Our Staff
OKELLO RONALD
Deputy Director
Ronald’s bright smile isn’t the only reason he is the face of the campaign at Kope Foundation. He was born in one of the villages with which Kope partners, but he assures all parties that this project is built on hard work, not family ties. Ronald’s diverse work experience is directly relevant to the diverse operations of Kope Foundation having worked with other non-governmental organizations, some in the Acholi area, some with international recognition.
Ronald is passionate about three things: raising awareness about the need of education in his community, financial literacy and gender-responsive strategies, making him a shoe-in for Kope’s work. Ronald says that every experience is a learning experience and credits his success to that outlook. We say it’s his charm and his smarts. Either way, it works.
ANKUNDA BEN
Deputy Director
Ben doesn’t look at a cucumber or sweet pepper the same way that you and I do. Ben sees food and agriculture as a sector in need of not only investment but advancement in Uganda. Value addition is a term that gets Ben very excited and it is innovations in this area that will give farmers in Pader the most income and impact for their efforts.
Ben has experience working in business administration, agricultural project supervision and most importantly commercial-scale agriculture. With Kope Foundation, Ben hopes to increase capital in local communities, fight hunger and commercialize agriculture in all parts of Uganda, starting with Pader. Ben’s passion is only matched by the size of his ideas and Ben likes big outcomes, so he thinks accordingly. We enjoy watching him work.
ONGENA IVAN (BOBI)
Deputy Director
Bobi seems to jump in to every Kope project with enthusiasm and a smile. No matter whether it is time for hard work or a good laugh, Bobi is always ready for both. Bobi has experience working with other Acholi organizations but comes from a primarliy business background. Still, he is learning about the world of NGOs with incredible speed, and will bring an invaluable business perspective.
Despite being a male, Bobi is learning how to make sanitary pads and how to create awareness about womens’ menstrual health issues. He is also helping us develop systems for accountability and management of Kope’s various projects. Therefore, Bobi is our man of many hats who will be relied upon to ensure that Kope’s projects are creating profit for the community.
ADONG NANCY
Deputy Director
With experience working in the non-profit world in the region, Nancy is a multi-faceted asset to the team. Nancy’s main assets include her accounting background and her passion for women’s issues. Nancy regularly leads discussions about issues affecting women, when she isn’t tracking every shillings spent by the Kope team as they carry out Kope’s projects.
Nancy is Acholi, which helps her communicate and create a safe space for the women with whom Kope works to benefit. She puts as much thought into her careful management of the books as she does into her work with the community. Nancy’s hope is that she can create a better world for women within Pader’s communities, and we feel confident in her ability to realize her vision.
STACEY NELSON
Director
Stacey is not Acholi, but don’t tell her that. Stacey first lived in Pader in 2011 while studying Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship and fell in love with the community’s resilience and their smiles. Realizing the need for economic development in Pader, Stacey began work to raise money for that goal in 2016. Taking a break from her work in LA for a year, Stacey is on the ground in Uganda overseeing Kope’s projects and simultaneously in the US getting more money.
Stacey is of the philosophy that leaders eat last, which is why you won’t find her on the top of this page, nor speaking too much at community meetings. She sees her role as fundraiser and the community as the experts. Not only that, her role as Director is only possible by the great work of Kope’s Deputy Directors, and a strong faith in Kope Foundation’s mission.