Our Staff

Makala Jasper – Chief Executive Officer

BSc in Forestry; MBA in Leadership and Sustainability. I have been working for MCDI ever since it was established in 2004. I am passionate about our cause, because of the tangible changes we bring to the lives of poor people. Our strategy of bringing about development through forest conservation is very important and it makes us unique. When I am not working I enjoy travelling, because you can learn a lot from exploring news things in life.

Likes: traditional Tanzanian dishes
Dislikes: drinking beer

Jonas Timothy – Director of Field Operations - Head of Landscape & Restoration Department

Diploma in Forestry. I have been working for MCDI since its inception in 2004, and still enjoy it every day! This might be because I love 'the bush life' and staying outdoors, which I can do a lot during my visits to the communities where we work. My favorite moments are evenings staying around a camp fire, hearing stories from different groups of people. My favourite animals are African hunting dogs.

Likes: beer
Dislikes: strong spirits

Glory Massao – Group Certification Manager (FSC) - Head of Certification Department

MSc in Management of Natural Resources and Sustainable Agriculture. I started working for MCDI in 2010. My favorite parts of the job are working with my fantastic colleagues, who all are equally committed to the work we are doing. I also enjoy visiting the villages where we work; sometimes it takes time for local people to grasp the processes involved in managing their forests, but the feeling when they really understand and are grateful is very rewarding.

Likes: cooking, baking cakes, and watching soap operas
Dislikes: drinking beer (but a bit of wine is OK!)

Yuvenal Pantaleo – Project Manager & Assistant Group Certificate Manager

MSc in GIS and Natural Resources Management. I've been working with MCDI since 2010, before which I worked for WWF-Tanzania as a voluntary Technical Field Assistant. This job is an adventure to me because I love nature and interacting with different people. It's also so rewarding to be able to actually see the benefits nature can provide when communities act to manage it responsibly - it truly changes lives. In my spare time I like travelling to experience new ideas and cultures. 

Likes: seafood, cold beer and fresh juice
Dislikes: soda

Innocent Anthony – Marketing & Sustainability Manager - Head of Marketing & Communications Department

Bachelor of Business Administration; Master of International Business(MIB). I have been working for MCDI since August 2019. I am so grateful to see that the economic and social needs of the villages supported by MCDI are improving.

Likes: Listening to music and watching movies
Dislikes: Staying Idle

Emme Abel – Finance Officer - Head of Finance & Administration Department 

Advanced Diploma in Accounting. Throughout my career I have been working in finance departments of several organizations. I started working for MCDI in 2012, and enjoy learning about the importance of conserving community forests - the work is very rewarding because of all of the positive changes we have helped bring about. In my spare time I like singing gospel songs and enjoy farming.

Likes: stewed meat with banana, soda or fruit juice
Dislikes: seafood, e.g. octopus and prawns, and beer

Kassim Ulega – Technical Analyst and Communication Officer - Head of Finance/Administration & Marketing/Communication Departments

BSc in Infomation Communication Technology. I have been interested in IT ever since I was young and studied computing at university. I have been working for MCDI since 2015, where I enjoy being able to help my colleagues with their (many!) computer crises, and get motivated when I see villagers excited about our support. When I am not working I love to relax and to chat with friends.

Likes: my favorite food is ugali with fish and I like to drink water. I also like the rainy season in Tanzania when it isn't too hot
Dislikes: Wasting time

Lasima Nzao - Field Manager (RESPECT Project)

Bsc Wildlife Management. I have been working for MCDI since July,2018. I enjoy working with MCDI  because we strive to bring positive change and experience to the community towards management of Natural resources.

Like: Technology and creativity
Dislikes: Violence

Iddi Hamisi – Senior Field Officer

Bachelor of Arts with Education (Geography). I've been employed by MCDI since 2013, and enjoy working with nature and forests; seeing the benefits they bring to local people's livelihoods. In my spare time I enjoy listening to music as a way to refresh and clear my mind.

Likes: Cold weather, chickens and the colour blue
Dislikes: Hot weather, whiskey, cats and the colour red

Benjamin Kisoka - Field Officer

BSc in Wildlife Management. I started working for MCDI since March, 2018. I really enjoy working at MCDI because we work as a team to ensure we succeed on conserving biodiversity.

Likes: Reading books, Bird watching, Watching animal documentaries

Dislikes: Drinking Beer, Soda, Wine

Joseph Protas – Field Officer

BSc in Environmental Sciences and Management. I've been working for MCDI since August 2014. I especially enjoy visiting the villages where we work and watching communities really get engaged in forests conservation activities and earning money from sustainable timber. In my spare time at the weekends I like watching movies or football.

Likes: soft drinks
Dislikes: smoking cigarettes and drinking beer

Mariagoreth Rweikiza - Field Officer

BSc in Forestry. I started working for MCDI since July, 2018. I do enjoy friendly environment among staff at MCDI, also I enjoy interacting, listening to local knowledge and skills from communities we are working with.

Likes: Listening and dancing music

Dislikes: Being underestimated

Yusuph Kassim – Driver Cum Mechanic

I've been working for MCDI since 2011. I'm a mechanic by trade, and love driving through dense forest, on the rough roads. In my spare time I enjoy watching football.

