Meet the team

Staff team

  • Grace Lyagga, Programme Manager

    Grace is responsible for running the a little bit of HOPE office, HR management and is the NGO’s finance manager. She has a degree in Business Administration and a post-graduate diploma in Finance management. Previously, Grace worked for World Vision as a child sponsorship development assistant.

  • Grace Nandi, Social Worker

    Grace is responsible for our work with vulnerable households and she also coordinates our programmes promoting the use of reusable sanitary towels. Grace pioneered our work with vulnerable women’s groups. She has a degree in Social Sciences and before working for a little bit of HOPE was a volunteer for the ‘Pearl Foundation for Children and Widows’.

  • Isaac Mudoba, Agricultural Officer

    Isaac is responsible for our School Farm programme and the agricultural projects for Vulnerable Groups. He has a National Diploma in crop production and management and was previously a farm manager at Mpigi community farm and also worked as an Assistant Agricultural Officer in Kween District local government.

  • Izzy Elton, UK Development Manager

    Izzy works part-time managing the UK side of a little bit of HOPE and works closely with the Ugandan team on the focus and direction of our work. She has a BA in International Development and has worked in the charity sector since 2010. She was previously Head of Engagement at Naked Truth Project and has worked in fundraising for Macmillan, The NSPCC and Marie Curie. Izzy has spent many weeks with our team in Butaleja since her first visit in 2011.

Ugandan Board

  • Batala Cyprian, Chairperson

    Batala spent more than three and half decades working for the Ugandan Government. He began in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development before worked in a variety of roles in the Ugandan government. Initially in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development – where he rose to the role of head of planning, before moving to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, first as the chief economist, and then the assistant commissioner for almost 20 years.

  • Justine Malingha

    Justine is a primary school head teacher and has a master’s degree in education. She sits on the board of several associations and organisations in the District.

  • Betty Nesihwe

    Betty has worked in development since she graduated – for local and international NGOs, local Government and the Church of Uganda. She is currently the community development coordinator for the Bukedi Diocese. Among her previous roles, she was a social extension worker for Send a Cow, and Butaleja’s Community Development Officer. She has a post graduate diploma in gender and local economic development.

  • Fred Were

    Fred works for Butaleja District Local Government as an Agricultural Officer. He was previously Agricultural Officer for a little bit of HOPE and played an integral role in establishing our school farms project. Fred also worked with CIDI (Community Integrated Development Initiatives) where he managed a community empowerment project. He’s a board member for Compassion International supported projects in Butaleja and Cross for Children Uganda.

UK Trustees

  • Phil Green, Chairperson

    Phil hates injustice, is a strong believer in hopefulness, and believes ordinary people can do small things that make a big difference. He is the CEO of Viva, a global support network of churches and organisations working in 45 cities in 28 countries around the world to make a bigger and better impact in the lives of children. He is the co-coordinator for the Lausanne Movement’s Children-at-Risk network and a member of the Global Reference Group for children impacted by crisis. He also serves as a trustee of Spurgeon’s Children Charity. He has a Masters Degree in Globalisation and International Development.

  • Malcolm Bebb

    Malcolm is the Managing Director of a progressive farming company in Mid Wales. Having over 30 years’ experience within agriculture, he has a good understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the sector. He is the UK trustee who is responsible for the school farm program in Uganda and has visited the team on several occasions. Malcolm’s current and past businesses include; food marketing, renewable energy, property development and hospitality. He has also been a School Governor, Director of a community social action project and chairman of his church’s Mission Action Team.

  • Noah Birumi

    Noah is an experienced communications professional. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism and Communications Management and a Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies. He has worked in the nonprofit sector in Uganda in a variety of roles and assists organisations and companies in gaining visibility through social media optimisation and strategic communications planning. Noah is from Butaleja District and now lives and works in Kampala. He is a Christian who advocates for a corruption-free community and equal opportunities for all.

  • Hannah Green

    Hannah has a PhD in International Development. She carried out her research in Butaleja District so knows the area well, and has helped shape some of the thinking about how a little bit of HOPE can work best in this area. She currently works for All Nations Christian College as a tutor in Anthropology and cross-cultural Mission studies, where she gets to teach students from all around the world, in person and remotely. This helps keep her up-to-date with current cross-cultural issues and best practice.

  • Katie Lifford

    Katie visited Butaleja District in 2013 after completing her bachelor’s degree in Social Anthropology. She has been been a long term supporter of a little bit of HOPE since then and joined the UK board of trustees in 2024. Katie is part of the leadership team at a charity in Manchester providing accommodation and support for people who become homeless after claiming asylum in the UK. Here, she manages the support team and frontline work, including the strategic development and delivery of a support service for people living in the accommodation.

  • Temitope Olusi

    Temi has a degree in Chemical Engineering and works as a Production Engineer with various size improvement projects in the ink industry. She has a passion for working with young people and has led youth groups in Church for over ten years. These youth groups have partnered with us over the years to fundraise for a project Temi is particularly inspired by - our school farm programme. She believes our projects are vital in allowing families in Butaleja to sustain an independent livelihood, and this is what inspires her to be a part of helping to make a little bit of HOPE successful.

  • Amy Smyth

    Amy is a Community Development Worker, working with children, young people and families to mitigate the impact of the service family lifestyle. Previously she worked as a substance misuse worker for Turning Point, working with people to overcome their addictions. She has a Bachelors Degree in Youth Work, Community Work & Practical Theology.

  • Amy Spooner

    Amy is a primary school teacher in a small town in Suffolk. She is a founding trustee of a little bit of HOPE, after visiting the area in 2011. She has continued to be involved after seeing the wonderful impact the charity has had on the lives of the people in the Butaleja District. She is extremely passionate about the charity’s ethos, and takes a keen interest in our Education programmes; particularly the library and school farms.