Meet the team

Staff team

  • Grace Lyagga, Programme Manager

    Grace is responsible for running the a little bit of HOPE office, HR management and is the NGO’s finance manager. She has a degree in Business Administration and a post-graduate diploma in Finance management. Previously, Grace worked for World Vision as a child sponsorship development assistant.

  • Grace Nandi, Social Worker

    Grace is responsible for our work with vulnerable households and she also coordinates our programmes promoting the use of reusable sanitary towels. Grace pioneered our work with vulnerable women’s groups. She has a degree in Social Sciences and before working for a little bit of HOPE was a volunteer for the ‘Pearl Foundation for Children and Widows’.

  • Isaac Mudoba, Agricultural Officer

    Isaac is responsible for our School Farm programme and the agricultural projects for Vulnerable Groups. He has a National Diploma in crop production and management and was previously a farm manager at Mpigi community farm and also worked as an Assistant Agricultural Officer in Kween District local government.

  • Izzy Elton, UK Development Manager

    Izzy manages the UK side of a little bit of HOPE and works closely with the Ugandan team on the focus and direction of our work. She has a BA in International Development and has worked in the charity sector since 2010. She was previously Head of Engagement at Naked Truth Project and has worked in fundraising for a number of organisations. Izzy has spent many weeks with our team in Butaleja since her first visit in 2011. She also works for the Small International Development Charity Network (SIDCN) in marketing & communications.

Ugandan Board of Trustees

  • Cyprian Batala, Chairperson

    Batala spent more than three and half decades working for the Ugandan Government. Initially in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development – where he rose to the role of head of planning, before moving to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, first as the chief economist, and then the assistant commissioner for almost 20 years.

  • Justine Malingha

    Justine is a primary school head teacher and has a master’s degree in education. She sits on the board of several associations and organisations in the District.

  • Betty Nesihwe

    Betty has worked in development since she graduated – for local and international NGOs, local Government and the Church of Uganda. She is currently the community development coordinator for the Bukedi Diocese. Among her previous roles, she was a social extension worker for Send a Cow, and Butaleja’s Community Development Officer. She has a post graduate diploma in gender and local economic development.

  • Fred Were

    Fred works for Butaleja District Local Government as an Agricultural Officer. He was previously Agricultural Officer for a little bit of HOPE and played an integral role in establishing our school farms project. Fred also worked with CIDI (Community Integrated Development Initiatives) where he managed a community empowerment project. He’s a board member for Compassion International supported projects in Butaleja and Cross for Children Uganda.

  • Samuel Hasahya

UK Board of Trustees

  • Malcolm Bebb (Co-chair)

    Malcolm is the Managing Director of a progressive farming company in Mid Wales. Having over 30 years’ experience within agriculture, he has a good understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the sector. Malcolm became Chair of Trustees alongside Temi at the end of 2024 and has visited the team on several occasions over the last ten years. Malcolm’s current and past businesses include; food marketing, renewable energy, property development and hospitality. He has also been a School Governor, Director of a community social action project and chairman of his church’s Mission Action Team.

  • Temitope Olusi (Co-chair)

    Temi has a degree in Chemical Engineering and works as a Production Engineer with various size improvement projects in the ink industry. She has a passion for working with young people and has led youth groups in Church for over ten years. These youth groups have partnered with us over the years to fundraise for a project Temi is particularly inspired by - our school farm programme. She believes our projects are vital in allowing families in Butaleja to sustain an independent livelihood, and this is what inspires her to be a part of helping to make a little bit of HOPE successful. Temi spent time in Butaleja in November 2024 and became Chair alongside Malcolm in December that year.

  • Katie Lifford

    Katie visited Butaleja District in 2013 after completing her bachelor’s degree in Social Anthropology. She has been been a long term supporter of a little bit of HOPE since then and joined the UK board of trustees in 2024. Katie is part of the leadership team at a charity in Manchester providing accommodation and support for people who become homeless after claiming asylum in the UK. Here, she manages the support team and frontline work, including the strategic development and delivery of a support service for people living in the accommodation.

  • Amy Spooner

    Amy is a primary school teacher in a small town in Suffolk. She is a founding trustee of a little bit of HOPE, after visiting the area in 2011. She has continued to be involved after seeing the wonderful impact the charity has had on the lives of the people in the Butaleja District. She is extremely passionate about the charity’s ethos, and takes a keen interest in our Education programmes; particularly the library and school farms.