AfricAid is proud to announce that Josephine Masandika has been named to the Board of Directors. Masandika is an Engineer at Baxter International, based in Chicago. Her deep and personal connection to AfricAid began in the classroom in Tanzania.
Masandika was the head girl at her school when AfricAid Founder Ashley Shuyler Carter visited to set up several computers that had been donated by the organization. Ms. Carter was impressed by the young student and encouraged Masandika to apply for a scholarship to attend the prestigious Emma Willard School in New York, which she did. Masandika remained involved with AfricAid and helped launch its Kisa Project, a two-year leadership course that prepares girls in their last two years of secondary school to attend university and create positive social change in their communities.
“It is so important for a girl to be able to go to school and have someone believe in you and tell you you’re going to be successful,” shared Masandika. “I am thrilled to join the AfricAid Board where I can use my personal and professional experience to empower young women to reach their full potential.”
“We are honored and delighted to have Josephine on the Board,” said AfricAid Executive Director Jessica Love. “Josephine’s commitment to education coupled with her passion for empowering women and communities will strengthen our performance as an organization. As an alumna of AfricAid programming who has gone on to complete her personal and professional goals, she is the perfect example of the world we are working to create for all girls. Her voice and her experience are such an important addition to our organization. ”
Masandika graduated cum laude from Lake Forest College with a degree in Biology and Neuroscience. She earned a Master of Art in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Masandika also holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification. She dedicates her time mentoring peers from her undergraduate and graduate institutes, as well as coworkers through an internal mentorship program at Baxter International. Josephine currently lives in Chicago and enjoys cooking, running, and DIY projects.
AfricAid works to improve the standing of women in society through robust, locally-led mentorship initiatives that cultivate confidence, improve academic and health outcomes, and promote socially-responsible leadership skills. In close partnership with our sister organization, GLAMI (Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative), we support mentorship opportunities that help secondary school girls in Tanzania complete their education, develop into confident leaders, and transform their own lives and their communities. https://africaid.org/
