OUR TEAM
Achilles Kallergis
DIRECTOR
Achilles Kallergis is the Director of the Cities and Migration Project at the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility. In this role, he coordinates the Research Platform on Cities, Migration and Membership—a collaboration of The New School and fifteen research institutions from around the world. His work has been published in academic journals and edited books. He holds a PhD in Urban Policy and an M.A. in International Affairs from the New School University, and an M.A. in Political Science from the Université de Lausanne.
Kirsty Bryant-Hassler
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Kirsty Bryant is an international development professional with more than 3 years’ in program development, and learning, monitoring and evaluation processes. She holds a Masters Degree in International Affairs from The New School in New York with a focus on cities and racial justice. Kirsty was most recently the Program Officer of the Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation (LME) of the SDI (Slum Dwellers International) Secretariat in Cape Town, South Africa, where she was charged with developing the climate and resilience portfolio. She is providing technical and strategic support to the Climate Mobilities project where her key tasks include MEL and data management and capturing key learnings of the project by supporting the NGOs and their supporting Federations in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Liberia.
Sofia Navarrete Zur
WEB DESIGNER
Sofia Navarrete Zur is the Web Designer of the Cities and Migration Project at the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility. Since graduating from Wesleyan University with a degree in Cultural Anthropology and Film Studies, her burgeoning career exploring the intersections of humanitarian aid and media has given her the opportunity to work for institutions such as The International Rescue Committee and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Sofia holds an MA in International Affairs from The New School and is a Fulbright Scholar conducting research across Mexico.
Manjun Hao
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Manjun Hao is a Research Assistant at the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility. She works with Professor Achilles Kallergis under the Cities and Human Mobility research collaborative. She is also a MA candidate in International Affairs at the New School. Her research interests include migration, gender-based violence, decolonial feminism, and mixed methods research. She worked for UNICEF and other international development organizations.
Jerry G. C. Paye
ACTING DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AT YMCA LIBERIA
Jerry G. C. Paye is a staff of the YMCA of Liberia with over 12 years of experience working with civil society organizations, slum communities, youth and youth institutions, and supporting other program development initiatives. As one of the partners supporting the implementation of the Liberia Country Program, Jerry managed the Slum Dwellers International component of the Liberia County Program (LCP) with oversight to provide capacity building and technical support to the Federation of Liberian Urban Poor Savers to enhance the capacity of the urban poor through organization and mobilization of savings groups, community-led data collection (profiling and mapping), and mainstreaming the use of community-collected data through forums and dialogue for slum upgrading purposes. Jerry is currently the Acting Director of Programs at the YMCA of Liberia leading program development initiatives, supervision, and support to enhance the quality of service delivery at the institution. Jerry has an MPA in Public Administration and BSC in Sociology.
Emmanuel S. King, Jr
JOURNALIST KYC TEAM
Emmanuel S. King, Jr., is a Liberian social worker who has worked in the informal sector, telling the stories of slum dwellers. With a background in Journalism, Emmanuel has also written several stories about activities in the informal sector. With a degree in Mass Communication, he is involved in the production of documentaries, producing and presenting developmental radio programs. He also has experience in the production of newsletters and has worked for newspapers and a local radio station in Monrovia, producing radio programs, jingles, and documentaries. Emmanuel is the lead trainer and mentor for the federation KYC team.
George Y. Gleh, II
FEDERATION OF LIBERIAN URBAN POOR SAVERS
George Y. Gleh, II is a Liberian and a grass-root leader and member of the Federation of Liberian Urban Poor Savers. With over 10 years of experience in profiling and research methodology, he led the citywide profiling, mapping, and enumeration of 113 informal settlements under the Liberia Country Program. He is also an experienced community engagement facilitator and has moderated many settlement forums under the LCP. George provided monitoring support to the construction of community projects under the Community Upgrading Fund, a component of the Liberia Country Program-LCP. He has also participated in many national and international conferences including the 9th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF-9) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the United Cities & Local Governments of Africa (UCLG-Africa) AFRICITIES 8TH summit held in Marrakech, Morocco. He is a Senior Student of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University studying Sociology.
Mr. Samwel J. Alphonce
WATER AND SANITATION ENGINEER AT CCI
Samwel John has Bsc. in Environmental Engineering from Ardhi University – Tanzania. He currently works at Center for Community Initiatives (CCI) as Water and Sanitation Engineer. He is passionate about the joint application of science and local knowledge to develop community responsible with sustainable projects. He has 5 years’ experience in Researches, Training Youths on Entrepreneurship, Solid wastes Management, Sanitation, Design and Construction of Projects related to Inclusive Urbanization, Affordable Houses and Simplified Sewerage System.
Husna Seif Shechonge
NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR TPUF
Husna Seif Shechonge is baased in the informal settlement of Keko Machungwa located at Temeke District in the city of Dar es Salaam. Currently she serves the Tanzania Urban Poor Federation [TPUF] as a national coordinator. She joined [TPUF] in 2008 after starting a Federation Group at her street called Tumaini Letu (Our Hope) Federation Group as a chairperson. She was promoted and serves the Dar es Salaam region Federation as Community Mobilizer in 2010 and National Community Researcher in 2012 to 2021.
