Staff Members

 

 ITAI RUSIKE: Executive Director, Community Working Group on Health –Zimbabwe: Itai is a public health activist with over 20 years’ experience organizing involvement of communities in health actions in Zimbabwe.  Having joined the organisation at its inception in early 1998 and risen through the ranks from a Field Officer, Health Education Officer and Programme Manager.

He is the immediate past Deputy-Chairperson of the Public Health Advisory Board in Zimbabwe and a National Maternal Deaths Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) Committee Member. National Steering Committee Member of the Health Development Fund (HDF) representing national NGOs, he is also a member of the National Validation Committee for the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis (EMTCT) in Zimbabwe.

He is a Steering Committee Member of the Regional Network for Equity in Health in east and southern Africa (EQUINET), co-ordinating the Social Empowerment Cluster for Primary Health Care oriented health systems. Itai is the immediate past Member of the Advisory Group for the UHC2030 Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (CSEM) and Board Member for the World AIDS Campaign (WACI Health). Itai is a member of the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) Africa. He is also a member of the WHO Social Participation Technical Network (SPTN) and Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Global Financing Facility (GFF CSO Platform)

Itai has got several publications on Social Participation, Primary Health Care, Health Financing, Health Governance, Health Rights and Health Systems Strengthening.

He holds tertiary level qualifications in, Community Journalism, Health Financing and Research Methods

EMAIL: itai@cwgh.co.zw

WEBSITE: www.cwgh.co.zw

MOBILE: +263 772 363 991

SKYPE: Itai Josh Rusike

TWITTER: @itairusike

FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/Itai Josh Rusike

INSTAGRAM: itaijoshrusike

Nonjabulo Mahlangu has over ten years’ experience in supporting the rights of youths with emphasis to girls and young women to access quality reproductive and maternal health services. She is a strong advocate for greater recognition of the rights of women for more and better access to quality SRH, MNCH, HIV and AIDS services and protection against sexual and gender based violence.
Mahlangu has extensive experience in working at community level with community structures in promoting community participation in health and improving the quality of life through empowering communities on their health rights and responsibilities.
A trained teacher, Mahlangu has vast experience in organising discussion forums, policy dialogues, exhibitions, and commemorations as well as experience in designing, managing and implementing community mobilization programs for generating demand for quality RH/MNCH services. She also has vast experience in proposal development, implementation and financial administration of projects.
She dedicated to empowering youths especially girls and young women to be aware of their health rights and responsibilities by ensuring that they can claim and demand for their Sexual and reproductive health rights and makes use of existing health care services.

 Albeit having joined the organisation in 2020, Moreblessing Chibaya has worked with different institutions for more than 13 years managing grants from partners such as EU, USAID, AUSAID, British Embassy, French Embassy and UN grants - being in charge of financial management, financial accounting, human resources management and general administration work. Academically, Moreblessing holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management with specialisation in Banking and Finance with the Women’s University in Africa. She also holds an International Diploma in Executive Secretarial Studies with Speciss College as well as other various certificates from different institutions such as a Certificate in Grooming and Etiquette, Fraud Awareness and from PSEA trainings conducted by UNICEF. Moreblessing is also proficient in Microsoft Office and Pastel accounting and has a strong passion in empowering especially women on basic computer literacy. She also has vast experience in the preparation of budgets and has strong organising skills especially regarding high level meetings, managing bookings and managing itineraries for travelling delegates.

 Lorraine Mumba is the legal officer at CWGH, she holds a Laws Honours Degree (LLBS) (Hons) from the University of Zimbabwe. She is currently pursuing a Diploma in Project Management with the African Leadership Institute in Harare. She has worked extensively with women and girls in marginalized communities providing legal aid support services to enhance access to justice. Lorraine also has experience with conducting legal rights education trainings targeted at promoting the enjoyment of SRHR and improving maternal health care. In the course of her work, she has capacitated women and girls in communities on recourse when the exercise of rights have been infringed upon or limited thereby promoting social accountability and policy reform through advocacy and petitioning of duty bearers. Lorraine is passionate about women and girls accessing and fully enjoying their sexual reproductive health rights.

Ruth Tsanga holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLBS) from the University of Zimbabwe, specialising in International Human Rights and Public Health Law. Her academic work, including her dissertation titled "Balancing Between the Right to Health's Progressive Realisation and Minimum Core Obligations of Persons with Disabilities in Zimbabwe," reflects her deep commitment to equity in health systems.

