Uganda Team

• Co-Founder/Executive Director: Andrea Pauline
  Andrea is 25 years old and has been living in Uganda since May 2008, working to establish Musana. Andrea has a degree in Management and International Business from the University of Colorado. She originally came to Uganda for a three month microfinance internship which has given her a passion for sustainability and social entrepreneurship, which she believes is part of the solution to global poverty. This has been a major one of her focuses at Musana since the beginning. When Andrea saw the conditions the children were living in at the previous orphanage, she decided she couldn't return home but that she would dedicate her life to building a new home and school for them in a loving and sustainable environment. Andrea is now the legal guardian of 80+ children and leads the staff of 40 Ugandans. She plans to stay in Uganda until Musana has successfully implemented the children's village, the secondary school, the vocation school, and most importantly, is at a point of full sustainability.
• Co-Founder/Director of Operations: Isabirye Hariri Kazindra (Haril)
  Haril is 25 years old and is one of the Ugandan founders of Musana. Haril worked with Andrea in the beginning to establish the home and school after Sally and Leah returned to America to fundraise. Haril received his bachelor's degree in Public Administration and Management from Busoga University. During the week he spends all of his time working at Musana, managing the daily operations. He is a person that never has to be told what to do. He is always working and sometimes he has to be forced to rest. We could go on and on about what Haril does at Musana because the list is endless. Musana would not be where it is today without Harils's hard work and dedication. Haril believes that the kids at Musana are the future leaders of Uganda and he wants to educate them and teach them about the love of God and the importance of helping those around them.
• Co-Founder/Director of Education & Finance: Leah Pauline
  Leah is 23 years old, a Colorado native and sister to Andrea Pauline. She studied at the University of Colorado, earning a degree in Psychology and Spanish Literature. She believes that the way out of poverty is through education and it starts with children! She has lived in Uganda since August 2010, working closely with Andrea and Haril, as well as the education department. During her time in Uganda she has been teaching a class to the children in need of more individualized education. In addition to being a teacher, aunt, and mentor to the children she is also the Sponsorship Coordinator helping to bridge the gap between poverty and the fortunate through building relationships across the globe.
• Co-Founder: Sally Carlson
  Sally is 26 years old and is living in Colorado. In 2008 she traveled to Uganda for a summer internship in the local Iganga hospital. While there, and after witnessing the conditions that 162 children were living in, she jumped on board with the rest of the founding team to create opportunity for the children that now live at MCH! She has a heart for making a difference through increasing quality of life for the children in Uganda, as well as individuals globally. She has her Master's in Speech Language Pathology from PSU and an undergraduate from CU, where she met Leah and Andrea. Currently, she works in Steamboat Springs as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) in the local community hospital. She is pursuing meeting the need of SLP, Occupational Yherapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) services globally through starting an organization with that purpose.
• Headmaster: Ibanda Yona
  Yona is the headmaster of Musana's Nursery and Primary School. Yona was born in 1968 and has pursued a life of education. He received his diploma in education and masters in public administration. Yona is married with three children but he cares for five orphans as well. He has been a deputy headmaster at a secondary school, has lectured at two different universities, and was the director of one of the most well known schools in Iganga. Yona's hobbies are games and sports, debate, politics, helping young people to achieve their full potential, and counseling and guidance.
  
