Max Church – Tanzania Country Director 
Polikapo Mginah - Finance and Administrative Manager
Euphrasia Fortunatus - Volunteer Coordinator, HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator
Chrispin Mirambo - Zonal Program Coordinator
Daphne Waite - Assistant In-Country Coordinator
William Rite - Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator
Evans Javason - Sustainable Agriculture Instructor 
Sommy Issangya - Sustainable Agriculture Instructor
Mary Lucas - Demonstration Plot Manager


Max Church – Tanzania Country Director

Born in Rwanda, moving to Burundi after the outbreak of civil war, and attending schools in Kenya and South Africa, Max grew up on the African continent. At the age of 14, Max's family moved “home” to Michigan in the United States where Max later attended Andrews University and completed his degree in Business Administration.  In 1990, Max started work with Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Maryland and was involved for 16 years as the ADRA Country Director for Malawi, Burundi, and Tanzania. His work included programs such as: emergency food distribution; Child Survival funded by USAID; HIV/AIDS prevention; water and sanitation; major construction and reconstruction of schools, homes, and hospitals; and orphan care and support. One major agricultural program helped 500 farmers grow better banana crops and market their crops more effectively. During this time, Max completed a Master’s of Science in Administration degree, with and emphasis on International Development, in Kenya.

In 2012 Max began working as the Country Director for Global Service Corps in Tanzania, following Erwin Kinsey who transitioned to become the Regional Coordinator for ECHO. Max Church is married to Davona Thoresen, with eight children ranging from 6 to 34 years of age. He speaks English, French and Kiswahili. His 30 years in Africa give him the international cross-cultural experience that is so needed in development work. He has a permanent home in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he visits when he is on leave from Africa.  Back

Polikapo Mginah - Finance and Administrative Manager

Polikapo Mginah works as part of GSC’s Accounting Department. Having recently completed his Master’s of Science in Finance, Polikapo brings with him over a decade of experience working with international development and donor agencies. His prior work entailed projects and assets management, assistance with international grants, as well as the writing of financial reports for international donors. Back

Euphrasia Fortunatus - Volunteer Coordinator, HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator

Euphrasia received an Advanced Diploma in Community Development from the Community Development Training Institute in Tengeru.  She has also attended courses on First Aid, food processing, and MBTI.  Euphrasia began working with GSC in 2005 as a counterpart and was then promoted to a position as a Peer Educator Coordinator.  In 2010 Euphrasia took on the role as HIV/AIDS and Nutrition Program Coordinator and is currently also working as the Volunteer Coordinator.  Back

Chrispin Mirambo - Zonal Program Coordinator

Chrispin works with GSC as a Zonal Program Coordinator. His educational background includes a certificate in Bio-intensive Agriculture & Rain Water Harvesting from the Tengeru College of Agriculture and Livestock Resources. He has also received numerous other certificates in program management, fish farming and natural resource management. Previously, Chrispin served as a Program Officer for the Natural Resource Management Program with Heifer International Tanzania. In his spare time, Chrispin is an avid basketball player who also enjoys travelling, reading and photography.  Back

Daphne Waite - Assistant In-Country Coordinator

Before joining the GSC team in April 2006, Daphne attended The Superior Commercial College, as well as the Nakuru Computer Training Institute, where she earned diplomas in Computers and Computer System Analysis and Design. In addition to her extensive computer, administrative, and English skills, Daphne brings a warm and welcoming presence to GSC’s Arusha office.  Back 


William Rite - Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator

William is the Senior Assistant Agricultural Tutor at Tengeru College of Agriculture and Livestock Resources, as well as the GSC Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator. He studied at Nyegezi Agricultural College from 1978-1980 to earn his certificate in general agriculture, and returned to Nyegezi in 1982 to earn his diploma in Land Use Planning. In 1989, William attended a one-year course at the Tsukuba College of Agriculture in Japan, and was awarded a diploma in Irrigation and Drainage. He also completed a three-month course on Irrigation Water Management in Thailand in 1994. 2001 marked the beginning of William’s work with GSC, in which he began developing the existing GSC Sustainable agriculture program. Aside from his extensive agricultural expertise, William's lively spirit and sense of humor keep our Sustainable Agriculture participants enthusiastic and involved! Back 

Evans Javason - Sustainable Agriculture Instructor

Evans, commonly referred to as Javason, received training at the Kenya Institute of Organic Farming and graduated from the Mpwapwa College of Agriculture and Livestock as a Certified Agriculture and Livestock Technician. He worked as a Tutor at MATI-Tengeru Agricultural College from 1990 – 1998 where he taught Principles of Agriculture and Extension Skills. Javason began working with GSC as a demonstration plot gardener in 2002 and became one of our instructors in 2004. Javason’s teaching skills and village extension support is greatly appreciated by our sustainable agriculture volunteer participants. Back 

Sommy Issangya - Sustainable Agriculture Instructor 

Sommy recently began working with Global Service Corps as one of our Sustainable Agriculture Coordinators. Before signing on with GSC, he spent nine years working as a veterinary field officer. Sommy has studied at L.I.T.I Tengeru College in Arusha and M.A.T.I. Nyegezi Mwanza in the fields of livestock production, crop production, land management, and human and animal management. Sommy’s bright and welcoming personality makes him a favorite of our sustainable agriculture volunteer participants.  Back 

Mary Lucas - Demonstration Plot Manager

Mary started working with GSC-TZ from the last quarter of the year 2003. She works as the BIA training demonstration plot attendant situated at the Livestock Training Institute Tengeru (LITI). Mary has deepest commitments and devotion on her garden. She sometimes works together with her daughter Neema as an encouragement process to make her learn BIA techniques. Mary believes that BIA gardening techniques are a solution to rural poor farmers. She has always been able to justify BIA dynamics by producing and selling healthier vegetables all the season round. Mary prepares a special lunch meal for all the volunteers on their first day attachment to their home stay in Tengeru. She loves working with volunteers. Back