She is a United Nations Millennium Fellow (Class of 2024), where she focused on Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Ruth strongly believes in the power of people-centred systems, health systems for the people and by the people, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised groups. For her, health is not a privilege but a fundamental human right.

Ruth has represented youth voices at the Yale Model African Union, held in partnership with the African Union, in Johannesburg (South Africa, 2024) and Nairobi (Kenya, 2025), where she was a delegate in the Women, Gender and Youth Committee. Her policy paper on "Institutional Barriers to Maternal and Reproductive Healthcare in Africa" earned her the Outstanding Delegate Award. She currently serves as a YMAU Ambassador and is also a member of the Southern African Young Diplomats Forum, where she continues to explore SADC's approach to health as a human right.

She has completed professional development courses with the World Health Organization, including “The Role of Parliaments and Parliamentarians in Strengthening Health Security Preparedness” and the “Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health (Health Emergencies Programme).” In addition, she participated in the ZITEC in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy’s “Building Resilience Against Disinformation” programme, equipping her to advocate for accurate, evidence-based public health communication.

Ruth is also an alumna of the Girleada Women in Southern Africa Leadership Programme, a platform that helped shape her aspiration to be a transformative leader in gender justice and public health. 

Passionate about equitable health systems, Ruth believes we live in a time when everyone must be part of the conversation on health because we are all just one illness away from poverty or death. Her passion lies in building legal and policy frameworks that protect lives, amplify community voices, and drive lasting transformation in public health.

Caiphas Chimhete is trained journalist with vast experience in the print media and communications sector. He is responsible for the group’s internal and external communications. Chimhete joined CWGH in June 2014 from ALPHA Media Holdings – publishers of the NewsDay, The Standard and the Zimbabwe Independent – where he was Group News Editor.  A member of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), Chimhete has also worked for a number of media houses including the now defunct Zimbabwe Mirror and the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) where he was a Senior Researcher.

Ms Mathias has over 12 years working with youths on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Psycho-Social Support, Economic Empowerment and Life Skills development. She has also actively worked on Maternal Neonatal and Child Health Programs, Health Systems Strengthening and Social Accountability Monitoring. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Development Studies from the Zimbabwe Open University, a Diploma with the National University of Science and Technology on Development Studies, Diploma on Personnel Management with the Institute of Personnel Management of Zimbabwe, Certificate in Fundamentals of Social Accountability Monitoring with the Rhodes University, Diploma in Secretarial Studies, Certificate in Working with children, families and communities affected by HIV and AIDS, conflict, poverty and displacement in Africa from the University of Kwazulu Natal, Certificate Psycho Social Tools and Techniques from REPSSI and Certificate in Public Health from the University of Zimbabwe/Training and Research Support Centre. She is a strong advocate for youth participation and actively works to promote social inclusion of youth issues especially at community level through dialogue with local and traditional leadership for space and platforms for youth voices to be heard. She believes in mentorship and life skills development for youths and promotes the promotion of gender equity and justice for young women especially for rural areas

Mongi Khumalo has over 10 years of experience in the NGO environment as a volunteer, intern and project officer, working with children, youths and communities on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Life skills and Entrepreneurship, community health systems strengthening, social accountability monitoring and responsiveness to SRHR and HIV resources. Mongi has a passion to meaningfully contribute to the development of communities through empowering and capacity development of young people with comprehensive SRH information, life skills, for them to make informed decisions regarding their sexuality. Mongi has a strong background in working with community structures in promoting community participation in health and improving the health services delivery on Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH). The Strengthening Social Accountability Monitoring and Responsiveness to SRHR and HIV resources and services provided him with experience in working with CSOs to gather evidence on access and utilisation of SRHR services and utilizing available spaces to engage stakeholders and policy makers. Mongi is an extrovert with good communication and facilitation skills. Holder of a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree in Development Studies with Lupane State University, A certificate in HIV & AIDS Counseling with UNISA, certificate in Working with children, families and communities affected by HIV&AIDS, conflict, poverty and displacement in Africa with University of Kwazulu Natal. He also holds several certificates such as the Youth Leadership and Development with Africa University and institute of peace, leadership and governance, Gender support and proposal development supported by United Nations Development Fund (UNIFEM) and Gender Support Program (GSP). He has proficient computer skills in Micro soft word, Excel, Publisher, Power Point, internet and SPSS statistics.