening. Samantha holds a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Duke University and will graduate shortly from Stanford University with a Master’s in Environmental Engineering. Last year, she supported an evaluation of the WASH UP! India Program, which was a combined infrastructure sustainability and hygiene education program that aims to improve the knowledge and practice of safe WASH behaviors among primary school students. Samantha’s previous work experience includes internships with IRC WASH, Jacobs Engineering Group, and the Alabama-based Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice.

My biggest accomplishment is: my research on the inter- and intra-rater reliability of hand pump functionality tests was recently published in Science of the Total Environment! 

Sylvia Nyaga

Nationality / Country of Residence: Kenya

Languages: English, Swahili

Sylvia Nyaga

Sylvia Nyaga is a water and sanitation innovator and social entrepreneur dedicated to creating water and sanitation solutions for persons living with disabilities in Africa. Sylvia is the founder of Syna, a social enterprise that works to provide safe and dignified sanitation experiences primarily through the provision of its flagship product, the UTULAV toilet for the elderly, sick, and those living with mobility disabilities. Prior to founding Syna, she worked as a hydraulic designer, as a field technician in solar-powered borehole projects, on water filtration systems, and in fecal sludge management. Sylvia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Water and Environmental Engineering and a Postgraduate Certificate in Social Innovation Management from the Amani Institute.

A fun fact about me: while studying for my undergraduate degree, I uploaded a video of me on Youtube trying to filter my urine to water using a homemade filter.

Vanesa Guerrero

Nationality / Country of Residence: Ecuador

Languages: Spanish

Vanesa Guerrero

Vanesa Guerrero is a sociologist and an environmental and social activist from Quito, Ecuador. Vanesa has always felt an attachment to the environment, influenced by her grandparents, who were farmers all their lives. She is co-founder of AYRIWA with Paulina Alulema and Maria Elvira Lopez, a socio-environmental project that offers a space for training community leaders and works in four areas: restoration of green areas, food sovereignty, community resilience, and waste management. Vanesa currently works in FLACSO ECUADOR, in the SUSTENTO project that seeks to strengthen local initiatives in terms of food security, climate change, and community resilience.

A fun fact about me: I love to dance and I grew up dancing to Andean and tropical rhythms. I always take time to dance, release my emotions, and relax.

Aisha Nankanja

Nationality / Country of Residence: Uganda

Languages: English

Aisha Nankanja

Aisha Nankanja is a passionate and dedicated WASH enthusiast with a particular focus on improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in her community. In the past, she has worked with the Uganda Ministry of Water and Environment as a Sociologist, and she currently works with Rural Water Initiative for Climate Action as Founder and Executive Director while studying to receive her Master’s of Sociology at Makerere University. In her career, she has focused on ensuring the rights of the most marginalized people, especially persons with disabilities, children, and women. She is also committed to breaking down gender barriers and ensuring that all members of society have equal access to clean water.

A fun fact about me: I like meeting new people and making new friends.

María Emilia Santos

Nationality / Country of Residence: Ecuador

Languages: English, Spanish

María Emilia Santos

Emilia Santos is an Ecuadorian, an environmental engineer, and passionate about living in a way that is coherent with her principles: service and care for community and nature and contributing to building a world in which our needs and those of future generations are satisfied without compromising the balance of natural systems. She is fortunate to have been born and raised in the city of Quito, a somewhat chaotic city, but surrounded by mountains and close to pristine natural places. Thanks to this proximity and the joy that comes from living and connecting with nature, since she was a child she understood her responsibility as a steward and caretaker of her surroundings.

I am excited about the mentorship program because: it represents a great opportunity to develop tools, networks, and connections to contribute towards the creation of adaptive, safe, affordable, and resilient WASH systems.

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