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UK TRUSTEES
Fr Arbogast Lekule (Co-Founder and Chair)
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Fr. Arbo was born in Kararacha village on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro. He was ordained a priest with the Missionaries of Africa, and he has worked as a missionary in Nigeria, England and Florida US. He has lived and visited several countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. In the year 2000 he worked with the ATD Fourth World Movement in East Africa to assist young people living in extreme poverty in Dar-es-Salaam city and he speaks several languages.
Fr Arbo founded You Touch Africa with friends in London in memory of his mum, Mrs Odilia Lekule. He visits Africa at least once a year and monitors most of projects funded by the charity.
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His motto: Psalm 18:2
Peter Dunkin (Co-Founder, Vice Chair, Secretary)
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Peter was one of the founders of You Touch Africa in 2006. He is the Vice Chair and Secretary of the charity, as well as a Trustee. Peter has visited Africa many times since 2005. He always looks forward to visiting You Touch Africa's projects and meeting the local people.
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By profession he is a Chartered Structural Engineer and takes a particular interest in You Touch Africa's construction projects.
Matthew Gibbs (Treasurer)
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Matt has been You Touch Africa’s Treasurer since 2008, he has worked mainly in the energy sector and is married with 4 grown up children. He visited Tanzania in 2014. Matt is also active in his local church and with other charities.
Jenny Mutesi (Trustee)
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Jenny was born in Uganda and arrived in the UK in the mid 70s as a political refugee child thanks to her mum and the United Nations. She became a British citizen. She feels it is a tremendous honour and opportunity to help other children as she was once helped herself.
She has been a Trustee for more than 4 years and visits Tanzania on a regular basis in support of the many projects supported by You Touch Africa.
John Murphy (Co-Founder, Deputy Treasurer)
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John is an original trustee and Deputy Treasurer of You Touch Africa.
He is a university lecturer in Biomedical Sciences and lives in Croydon, UK, but is originally from Dublin, Ireland.
Christopher Henley (Co-Founder, Trustee)
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Chris was born in December 1954 in Tamworth in Staffordshire, but lived nearly all of his life in South London. He is now retired but spent all his working life as a teacher in Catholic Primary schools and a Special School for teenagers with Severe Learning Disabilities.
In 2001 Chris climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with a group led by Fr. Arbo.
The group raised money for the dispensary at Makomu which was spent on the improvements requested by the staff there. The rest became the initial capital for You Touch Africa.
Jane Kimaru (Trustee)
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Jane Kimaru born and bred in Kenya and residing in the UK for the past 21 years. She is an oncology nurse by profession and a mother to three children.
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Jane became involved in You Touch Africa in early 2013. She became a Trustee on 15th October 2013. Additionally, she is fluent in Swahili.
US BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Daunia Kellamis (President)
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Daunia was born in North Canton, Ohio and has worked in corporate retail for 30+ years in management.
She currently is a Divisional Planning Manager at Bealls Inc. in Bradenton Florida. She is a certified mediator and certified career coach that enjoys helping others.
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This passion lead her to help establish You Touch Africa-USA with the other USA board members.
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In her spare time Daunia enjoys traveling, reading, and being near the ocean.
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Kay Barry (Director)
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Kay is a RN and has had a long career in the biopharmaceutical industry as a payer advocate for families living with rare genetic diseases.
She moved from Pittsburgh to St. Augustine in 2017 meeting Fr Arbogast at her church. Because of Fr Arbo’s oversight of donations, she knew projects would be successful and help children.
She was able to visit Tanzania in 2023 to see firsthand all the good work that was accomplished and to see how much more is needed. Tanzania “touched” her. She became a Director of YTA in 2024.
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Steve McBride (Director)
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Steve retired after 35 years as a contractor for the US Navy. His focus was Logistics Systems Integration for the US and UK Trident Submarines.
During tax season, Steve volunteers as a Local Coordinator for AARP-Tax Aide, a free tax preparation and submission service.
Living in Florida enables Steve to play golf throughout the year when he and Mary Ellen are not travelling.
John Leathers (Director)
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John is a retired lawyer with experience as a General Counsel of a large firm in Pittsburgh as well as a Professor of Law for 16 years at UK, OU, and Columbia.
He is an active member of his church serving as sacristan, lector, and Eucharistic Minister.
