OUR TEAM

Malipo Lundamiza Mbalanga is a Human Rights Defender and Activiste who advocate for migrants, refugee, asylum seekers and stateless people around the continent and beyond.  

Between 2004-2007, Vice-President & Co-founder of Hekima Salamu Club in DRC & Burundi. 2008, Teacher at Muungano Primary School at Musasa refugee camp Burundi 2012-2018, Spokesperson and co-founder of The Congolese Community of Refugee of Port Elizabeth (CCRPE)

Since 2015 – Present, Malipo Lukandamiza Mbalanga is Language Specialist and language Practitioner at Department of Justice and the Office of Chief Justice as FLI.

As from 2018 - Present, Founder, Chairperson and Executive Director of African Refugee and Migrants Aid (ARMA) 

Malipo Lukandamiza Mbalanga is an Author of the Book “The Power of Understanding the Teachings” and other several articles relating to relationship.

Between 2020 – Present, Chairperson of Foreign Languages Interpreters’ Association “FLIA” South Africa

As a leader of the community and ARMA, Malipo Lukandamiza Mbalanga  was acting between 2022, May – 2022, August 13 as Provincial Chairperson of the South African Refugee Led Network Eastern Cape (SARLN EC)

Malipo Lukandamiza Mbalanga was elected in 2022, August 13 - 10 July 2024 as a Provincial Chairperson of the South African Refugee Led Network Eastern Cape (SARLN EC)

2023, Co-author of the report of African Refugee Led Network summit held in Pretoria South Africa.

Malipo Lukandamiza Mbalanga was appointed as University of People as Ambassador.

Malipo Lukandamiza Mbalanga is Co-founder of Southern Africa Refugee Organisations Forum (SAROF).

 Pedagogist  

 Pedagogist  

Mr. Augustin holds a Certificate in Theology and Certificate in Radio Communication in Ministry 

Esinathi holds a BSc in Geological Sciences, Post Graduate Certificate in Education (GET Mathematics and FET Geography) 

Mr. Makhaya holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) 

Lunga holds a Diploma in Education, Certificate (MOTI) CMD 

Dr  Mohammed is the International Programming Officer at Africa Refugees and Migrants Aid (ARMA). He holds a National Diploma (OND), B.Sc., M.Sc., MSW from Kaduna Polytechnic, University of Ilorin and University of Ibadan, all in Nigeria, respectively. Mohammed S. Yusuf is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. He holds Doctoral from the University of Fort Hare, East London, South Africa, with an interest in risks and support for elderly refugees in South Africa. His areas of interest include Social Welfare, medical social work, and refugees. He has more than 17 publications in local, national and international journals, including chapters contribution in a book. 

Dr Newlin Marongwe is a Senior Lecturer at WSU - Walter Sisulu University. She is a holder of a PhD in Educational Psychology. She has awarded several research accolades published substantially in the areas of higher education, education & psychology, education & technology, inclusive education and teacher education in different peer reviewed journals.

She has peer reviewed several manuscripts nationally and internationally. She participated and presented papers at national and international conferences. She has facilitated research workshops locally, nationally and internationally to academics and postgraduate students. 

She has a couple of postgraduate students who graduated successfully and some cum laude in their research projects. She received an award for using technology successfully in her learning and teaching. 

She has been recognised for contributing immensely and participating in Community Engagement by engaging in impactful community outreach jointly with African Refugee and Migrants Aid (ARMA). She is a registered member of different research boards. She is an external examiner, assessor and moderator in various SA universities. She is an Institutional Senate Member, Campus SoTL Chair and an Institutional Research Mentor.

She is also a PGCE Postgraduate Coordinator. She is supervising postgraduate students to PhD level. Currently, she is offering Introduction to Theories of Inclusive Education and Psychology of Learning and Teaching to postgraduate students. She believes in teamwork and that together we can make a difference.

Her philosophy is underpinned by a basket of theories such as, constructivist theory, critical theory, Humanism, sociocultural theory, connectivism, transformative pedagogies and inclusion theory. 

Dr David Legodi Bogopa, He is an academic in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the Nelson Mandela

University based in the School of Social Sciences. He is an anthropologist with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Sociology, an Honours Degree in Anthropology

and Master of Arts in Anthropology. He also holds a Master of Arts in Development Studies

as well as a PhD in Anthropology. He is a former Pan African Anthropological Association

President (2003–2005) and he is a co-founder of World Council of Anthropological

Association which was established in Brazil (2004) and he is an Advisory Board member in

World Council of Anthropological Association. He is an executive member of the Africa

Sport Association. He also serves in the editorial board of Indo-Pacific Journal of

Phenomenology. His work was published in various scholarly accredited journals, namely:

Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, Acta Criminologica Journal, Indilinga Journal of

Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and other journals. Some of publication include his book

entitled “Shebeen Culture in South Africa”, he has contributed a book chapter in the book

entitled “Global Perspective on Physical Education (2012)”. His further scholarly book

chapters in published in 2022 “Football (Soccer) in Africa: Origins, Contributions and

Contradictions”. He has over the years successfully supervised more than forty post-graduate

students inclusively in Anthropology, Conflict Management Studies, Development Studies

and Sociology. His latest (2024) accepted book chapter is entitled “Premier Soccer League in

South Africa: Strategic Intervention in Dealing with Coronavirus Pandemic”.