Collaborative for Change Celebrates First Anniversary with Bold Expansion Plans

Collaborative for Change Celebrates First Anniversary with Bold Expansion Plans

As we mark the First anniversary of Collaborative for Change, Inc.’s official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status this week, we are proud to reflect on the work accomplished alongside our incredible partners and to announce the next phase of our mission.

A Year of Impact

Over the past twelve months, Collaborative for Change has launched and supported regenerative, community-driven projects across sub-Saharan Africa:

Rwanda: Agroforestry for Food Security

Led by Leonard Iyamuremye, this initiative introduced 25,000-gallon irrigation tanks and established a multi-layered agroforestry system that improves nutrition and food security while restoring degraded land. Leonard will soon begin advanced training in nursery management under Jill Wagner to build seedling capacity in the region. Leonard is also a graduate of Jill Wagner’s 9-month Earth Awareness course, which remains one of our most widely used protocols for developing sustainable projects.

Malawi: We Clean We Green

In partnership with Pike Ng’oma, we rehabilitated Nsonga Primary School after 15 years of disuse, built Malawi’s first compostable toilet and menstrual health facility in a rural village, launched the development of a school food forest and community forest park, and began plans for the revitalization of Kamwe Health Center, including a budget for maternity ward expansion and regenerative landscaping. We are also preparing for the next phase of Nsonga Primary, including efforts to secure desks for the computers we are donating to the school.

Zimbabwe: Burma Valley Nursery Project

Led by Peter Magosvongwe, this project is laying the foundation for a climate-resilient seedling nursery. Peter will also enter Jill Wagner’s nursery management cohort to scale this work into a regional resource. Like Leonard, Peter is also a graduate of the Earth Awareness course.

In the Pipeline:

We are also supporting new projects that are moving into implementation:

• Nigeria: Initiative for Climate Change and Renewable Energy Advocacy, led by Folorunsho Dayo Oluwafemi
• Training Expansion: Two new participants will begin Jill Wagner’s 9-month nursery management program to deepen technical capacity for regional propagation.

2025–2026 Emerging Initiatives Cohort

As part of our commitment to project incubation and capacity building, we are organizing our upcoming Emerging Initiatives Cohort for 2025–2026. This includes:

• Mindset Village Walk – Byamukama Nyansio (Uganda)
• Zambor Inc – Jacquie Zamba (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
• Green Globe Organisation – Bekumba Adolf Metta (Cameroon)
• Namsal Climate Concern – Sadro Ngoroko (Uganda)
• Yenwaa Collectives – Ola Tom Lakere (Uganda)
• Together for Trees – Justus Wanjohi (Kenya)
• Children’s Education in Biodiversity Conservation (Mozambique) – Junior Mufudzi
• Sustainable Environmental Education and Development (SEED) – Victor Chimobo (Malawi)

These projects are at various stages of development and will benefit from mentoring, resource alignment, and peer support as they move toward full implementation.

Celebrating Local Leadership: Pike Ng’oma Named Malawi Project Coordinator

To honor and formalize the work already being done, we are excited to announce the appointment of Bwana Pike Ng’oma as Project Coordinator for Malawi. Pike has been an unwavering leader and collaborator since our founding, and his work continues to inspire a scalable model of climate resilience and public health.

In this role, Pike will:

• Support all Collaborative for Change projects in Malawi
• Liaise with local stakeholders, including schools, health facilities, and village leaders
• Guide new partnerships and initiatives in alignment with our mission

This role also reflects the level of commitment and demonstrated leadership that future Project Coordinators will be required to meet. Going forward, all Project Coordinator appointments will be based on the successful completion of at least three major phases of a project with Collaborative for Change, or three separate smaller projects, each of which must:

• Be clearly documented through photos, videos, and regular communication
• Demonstrate tangible community impact
• Enable transparent and timely updates for funders and stakeholders

We recognize that this level of collaboration takes considerable time and effort, and we are committed to providing guidance and support throughout that journey.

Countries are not limited to a single Project Coordinator; we may appoint multiple coordinators as needed based on geography, scope, or area of expertise.

Looking Ahead: Expanding the Restoration and Advisory Committee

Building on this momentum, we’re advancing a new model of country-level leadership and regional coordination. As we grow, each geographic cluster will be guided by a Project Coordinator, a local leader who maintains full independence through their existing organization while serving as the central point of contact and collaboration.

To support shared learning and fundraising, we are also expanding the Restoration and Advisory Committee (RAC). This body will:

• Include individuals and organizations who wish to co-develop and co-fundraise exclusively for seed bank partnerships
• Support efforts like regional seed banks in partnership with Jill Wagner’s Future Forests LLC
• Empower regional leaders to scale their work and demonstrate the impact of regenerative solutions across ecosystems

Importantly, our support for seed bank partnerships will extend worldwide, not only in Africa. While our current work is concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, we recognize the global relevance of these solutions and welcome partners from any region who share our mission.

By fostering this layered structure of country coordinators and advisory collaborators, we are ensuring that Collaborative for Change remains grounded in local leadership while growing global reach.

We’re proud of all we’ve achieved together in just one year and we’re even more excited about what lies ahead.

With gratitude, Collaborative for Change, Inc.