Our Team
School Club Zambia is driven by a small, dedicated team of professionals based in the UK and Zambia. Our committed team works tirelessly to address the critical education challenges faced by rural communities. We are supported by a UK and Zambian board whose collective expertise includes project management, safeguarding, finance, education, women's health, and fundraising.
Our team is passionate about creating sustainable change and tackling the core issue that less than 10% of children in rural Zambia complete a full 12 years of education. This significant gap exacerbates ongoing social and economic problems, especially as, according to UK Aid, approximately 1,000 young people join the job market every day.
We believe above all else, that every child deserves quality education and the opportunity to build a better future.
Staff
Lois Cochrane, our Director of Operations, is a passionate advocate for education and community development. She co-founded School Club Zambia in 2011, driven by a deep commitment to creating sustainable opportunities for vulnerable children and young people. Lois holds an MSc in Development Studies from SOAS and brings over 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, having worked with organisations such as Concern Worldwide, Time + Tide Foundation and African Revival.
In addition to her extensive practical experience, Lois is a Level 1 Social Value Associate with Social Value International, reflecting her dedication to embedding social impact and value-driven approaches into all aspects of our work. Her expertise and leadership have been instrumental in shaping and monitoring programmes that transform lives in rural communities.
Lois can be contacted via email at Lois@schoolclubzambia.org
Nalishebo Simunji, our dedicated Finance Manager, joined School Club Zambia in 2025, bringing with her over 10 years of experience in the finance sector. Her background includes work as an internal auditor for Maamba Collieries and Deloitte, where she gained valuable insights into financial management, compliance, and transparency.
A trained accountant with a passion for social impact, Nalishebo is deeply committed to ensuring that every child has the right to access quality education. Her expertise and dedication help us maintain strong financial practices, allowing us to focus on delivering impactful programmes that transform lives and communities.
Nalishebo’s commitment goes beyond numbers—she believes that financial sustainability is key to building a better future for Zambia’s children. Her work ensures that our organisation operates efficiently and effectively, enabling us to continue making a difference for generations to come.
Nalishebo can be contacted at Nalishebo@schoolclubzambia.org
Sunny Siabukandu, our dedicated Country Manager, is the heartbeat of School Club Zambia’s programmes. He oversees the day-to-day implementation of our projects, ensuring that initiatives reach communities effectively and sustainably. Sunny’s hands-on leadership keeps everything running smoothly and ensures our work makes a real difference in the lives of children and young people.
Sunny brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the organisation. He is a trained organic agriculture practitioner and holds a degree in social work, combining practical farming skills with a deep understanding of community development. This blend of expertise allows him to design programmes that are not only impactful but also culturally sensitive and community-driven.
Having volunteered and worked in youth development for over 10 years, Sunny's background includes valuable experience with the Southern African AIDS Trust, where he contributed to initiatives that empower young people and promote health and well-being. Since joining our team in early 2015, Sunny has been a passionate advocate for youth engagement, sustainable agriculture, and social change—dedicating himself to creating opportunities and inspiring hope in rural Zambia.
Sunny can be contacted via email at Sunny@schoolclubzambia.org
Alice Simakala (Gender and Youth Officer) is in charge of mainstreaming gender and youth issues into all of SCZ's programmes. Alice who joined SCZ in 2015, has been involved in youth entreprenurship projects since her school won the People's Prize in Teach a Man to Fish's School Enterprise Challange in 2011. We are yet to meet a more motivational speaker on the rights of youth and love her fresh perspectives on mobilising school resources. Alice has a Bachelors of Art in Development Studies.
Alice can be contacted at Alice@schoolclubzambia.org
Nchimunya Siamunsila (Programme Intern). Nchimunya joined the team in September 2017 as an Innovation Ambassador at Siansowa School where she worked to develop Zambia’s first meal worm project in a school. Nchimunya is currently undertaking a degree in Humanities at the University of Lusaka but helps with our programmes during her holidays.
Sue Sharp (UK Volunteer Office Administrator). Sue has worked in the education sector for over 40 years, primarily as a head teacher at a school for deaf children in London. Sue has been a dedicated volunteer since School Club Zambia was formed in 2011 and oversees all of our office administration work.
