Our Board

Board Members

Ivy Chihana

Chairperson

Ivy Chihana

Ivy is a lawyer by profession and provides Orant Charities Africa with legal advice and direction to ensure corporate compliance and that program implementation is inline with both international and Malawian laws. Before becoming a lawyer, Ivy was a secondary school teacher and her 7 years’ experience in teaching helps with our Education program and general program implementation. Ivy currently serves a chairperson for Orant Charities Africa.

Ivy holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Laws (Hons) and also a degree in Education Humanities from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College. Ivy is also pursuing an Executive Masters in Managing Peace and Security in Africa at the University of Addis Ababa at the institute of Peace and Security Studies.

Currently she is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs as the Senior Legal Advisor, where she works as a reviewer and a Refugee Status Determination Supervisor. She assists unaccompanied minors, women and other vulnerable groups in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp by recommending to the Refugees Committee for them to be recognized as refugees for purposes of protection. With close to 6 years’ working experience, Ivy is an innovative, dynamic and versatile leader who leads by example and has great passion to empower women in Malawi.

Effie Malange

Board Member

Effie Malange

Effie is a Business Optimisation Specialist leading over 350 employees, and plays an integral role in advising Orant Charities Africa in business and financial management. Effie’s skills and areas of expertise revolve around Business Strategy, Financial Analysis, Business Development, Research and Planning, Customer Experience, Strategic Sales and Marketing, Agile Methodologies, Process Optimization, Leadership, Change Management & Business Transformation, Project Management, Risk Management, Revenue Generation, P&L Management, Staff Development and Motivation in Cross-Cultural Teams.

Effie holds a Masters degree in Development Management from Leeds University under Beit Trust-Chevening Full scholarship. She also holds a Bachelors in Education (Distinction) from Chancellor College in Malawi and postgraduate professional Diploma in Marketing. Effie is a Chartered Marketer by Chartered Institute of Marketing U.K. Effie was a Malawi Student Delegate at the 15th Education Ministers of Education from the Commonwealth in UK-Edinburgh and has also received the National Bank Best Student Achievement Award (2002/2003). Effie has also received two essay writing awards for Winner-INTER-ACTION Program, British Council (2006) and Best Authors Award: World Bank’s International Essay Competition (2008).

Apart from serving in the OCA board, Effie has served on the Board of Trustees of Standard Bank pension fund and Farmers Forum for Trade & Social Justice (FAFOTRAJ). Effie has also served as a Chairperson of National Financial Inclusion Taskforce for Commercial Banks and was successfully appointed as a member of the Standard Bank’s Country EXCOs Strategy Think Tank-group of 5 banks’ talent.

Effie is one of the longest serving Board of Trustees of OCA and her leadership is exceptional.

Joyce Mataya

Board Member

Joyce Mataya

Joyce has over 15 years’ experience in organizational development at the local and international level, over 7 years’ experience in program management including liaising with donors and other stakeholders, and over 20 years’ of experience in designing and facilitating organizational development interventions and training programs. Joyce assists OCA is strategic planning and organisation development. Joyce has spent most of her career in non-profit organisations and consulting. Currently she is working as a Capacity Development Program Advisor for Pact where she leads capacity development components for local partners implementing various programs, including SRHR, 4Children, LINKAGES and DREAMS

Joyce holds a Masters of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Unicaf) and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Bunda College of Agriculture, Malawi.

Apart from serving in OCA board she has also served as a Commissioner for Competitions and Fair Trade, Council Member for the Hunger Project, Board Member, Board Chair, Malawi Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (MANET+), Board Chair, Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) and also Board Member, Actionaid Malawi. Joyce has worked outside Malawi on short term assignments in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Ethiopia, Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa and Botswana.

Orant Charities Africa Board of Directors. Tom Brennan

Thomas Brennan

Treasurer

Thomas Brennan

Tom grew up in a small farming community in upstate New York, and moved to Texas in 1972. He holds a degree in Construction Management from Wentworth Institute, Boston, MA, and a BA from the University of Texas, Austin (UT). He started his working life as a journeyman carpenter and later became a private contractor, launching several small businesses. He joined the nascent construction and agricultural laser business in 1982 and has enjoyed an exciting career promoting those technologies in North America and Australia throughout his career. He is one of the founders of GeoShack, NA, and a current Vice President. Tom is an active parishioner at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, and a supporter of Covenant House.

Happily married to his wife, Susan, for 38 years, they have two wonderful sons, one of whom has joined Tom for two life-changing trips to Malawi. He looks forward to continued work with this remarkable organization.

Dr. Melda Phiri

Board Member

Dr. Melda Phiri

Melda Phiri is a Medical Doctor at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Project Malawi. Since her childhood, she has had a desire to serve others.

During her first 3 years at UNC Project, she worked with a team to study pneumonia in under-fives. Seeing severely-ill children cured as a result of her work remains one of her major achievements.

She is excited to offer her skills and knowledge to help Orant continue to accomplish great things. She is pleased that Orant implements African solutions to solve African challenges.

Dexter Chipilingu

Board Member

Dexter Chipilingu

Dexter is a businessman specialising in agriculture and logistics. His expertise revolves around warehousing, marketing, value addition, speculation, community interaction and logistics. Dexter is also a farmer and his expertise assists OCA in advising about agriculture programs. Dexter thoroughly understands the rural logistics of Malawian agriculture. Dexter is the general manager of Katayanzuli traders. Dexter also serves on the board of Bowe Mission Farmer’s Association as a Treasurer. Dexter is known for his business acumen and popularity in the community. This helps him to advise OCA how to work better with people at the grassroots level.

Michael Tenny

Board Member

Michael Tenny

Michael Tenny has advanced knowledge in direct marketing, fundraising, management, operations, entrepreneurial start-ups, and surplus goods procurement. His management experience includes call centers, warehouses, and mid-size companies. He has business skills in financial management, business reporting, banking relations, and directing staff. His operational skills include facility design and layout, material handling, shipping, construction and developing site plans. Michael has been self-employed and has run private companies that vary from five to 200 employees. Michael is an expert at developing goals, decision making and small group dynamics.

Michael graduated in 1979 from the University of Missouri with an undergraduate degree in General Agriculture, specializing in grain crops, animal husbandry, biology, water resource systems and agricultural economics. Michael has Masters Degrees in Applied Economics and an MBA in Marketing.

Michael is a co-founder of Orant Charities and travels regularly to lead teams to Malawi. Michael enjoys camping and hiking. He has a keen sense for wilderness survival, advanced first aid and emergency preparedness. Michael is also an Eagle Scout.

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