Who We Are
What Drives Us
The Africa Exchange Project provides access to clean water, quality education and reliable healthcare in Pomerini, Tanzania. Our primary work is building relationships. It began with one person visiting the village of Pomerini, Tanzania over 20 years ago. That was all it took to inspire our exchange with delegations traveling to Tanzania and friends from Tanzania coming to the United States.
This love that binds us together compels us to be of use. Telling the story of our friends — their dreams and ambitions — joins our communities with theirs. We raise money in the U.S. to provide clean water to families, expand educational opportunities for children, and improve healthcare access and quality in rural Tanzania.
We are a 100% volunteer organization so your donations go to what matters the most.
Meet our Board
Jim Ahern
Chairperson
Jim is the Principal of Ahern Financial Management, a firm focused on providing financial support to entrepreneurial companies. Early in his career, he served as CFO for an adventure travel company where he had an opportunity to travel to and work with people from developing countries and gained an appreciation for other cultures and an awareness of the needs of communities in less developed areas. He is a CPA and has earned graduate degrees from Bentley College and CAL Berkeley. Jim has been involved in AEP since 2018 and serves as its Chairperson.
Martin Jones
Vice Chair
Originally from the UK, Martin spent over 30 years in various marketing and communications roles, from volunteering at ActionAid in London, to founding iJack Communications, a digital communications agency in London, and as co-founder and CEO of March Communications, a tech PR and content agency in Boston. Martin has resided in South Africa, Australia, the U.K. and the U.S., and has also traveled extensively, including a visit to Tanzania in 2016. Martin joined the board in 2020, became Vice Chair in 2023, and heads up the grant program as a member of the Development Team.
Karen Shaw
Treasurer
Jennifer McKaughan
Secretary
Jen is an accomplished Human Resources Leader with over 20 years of experience in global organizations, including Bose Corporation, ThermoFisher Scientific and now at IPG Photonics. She holds a BA in Business from the UMASS, Isenberg School of Management, and an MBA from Bentley University. She has served as a volunteer in a variety of non-profit organizations including a role outside of Arusha, Tanzania. Jen has a passion for emerging herself in new cultures and communities where she can create meaningful experiences bringing people together to learn and grow. Jen joined the Africa Exchange Project in 2022 and serves on the Development Team.
Rob Schadt
Chairperson Emeritus
Rob is retired from a 40 year career in higher education. He received his Ed.D. from Boston University and M.A. in Sociology and M.Ed in Instructional Media from Boston College. He has worked as an educational consultant internationally helping establish public health training programs in India and Tanzania. He joined the AEP after his first trip to Tanzania with his son in 2007. Since then he has returned more than 20 times. Rob is also a member of the Development & Finance Teams.
Dorothy Russo
Scholarship Coordinator
Todd Witherow
Paul Rice
Paul is an experienced marketing professional and for the past 14 years has been self-employed providing marketing services to mid-sized companies across North America. He received his BS in Economics from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from Babson College. He has been involved in several non-profit organizations. Most recently supporting the building of houses in El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity, Global Village. Paul just recently joined the board in 2023 and works with the Marketing/Communications and Development Teams.
Local Partners: Africa Exchange Development
When you are more than 2,000 miles away, it takes local leaders that you can trust to make our shared vision a reality. We have recently established an advisory board comprised of local leaders and local subject matter experts to help provide us guidance and to ensure that your donation is being used in the most effective, efficient way. Below are some of the people that help these dreams come true.
Shadrack Nyaulingo
Chairperson
Shadrack is the former headmaster at the Pomerini Secondary School. Currently is working as Education Secretary of ELCT-Iringa Diocese. He oversees most of the project planning and implementation. Shadrack has a knack for getting boots on the ground and beginning work within a day of receiving funds. Shadrack visited the US in 2017.
Haran Ndege
In addition to serving as the assistant headmaster at the Pomerini Secondary School until he retired, Haran is an important connection to the village and helps ensure our projects are chosen wisely to maximize their positive impact on the community.
Maria Mgova
Maria runs Upendo Mmoja which is a residential school for orphaned children. Although Upendo is sponsored by a different non-profit, Maria is also on our local advisory board and provides us with valuable insight into the needs of the community.
Novetha Mahanga
Secretary
Novetha is the principal of Dabaga Institute of Agricultural in neighboring city of Iringa.
Miraji Vanginoth
Miraji is an entrepreneur and secretary of Ewura Consumer Consultative Council of the Iringa Regional.
Rozalina Mbingamno
The secretary of the village executive committee and an entrepreneur.
Amina Abel Ngaillo
Accountant
Currently is working as School cashier at Pomerini secondary school
Dr.Petro Lusasi
Diocesan health secretary – Iringa Diocese & assistant medical officer in-charge of Ilula Lutheran Hospital
Edwin Makongwa
Acting Head of School at Pomerini secondary school.
Barnabas Chavala
We celebrate the life of our friend and colleague, Barnabas Chavala who left us much too soon in December 2019. For more than 20 years Barnabas helped guide the work of the Africa Exchange Project. If one person could epitomize the Africa Exchange Project, it would be Barnabas. He was a gifted educator and beloved community leader. His energy, enthusiasm, and deep love for people, especially children, were infectious. There was not one thing we did, one tangible impact that we made, that did not benefit from his input, wise counsel, and his commitment. He literally connected our MetroWest community to his community of Pomerini.
Barnabas – Your stay with us, though too short, was truly a very blessed one. You have left your footprints which remain a legacy to us all. Rest in peace, friend… you have served us well.
The Barnabas Chavala Girls Scholarship Fund is named in honor of our esteemed friend and colleague.