In Canada:

Natalie Angell-Besseling – Cofounder & Executive Director 

Natalie Angell-Besseling is the Founder and Executive Director of The Shanti Uganda Society. She has been sharing her time between Vancouver, BC and Uganda, East Africa since 2007 and has a deep respect for grassroots women’s initiatives. Natalie is on the International Advisory Board for the Women Like Us Foundation and has spoken around North America on issues surrounding maternal and infant health and HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

A yoga teacher and doula, she Co-Founded Heart Centre Yoga, has produced a guided meditation CD and now enjoys sharing the power of yoga with women impacted by HIV/AIDS. After years of supporting birthing mamas in Uganda, in 2010 Natalie gave birth to her own daughter at home in water.

 Lindsay Miles-Pickup - Community Director

Lindsay Miles-Pickup holds the role of Community Director with the Shanti Uganda Society. Deeply passionate about global health and gender equity, Lindsay is excited to contribute to sustainable change. Having finished her Master's at University College Dublin, Lindsay moved to Tanzania where she worked with a health organization providing services for women and youth. Committed to community development, Lindsay works closely with organizations locally and internationally in order to contribute to an equitable, inclusive and empowered world. Her past experiences have taken her into the realm of finance, education and non-profit. She has travelled 35 countries as well has had the amazing opportunity to live and work on four different continents. 

Lindsay is a published photojournalist with a passion for volunteering, cooking and the arts.  She can often be found jamming out with her headphones, enjoying a cup of coffee or reading a good book. 

In Uganda: 

Sadie St. Denis - Project Coordinator

Born and raised on a family run dairy farm in rural Eastern Ontario, Sadie inherited a deep respect for traditional wisdom and a strong appreciation for community cooperation. After earning her Master’s degree at York University, Sadie pursued a desire to travel and experience new cultures. Over the last three years her development work has taken her from Asia to Eastern Europe to Africa. Until her recent internship with the Canadian International Development Agency, Sadie’s work had focused on children’s rights and education. Her role as a Community Health Officer in Masaka, Uganda however opened her eyes to the tragic state of maternal and child health and the urgent need for action. She returns to Uganda uplifted by the spirit and enthusiasm of the Shanti Uganda Society, and filled with a belief that change is possible!

To stay healthy Sadie enjoys spending quality time with her family and close friends, playing soccer, reading, running, practicing yoga, and playing guitar (badly). She is thrilled to be joining the Shanti Uganda team and honored to be a part of an organization that believes every birth is sacred.

Lumbuye Ben - Driver 

Ben is 36yrs old and has two children.  Ben started delivering supplies to the Shanti Uganda construction site in December of 2009 and was hired as the offical Shanti Uganda driver in March 2010. Ben enjoys Nascar racing and listening to Celine Dion. He is a strong supporter of Shanti Uganda. Ben believes that Shanti Uganda benefits the women by bringing them together to share their views, providing business training and holistic health practices. According to Ben Shanti Uganda is not only improving the standard of living for women, but also the male employees and, male family members of the women we support. Ben has used the income he has earned from Shanti Uganda to wire his home with electricity, purchase basic households and pay for his children's schooling. Ben is excited about his position with Shanti Uganda and looks forward to meeting international volunteers and learning more about the benefits of yoga. 

Kato - Grounds Person

Kato is 26yrs old and grew up in Bukuma village. He has two children. He began work with Shanti Uganda in December of 2009 making bricks for the construction of the Maternity Centre. Kato worked with Shanti Uganda throughout the construction process and helped bring water on the back of a bike to the site before the water tank was complete . Kato enjoys farming and has used the money he has made from Shanti Uganda to pay for his children's school fees and the basic household needs.

Opio Job Odumo- Night Watchman 

Opio will tell you, with a smirk of pride that he works as the night security watchman for Shanti Uganda, and has for the past 11 months. He is twenty-four years old and fathers 3 small children. This is not his first job as a security for an NGO. In the past he worked for an organization that cared for orphans. He finds Shanti Uganda a nice place to be as well as work. He plans to continue his studies by taking a mechanical course with the shop in town, as he enjoys working with gadgets on his free time.

Mulagila Mawanda George -Part Time Grounds Keeper and Night Watchman 

Mulagila has been with Shanti far longer than anyone else. He was around Nsaasi Village when the property was purchased, participated in the construction, and most recently holds the title of part time grounds keeper and night watchman at Shanti Uganda. He is forty-three years old and the father of ten children who range from one to seventeen years old. He says that Shanti not only helps him cover basic expenses, but also allows him to pay school fees for his children. Mulagila prays that Shanti never closes, and asks God to bless the bosses who brought Shanti. He wants to thank Shanti for the work it has given him and the ability to support his family.

 

To meet our midwives, click here. 

Volunteers In Canada:

Meghan Carter - Volunteer Coordinator 

Meghan is currently assisting Shanti Uganda as the volunteer coordinator.  Meghan came to Shanti Uganda with an interest in non-profit organizations and a desire to make a positive impact. Meghan completed a bachelor of arts from the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University and currently works in a related field.

In her spare time, Meghan can be found playing soccer, running, spending time with family and friends or reading a good book.

Ginny Kloos - Administrative Volunteer

Ginny is currently chipping away at her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia. She is studying international development and would like to focus on women in development and environmental sustainability. When not immersed in schoolwork, Ginny also enjoys hiking, dancing at summer beach drum circles, practicing yoga, reading, and testing her cooking and baking limits with new vegan recipes. She has also been working for a year as an ABA therapist with a young boy with autism. She has a strong passion for all the work Shanti Uganda does and the values it is based on and is thrilled to begin her NGO experience with this amazing organization. 

Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Kerry studied and worked in Marketing & Communications. After working for a few years in the industry, Kerry felt compelled to use her skills towards a greater cause.  Being passionate about health and women's rights she found Shanti Uganda and was immediately drawn to the organization's mandate. In her spare time she enjoys yoga, making jewellery, reading and travelling.

Cheryl Angell - Weekly Donation Deposits, Growth Committee

Cheryl is a semi-retired Counsellor and Mathematics teacher. After a 35 year career in the public school system, Cheryl now keeps active spending time with family and friends, teaching at a local International College, paddling out in the Burrard Inlet and volunteering with Shanti Uganda. 

Always an advocate for providing quality education, training and opportunities, Cheryl is proud of Shanti Uganda's initiatives. The income generating groups enable women to support their families.  

Kim Ridgewell - Cofounder & Graphic Designer

Jason Golbey - Lawyer

Susie Do - Lawyer