4th AF-SGW Organising Team
Event Manager
Kingsley Ahenkora Duodu (Ghana)
Kingsley Ahenkora-Duodu is a PhD researcher in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leeds funded by the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) project. Kingsley was selected as one of the Top 10 under 30 professionals in the African Space Industry (Class of 2019) adjudged by the Space in Africa. He is a trained telescope operator and currently serves as the National Point of Contact for Ghana at the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) in support of the United Nations Program on Space Applications. Kingsley was chosen as a science commissioning team member of the African very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) network for the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) project which has the largest single radio telescope in Africa: Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory (GRAO). He obtained his MPhil. in Radiation Protection from the University of Ghana and Degree in “Medical” Physics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Kingsley is optimistic about the African space industry and his passion and drive for STEAM motivated him to be involved in several outreach programmes involving students, researchers and industrial players in the field.
Deputy Event Manager
Charles-aimé Nzeussi Mbouendeu (Cameroon)
NZEUSSI MBOUENDEU Charles-Aimé, is the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) National Point of Contact in Cameroon. He is also a member of the Space Technologies for Earth Applications working group. Charles-aimé co-authored the paper, entitled “Current and Near-Future State of Space Technology for Disaster Situations”, which was presented during the 70th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Washington, DC. In 2019-2020, he was NASA’s Scientist for a Day essay contest National coordinators, also co-organizer of Africa Need Space workshop and Space Mission Design training in Cameroon. In addition he was African Union Commission Youth Scholarship award for the 8th African Leadership Conference. He has a strong conviction that we all have our part to play for the development of the African continent and chooses to invest in the promotion of space issues and innovation via space technologies in Africa.
Program Team
Ruvimbo Samanga (Zimbabwe)
Ruvimbo Samanga studied Law at the University of Pretoria up to Masters Level. She holds a Masters in International Trade & Investment Law. She is the National Point of Contact for Zimbabwe in the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) as well as the National Representative for Women in Aerospace Africa (WIAA), Zimbabwe chapter. Her interest in space law began when she participated as a semi-finalist in the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition in Adelaide, Australia, and was named Best African Speaker in 2017. The following year she coached the University of Pretoria
team which won the World Finals in Bremen, Germany, held during the 68th International
Astronautical Congress in 2018. This was the first African team to win since the inception of the competition in 1991. Since then Ruvimbo has received a number of awards in recognition of her endeavours in Space Law & Policy, including the prestigious Zimbabwean Achiever of the Year Award in the Young Achievers Category, and was also recognised as one of the Top 10 under 30 in the African Space Industry in May of 2019. Ruvimbo is a Ban Ki-moon Global Citizen Scholar for 2020.
She is also a Mandela-Rhodes Scholar and was invited to the European Forum Alpbach as a Robert Bosch Scholar in 2019. She currently works as a policy analyst for Space in Africa and is a research fellow with the Open Lunar Foundation. She has published various journal and online articles on legal developments in the body of Space Law. Her future interests lie in Trade, Investment, Sustainability and Development Studies, Human Rights and Space Law.
Marco Romero (Angola)
After 6 years at Military School, Marco Romero began his career in Aeronautical Engineering and Glider Pilot in the Angolan Air Force, after finishing his course at the Portuguese Air Force Academy. After that, he expanded his career to the Angolan Space Program as a specialist in ballistic navigation and support for Satellite Operation at the Funda’s mission and control Center, accumulating more than 5 years of experience in the aerospace sector. During this time he worked on the Space Application and Services section of the Space Science and Research Department, at the Project Management Department and Education and Outreach/ Multimedia Section of the Angolan Space Program. Recently completed the Step up as a Space System engineer in the Advanced Master of ISAE Supaero and at same time integrated the European Space Agency Master of Science on Human and Robotic Space Exploration and Development Systems.