Likes: Remote and peaceful environments
Dislikes: Being ignored or undermined

Eward Mosha – Senior Field Officer

Bachelor of Arts with Education. I started working for MCDI in 2013. I really enjoy it because we work as a team we understand each other and live like a family; staff are so kind the door is open to anybody who wants to learn more about what we do here. Our interaction with communities is also next to none and we help them realise the benefits of forests for their livelihoods, so they understand and become fully committed to preserving them. After work, I normally like to make stories with my friends and exchange ideas about work.  

Likes: watching football (Chelsea fan!) and the colour blue (obviously - Chelsea)
Dislikes: spiced food (pilau)

Mussa Shija - Field Officer

BEd in Geography and History, before joining MCDI in 2017 I was teaching geography in a secondary school. I love working here as part of the team and I am grateful to work with rural communities, seeing villagers use their forests in a sustainable manner. I enjoy working in the bush as a field officer as I like the natural air, animals and birds. Outside of work I enjoy watching movies and playing games.

Likes: seafood and pilau rice
Dislikes: strong spirits

Fredson Mwendo - Governance and Livelihoods Officer

BSc in Agricultural Education and Extension; Postgraduate Diploma in Education. I began working for MCDI in 2010 after working as a Government Environmental Education Officer in the Ministry of Education. I decided to make the move to fulfil my dreams to work with rural communities in conserving the beauty of Tanzania's natural environment. I enjoy my work because it exposes me to an array of different people, and I am able to learn from their different ways of living; being in the field gives me a sense of freedom. In my spare time, I like gardening and listening to the birds.

Likes: all things traditional - beer, food and dancing 
Dislikes: soft drinks and sea food

Lidya Mpinga - Assistant Field Officer

BSc Forestry. I started working with MCDI at the end of 2019, I enjoy working here because I have the opportunity to conserve the environment through activities such as tree planting. I enjoy working with communities because regardless of what I know, I learn so much more from them. Outside of work, I enjoy learning languages and playing sports.

Likes: listening to music and when it rains cats and dogs

Dislikes: working with lazy people

Joel Fares - Project Administrator

BSc in Cultural Anthropology and Tourism. I worked as a part time tutor at the National College of Tourism before starting at MCDI in 2013. I like how supportive the management team at MCDI is, and in general the good working atmosphere and cooperation between staff. At the weekends, I like to go dancing and to watch movies.

Likes: Serengeti beer, black and white colours, and my favorite animals are dogs
Dislikes: Nothing

Hadharat Swai - Field Officer

Diploma in Forest. I have been working for MCDI since November,2018. Team working and collaboration is what I'm enjoying the most at MCDI.

Likes: I like watching Football

Dislikes: Nothing

Deogratius Msoffe - Field Officer

Certificate in Wildlife tourism. I started to work for MCDI since October, 2018. I do enjoy team working and collaboration from MCDI staff and communities, The knowledge and experience I am gaining is what I value the most.

Likes: Reading books, watching football

Dislikes: Segregation

Yusuph Kiangio - Senior Field Officer

BSc in Forestry. I joined MCDI in September of 2016, and enjoy working with rural communities to ensure conservation of their forests for future generations.

Likes: reading news papers and stories
Dislikes: cassava

Emanuel Mlimitho - Field Officer

BSc in Rural Development. I've been working for MCDI since January, 2018. I do enjoy team working with rural communities to ensure sustainable forest conservation for the future.

Likes: Watching football and reading books

Dislikes: Beer

Tryphone Chuwa - Assistant Field Officer

Advance Diploma in Development Planning and Economic Management. I have been working for MCDI since November, 2019, and still enjoy it every day! This might be because I love 'the field life', which I can do a lot during my visits to the communities where we work. My favorite moments are evenings camping and sharing light moments with my colleagues, hearing stories from different groups of people. My favorite animals are ‘big cats’.  I’m so grateful to see the community’s needs are strongly supported by MCDI.

Likes: music and football

Dislike: strong spirits

Paolo Kwilanga – Driver Cum Mechanic

I've been with MCDI since 2013. As a driver, I enjoy it when we expand to new villages, so that I can travel to new places and see the forests they have there. I am a mechanic and chainsaw operator by trade.

Likes: Fruit juice
Dislikes: Gossip

Lucy Boniphace  – Office Administrator and Personal Assistant to the CEO

B.A in Geography and Environmental Studies. I have joined MCDI since October 2017. I love working in conservation areas since nature is life and life is nature. Being close to the communities that practice forestry is what makes my career.

Likes: Outing,Dancing and listening to the music

Dislikes: None

Trezia Nyika – Accounts Clerk

Diploma in Community Development. I began working for MCDI after receiving my Diploma. I am passionate about this line of work because I like to serve communities by helping them to participate in forest conservation. Besides that, the organisation is very supportive to its staff and my colleagues are great.

Likes: dancing at weddings and listening to gospel music
Dislikes: cooked bananas, mushrooms and seafood

Fatuma Saidi – Office Assistant

I have been working for MCDI since 2009, and have a background in cooking and cleaning. In my spare time, I enjoy dancing to traditional music.

Likes: Ugali and beans
Dislikes: Mlenda