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OUR PEOPLE
OUR STAFF
JAKE CRISWICK
Chief Executive Officer
BIO
Chief Executive Officer
Meet Jake, our CEO at Play it Forward. With experience working as a logistician for Raleigh International in Tanzania, Coopération Internationale in Malawi, and project management for the World Food Programme in Nigeria, he’s a dynamic leader driving positive change. Possessing a BSc in Sport & Exercise Science and an MSc in NGO and Development Management, he’s also an experienced sports coach. Jake’s unwavering commitment to creating positive change, combined with his diverse expertise, makes him an invaluable asset to our mission of empowering communities in need.
Rabecca Banda
Head of Programmes
BIO
Head of Programmes
MERCY MUKUBO
Project Officer
BIO
Project Coordinator & Girl’s Coach
O'BRIAN NTEBKA
Head of Finance & Operations
BIO
Head of Finance & Operations
O’brian is in charge of all projects related finances and internal controls for the organisation. He oversees the preparation of financial reports, budgeting and grants application and communications with the external auditors. Prior to joining Play It Forward, O’brian worked as an accountant at Finta Farms Ltd, a dairy processing company in Livingstone for over five years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounts, Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business under the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Licentiate Diploma under the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA).
WEBSTER MWEEMBA
Boy's Coach
BIO
Project Coordinator & Boy’s Coach
Webby joined Play It Forward (formerly Young Boys Football Club) in 2017 after a notable playing career with GMH Academy, Southern Reeds, and Livingstone Pirates. Transitioning to coaching, he became Under-17 Coach in 2018, backed by certifications including FAZ D License and Swindon Town FC Foundation Coaching Education. Committed to youth development, he’s mentored numerous players and coaches in Livingstone, embodying Play It Forward’s ethos of empowering the next generation of football talent.
Mbali Bwembya
Comms, Events, and Fundraising Officer
BIO
Mbali is the Communications, Events, and Fundraising Officer at Play It Forward and the Media Officer for the Play It Forward Football teams. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in
Business Administration with a specialty in Marketing and is currently pursuing an MBA. With a passion for impactful storytelling, Mbali manages digital content, public relations, donor
relations, and events, ensuring alignment with Play It Forward’s mission. She plays a pivotal role in amplifying the organization’s visibility, fostering partnerships, and securing funding.
Mbali is committed to empowering communities and creating opportunities through education, sports, and innovative outreach campaigns.
SERGE MUMBA
Football Academy Manager
BIO
Men’s Coach
Coach Serge started his playing football career at the age of 6 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He further went on to play as a professional football player in Zambia, Zimbabwe and in Switzerland. He started his coaching career in 2006 and found himself thriving in the role, winning 5 league titles with 3 different teams. Since that time he has never looked back. Football is his main focus in life and he has a very deep passion for coaching. Serge is currently the coach for the Play it Forward Senior Men’s Team who play in FAZ Division 1.
SELINA MASHEWA
Women's Coach
BIO
Project Coordinator & Girl’s Coach
Selina joined Play it Forward in 2018 as a volunteer Coach for the girl’s team. Previously, she played for Randers FC before being signed by Eastland FC in 2015. She currently holds a FAZ “D” licence, first aid qualification and has completed a qualification in mentorship which she obtained from the “football3” National Festival. She also serves as a peer educator, teaching young people in the community about sexual health and HIV.
STARFORD MANDA
Men's Coach
BIO
Project Coordinator & Boy’s Coach
Stafford Manda is a Coach at Play it Forward. Before joining us, he had a playing career that spanned -15 years. He started his playing career at Kabwe Warriors and moved on to play for Diarora Football Club in South Africa. After which he returned to Zambia and played for three other teams before leaving Muzanza Police to join Livingstone Youth FA. While at the academy, he put himself forward to attend courses like the; Tackle Africa Level 1 coaching course, Swindon Town FC Community Foundation coaching education, FAZ D License and finally Red Cross First Aid before becoming a coach of the under 12 and 14 boys. He is committed to supporting younger players to achieve their dreams and rise to greater heights in whatever they do. He has been able to mentor and also be a role model to so many of the players in the academy.
MERCY MISELO
Driver
BIO
Driver
BWALYA MUTALE
GK Coach
BIO
Goalkeeper Coach
Andrew Imbuwa
Driver
OUR UK TRUSTEES
OLIVER BRENDON
BIO
Chairman
Oliver is the Founder of Play it Forward and has been the vision and energy behind its mission. He is also Founder & CEO of the successful e-commerce company AttractionTickets.com (formerly Attraction Tickets Direct). Oliver has been progressively more involved in the support of charity projects across Zambia. With a heart-warming ambition for improving the quality of Zambian children’s lives through water, sanitation and football projects, he is channelling his passion to change lives.
SASHA BRENDON
BIO
Trustee
Sasha has had a passion for travel and exploring new and fascinating destinations since her first trip abroad in the 1980’s. With over 20 years’ experience in the travel industry which included writing travel brochures and negotiating supplier contracts, she was able to indulge her wanderlust as well as developing a strong eye for detail and building firm relationships. Since having children, Sasha has become more concerned with children’s welfare and education and for several years has been involved with school PTA’s and raising money for children’s charities. She is an advocate for gender equality and is particularly inspired by the success of the girls’ team programme at Play it Forward.
