Fanelo Ya Mina Institute
Men and Boys for Gender Equality
Homens e Rapazes pela Igualdade do Género
Fanelo has distinguished and well accomplished individuals as board members which gives credibility and provides a strong pillar of support to the organization. The breadth of experience that each of our board members possesses, serves as a guiding principle by which our institution will have to live by, and the wealth of knowledge serves as a reference to the accumulated wisdom of best practices that each of our board acquired throughout their lengthy and successful careers in public service thus serving as reference for the materialization of the vision and mission of Fanelo.
Madam Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (Board Member)
Ms. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka is a South African citizen, the former Deputy President of South Africa and the current Executive Director of UN Women. She was the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President of South Africa (2005 to 2008). Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka initially became a member of parliament in 1994 chairing the Public Service Portfolio Committee. She was Deputy Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1996-1999); Minister of Minerals and Energy (1999-2005) and briefly served as acting Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (2004). Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka also served as member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC (1997 to 2008). She was Young Women’s Coordinator for the World Young Women’s Christian Association in Geneva (1984-1986) and served as the first President of the Natal Organization of Women, an affiliate of the United Democratic Front, when it was formed in December 1983. In 2007 she established a Micro-Enterprise Fund to benefit Women and the Youth. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka also established Umlambo Foundation in 2008 to provide support to schools in impoverished areas in South Africa through mentorship and coaching for teachers and in Malawi through school improvements with local partners. Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka possesses a PHD focused on Technology and Management in education at Warwick University in the UK. She holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy in Educational Planning and Policy from the University of Cape Town (2003) and a BA in Education from the University of Lesotho (1980). In 2003, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Western Cape. Born in 1955, Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka is married with three children.
Mrs. Marta Cumbi (Co-Founder and Board Member)
Marta Cumbi is an Economist with a Master’s Degree in National Development and Project Planning from Bradford University, UK. She worked for the Foundation for Community Development (FDC), a Mozambican not for profit foundation from 1994 to 2012, where she played different roles in the governing structure including Programme Director, Interim Executive Director and Director for Gender, Cooperation and Advocacy. She has served as a Board member of different civil Society organizations and platfomrs as well as government bodies. At national level she played a role of President of the Board of the Mozambican Debt Group and Mozambican Education Network and Head of the Steering Committee of G20 (Mozambican Civil Society Platform for Poverty Reduction) and Vice-President of the National Commission of SADC on Human Development and Special Programmes. Now she is the Chairperson of FAWE-Mozambique and Vice-President of the Mozambican Education Network. At regional and continental levels, Marta Cumbi is a Board Member of AFRODAD (African Network on Debt and Development) and Prominent Educationalist of FAWE (Forum of African Women Educationalists). At International level she is a Board Member of CIVICUS (Worldwide Alliance for Citizen Participation).
Mr. Dumisani Rebombo (Board Member)
Mr. Rebombo is a South African citizen, with more than 28 years of relevant work experience as a gender activist with emphasis on the areas of HIV and AIDS, Gender Based Violence along with men engagement related issues. Mr. Rebombo, currently works for Sonke Gender Justice Network as One Man Can National Manager responsible for their office based in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga. Before joining Sonke, Mr. Rebombo worked for the Olive Leaf Foundation as their Senior Manager: Programme Development Specialist. In this position, he was in charge of programme design and the management of the programs technical team, including the M&E division. A prominent member of the MenEngage network, Mr. Rebombo was appointed Regional Coordinator for East and Southern Africa MenEngage networks (2006-2009) while working at EngenderHealth South Africa on the Men As Partners program. Mr. Rebombo has delivered presentations and conducted many skills-building workshops at various national and international conferences. He has written a number of publications about his gender activism and has designed and reviewed several gender training manuals and toolkits. He has also appeared in countless radio/television interviews and discussions both nationally and internationally. Mr. Rebombo graduated from Damelin College with a Diploma in Human Resources Management and went on to study Community Development at the University of South Africa. Mr. Rebombo is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development with Staffordshire University in the UK.
Governance/ Governação
Mrs. Marlene Manave (Co-Founder and Audit Chairperson)
Ms. Manave is a Mozambican citizen who possesses a degree in Economics. She is currently the CEO of the Mozambican Airlines (LAM). She has more than 25 years of relevant experience in the field of aviation. She also worked for several organizations such as the USAID mission in Mozambique and FDC. At FDC, she provided financial technical capacity building to FDC staff & their local partners during the implementation of the USAID funded project Khuluvuka (2001-2004). Mrs. Manave is married and has two (2) children.
Mrs. Maria Gomes Afonso (Co-Founder and Audit Secretary)
Ms. Gomes, is a Mozambican citizen and the actual Country Representative of Village Reach, where she is responsible for all financial, administrative, legal, and regulatory matters of the organization in Mozambique. She coordinates planning and program implementation, oversees financial controls and reporting, and manages government and partner relationships. Mrs. Gomes possesses over 25 years of work experience in planning, finance, accounting, and program development gained through her involvement across several organizations including government, civil society and developmental agencies. Prior to joining Village Reach Mrs. Gomes worked for FDC where she served as the Financial & Administrative Officer of Khuhluvuka Project (2001-2004).