Working now at Airbus Defence and Space on the usage of Small satellite development for Capacity Building studying the path from CanSat to Space System Engineering in Africa. Making an observation Mission internship at French Aerospace Valley to explore, learn and develop a strategy to implement a Sustainable new space Ecosystem in African Space and non-Space Related countries. Current national contact point of the Space Generation Advisory Council and National Outreach Coordinator of the International Astronomical Union in Angola, is also running the activities of the Mars Society Angolan Chapter, Moon Village Association, where we can highlight the development of the first Analogue Simulation mission in Angola (Namibe Desert). Ambassador of the OpenCosmos Academy for the Design of Space Missions. Member of PMI, and creating the INCOSE Angolan Chapter and active participant of Open Space Makers Federation.
Strongly inspired by human and robotics exploration of the solar system and by STEM education Marco believes that these catalyse innovation and development. That’s why he launched some Space Comic Books, Games and STEM Programs. He had the opportunity to create several hackathons, conferences, studies, projects and other activities in Angola and joined similar activities in other countries.
In the last 4 years, it has developed and consolidated 6 Startups in the fields of Aeronautics (UAV Manufacturing, Applications and Services), Space (STEM Education, Remote Sensing and GIS), Science and Technologies (Applications, Games, Programming and Robotics) and Multimedia and Arts (Animation, Band Design and Advertising).
Nelly-Hellen Ebruka (Nigeria)
Nelly-helen is an award winning law student, space enthusiast and young Pan-African leader with a passion for the legal aspect of space exploration and a desire to change the narratives of space science education in Nigeria and Africa.
She is an elected prospective member of the International Institute of Space Law and is currently promoting the study of space policies and space education in her community.
She serves as the President of the LearnSpace Foundation and is a Team member of Spacehubs Africa.
PR and Communications Team
Chidimma Oruche (Nigeria)
Chidimma Oruche likes to use her skills as a Marketing Communication Specialist to help organisations communicate effectively. As a Social Media Strategist, She builds influence for great brand perception and strong online presence.
As an individual who is multi – experienced, She has carried out projects as a trained Environmental Engineer in oil spillage clean-up, environmental health and safety, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and land reclamation. She is interested in seeing a safer world and as a result, she engages in addressing climate change, global warming, air and water pollution and environmental sustainability and helping out with proper objects recycling and waste disposal.
Chidimma is a space enthusiast. She has worked with reputable space agencies like National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), the national space agency of Nigeria at the Strategic Space Application Department (SSA), the Space Generation Advisory Council in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Application as the PR and Communication Team member for the 3rd African Space Generation Workshop Ethiopia, and belongs to the Space Technology for Earth Application (STEA) and the Space, Safety and Sustainability (SSS) project groups.
When She is not volunteering to mentor young people , She takes long walks and goes hiking.
Alimamy Conteh (Seirra Leone)
Alimamy Lewis Seray Conteh is a fourth year student at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. He is currently pursuing a five-year Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Degree. While in university, he is the National Point of Contact for Sierra Leone at the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC),National Outreach Coordinator for Sierra Leone at the Office of Astronomy Outreach, International Astronomical Union and also the co-founder and the Executive Director of STEAD Society. STEAD, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Developments is a student based organisation dedicated to increasing innovation and technology in Sierra Leone and the African continent.
He has worked extensively with STEM enthusiasts around the world to help raise the awareness of space science and astronomy in Sierra Leone and also introduce the Space Science and Astronomy program in his university. He recently organised the Space week activity which is actually the first ever space activity in Sierra Leone, by coming together to interact and proffer solutions on how we can collectively inspire and stimulate interest in Space Science and STEM. He also organised a space workshop with Open Cosmos UK on Space Mission Design and Analysis. Most recently he was able to gain a scholarship from the African Union Commission to attend the 8th African Leadership conference on Space science and Technology for sustainable development in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. He has also been working with some international organisations by organising workshops, outreach and training programs for students in his university and community. Through this platform he’s pioneering a strong group to promote and disseminate the benefits of satellite communications and technology with a view to making Sierra Leone one of the African countries that will popularise the technology and use it in all facets of their development.