CHIBWE HENRY
BIO
Trustee
Chibwe is an experienced and innovative NGO and International Development management professional with a strong track record of working for and building local, national and international charities and grant-makers. She is Partnership Manager for the Department for International Development (DFID) at Comic Relief, a major grant making charity based in the UK which strives to create a just world free from poverty. Chibwe leads a complex £25m plus portfolio of grants, All In, All Learning!, across nine African countries that is jointly funded by Comic Relief and DFID. The programme aims to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for the poorest and most disadvantaged, whilst building stronger and more inclusive education systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to Comic Relief, Chibwe founded and led an African Diaspora-led INGO based in the UK, Diaspora for African Development (DfAD). Outside of work, Chibwe enjoys listening to audiobooks, reconnecting with nature and learning about new cultures around the world.
PETE EDWARDS
BIO
Trustee
Pete has worked in the media and marketing industry for more than 25 years. His experience includes leadership roles with media agency Starcom and founding his own consultancy business, EGS in 2005. After selling to the Engine Group (one of the UK’s largest advertising and media services group) in 2009, he enjoyed a range of roles including Chief Strategy Officer, Chairman of their data business, and ultimately CEO of their media division with responsibility for launching three ad-tech platforms in Europe and the far east. Currently Pete is a non exec director for B2B business services group Crimtan and a consultant at the french advertising and media network, Publicis. Outside of work, Pete enjoys playing golf badly, running adequately and appreciating wine, extensively.
JANE CAJOULLE
BIO
Trustee
Swiss born, Jane studied at Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, trained under Gordon Ramsay, where she organised private events. In 2009 she worked for a private client managing his personal affairs, staff, and European portfolio of estates. In 2013, she founded Townhouse Concierge, where she now heads up a team of 13 handpicked experts, offering the very best in private client services to an international ultra-high net worth clientele. TownHouse has built itself a strong reputation in the middle east through its strong track record of consistently delivering the near impossible, an impressive network of partners, an impeccable sense of integrity and a great sense of humour. Amongst other Jane has advised her clients and guided them in a surprisingly broad range of no for profit projects. Jane is now anxious to put her experience to new and looks forward to the challenges that being a Trustee with Play it Forward will bring.
JOE THOMPSON
BIO
Treasurer
Joe is a qualified chartered accountant, training with KPMG before pursuing a career in Corporate Finance. He worked at a number of blue-chip Investment Banks including Dresdner Kleinwort, Lloyds and Investec providing strategic and financial advice to UK and International companies. During his career Joe has acted on corporate transactions worth over £45 billion. He is now an independent Corporate Finance consultant advising companies on capital raisings and strategy.
Rebecca Harding
BIO
Becky is our Safeguarding Trustee in the UK. Qualifying as a Social Worker more than a decade ago she has always been passionate about improving the welfare safety and long term outcomes for people she has supported over her career. After driving Safeguarding in 2 large NHS trusts she moved to charity and is currently working for Comic Relief as their Safeguarding Lead. This role has enabled her to learn more about Safeguarding in the charity sector and the context of the Global Majority. She is passionate about gender and social justice. Presently she is learning more about how we can work towards co-creation and shifting the power within the aid sector. Outside of work Becky loves to travel learning about different cultures – especially through the food, being outdoors and when the weather means being outdoors isn’t fun reading a good book, usually some sort of historic fiction.
OUR ZAMBIA TRUSTEES
MARA MICHELO
BIO
Trustee
Mara is a business development and project management professional with 14 years professional experience. She is the Founder & Country Director at Jacaranda Hub, an organization that aims at developing young people through the provision of collective services, infrastructure and specialized tools and equipment for common use among the young and aspiring MSMEs with growth potential. She is also the administrator at Payment Association of Zambia, the association serves as a joint industry platform from which members who are mainly Digital Finance Service providers are able to collaborate in dealing with various issues of mutual interest including payment systems policy formulation, innovations and the conduct of public/private dialog.
JUSTIN PALMER
BIO
Trustee
Justin is a football administrator with a dedication to developing the sport in Southern Africa. Currently he is the General Manager of City of Lusaka Football Club in the Zambian Premier League. Prior to that, he was the General Manager at Kabwe Warriors in the Zambian Super League. Justin is passionate about the the power football has to transform people’s lives and communities.
YANDE KALENGO
BIO
Trustee
Yande Kalengo is the Power Shifting Director at global youth agency Restless Development. Driven by her commitment to dismantle power structures she has 7 years experience in
international development particularly working in Gender Equality, Women’s Rights and Youth programming in Zambia. She is a Feminist, Activist and Lawyer with a Bachelors degree in Law from Oxford Brookes University and Masters in International Law from the University of Westminster.
OUR AMBASSADORS
TIM BALL
BIO
Tim is a risk averse entrepreneur with experience in setting up and managing businesses both in the UK and internationally. Tim graduated from London University in 1980 with a degree in Physical Education and, although he never taught, he has never lost his passion for education and the benefits it can bring. In his younger days he represented the British Colleges football team and played at a semi-professional level. Tim is married and has four sons, two of whom play football at a senior level.
A good communicator at all levels, Tim is equally comfortable in the boardroom or on the shop floor. An experienced manager of budgets and people with a level headed approach to business. Tim has visited Livingstone on a number of occasions and looks forward to providing assistance on both the sporting and educational elements.
Craig Lockett
BIO
A strong leader with experience of effectively managing a team and have previous experience working for dynamic and proven companies. He previously worked for AttractionTickets.com as well as Thomson Holidays (now TUI). He has worked in different roles in travel, including Product Team Leader, Travel Agent Trainer and Educational Leader. He is now working for Stoke City FC Community Trust as a Senior Coach, Disability SEN (football and activities).
