Who we are

Akani Vision

is a consortium of seasoned consultants mostly based in Lusaka, Zambia and with regional and global experience. Akani Vision was founded in 2019 to support government ministries, private and development organizations optimize their performance with renewed approaches to delivering social protection, health and other public services and support to communities.

Team Members

Get to know our amazing team

With a passion for innovation and a dedication to excellence, we bring diverse expertise to every project we undertake.

Abidemi Coker

Team Co-ordinator

Social protection systems
Governance & leadership

Abidemi Coker

Team Co-ordinator

Abidemi has extensive experience in designing and facilitating training and supporting teams. She has worked in Zambia within the donor community and as a consultant for UN agencies, such as The World Bank and GIZ. Abidemi provides results-based leadership in designing, implementing and managing social protection and health sector programs which have led to lasting change. She has a passion for supporting leaders & managers to address systemic inadequacies in management and governance. In recent years she has led teams and individuals through leadership and management coaching with a focus on strategic planning and data-driven decision-making. Doctorate in Social and Public Policy and is a certified Master Trainer for the TRANSFORM curriculum on building social protection floors. Abidemi is our consortium coordinator and client engagement focal point.

Email:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bidemicoker/

Gavaza Maluleke

Gender & politics
African culture & history

Gavaza Maluleke

Gavaza is a gender and equity expert based in Cape Town, South Africa. She has a deep background in research on African politics, gender, feminism and digital media, and mobility. Gavaza keeps us and our clients asking critical and often overlooked questions, bringing in exceptional understanding and analytical thinking into how we address data from cultural and historical perspectives.

Email:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavaza-maluleke-104643b1/

Emily Heneghan Kasoma

Social protection
Food systems analysis

Emily Heneghan Kasoma

Emily is a specialist in multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagement across social development systems, drawing on diverse experiences in social protection, food systems, nutrition, health, and education sectors. Emily has Masters degrees in Business Administration and Public Health from the University of Michigan in the United States; she has resided in Zambia since 2010. In her previous roles, Emily led and supported policy, strategy and programme development and implementation both at a global level and across countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South/Southeast Asia, and Latin America. She has built an extensive portfolio of tools that support multi-stakeholder engagement within food systems for positive human development, including a focus on inter-sectoral linkages to improve access to affordable, nutritious diets within urban settings. Emily regularly leads the development of strategic documents and high-level reports that draw on robust data analysis of a wide range of national data sources. Emily is our food systems lead and quality assurance focal point.

Email:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-heneghan-kasoma-9341312/

Eric Opu

Development communication
Media and comms

Eric Opu

Eric has a PhD in Media and International Development from the University of East Anglia. His expertise is in development communication and social change. Eric is passionate about the role of communication in social change particularly in the Global South. He has taught Media and Development at the University of East Anglia (UK) and has also been a Teaching Fellow in Media and Communication at Loughborough University London. He also is a consultant and has been public engagement consultant for EIT Climate-KIC, Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community. He is currently Associate Lecturer in the School of Communication and the Royal College of Arts in London. Eric speaks fluent French and plays football in his free time. Eric is our communications lead.

Email:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericopu/

Stanfield Michelo

Social Protection systems
Monitoring and evaluation systems and tools

Stanfield Michelo

Stanfield is a renowned expert in social protection, with over 22 years experience in the design, management and implementation of complex programmes. He is an instrumental figure in the birth and expansion of Zambia’s Social Cash Transfer Programme, having served as Director of Social Welfare. Stanfield has since been providing expert support to various programmes in training, tool design, M&E and disability mainstreaming, through multiple UN agencies. Stanfield is our social protection lead.

Muleya Sonde

Research, monitoring & evaluation
Gender, child protection & safeguarding

Muleya Sonde

Muleya is a social development and research professional with over ten years of field experience in a variety of project management and research areas, including gender, social protection, case management, reproductive health, child protection and safeguarding, nutrition, and business and life skills. Muleya led monitoring and evaluation processes at Sustainable Villages Zambia and the Social Workers’ Association of Zambia. She is a seasoned researcher, having conducted complex assignments with the International Centre for Research on Women, the World Bank, United Nations Agencies, government bodies, and other national and international entities. Muleya is pursuing a Master’s in Development Studies. She is our community engagement lead.

Sally Bell Cross

Nutrition
Trauma informed leadership

Sally Bell Cross

Sally Bell-Cross is an accomplished nutrition specialist and clinician with over eight years of experience leading multisector health initiatives in Zambia. Holding a Bachelor of Health Science and Master of Public Health, she combines clinical expertise with strategic program development to address complex public health challenges. Sally champions ecosystem health and community-led, data-driven development approaches. Her expertise in leading multidisciplinary teams has resulted in successful implementation of comprehensive community health programs across Zambia, supported through partnerships with Irish Aid, USAID, and private sector stakeholders. Sally's commitment to evidence-based practice is demonstrated through her active research collaboration with Harvard Children's Hospital – Boston, focusing on community health worker quality improvement models. Her leadership has been instrumental in designing and implementing initiatives that empower communities to strengthen their health outcomes and environmental stewardship, fostering resilience and sustainable practices at the grassroots level. Through her integrative approach to public health, Sally has consistently demonstrated the ability to bridge clinical practice, community engagement, and program management to create lasting impact in Zambian communities. Sally is our nutrition lead.

Dennis Sibanze

Financial management Institutional strengthening
Fundraising & fund management

Dennis Sibanze

Dennis is a seasoned finance and accounting professional with 20 years of experience supporting public and private institutions comply with international and national financial principles and standards. Dennis provides detailed yet absorbable advice on issues related to financial planning and management, fundraising, procurement and organizational development, which are critical to the health of any project or organization, and facilitates risk mitigation. Dennis is our finance lead and provides technical assistance to clients.

Ready to get started?

Get started

Who we are

Akani Vision

Team Members

Get to know our amazing team

Abidemi Coker

Gavaza Maluleke

Emily Heneghan Kasoma

Eric Opu

Stanfield Michelo

Muleya Sonde

Sally Bell Cross

Dennis Sibanze

Ready to get started?

About us

Socials

Policies

Business hours

We're hiring

Who we are

Akani Vision

Team Members

Get to know our amazing team

Ready to get started?

About us

Socials

Policies

Business hours