Perlagia Kapuya
National Director, Zimbabwe Peace Project

Perlagia Tafadzwa Kapuya is a Zimbabwean human rights leader, feminist, and social justice advocate with more than a decade of experience advancing justice, citizen protection, and democratic participation. She currently serves as National Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, where she provides strategic leadership on human rights monitoring, civic protection, and citizen accountability initiatives. Perlagia holds a Master’s Degree in Development Studies from the Women’s University in Africa, an Honours Degree in Psychology from the University of Zimbabwe, and a Higher National Diploma in Information Sciences from Harare Polytechnic.

Gillian Chinzete
National Director, ZimRights

Gillian Tafadzwa Chinzete is a Zimbabwean human rights leader with over thirteen years of experience in civil society. She serves as National Director of ZimRights, becoming the first woman to lead Zimbabwe’s largest grassroots human rights organisation in its 33-year history. Prior to this role, she served as National Programs Manager at ZimRights, where she helped implement the organisation’s Shifting Power to the People Strategy, expanding grassroots organising structures across all ten provinces and supporting the launch of ZimRights Global.

Samkeliso Tshuma
Founder and Board Member, The Girls Table

Samkeliso Tshuma is a transformational speaker, entrepreneur, preacher, and IVLP alumna committed to advancing the leadership of girls and young women. She is the Founder and a Board Member of The Girls Table, a platform dedicated to empowering young women to become active change-makers through leadership development, advocacy, and civic education. Samkeliso has championed the inclusion of girls’ and young women’s voices in public policy and public discourse, while also extending the reach of this work through media platforms and community-based engagement.

Nyasha Mpani
Project Leader, Data for Governance Alliance – Institute for Justice and Reconciliation

Nyasha Mpani is a governance and public participation specialist working at the intersection of data, civic engagement, and democratic accountability. He currently serves as Project Leader for the Data for Governance Alliance at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, where he supports initiatives that strengthen citizen participation and institutional accountability. Nyasha brings experience in research, advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring and evaluation, and has worked with parliamentarians, youth groups, civil society organisations, and community leaders across Southern Africa.

Jimmy Maliseni
Executive Director, Alliance for Community Action (Zambia)

Jimmy Maliseni is a civic advocate and media professional with more than fifteen years of experience in civil society, media, and grassroots mobilisation. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Alliance for Community Action in Lusaka, Zambia, where he leads initiatives focused on social accountability, transparency, and citizen participation. His career has also included roles with the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, Zambezi FM Radio, and CUTS International, reflecting a consistent commitment to consumer rights, democratic governance, and citizen empowerment.

Permanent Ngoma
Executive Director, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association

Permanent Ngoma is a civic leader and community organiser who serves as Executive Director of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association. Her work focuses on strengthening community voice and accountability around service delivery, housing rights, and access to clean water. She has led initiatives that advance women’s leadership, community mobilisation, and citizen participation in local governance. Permanent’s work reflects a strong commitment to community-centred leadership and the strengthening of grassroots civic power.