Founder and Director, Dr. Elizabeth Odera, is a celebrated Kenyan Sports Professional and Director of non-profit, Sadili Oval Sports Academy and author of “Sports for Life” (Amazon). “Princy”, as the kids call her, has been involved in the education and training of more than 11,000 youth in various sports, including basketball, tennis, football, rugby, athletics and swimming amongst poor and rich communities alike, making Sadili the melting pot for youth sports in the East African region.

Liz was celebrated as one of the world’s most influential and inspiring women of 2011 (Ashoka ChangeMaker), has been knighted with the Medal of French Order of Youth and Sports by the Government of France and a the Head of State Commendation (HSC) from the Government of Kenya.

Program Coordinator, Ms. Joy Akim, grew up and went to school in Mombasa, Kenya, where she was very conscious of the issues that girls face in the coast. She graduated in 2010 with a B.A. in Social Science, majoring in Social work at The Catholic University of Eastern Africa. She interned as an administrator at Aga Khan Community Health Department and as a Social Worker at African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF), Child Legal Action Network and Lea Toto. After graduating, she joined as a Social Worker at ChildFund Kenya, Kisumu Cluster, working in child centered projects, before joining Girl Power Clubs Africa in 2014.

Program Lead, Ms. Maria Okong’o, has been a founding patron of Girl Power Clubs since its inception, and now works part-time for the program in Siaya County. Maria, who hold a B.A. in Political Science, has a wealth of experience, as Program Manager at Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Kenya Office, where she led the PLGP program, which aims to assist young men and women reformers and leaders of political parties, through training workshops, in which they are provided with skills relevant for leadership at all levels within the party structures. The training will also offer an opportunity for young people to create and strengthen a youth leadership and mentorship network through linkages at both national and county levels. Maria is a well heeled and experienced political leader and champions girls’ and women’s need to have an equal opportunity in every sphere of life.