Katutandike - Let's Get Started - Transforming Lives in Uganda

Founder

Patricia Brenninkmeyer

"After hearing about Africa and children in need when I was a young child, I was seriously determined to go there when I was grown up, however I had a lot of growing and training to do before my dream came true." Patricia graduated from St. Andrew's University in Scotland with and MA degree in Geography and Modern History and went on to do a post graduate diploma course in Child Care and Social Administration at Liverpool. This qualified her as a Social worker - Child Care Officer.

Patricia's first job was with The Child Welfare and Adoption Society (CWAS) in Uganda where she was responsible to a local Committee and ultimately the Catholic Secretariat at Nsambya.  Her role was to supervise the care of "orphans" in Catholic Missions and hospitals throughout the country, and to work towards rehabilitating children with their relatives or with foster parents. At the end of her two year contract which had cemented her wish to work in or for Africa in reality, she returned home to the UK and went to work with Oxfordshire Social Services to gain additional experience. Patricia felt fortunate when she was asked to go to Uganda back for another two years by CWAS, during which time the Nsambya Babies Home was completed, staffed and became the Head Quarters of CWAS. Patricia returned to UK at the end of 1970.

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CHAIRPERSON

Anisha Rajapakse

Anisha is an international development specialist with 20 years of global expertise in the non-profit sector, spanning programme management, monitoring and evaluation, fundraising and grant making, communications and external relations, and substantial overseas field experience across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific - including 10 years of management in the UK non-profit sector. Dynamic and results-driven, with broad programmatic knowledge covering areas such as Education, Health & Nutrition, Early Childhood Development, Child Protection, Gender Equality & Women’s Economic Empowerment, Disability and HIV/AIDS. Proven ability to inspire, motivate, develop and sustain positive and sustaining partnerships and collaborations with diverse entities including government and multilateral agencies, the United Nations and philanthropic individuals. 

Before joining Ka Tutandike Trust UK in 2010, Anisha has spent four years as the head of the Human Development Programme at the Commonwealth Foundation. Prior to this she has worked in Afghanistan for the German Government as well as the UN and international NGOs. Anisha has a MA in International Studies, BA in Sociology, Economics and English and a Diploma in Journalism. She is also an alumni of the Social Entrepreneurship (ISEP) programme at the INSEAD Business School.

KTTUK Trustee

Alexandra Brenninkmeijer

Alexandra is also a niece of the Founder of KTU and has a strong interest in philanthropy – especially empowering vulnerable women and children. She has been with Sotheby’s since 2000 and has also held the role of European Head of Corporate Art Services. Alexandra has a Masters in History and History of Art from the University of Edinburgh

KTTUK Trustee

Heidi Kruitwagen

Heidi is the niece of Patricia Brenninkmeyer and has been the Chairperson till 2013. After years of working with entrepreneurs as a banker, she decided to follow her own passion: designing scarves. Transitioning by going to art school and obtained an MA with distinction in Textile Design from the Chelsea School of Art and Design. Heidi is also an alumni of the Social Entrepreneurship (ISEP) programme at the INSEAD Business School.

"The status of children, disability and lack of economic empowerment – especially of women in Uganda continue to be areas that need serious attention.To address these  negative conditions, Ka Tutandike plays a small but dynamic role in protecting the rights of poor and marginalised children and women in Uganda.  We want to create compassionate blueprints for lasting change that can be replicated to benefit other similar communities in Uganda and in time, perhaps elsewhere in the region.  Our strength lies in being pro-active and empathetic to the ever changing needs and priorities at the grass roots level."

KTTUK Trustee

Richard Dowden

Executive Director, Royal African Society (RAS). Formerly he was the Africa editor for The Economist newspaper. Richard became director of the Royal African Society in 2002, following a long career as a journalist with a focus on Africa. His first two years on the continent, as a volunteer teacher in Uganda, coincided with the first two years of Idi Amin's rule. He has visited and written about almost every country on the continent. He is the author of Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles.