Munali Youth Empowerment Program
Project Name: Munali Youth Empowerment Program
Project Leader: Blessed Ngoma
Area of Focus: Youth Education, Food Assistance
Location: Zambia, Africa
Partners Since 2020
Fundraising Goal: $8,000
The Munali Youth Empowerment Program (MYEP) provides early learning resources—books, reading workshops, health and safety programs—in the Lusaka Province of Zambia.
MYEP’s Knowledge in Motion initiative began in 2020. Since then, it has impacted more than 150 children with book deliveries and literacy workshops, facilitating unity through shared storytime. Books are borrowed on a rotating basis and are read individually or in a group, with many MYEP volunteers offering their time to read out loud. Moving forward, the project will provide the option for children and their families to receive books and educational materials in the comfort of their own homes.
Donated funds provide school supplies, books, and bicycles, which are essential for volunteers to reach more children in the community. Just 30 USD builds a new streetside library in Zambia.
With 17 years of nonprofit and corporate leadership experience, followed by 15 years founding, growing and selling her own businesses, plus multiple volunteer leadership roles, Suzanne is a values driven leader who is passionate about making systems, structures and organizations perform better for all stakeholders.
Meghan McClain Garcia was born in West Virginia and grew up moving every few years nationally and internationally with her family. Her early travels internationally inspired her interest in development and healthcare, leading her to study International Relations at the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a minor in chemistry and certificate in Spanish. She went on to obtain her Master’s of Public Health in Epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Dr. Zoe Kopp is originally from Tarrytown, New York. She has lived and worked throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. She received her PhD in Health Behavior from Union Institute and University in 2007 and her Master of Public Health in epidemiology and evaluation from Tulane University in 1987. In 1981 she founded North Florida Women’s Health and Counseling in Tallahassee, Florida, and was guest Lecturer at Florida State University. During 1987-1989 she was Clinical Services Officer for International Planned Parenthood Federation and led that organization’s development of clinical guidelines for reproductive health and quality of care initiatives. As Deputy Director for Primary Health Care for CARE International (1990 -1992) she guided health education programming and expanded HIV prevention activities in Asia and Africa. Dr. Kopp, as a consultant to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) programs, authored several texts on Women’s Health/Urology and helped to establish the continuing education department for the Indian Medical Association. Zoe is retired from Pfizer, where she was Senior Director of Outcomes Research, leading international research teams and studies from 1996 until 2012. She and her husband currently reside in Vermont.
Yasodhara (Dhara) is the Treasurer of GRACE Cares. She lives in Needham, MA with her husband and two sons.
Daryl Caggiano joins the GRACE Cares Board from Boston, Massachusetts, where she is pursuing a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University. She has spent the last decade working and volunteering for international NGOs that support global health care, low-caste women in Nepal, and educational opportunities for marginalized girls in South Asia. In her nonprofit work, Daryl has served in various capacities, including board member, secretary, communications director, and copywriter. She is passionate about empowering disadvantaged individuals and communities to realize their aspirations and helping GRACE Cares fulfill its mission to act as a catalyst for development.
Philippe Elghouayel is an experienced managing director with a demonstrated history of working in the food production industry. Skilled in international project management, Intercultural communication, sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and capacity development. Strong business development professional with a Diplome Sciences Politiques focused in Political Science – International Economy from Institut d’Etudes politiques de Paris.
Kasey Ochiltree joins the GRACE Cares Board from Boston, Massachusetts, where she is currently the Program Specialist for the Humanitarian Team at Oxfam America. Kasey graduated with her MA in International Peace Studies from the University for Peace in Costa Rica and her BA in Intercultural Studies with minors in Missions and Islamic Studies from Houghton College in Houghton, NY. Her growing area of focus with Oxfam is around Gender Justice and Transformative Leadership for Women’s Rights. Kasey enjoys soccer, photography, and exploring the world. She is very excited for this opportunity to be a part of the GRACE Cares community.
Dean Gallea is a co-founding board member of GRACE Cares. A test engineer with Consumer Reports since 1974, Dean has provided mentorship, technical expertise and capacity building to GRACE Cares projects for over a decade. Dean continues to lead annual service tours in the Dominican Republic with Project Hearts. He is passionate about the transformative effect of technology, arts, health and education for GRACE Cares community partners..
Danielle Huffaker is a social scientist, community development practitioner, and communications professional. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree from the Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Oslo, where her thesis research focused on what the Cosmovision of the Maya people of Guatemala can offer a transformative enactment of climate change adaptation. She has eight years of involvement in grassroots development projects in Indigenous communities in Guatemala, having lived in Guatemala from 2013-2017. She now lives at the Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth (MAPLE), a training center for developing leaders able to confront global existential crises with wisdom, love, and power. She is excited to lead the board of GRACE Cares because she finds inspiration in the passionate service of local heroes serving their communities all around the world.