Tim Ndezi
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES FOUNDING DIRECTOR
Tim Ndezi is a development engineer with a civil and water engineering background. He has vast experience in working with poor communities in both rural and urban/ informal settlements in Tanzania, and over 25 years of experience working with poor communities on Water and Sanitation as well as Urban Risks, Resilience ,and housing and shelter. He is the founding Director of the Centre for Community Initiatives (CCI) , an NGO in Tanzania, affiliated to Shack dwellers International (SDI). Though his work with CCI, Tim has pioneered a number of urban research on Sanitation, Urban risks and Resilience, Vulnerability Assessment and Impacts of Climate change, and technological innovations and practice on sanitation including the implementation of ecological sanitation.
Braimah Rabiu Farouk
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT PEOPLE'S DIALOGUE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
Braimah is a Social Development Scientist and the Executive Director of People’s Dialogue on Human Settlements, Ghana. He has a proven track record in building capacities of over 15,000 slum dweller households in over 150 communities to engage in the provision of water, sanitation, housing, and health. He has also supported the creation of participation mechanisms in the implementation of national urban development policies and programmes in Ghana. Braimah facilitated the building of organized community networks to enhance their voice, representation and participation in community development, service provision, and local governance.
Salifu Abdul-Mujeeb
PROGRAM COORDINATOR AT PEOPLE'S DIALOGUE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
Salifu is the program coordinator of People’s Dialogue on Human Settlements, Ghana. He has over 15 years of experience in community entry, mobilization, and organization ensuring effective community engagement. Salifu has experience in participatory learning, monitoring and evaluation, policy research and advocacy in social development projects and programs. Over the years he has provided technical support to federation data collection process, both on desk and in field leading community entries, pre-test, focus group discussions and beyond.
Baba Alhassan Fuseini (Fed)
GHAFUP MEMBER
Alhassan Baba Fuseini is a member of the Ghana Federation of the urban poor {GHAFUP}. He leads profiling, mapping and household data collection for Know Your City ‘s(KYC) data team in Ghana. He also builds capacity and trains informal dwellers on how to collect data at the informal settlement level.
Francis Anthony Reffell
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER OF DIALOGUE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENT AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION (CODOHSAPA)
Reffell is a social justice and development professional with 20 years of working experience in the NGO sector, having served in various capacities in a number of both local and international agencies. He has an MSc in Rural Development with a research study on poverty analysis of female-headed households in rural communities and B.A. General in Geography, Sociology and General Linguistics.Francis pioneered the establishment of Federation of Urban and Rural Poor (FEDURP), a network with a mission to provide a platform to poor population and communities to drive their own development agenda. Hence, CODOHSAPA serves as the professional supporting organisation (PSO) that technical and financial support to FEDURP. This alliance is the Sierra Leone affiliate of Slum/Shack Dwellers International (SDI) . Within this space, Francis has dedicated his career to working on creating a space for poor and marginalised populations attempting to bringing hope and positively change their lives and circumstances for the better.
Richard Bockarie
LEARNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION OFFICER AT SLUM DWELLERS INTERNATIONAL
Richard is the head of data collection and the Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at SDI in Sierra Leone at the Centre of Dialogue on Human Settlement and Poverty Alleviation. He has a degree in computer science and eight years of professional experience interpreting and analyzing data in order to drive successful business solutions. He is proficient with GIS, monitoring and evaluation, system development and advanced Microsoft office packages. Richard has facilitated several mapping and training exercises in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Togo, and Nigeria. He is part of the international data team for Slum Dwellers international (SDI).
John A. G. Elliott
DATA CHAIRMAN AT FEDURP, SIERRA LEONE
Elliott is the Data Chairman at the Federation of Urban and Rural Poor in Sierra Leone. Previously he worked with the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) MILITARY POLICE, and received training at the Ghana Military Police Academy, Nigeria Military Police Academy and Yorkshire police school of investigation (England). He holds a diplomas in computer engineering, computer software engineering and networking, international coaching course and Bsc in Coaching and sports medicine from Sammuelwies University in Hungary.
Lucy Earle
PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
Lucy leads the institute’s research and policy engagement on urban crises and the interface between the environment and humanitarian action. She is especially interested in understanding how refugees and internally displaced people navigate urban systems to meet their basic needs. Lucy also has a background working on low-income housing, urban citizenship and the right to the city in the global South.
Simon Addison
PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
Simon has over 20 years of experience supporting marginalized communities to adapt to rapid social, economic, and environmental change, particularly in the Greater Horn of Africa. His experience includes working with NGOs and academic institutions as a program manager, technical adviser, and researcher.
Timon McPhearson
PROFESSOR OF URBAN ECOLOGY AND DIRECTOR OF THE URBAN SYSTEMS LAB
Dr. Timon McPhearson is Professor of Urban Ecology, Director of the Urban Systems Lab, and Research Faculty at the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School. He is a Senior Research Fellow at The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, and a Research Affiliate of the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics at The Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences. He studies the ecology in, of, and for cities to advance resilience, sustainability, and justice.
