Educators Dedicated to Change
KIA educators are recruited from across the continent and the world. They bring experience in global best practice in education, including experiential learning, student-centered instruction and the use of technology to meet individual learning needs. The KIA teaching team models the Academy’s core values of resilience, service and excellence.
KIA’s Leadership and Teaching Team
Gordon Odundu
Country Director
Gordon has more than 20 years of experience as a top executive in the health sector. His specialty is securing the financial stability and sustainability of the organizations he works in. He has designed and led interventions focused on improving the effectiveness of numerous organizations, health sectors, and departments - promoting collaboration, resolving conflict and ultimately improving outcomes.
Alice Rwamo
Head of School
Alice has served as a committed lecturer and an English teacher trainer for over 16 years at the University of Burundi and the Teacher Training High School (ENS). The academic insights obtained both in TESOL (MA TESOL from Griffith University) and in African Linguistics (MA Linguistics and PhD in Applied Linguistics from Makerere University) have granted her aptitude to analytically capture both dichotomies in her research and teaching endeavors.
Gretta Agiramahoro
Boarding School Supervisor
Gretta holds a BA from Saint Cloud State University, Saint Cloud, MN, USA. She majored in both International Relations and Political Science. She also has a Master's in Public Administration. Gretta has done administrative work at her previous workplaces and customer service work. She has volunteered to work with middle school students (grades 7-9) throughout her college life.
Leonidas Ntibinonoye
Deputy Head of School
After obtaining the teacher's diploma at the Teacher Training School of Rutovu, Leonidas got a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Burundi. He has mainly worked in the Ministry of Education, then in the territorial administration as coordinator of community development and public health projects.
Genevieve Pool
Global Perspectives Teacher
Genevieve holds a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, WA D.C., USA, where she specialized in Culture and Politics. She has a background in college admissions and English literacy, working in non-profits and schools in New York, Washington, DC, and Bugesera, Rwanda. She is also the School Counselor at KIA.
Angele Nduwimana
French Teacher
Angele holds a bachelor’s degree in French language and literature from the University of Burundi. She has been trained in the improvement of French teaching techniques, second language, teaching language and administration in Burundi.
Jean Pierre Niyongabo
English and French Teacher
Jean Pierre holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Burundi in the Institute for Applied Pedagogy, English Department. With 10 years of teaching experience, he has served in different secondary schools and houses of translation services both in Burundi and Kenya countries.
Augustin Nzohabonayo
Chemistry Teacher
Augustin has a degree in Chemical Sciences from the University of Burundi. He got his certificate of internship in Experimental Science Practices delivered by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Burundi in collaboration with the University of Louvain (Belgium) in 2008. He has been teaching for 39 years.
Willy Bellard Kira
Physics Teacher
Willy holds a Bachelor’s degree in physics obtained at the University of Burundi. He also holds a master’s degree in Physics from the Institute of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (IMSP)-Université d’Abomey Calavi in Benin. He has worked at the University of Burundi as an assistant lecturer of Physics.
Alexis Arakaza
Mathematics Teacher
Alexis holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematical Sciences issued by the University of Burundi. In addition, he holds a Master's degree in Mathematical Sciences from the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Tanzania, and a Master's degree in Mathematics from the University of Rwanda.
Deogratias Ndagijimana
Biology and Swahili Teacher
Deogratias has been teaching different subjects for more than a decade. Besides being a biology teacher by training, he also teaches other subjects including Physics and Swahili. He is fluent in three languages: English, French, and Swahili as well as Kirundi, his mother tongue.
Emile Kwizera
Arts Teacher
Emile holds a Bachelor’s degree in African Literature from the University of Burundi. Prior to joining Village Health Works, Emile worked at the Ministry of Arts and Culture as an adviser to the Director of the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation. He has extensive knowledge of Burundian culture.
KIA Education Committee
The Education Committee’s purpose is to advise the senior management of VHW on the mission and KIA’s performance. It will also advise on VHW’s separate efforts to address the educational needs of the Kigutu community. The Committee will serve as a repository for education best practices in Burundi and internationally. As previously mentioned, we have hired new teachers and administrators to help usher in our second class of students.
Léonce Ndikumana
Léonce is the Chair of the KIA Education Committee and a Distinguished Professor of Economics and Director of the African Development Policy Program at the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA.
Dennis Hanno
Dennis is a higher education leader, educator, and social entrepreneur. He holds the position as President of Wheaton College in Norton, MA, USA. Dennis is also the founder and CEO of IDEA4Africa, which educates, mentors and incubates young entrepreneurs strengthening society.
Rishi K Narang
Rishi is the Founding Principal of T2AM and is an advisor to DARPA, Planet Labs, AngelList, Hyperion Decimus, Mission Road Sound, McKinley Capital, and Equeum.
He holds the Board Chair of the Board of Directors at VHW.
Deogratias “Deo” Niyizonkiza
Deo, Founder and CEO of Village Health Works, is a leading advocate for some of the world’s most impoverished and vulnerable people. Deo worked closely with Paul Farmer at Partners in Health in Haiti and Rwanda. In 2005 Deo returned to Burundi and founded Village Health Works.
Jeanine Ntihirageza
Jeanine is a Professor of Linguistics at Northeastern University in Chicago, IL, USA. Her research explores genocide and human rights. She is the founding Director of the Center for Genocide and Human Rights Research in Africa and the Diaspora at Northeastern Illinois University.
JuliJulien Nimubona
Julien is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Burundi and a former Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He earned a Master of Research in Political Science at the University of Bordeaux (I.E.P) and a PhD in Political Science at the University of Pau (France).
Yvette Nibigira
Yvette is a lawyer by training with a Law Degree from the University of Ngozi, and is a judge in the Anti-Corruption Court. She also served as a judge in Tribunal de Grande Instance in Bujumbura, and the Tribunal de Résidence of Musaga.
Daniel Ngabire
Daniel is a cancer researcher and scientist. He has lectured at the University of Burundi, the University of Ngozi, Hope Africa University, and the University of Mwaro teaching Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bacteriology, Virology, Immunology, Microbiology, Mycology, Entomology, and laboratory practical experiments.
Megan Newman
Megan is the Senior Vice President and Publisher at Penguin Random House, New York, NY, USA, where she runs two non-fiction imprints. She is a longtime member of the Board of VHW.
Elavie Ndura
Elavie is a Professor of Education at Humboldt State University, CA, USA, where she serves as Associate Vice President for Diversity, and Campus Diversity Officer.
Honorabe Janvière Ndirahisa
Janvière is an Elected Member of the Parliament (Député, Makamba representative), and the Regional Director of the Regional Training Facility on Prevention and Suppression of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the Great Lakes Region.