Meet us

Trustees (Rwanda)

Nicolette Nsabimana General Secretary

Nicolette has been a key supporter of rYico from its inception. She has many years experience working with the youth of Rwanda and worked for the Ministry of Youth from 1995 to 2000. She has held the post of Centre Manager and General Secretary for four years.

Other to be added shortly.

Trustees (UK)

Neil Ansell

After many years working in the voluntary sector, Neil joined the BBC as a journalist, and in this capacity has travelled to Rwanda and filmed there. He has been involved with rYico for nearly 5 years, since soon after it was founded. He is also trustee of a large national charity for Gypsies and Travellers, and has experience of management in the voluntary sector.

Nyawa Bottomley

Nyawa begain her career working in PR and marketing within the publishing industry before moving into the voluntary sector to work with disadvantaged families and children in the UK. Her first role was working within community development at MOSAIC, Black and Mixed Parentage Family Group followed by her current position at The Children's Country Holidays Fund as Volunteer Co-ordinator. She has been a volunteer at rYico since moving to Brighton in 2004. Nyawa has stepped down temporarily but may return to the board in future.

Anna Chippendale Treasurer

Anna currently works for Brighton and Hove Integrated Care Service (BICS), a non for profit organisation that works closely with the NHS across Brighton and Hove. She has previous experience in the field of international development working for the International HIV/AIDS Alliance for three and a half years. She has been the Treasurer on rYico's board of trustees since the charity's inception and has visited Rwanda twice.

Laura Craggs Secretary

Laura Craggs has been working in the international development field for four years with the Institute of Development Studies, and more recently at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Prior to this she was working as a professional freelance translator with various NGOs and charities working in French-speaking Africa. She has been a volunteer with rYico since 2007 and became a trustee in 2010.

Leila Zadeh

Following work in South America and Africa, Leila completed an MA in Development Studies at the University of Leeds. She went on to work for ActionAid in Brussels and currently works for the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

Founders

Vivenie N. Mugunga

Viv currently runs rYico operations in the UK. Previously, Viv has worked in the UK with groups of young refugees, homeless young people and disabled children and has undertaken a variety of fundraising activities for different Rwandan charities.

Nicola Palmer

Nicole graduated from Sussex University with an MA in Rural Development in 2002. Nicola was been based in Rwanda from 2004 - 2008.