About Elective Africa

Edwin H. Dande - Chair, Board of Advisors

Edwin chairs the Board of Advisors of Elective Africa. The Board provides strategic direction to management and helps develop relationships and linkages for the program. He has a variety of interests including in the niche experiential travel industry. Edwin holds a Bachelors in Science in Business Administration from Monmouth University in New Jersey, an MBA from the Wharton school, University of Pennsylvania, and qualified as a Certified Public Accountant, CPA, in the state of New Jersey. Edwin is currently the CEO of British American Asset Managers.

Dr. Faiqa Ebrahim - Program Advisor

Dr. Faiqa Ebrahim is a Medical Officer at Coast Provincial General Hospital where she is responsible for the acute pediatrics ward and the pediatrics outpatient clinic. She has also practiced in the obstetrics and gynecology where she was responsible for mothers in labor for intervention of complicate labor, gynecology and ward rounds and clinics. She did her internship at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret rotating through pediatrics, obs gyna, surgery and orthopedics, and internal medicine. Other areas of interest include public health and intervention radiology. She obtained her MBBS from the University of Technology in Sudan. Dr. Ebrahim has also practiced at other hospitals such as Pandya, Mombasa, Jocham, and Aga Khan hospitals. When not practicing Dr. Ebrahim interests include travelling, adventure, and socializing. She can be reached at febrahim at electiveafrica.com

Dr. Rahul Patel - Program Advisor

Dr. Rahul Patel is resident physician specializing in Emergency Medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center and Hartford Hospital. Dr. Patel rotated through Elective Africa's Accident and Emergency program, and then came on board as a program advisor to help develop medical programs and build relationships with schools and students to optimize their experience. Dr. Patel graduated with a medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Post-Baccalaureate diploma in Neurobiology from the University of Florida. He can be reached at rpatel at electiveafrica.com

Flavia Meja - Program Assistant

Flavia Meja is a program assistant at Elective Africa. Flavia is in charge of client communication ensuring all client queries are attended to. She is also in charge of operational logistics in the Nairobi program with particular emphasis on corresponding with potential students, managing the application and placement process, and supporting program participants before, during and after the program. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resource Management) degree from the Kenya College of Accountancy University. She also holds a Diploma in Business Management. She can be reached at fmeja@electiveafrica.com.

Dr. Ruth A. Mbadi - Program Assistant

Dr. Ruth A. Mbadi has recently joined Elective Africa as a program assistant.  Ruth oversees program content development, coordinates medical students experience and hospital relations. With local medical knowledge, Ruth helps students find the most relevant medical electives in various settings in Africa. She got her MBChB from the University of Nairobi. She has previously  worked with I Choose Life –Africa an NGO that deals with HIV/AIDS advocacy in public and private universities in Kenya and KEMRI-FACES, a branch of Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) that deals with comprehensive care of people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. She has special interest in pediatrics. In her free time she enjoys cooking and knitting. She can be reached at rmbadi@electiveafrica.com

Phares Odhiambo - Program Coordinator

Phares is the Program Coordinator and contact person on the ground for Elective Africa in Kenya. He is in charge of operational logistics from the time of arrival throughout to the departure time, responsible for supervising housekeeping, catering, security and general compound maintenance. He oversees the entire stay of students in the program, to ensure that they have an incredible experience while in Kenya. He also facilitates hospital placement of the students, ensuring that the registration process of students run smoothly and they get orientation at the hospital on time to start doing rounds in their different departments of interest. He is the direct link between EA and the clients, responsible for organizing philanthropic activities for the students, advises the students on coping mechanisms in Kenya - basically what to do and how to experience the local culture. Phares holds a Bachelors Degree in Development Studies from Kampala International University, Uganda. He can be reached at podhiambo at electiveafrica.com

Lillian Mugonyi - Program Development

Lillian is in charge of Elective Africa’s program development with the dual roles of developing programs and building partnerships with our feeder schools to ensure our elective programs fit their curriculum requirements. She is also responsible for creating linkages with health institutions and health providers that host our medical elective program participants in Africa. Her marketing background and experience in both the private and NGO sectors helps to develop partnerships that are essential to our elective programs. She recently consulted and worked for an International reproductive health NGO and implemented program activities in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. She can be reached at lnasser at electiveafrica.com

Nasser Olwero - Information Systems Advisor

Nasser Olwero is an Information Systems advisor for Elective Africa's technology, information management and online presence team. He has a speciality in conservation information systems and seamlessly blends the fields of technology, conservation and education and supports conservation projects and many aspects of training programs.   Has additional interest in health information systems.  After graduating with an MPhil in environmental information systems, Nasser worked briefly in Kenya before moving to the US where he currently lives and works for a global conservation organization. He can be contacted at nolwero at electiveafrica.com

Christina Jørgensen Solli

Christina Jørgensen Solli is our program advisor for Norway. Christina participated in our program in 2010 and joined us to help potential participants considering our programs in Norway. She is a medical student at the University of Trondheim (NTNU), with a variety of specialty interests such as surgery, neurology and tropical medicine. Her interest in Africa started early on by taking Swahili lessons and also studied Diseases and Illness in Africa. Christina loves the outdoors and is a certified climbing instructor and has a diving license. She is fluent in Norwegian, French and English, and has lived in France.

Norwegians interested in taking any of our trips to Africa, whether a medical elective or any of the adventure trips like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro or taking a Safari, please send Christina a message here. Christina also covers Sweden and Denmark for Elective Africa.