Teresa Mbagaya

Teresa Mbagaya is a prominent education leader and advocate for youth rights, currently serving as a Board Director at Brink Foundation. She has a diverse background in education technology and impact investing, with a strong focus on improving educational outcomes for young people across Africa.

Professional Background

• Current Roles:

  • Board Director at Brink Foundation: Teresa is involved in innovative philanthropic efforts aimed at addressing global education poverty through new funding mechanisms and community partnerships.4
  • Principal at Imaginable Futures: She leads the strategic management of investment strategies focused on education in Africa, contributing to initiatives that enhance digital education transformation and youth skills development.37

• Previous Experience:

  • Education Lead for Microsoft in East and Southern Africa: In this role, she managed the deployment of learning solutions across ten countries, significantly impacting educational access and quality.58
  • Head of Econet Education: Teresa spearheaded the development of Zimbabwe's first digital education platform, launching multiple educational services that aimed to reach millions of students.26

Achievements

• Recognized as one of Forbes' "30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs in Africa", highlighting her entrepreneurial spirit and impact in the education sector.13
• Acknowledged as a 2019 Obama Foundation Leader and a 2021 Archbishop Tutu Fellow, reflecting her leadership and commitment to social change.15
• Co-founder of the Bidii Children Foundation, which supports educational initiatives in rural Kenya, demonstrating her dedication to grassroots development.29

Education

Teresa holds a Bachelor’s degree from Yale University, along with additional qualifications from the London School of Economics and a certificate in Advanced Arabic from the SIT Graduate Institute.23

Personal Philosophy

Mbagaya is passionate about empowering young people, particularly women, and believes in creating sustainable solutions through innovative funding practices. She advocates for shifting power dynamics within philanthropy to better support communities and foster meaningful change.45