Meet the Team
Updated: Aug 25
Over the past year, thanks to your invaluable support, we've witnessed remarkable growth – originating from the two visionaries who initiated Shanita, our journey expanded as more minds, hearts, and fresh ideas converged.
Collectively, we've evolved into a vibrant and inclusive family, with a paramount achievement – transforming lives and shaping new worlds. Allow us to introduce the dedicated individuals working diligently behind the scenes in Uganda and Israel, driven by an unwavering commitment and immense compassion for children and their families.
Shiri Shem Tov - CO-founder and CEO of the organization. Shiri is an educator, social activist, and inspirational figure. She holds a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in business management and nonprofit management. Throughout her journey, Shiri has worked for voluntary activities in various fields such as equal opportunities, human rights, marginalized youth, and education. Shiri leads the organization, coordinates its programs, develops new initiatives, and faces the bureaucratic challenges with determination.
Lior Sperandeo - CO-Founder and Director of Africa Programs. Lior is a documentary filmmaker and a social entrepreneur. He was nominated for the Emmy Award and established a photography platform as a tool to amplify the voices of silenced communities, earning global recognition for his impactful work focused on mutual responsibility, solidarity, and care for others. After years of producing and advising for prominent development organizations, Lior transitioned from an observer and documenter to an active participant. His heart and dwelling is in Karamoja region, Uganda, where he direct the scholarship program together with the local Shanita team.
Avas Evalyne (Zingi) - Social Worker and Regional Coordinator. Zingi grew up in a village where only boys went to school while girls remained behind to fetch water, cook, and fulfill household tasks. These were the lives of many girls in her region, but it wasn't the life she aspired to. Despite the odds, Zingi pursued education, excelling in her studies. Today, as a social worker, she is an important role model for many girls, supporting children and their parents in the ShnatNet program and dreaming of a day when the girls in the program will lead their communities.
Basel Umra - Head of Medical Department. Basel is a certified and specialized tropical diseases expert with extensive experience in the field of pediatric nutrition. He is responsible for examining, treating, recommending, and monitoring the medical condition and development of all the children in ShnatNet's scholarship program in Uganda, ranging from common treatments to complex cases.
Betty (Mungudit) - English Program Coordinator. Betty is a powerhouse of energy who entered our lives and turned them into a great joy. Betty grew up in an orphanage in Uganda and dreamed of becoming a teacher as a child – a dream she fulfilled. Beyond teaching, Beti's touching story serves as an inspirational model for the boys and girls in the program, and her experience is a valuable asset for the organization.
Mama Lucy - Caretaker - Early Childhood Education (Moroto)
Shanita caretakers serve as guides within the school environment. Mama Lucy is responsible for the well-being of the children in the early childhood education program before and after school hours. She prepares, organizes, nurtures, listens, and envelops them with love and compassion that extends to every child. With over 20 years of experience, Mama Lucy brings along a professional toolkit and a motherly touch to her nurturing role.
Mama Jackie - Caretaker - Primary School (Moroto)
Jackie is an energetic and cheerful workaholic who leads under her wings a group of sixty children in a primary school in Moroto. Responsible for the largest number of children in the program around the clock, Mama Jackie, along with the other home mothers, fulfills a role that is nothing less than the backbone of the scholarship project.
Mama Nayo - Caretaker - Primary School (Namalu)
Nayo is an experienced Caretaker. Beyond the numerous responsibilities inherent in her role, recently she was assigned a not-so-simple task. She was sent to a remote rural school where children with special circumstances attend, requiring them to travel long distances from their homes and start a new chapter. There, she is in charge of leading and caring for forty-five lively and spirited children.
Joseph Lochugai - Head of Activities and Camp Coordinator
Joseph entered our lives as a volunteer in the first Shanita camp. Within a few days, the wonderful connection between him and the children was evident, as they continued asking about him for months after. As a young father of three, who himself fight to ensure his children's success in their studies, Joseph exemplifies the essence of compassionate and caring fatherhood. Responsible for leading the English programs on weekends and coordinating camp activities, Joseph reminds us of the nurturing and protective qualities of a loving father.
Yael Sperandeo - Designer Yael is an artist and designer with a rich experience both in Israel and around the world. She specializes in brand identity and visual design, always approaching her projects with creativity and perfectionism. Beyond the adventurous project, Yael joined Shanita with a significant challenge – to bridge worlds and cultures through a shared visual language.
