Zaharah Namanda has over four years of experience in community development, focusing on women and girls' education. She is a Country co-director for the Africa Education and Leadership Initiative (Africa ELI), a non-governmental organization that provides educational opportunities for young female refugees from South Sudan. At Africa ELI, Zaharah provides leadership and strategic direction while working closely with her fellow co-director to implement programs, coordinate logistics, and monitor and evaluate student performance. Zaharah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Makerere University in Kampala, and previously she assisted the National Planning Authority on the review of the universal primary education policy. Zaharah is driven by her commitment to empowering young women and girls through education and aspires to belong to a community where young girls and boys have equal access to education. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Zaharah will integrate learned skills to strengthen her education advocacy work and empower young women and girls in Uganda.