TICAH

Mary Ann Burris

Founding Director

Mary Ann Burris is the founder of TICAH. She had a dream of building a body of practical healing work and a team of people doing it who link culture to health, recognizing the wisdom of traditional medicine and cultural ways while creating conditions where all can enjoy equitable relationships, healthy life choices, responsive services, knowledge about our rights and our bodies, emotional and spiritual well-being, ways to create and express ourselves, and the power to decide.

Mary Ann was born in Texas. Her grandparents are from four different bloodlines. Mary Ann has a Ph.D. From Stanford University in Development Studies, an MA in Asian Studies from the University of Oregon and a BA from the University of North Carolina. She has lived in Kenya for 20 years and she lived, studied, and worked in China for 10 years. Before starting TICAH, Mary Ann was a program officer at the Ford Foundation in Beijing and in Nairobi.

Mary Ann has pioneered the use of art, photography, and ceremony in healing, activism, and building community. She believes in the power of beauty and in the wisdom of remembering grandma’s remedies. She is convinced that the way we go largely determines where we get.

Jedidah Maina

Executive Director

Jedidah Maina—holds a Masters of Arts in Project Planning and Management and a Bachelors of Arts degree (Economics and Sociology) from

the University of Nairobi. She has over eight years of experience as an activist, researcher, program manager, and organizer concerning sexual and reproductive health and rights. Jedidah joined Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH) in 2007 as the Sexuality Program Officer. She manages the “Our bodies, Our Choices”, a program that provides safe spaces to learn about our bodies, discuss our sexual experiences, become better communicators, design educational materials, heal from abuse and advocate for changes in attitudes policies, programs and power relationships. Her work includes developing the program, educational materials and training in communities on reproductive health choices. Before Joining TICAH Jedidah worked for Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) where she championed for the enactment and the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act.

Prisca Karachia

Finance and HR Manager

Prisca joined TICAH in March 2017. She is a CPA (K) and holds a degree in Bachelor of Commerce accounting option and works as the

Finance and HR Manager. Previously she worked as an accountant in the flower industry with Kariki Group of companies where she acquired vast experience in the corporate world. She is excited to learn and enjoys being part of all the TICAH programmes. Apart from numbers Prisca also enjoys cooking and trying out new recipes.

Suzanne Mieko Thomson

International Outreach and Art Director

Suzanne joined TICAH in 2015 to support the program teams with monitoring and evaluation, fundraising and communications. Previously, she consulted with Carolina for Kibera and Global Education Fund Kenya supporting organisational development efforts working on a number of projects that included strategic planning, communications, fundraising, bookkeeping, cross cultural communications, and foreign donor/volunteer support.

Suzanne has a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her free time she enjoys taking pictures for friends, collecting fabric, designing things and watching movies. Suzanne is passionate about Kenya, supporting others to build and express their creativity, and cross cultural understanding.

Diana Moreka

Senior Program Manager – SRHR

Diana Moreka joined TICAH in 2018. She has over 10 years’ experience in designing and managing adolescent girls, women and youth programs. Over the years, Diana has built the capacity of a number of organizations by supporting them to develop high impact adolescent girls, women and youth centered tools and curricula as well as training on the same. Diana holds a bachelors’ degree in Sociology and currently pursuing a Masters degree in Project planning and management. Diana coordinates a network of organizations within Sub-Saharan Africa that advocates for access to sexual reproductive health information and rights (SRHR) for girls and women. She also provides technical support to TICAH’s Sexuality program that provides a safe platform for young people to discuss SRHR issues. Diana loves life, dancing, watching local plays, cooking, travelling, meeting new people and learning about their way of life.

Mary Akoth Elias

Program Manager – Healthy Seeds

Mary joined TICAH in December 2008 and she is the community outreach program officer. She brings with her vast experience in community work and movement building. Before joining TICAH, Mary worked at HOPE WORLD WIDE KENYA as site program co-odinator in the orphans and vulnerable children program (OVC) where she helped conduct trainings on psycho-social support for children and their caregivers and mentorship of support groups for people living with HIV/AIDS. She is a known HIV+ activist throughout Kenya who has known of her status for 21 years. She has been a strong advocate for natural treatment, using good nutrition and herbal medicine to treat and manage the opportunistic infection for PLWHA. Mary likes to work with the communities and always gives her best while doing it. One of her goals in life is to empower people living with HIV/AIDS, both young and old, and give hope to the hurting world.

Jeremiah Musyoka

Office Manager

Jeremiah joined TICAH in February 2008. Before joining TICAH Jeremiah worked with AMREF Kenya as Records management Assistant where he gained great experience in records management both electronic and paper documentation. Jeremiah at TICAH is the Office Administrator with great vision of ensuring smooth running of TICAH’s policies and procedures. Jeremiah holds a Diploma certificate in Community Based Health Care from Rural AID Kenya Training institute, Nairobi and an Advanced Diploma certificate in Library and Information Science from the University of Busoga, Uganda.

Elizabeth Amondi Okumu

Program Manager – SRHR

Elizabeth Amondi Okumu- Joined TICAH as an intern in 2010.Holds a diploma in Journalism and Media Studies and is currently a student in the evenings pursuing a degree in Journalism and Media Studies with Majors in Public relations. She works as the assistant program officer of the sexuality program, which creates safe spaces for different groups to talk about their sexual reproductive health and rights in order to make safe and healthy choices. She is a self assured young lady, incredibly willing to learn and to contribute.