  Quote from Yona: "I joined Musana Community Development Organization in February 2011 with great interest in helping the disadvantaged children in Iganga to achieve their fullest potential. I am greatly interested in working with Musana for the remaining active and productive part of my life. I have plans of getting my PHD in education as a testimony that shows young people what they are capable of with hard work and dedication. I also want to increase my output and value to Musana."
• Farm Manager: Mugabi Isaac
  Isaac was born into a family of 10 children in Entebbe, Uganda. Isaac is hardworking, diligent, and committed man that has devoted his life to developing the farm project at Musana. Isaac has a diploma in Project Planning and Local Government Administration, a diploma in Bible Correspondence, a certificate in Animal and Crop Husbandry, and a certificate in Agriculture Extension Services. Isaac desires to be a man of integrity, wisdom, and knowledgeable enough to carry on with the ministry of "serving" others as God has called him to do. He desires to live an exemplary life to the children of Musana. Isaac has been a blessing to Musana with his love for agriculture, his love for the children, and his love for God.
• Human Resource Manager: Mukungu Johna
  Mukungu Johna is the Human Resource Manager at Musana. He is married with two young children, a three year old girl and a baby boy. Johna was born in Jinja District on January 24, 1980 and is a born again Christian. Johna has a bachelors degree in Public Administration and Management from Busoga University in Iganga as well as a diploma in Secondary Education from Kyambogo University in Kampala. Johna says, "The more you act upon certain ventures the more you quickly benefit. Once time is managed well, success comes on board." Johna is happy to be on staff at Musana.
• Nurse: Auma Monica
  Auma Monica is the nurse at Musana Nursery and Primary School. Monica is from Busei which is the community where Musana is located. In November 2011 Monica received a degree in nursing from Busoga University Institute of Health Sciences School of Nursing and Midwifery. After graduation she volunteered at Iganga District Hospital until being hired as Musana's nurse. It was Monica's desire to specialize in Pediatric Nursing so she is happy to be part of the staff at Musana. Monica describes herself as a single and content Christian woman who loves children.
• Head of Child Care: Nalubega Jovert
  Jovert is 34 years old and is the mother of Musana. She was born in a family of seven children but two of her brothers died at a young age so now there are five. She has two kids, one girl and one boy but her husband died so she is raising them alone. She has a diploma in Hotel and Institutional Catering from Makerere University Business School. She joined Musana Community Development Organization in 2010 as a house mom for the younger girls. She quickly impressed the administration of Musana with her management ability and love of the children. Today she works as the head of child care. Her major aim of being at Musana is to help bring up the children morally, spiritually, and socially. Jovert is also very active in Musana's church and leads the children in devotions every evening. She is a true mother and we could not be happier with how she is raising our kids.
• Head of Crafts and Women's Groups: Tembuli Dennis
  Dennis was born in Iganga in 1989. He grew up as one of eight children and has always loved making crafts. He finished his secondary education and pursued a certificate in peer education. When he heard about Musana, he was volunteering at Uganda Development and Health Associates, an NGO in Iganga. It was at UDHA that Dennis developed his skills in craftwork and decided that this was what he wanted to pursue. Since working at Musana, Dennis has come up with various good quality and low cost products and trained the women in our village groups to produce them. The craft department at Musana would not be where it is today without Dennis's creative mind and positive outlook!
• Pastor Edward
  Edward was born in Iganga in 1986. He studied through high school and began attending Busoga University for a diploma in public administration. Edward has always been a strong believer in God's love and hope for his life and his country. Because of this he decided to pursue becoming a pastor. Although he has never gone to school for it, he has devoted his life to sharing God's word and loving others like God has called him to do. He started coming to Musana as a volunteer to teach the kids bible studies and lead evening devotions. He soon after became our pastor and today leads all of our church programs. Under the leadership of Pastor Edward the church has started an outreach ministry called "Ripple Sunday" where the children give back to their communities; they use of a portion of the offerings taken at church to buy basic necessities for an elderly or ailing widow. Edward has also taken on the role as our social worker, responsible for assessing the needs of families that come to Musana seeking assistance, as well as counseling and guidance of all kids and staff members. While employed at Musana, Pastor Edward intends to complete the public administration program at Busoga University.

Stateside Team

• Administrative Associate: Ashley Leach
  Ashley has always had a heart for missions. She has traveled to Jamaica, Trinidad and Africa with various teams; but never dreamed she would have the opportunity to work so closely with the beautiful people of Iganga, Uganda. She has served all age groups as an occupational therapist in Kentucky and a worship leader for a church in Nebraska. She now lives in Colorado with her husband and four children. Ashley now works to spread the word about our mission and and vision and to connect others with the staff and children of Musana.
• Bookkeeper: Ellen Conner
  Ellen volunteers for Musana Community Development Organization as their bookkeeper. Ellen's background includes a Bachelor of Science Degree from Iowa State University with majors completed in Management, Marketing and Accounting. She worked in accounting with a local CPA and later for a large paper wholesaler in the Chicago area before starting a family. Prior to joining Musana in June 2010, Ellen volunteered extensively over ten years with Good $ense, a national ministry that teaches transformational biblical stewardship. She was trained at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago and then after moving to Colorado helped to start a similar educational stewardship outreach at a twelve thousand member church as a founding core team leader, a teacher of personal financial principles, and a trainer of lay counselors. She worked both on a local level for Good $ense and as a regional representative for the Willow Creek Association. Ellen has always had a heart for children born in to poverty and was involved with Compassion International as a sponsor of five children for the last twelve years, so Musana's mission captured her heart immediately. Ellen has been married to Dave Conner for twenty-nine years, is a mother of four, a new grandmother and presently lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.