Delegates Team
Zemichael Gebeyehu (Ethiopia)
Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Zemichael Gebeyehu is an active member and a volunteer at the Ethiopian Space Science Society (ESSS), previously working in various activities and events. Zemichael joined the Ethiopian Space Science Society at the age of ten, and he has done more than 13 technical researches in Aerospace Engineering and propulsion for the past decade, presenting and giving lectures on many of the ESSS’s General Assemblies, summer training, and public outreach events.
Graduating from private high school at the top of his class as a valedictorian, Zemichael will be studying Mechanical Engineering for the fall. Zemichael has been featured on CNN as one of Ethiopia’s youth in the space sector. He is also a recipient of the Youth leadership Award and a UN Junior Ambassador for Sustainable Development, where he conducted research on the Sustainable Development Goals and space debris at Claremont Graduate University in California. Zemichael presented his research at MIT and UN Headquarters in New York City. In 2018, Zemichael became a Youth Space Ambassador of the Ethiopian Space Science Society.
Zemichael is also an active member of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). He participated in many local SGAC events such as Yuri’s night in Ethiopia. At the age of 19, Zemichael was a delegate for the Space Generation Congress (SGC) 2019, participating in the Post-ISS Activities in the Low Earth Orbit working group and SGC2019 Space Exploration Workshop. Zemicahel also participated at the 70th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2019 in Washington DC, representing his country Ethiopia. After SGC 2019, He was a rapporteur of the Business and Entrepreneurship working group of the 3rd AF-SGW in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In the coming years, Zemichael hopes to work in the aerospace industry and contribute to Africa’s overall development.
Yves Emmanuel Emougou (Cameroon)
Yves Emmanuel NIKOYO EMOUGOU is a Cameroonian of 26 years old, he holds a Master Degree in environmental assessment and territory planning. He works at EURÊKA GEO as geomatics assistant project, he is also following a remote internship with Akdeniz University-Turkey on remote sensing. As an environmentalist he is interested in technology dealing with Earth Observation especially the natural resources monitoring.
Knowing the importance of vulnerable, indigenous and local communities in the management of natural resources, he wrote a scientific article on this issue, proposing a framework for participation, aimed at integrating local communities in the management of mangroves ecosystem. This article is available on the following link http://savoirs.cames.online/jspui/handle/20.500.12177/1244. He is also contributing on Cameroon spatial data analysis to power OpenStreetMap, a participative cartography project.
Logistics Team
Joshua Kalognia (Ghana)
Joshua Kalognia is from Ghana and is a Physicist. He is a former student (2016) of the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) basic training program in radio astronomy at the Ghana Space Science Technology Institute (GSSTI) and is currently a Technologist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (CSIR-INSTI) in Ghana. He is a member of the outreach team in promoting radio astronomy in Ghana through school visits and astronomy clubs (PRAGSAC). His passion is to promote science for the development of Africa and the world as a whole. “As a member of the Logistics team of the 4th AF-SGW2020, I look forward to working with the organising team to make this workshop a success. I hope this workshop will bring everyone together, help impact the youth in space science, and help build/establish relationships for future collaborations and development.”
Eldrige Melo (Angola)
Eldrige de Melo is a Aerospace Project Manager from the Angolan Space Program, currently an intern at Airbus Defense and Space in Toulouse France. He is also the SGAC NPoC for Angola, he strongly believes in diversity and inclusion in the space sector.
Tafadzwa Banga (Zimbabwe)
Tafadzwa Banga is the founder of Young Inventors organisation at the National University of Science and Technology Zimbabwe where he is studying Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. He is an active member of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space since 2018 serving as the national chairperson and the president of SEDS NUST Chapter. Tafadzwa is also the Space Generation Advisory Council(SGAC) National Point of Contact (NPoC) for Zimbabwe, having joined the SGAC in 2019.
He is keen to see the sustainable development of his country and the rest of Africa through the active engagement of youths and young professionals in Africa, in space exploration and science.