Mageda Esolyo

Program Manager – SRHR

Mageda Esolyo joined TICAH in 2014. She is a Program Manager on the SRHR team and doubles up on TICAH’s communications endeavors through traditional and digital platforms. Mageda has participated in various local and regional advocacy campaigns. Trained as a psychologist, Mageda is passionate about women and girl’s health, sexual reproductive health and rights, development and equity in society. As an active global citizen, she believes in expression, feminism, art, culture, tradition and technology as key element to community development. Mageda believes, “We are more alike than we are different.”

Gloria Anniva Wabwire

Program Coordinator – Healthy Seeds

Gloria Anniva Wabwire born in Nairobi Kenya,works as an Assistant Program Officer under the Positive Living ,Children Art and Mural Painting Programs. Gloria joined TICAH in January 16 2012, her responsibilities include report writing, photo taking at events and meetings, record keeping and assisting in community trainings. She graduated in 2010 from Makerere University in Uganda with a degree in Development Studies. During her free time she enjoys playing basketball, socialising and listening to music.

Mickreen Adhiambo

Program Coordinator – SRHR

Mickreen Adhiambo joined TICAH on 1st July 2016 as a Program Coordinator in the “Our Bodies Our Choices” sexuality program that aims to provide safe spaces for women and girls to make informed and safe sexual and reproductive health choices. Mickreen is also part of the communications team focusing on TICAH’s social media. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Gender, Women and Development studies from Egerton University in Njoro, Kenya. Mickreen is a strong willed lady who is always excited to learn and to contribute.

Mercy Oongo

Program Coordinator – SRHR

Mercy Oongo works as a Program Coordinator under the sexuality program, which provides safe spaces to learn about our bodies, discuss our sexual experiences, become better communicators, heal from abuse and advocate for changes in attitudes, policies, programs and power relationships. Mercy’s work also involves designing materials for effective communication and relaying sexual reproductive health information, and providing psycho-social counseling to survivors of gender based violence. Mercy holds a Bachelors degree in Public Health from Kenyatta University and is currently doing her Masters in Public Health.

Phonsina Archane

Program Coordinator – SRHR

Phonsina Archane joined TICAH as an intern in 2016 through the MWF-YALI initiative funded by USAID. Originally from the Republic of Congo, she studied in Kenya where she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and a Diploma in Community Development. Prior to joining TICAH, Phonsina worked with the Congolese government as a consultant for youth led initiatives to tackle unemployment. At TICAH she works as the principal link to francophone partners under the MAMA Network program and supports other aspects of the sexuality program as well. She is a 2018 European Union Young Leader and her hobbies include blogging, cooking and listening to music. As an activist, Phonsina looks forward to the day women and men are equal.

Joseph Kirrinkol Odupoi

Program Coordinator – Traditional Knowledge and Culture

Joseph Joined TICAH in 2015 as a volunteer to work as a translator of the Maasai language. He later worked on compiling the elder’s list and assisting in other programs. After showing interest in the learning circle, he is currently part of the team who work on the medicine wheel program.

Joseph was a volunteer in community development programs in Ngong, he assisted in conservation and management of Ngong forest with Kenya Forest Service. Worked as an intern in Kenya Education Fund (KEF) to support needy students in fees sponsorship. Worked with Malta Forrest Company in partnership with KENGEN as a health and safety officer. Joseph has a diploma in development studies and social work from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Caroline Ngala

Program Coordinator – Traditional Knowledge and Culture

Caroline Ngala joined TICAH in 2014 as a volunteer working with schools and youths as a facilitator and a note taker. In 2017, she became a Program Coordinator working with the traditional knowledge team and also within schools as a facilitator and leader. Carol is one of the founders of the TICAH Youth for Peace, a youth group that supports community work around Kenya and partners with TICAH. Before TICAH, she was working as a PTA teacher in Kibera. Currently pursuing her Bachelors degree in Art, Language and Communition with IT at Maseno University in Kisumu, Carol will be graduating in December 2018. Carol loves team work, working with kids, creativity (in ideas, art and writing) and she’s believes in action and always doing good.

George Chemaket

Program Coordinator – Traditional Knowledge and Culture

George started work at TICAH in 2007, as a garden pioneer and managing daily activities at the botanical garden, Sculpture garden and peace path at the National Museum of Kenya. He worked at Brackenhurst in the department of forestry prior to joining TICAH. He has also worked with the Kenya Seed Company.

Over the years, he has grown to be the garden host at the museum and also a facilitator in the “healthy household program” that is held in various urban settlements in Nairobi. He is currently a facilitator in medicine wheel program particularly in the Learning circle.

George acquired intricate knowledge on plants and the environment from attending various seminars about plants and medicinal knowledge. He has also acquired this Knowledge at Londiani Forestry College where he studied environmental preservation and landscaping. In addition to this, he attended Kitale technical school where he studied sales.

His passion at TICAH is to work closely with elders. He enjoys learning about plants, stones and songs as healing remedies from them, taking into account that he inherited some of his knowledge from his grandfather.