Gilson has over 33 years of experience in projects and human resource management at regional and international levels in both the private and public sectors. For 27 years, Gilson managed public and donor-funded projects while serving in the public sector where he retired as Deputy Director in the Malawi Government’s Ministry of Agriculture. Whilst working in the Ministry of Agriculture, he was appointed as a One Health focal point, a position he held for a period of 7 years. On the national call, for 9 years, Gilson has served as a Board member in a government-owned parastatal and still serves on various NGO boards. Earlier in his career, Gilson took a break from public service and worked in the NGO sector for 5 years where he managed and implemented donor-funded projects. Gilson is an expert holds a postgraduate master’s degree in veterinary sciences obtained from the Royal Veterinary and Agriculture University (KVL) in Denmark, a Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences Degree from the University of Zimbabwe, a Bachelor of Science degree (Ed.) from the University of Malawi, and a Diploma in Education Science degree also from the University of Malawi.
Brown Chitekwere is a highly skilled agricultural economist with an impressive track record of over 7 years in research and managing agricultural, livelihoods, environmental, and humanitarian projects. Brown has experience in program management having managed programs funded by renowned donors such as Trocaire, DFID (UKAID), Irish Aid, USAID, The Royal Norwegian Embassy and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Besides that, Brown has conducted studies and other socio-economic surveys for Central Region Milk Producers Association and We Effect, Mwapata Institute and Michigan State University, and MAR Associates and Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Brown holds a masters’ degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Pretoria, a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Malawi and he is currently pursuing a PhD in Economics from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Bernadetta Chirwa has over 13 years of vast experience in Accounting and Financial Management, for 11 years she has managed donor funded projects with key achievements being handling successful projects and institutional audits, compliance to donor and statutory requirements and setting up robust internal controls among others. For 3 years Bernadetta worked with a microfinance institution and for almost 5 years she has been serving as a board member, providing financial management support in a microfinance institution. Bernadetta is a chartered accountant (Fellow) with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), and has a Diploma in accounting with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi (ICAM)
Lovemore is a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) expert with over 7 years of experience in designing and implementing MEAL systems across humanitarian and development settings. He has demonstrated expertise in results-based management, indicator tracking, data analysis, and donor reporting. Lovemore is killed in coordinating evaluations, leading capacity-building initiatives, and promoting evidence-based learning for program improvement. He is proficient in data management and analysis tools including Stata, R, Excel, Power BI, CommCare, Survey Solutions, and KoBoToolbox. Lovemore holds an MSc in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a BSc in Agribusiness Management from the University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture, now Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). Before joining TAPP, Lovemore has worked for several local and international organizations including Give Directly, Find Your Fit, Churches Action in Relief and Development.
Anita has 10 years’ experience in programming with a focus on rural development and gender with both local and international organizations. She has served as a Gender and Inclusion Coordinator for 4 years with Concern Worldwide with emphasis on gender-based violence and women and youth empowerment. She is currently holding the position of Gender officer and Inclusion Officer with TAPP for 3 years under the Trade project funded by IFAD. Her key priority areas are capacity building of staff in gender and social inclusion, community mobilization and sensitizations against GBV, women empowerment through approaches like Household approaches. She is a member of "For Equality" an organization that looks into issues of gender equality and domestic violence in Malawi. Anita has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from LUANAR and a Diploma in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management from LUANAR.
Jacqueline Matoga is an Administration and Procurement Specialist with over six years of experience in administration, procurement, finance, and human resources, primarily within donor-funded projects. She has successfully recruited and managed personnel, procured project resources, overseen donor fund management, and supported audits across various organizations. Jacqueline currently supports two TAPP projects, ensuring compliance and operational efficiency. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from the Catholic University of Malawi and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration at the Malawi School of Government. Prior to joining TAPP, she worked as an accountant with the Catholic Health Commission, Dedza Diocese.
Veriam Magana is a seasoned Agribusiness Management professional with extensive experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of agricultural development projects. He brings over 6 years of hands-on expertise supporting smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, and rural enterprises across diverse agricultural value chains. His core competencies include Agricultural Project Planning and Management, Market Analysis and Development, Microfinance and SME Management, Enterprise Development and Business Incubation. Veriam combines technical expertise with practical experience, making him an asset in advancing agricultural enterprises and fostering rural economic development. Veriam holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness Management from the University of Malawi and has experience in agribusiness, marketing, and financing having worked even for the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).