Monica Mithi (Programme Assistant) joined the School Club Zambia team in February 2021. Monica oversees our Next Generation Girls Project which is providing 30 girls with vocational training and psycho-social support over the year. Monica has previously worked on a gender equality project for a USAID funded organisation in Mazabuka in Southern Zambia. Monica loves seeing girls return to school and is passionate about ending child marriage in our rural district.
Monica can be contacted at Monica@schoolclubzambia.org
UK Board
John Kirkland OBE (UK Chair) has twenty years experience of education and international development, including periods between 1999 and 2017 as Deputy Secretary-General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, a UK government body which awards scholarships to students throughout the commonwealth. More recently, he has been engaged in recent projects for government agencies in South Africa, Pakistan and the Wellcome Trust in the UK, and serves on steering committees for two current projects funded by DFID and other agencies in Africa. He was awarded an OBE in 2015 for services to universities in the Commonwealth,
John has also been employed since 2018 as Chief Operating Officer at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, one of the UK's leading independent research organisations, where he also worked as Company Secretary from 1994-99. He was previously Head of Research Services at Brunel University for six years, and obtained his doctorate from Brunel in 1989.
Ruth Bunmi Odufala (Marketing, Communications and Corporate Partnerships Trustee) has over 4 years of experience as a passionate marketing and Digital Communications specialist including for the Association of African Universities (AAU). She is a member of the Regional Facilitation Unit for the World Bank’s Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) where she manages all social media accounts and leads the strategic messages to specific audiences. Given her bilingual skill, she has always been a team leader for document translations and meeting interpretation for corporations.
Hannah Kerrigan has over 7 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector including working in Zambia as a philanthropy manager of a large corporate company for over 2 years. Hannah completed a Masters in Finance in 2015 and is currently the Head of Public Sector Partnerships at the Prince’s Trust Scotland
Neelan Santhirarajah (UK Treasurer) visited Zambia in 2017,and having seen the work and impact of School Club Zambia, he was excited to join the board as our Treasurer in 2018. Neelan has a degree in math and economics and he is a qualified Accountant by background, currently working in the finance industry for T.Rowe Price in London.
OluwatosinOmobitan (Secretary), a seasoned professional in the field of secretarial and governance, joined the School Club Zambia team in 2023 as the Secretary to the Board, bringing a wealth of expertise and a robust legal background to drive the organization's growth. A qualified Nigerian barrister and solicitor, Oluwatosin is also in the process of attaining full solicitor qualification in the United Kingdom. Her passion for volunteering, particularly in children's education, stems from a belief that investing in youth development is pivotal for the future. She is dedicated to ensuring that children receive the necessary training to navigate the complexities of today's world and thrive in the challenges of tomorrow.
Melissa Ireland (Lead Safeguarding Trustee) has 11 years of experience working with vulnerable families, children and young adults across Australia and UK. Melissa has completed her Masters in Social Work and Community Development. Melissa has joined SCZ as she is passionate about empowering young people and communities. In 2022 Mel spent some time visiting our projects in Zambia and conducted extensive safeguarding training with teachers, coaches and all of our staff members.
Zambian Board
Patrick Malanji is a Lusaka businessman who has supported School Club Zambia with consultancy advice since 2011. Patrick who is first and foremost a family man, joined our board in 2018 with a dream to see more children finish school and find gainful employment.
Peter Nel is a logistics professional currently employed by Anglo American and has been supporting School Club Zambia as a donor since 2011. Peter has a passion for supporting rural Zambians to access better quality education and joined our board in 2018 to help scale up our programmes.
Gill Staden worked for the British Government as an ODA teacher for over 20 years in Nigeria, Botswana and Zambia. Gill is a conservationist and published Struik author with her book “Beyond the Victoria Falls: Forays into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia”. Gill has been a trustee for School Club Zambia since 2011 and has assisted on the development of tailoring products and sustainable tree planting projects at our schools.
Charlene Bangwe Chama was voted as Action Against Hunger’s Humanitarian of the Year in 2009 and is also a Mandela Washington Fellow for Young African Leaders. Charlene is currently employed by USAID to improve young women’s opportunities in business and entrepreneurship in Zambia. Charlene has been a trustee of School Club Zambia since 2011.