Lyra in Africa Boards
The governance structure overseeing Lyra in Africa are made up of three different boards: UK Board, Tanzania Board and Finland Board.
Whilst each board has its own set of governance responsibilities, the three boards work jointly to ensure seamless strategic direction and oversight. Here is a snapshot of each of our current board members across the three boards.
Fares Tarimo - Tanzania Board Chair
Architect Fares Tarimo has been working as a Public servant for over 33 years. He retired as TBA Regional Manager for Iringa in 2019. A graduate of Architecture at Liverpool University, he has an MBA in Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI). He has travelled extensively across the country and abroad. Currently practicing partner at NTM Architects & Planners, he is also the founder of Elite Realtors, Eribeat Blocks Manufacturing and Noble Furnishers Companies. He strongly believes that we were brought into this world so as to leave it a better place for others.
Maria Spink - UK, Tanzania & Finland Boards
After 17 years in senior positions in international banking, Maria joined the Executive Board of Green Resources - a tree planting and renewables company, active in East Africa. Working with local labourers and village elders in the Iringa Region, Maria learnt about the acute vulnerability of girls attending schools without safe accommodation. Maria founded Lyra in 2011 in recognition of the huge potential for impact, especially when investing in girls' and young women's education and entrepreneurship. Maria holds an MSc in Economics and MSc in African Politics. Maria is also Lyra’s Founder and Executive Director.
Dana Freling - Finland Board Chair
Dana Freling is a social entrepreneur with a broad range of both international experience and local engagement. With degrees from Smith College and Stanford University in Social Anthropology, she has held diverse leadership roles in environment and sustainability, community development, and education.
Dana has worked across countries in East and South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe.
She is also the founding Chair of Democrats Abroad Finland.
Chrystal Holt – UK Board
Chrystal Holt is an Education Technical Expert with over 20 years’ experience in development and humanitarian settings, and offering both global and country-specific expertise. She specialises in addressing the educational needs of children most affected by inequality and discrimination, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Chrystal's approach is deeply informed by the intersectionality of various characteristics and identities that influence a child's learning experience, such as language, gender, disability, and their in-school or out-of-school status. Her comprehensive understanding and strategic focus ensure that educational interventions are inclusive and effective, catering to the diverse needs of children at the highest risk of being excluded from education.
Henry Kulaya - Tanzania Board
Henry Kulaya is a Senior Consultant specializing in education reform, working closely with development partners and the Ministries of Education in Tanzania and Zanzibar. He has supported various major national initiatives, including the Education Sector Analysis and the Education Sector Development Plan. Henry is also the Co-founder and Executive Director of The Launchpad Tz, promoting skills development and inclusive education through technology and innovation. With over 22 years of experience in the UK and Tanzania, he is a recognized leader in education strategy, leadership development, and research on effective school practices.
Dayani Mbowe - Tanzania Board
Dayani Mbowe is an IT expert with a strong background in technology adoption, technical support and IT projects implementation. Currently, he is the country manager for Camara Education Tanzania, an NGO working to improve education outcomes using technology.
Over the past five years, Dayani has been working to design, test and implement the social enterprise model for Camara to ensure sustainable delivery of Camara’s EduTech programmes. Dayani also servers as a board member for Tanzania Education Network (TENMET) among other NGOs that he works with as an advisor or board member.
Tulibako Minga - Tanzanian Board
Tulibako U. Minga is a governance and anti-corruption expert with over a decade of experience in public policy, strategic communication, and institutional reform.
As a newly elected board member , Tulibako brings strategic insight and a deep understanding of the Tanzanian governance landscape. Her leadership will support Lyra’s mission to empower girls and transform rural communities through education, mentorship, and skills development.
Humphrey Kalanje - Finland Board
Humphrey Kalanje is a Tanzanian architect who currently lives in Finland. He worked for over 30 years for the Tanzania Ministry of Works until his retirement in 2017. Humphrey has studied in Tanzania, India, Norway, Sweden and Finland and is now pursuing his Doctorate at the Aalto University in Finland. He has also taught and lectured at Aalto University. He is passionate about the potential of architecture and planning in improving the lives of those who are socially and economically vulnerable in our societies. He is a Board Member of the Suomi Tansania Seura.
Helena Nahi - Finland Board
Helena is an experienced and passionate advocate for children’s rights, child protection, equality in education and global health. She has been working as a philanthropist for more than 15 years and joined Scope Impact, as a Co-Founder and Board Member in 2022. Helena is also a co-founder of the Eva Ahlström Foundation where she was a board member for 13 years. She is also a board member of Kauppias K.P. She has lived in 4 different countries, speaks 6 languages and has majored in Japanese Studies. Additionally she has studied in international Marketing and English Philology.
Katarina Kranck
Katarina has a master’s degree in economics from Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki. She worked for 15 years with accounting and finance at industrial companies. Thereafter, she began her entrepreneurship journey within yoga – her hobby and passion. She worked both as a yoga retreat manager and yoga teacher and hosted many retreats in the South of France for over 10 years.
After spending a winter in Tanzania visiting her daughter’s family, she fell in love with the country. She saw its opportunities, but also the lack of many of the most basic needs. Katarina will continue to spend the winter months in Iringa and is eager to make a difference for local girls and women in the area.
Wende Luvinga - Finland Board
Wende Luvinga is an international development and sustainability professional with over 10 years of proven experience in leading projects and developing business for various donors including the World Bank, European Commission, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, USAID, Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), and several others including the private sector and national ministries in several countries. Her other area of key competence includes Business and Human Rights, Environmental Social and Governance(ESG).
Wende Luvinga works for NIRAS International Consulting in Finland, Before that, she worked as a country Manager of NIRAS Tanzania, as well as, worked as a legal Officer at a Telecommunication company in Tanzania. Outside her working life, she is enthusiastic about promoting the reading culture and diverse literature for children. Wende Luvinga is an author of children's books. Her book Hamisi the Complaining Lizard has been sold widely. She is a founder of the Swahili for Kids group in Finland, to promote the Kiswahili language through stories. In addition, Wende Luvinga is a current Chairperson of the Finnish- Tanzania Friendship Association whose goal is to promote interaction between Finland and Tanzania in various fields. Wende Luvinga holds a Master’s degree in Development Cooperation from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, a degree in International Relations from the University of Tampere in Finland, and a Bachelor's Degree in Laws (LLB) from the University of Dar Es Salaam.
Joy Aladekomo - UK Board
Joy Aladekomo is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years combined experience in Investment Funds Management Operations, Accounting and Auditing.
Joy possesses expertise in operational oversight of Investment Funds, implementation of regulatory changes, strategic management of outsourced functions, project management, and auditing, including financial statements reviews.
Currently, Joy works in Investment Management in the United Kingdom, responsible for the oversight of Investment Funds in different jurisdictions.
She is passionate about issues concerning poverty alleviation, accessibility to quality education and youth empowerment especially in underserved communities.
Honorary Board Members
Dr. Maria Kamm - Honorary Board Member on the Tanzania Board
As a mother, teacher, politician, businesswoman and philanthropist, Mama Maria Kamm is an icon in the education sector in Tanzania and beyond. She started teaching in 1965 at a number of Secondary Schools and later at Weruweru Girls (Tanzania's top school for girls under her 22-year leadership) where she inspired and motivated thousands of girls who have later become very successful women in different fields. Mama Kamm has a record of breaking down barriers so that girls, especially those less-privileged, get a useful education. Mama Kamm is the founder of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, and a beneficiary to many awards both in and outside the borders of Tanzania.