Ghana Local Organising Team
Emmanuel Proven – Adzri
Proven- Adzri is from the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute in Accra, Ghana. He is a postdoctoral fellow under the Leverhulme- Royal Society, UK and also work as the Telescope Manager of the 32-m radio telescope at Kutunse in Ghana which is being commissioned for radio astronomy and radio interferometry as part of the African VLBI Network (AVN). The AVN is a project under the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)- South-Africa.
Michael Portuphy
Mr. Michael Portuphy is currently a Research Development Officer (RDO) with the Office of Research, Innovation and Development, University of Ghana. He works with the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) serving as an industry liaison officer with strong links to industry. His role is to facilitate engagement with external stakeholders in strengthening industry-academia interaction. Mr. Portuphy has Master of Philosophy degree in radiation protection and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry with over 7-years’ experience in the pharmaceuticals and academic sectors. He was part of the 4th cohort on the workshop on Development of Africa through Radioastronomy (DARA) and a strong space enthusiast.
Confidence Kpodo
Confidence Kpodo is a final year student reading B.Sc Geography and Regional Planning at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. She is a geospatial and space enthusiast and is excited about the prospects of Africa in the space industry. As a YouthMapper, she volunteers her time to map for Humanitarian related tasks. Being a dedicated team worker with an active spirit, she brings on board a keen sense of commitment to an engaging working environment.
I am glad to be a part of the Organising team for the 4th AF-SGW. This is an opportunity to contribute directly to a field whose benefits transcends into one of my passions for volunteering.
Forson Albert
Albert Kuntu Forson is an electrical and electronics engineer from Regional Maritime University Ghana and currently pressuring his MPhil research in Setting up an Array of Small Parabolic Antennas for various Radio Astronomy experiments in University of Mauritius.
He is a national secretary, Research and Education for the Ghana United Nations Association (GUNA) for promoting peace, security and development. He has a strong love and passion for astronomy and space science. He was a participant of 2018 AF-SGW in Mauritius and presented for working group 3 TEAM & OUTREACH.
He is a STEM enthusiast and has usefully conducted several STEM outreach educational projects in Ghana and also the coordinator for Promoting Radio Astronomy in Ghana through School visits and Astronomy Clubs (PRAGSAC) project in Ghana. His dream is to build the next generation of telescopes and observing techniques to help understand the universe better than we do today.
He strongly holds the faith that. “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed, the vision pulls you”. Your limitation is only your imagination. It is a great honour and privilege to be part of the 4th AF-SGW organising team and hope to assist in making the 2020 AF-SGW a memorial experience for all the delegates.
AF-SGW is pivotal in the development of the space industry in Africa and a great platform for establishing a foundation for future continental collaboration in space matters.
Isaac Agyeibi
Isaac is a young Professional in the field of engineering and technology who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Oil and Gas Engineering. Currently aspiring to pursue a Master’s degree program, He serves as a Teaching and Research Assistant in All Nations University.
Isaac has an increasing passion for space technology and engineering designs. Currently, Isaac is actively involved in Design, modelling and simulation of satellite structural systems in the All Nations University Space Systems and Technology Laboratory (ANU-SSTL). Since the year 2016, Isaac has been engaged with space activities through the ANU-SSTL where he serves as a volunteer on several space related events and outreach programs. Closely mentored by the SGAC Co-National Point of Contact for Ghana, Isaac has been introduced to several opportunities of organising conferences, competitions among other programs that promotes awareness of the benefits of Space science and Technology on the local level.
The role of space science and technology in the development of a Nation is numerous and I am more than excited to join in bringing its associated benefits to Ghana and Africa as a whole. Serving in the LoC for the 4th AF-SGW is a great stepping stone of Career advancement as it offers me the opportunity to contribute to space advancement on an international level and beyond. The success of this great event is my priority and I look forward to the empowerment that comes through knowledge acquisition and experience from other professionals in the organising team.
