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About Us

Our mission is simple: to address the campus-to-career transition gap, while amplifying the opportunities young leaders have to collaborate and make an impact on the continent. With over 4,000 internships and 2,000 job placements made, it is with pride that we scale our impact in Africa, reaching critical geographies while providing greater support, safeguarding, and inclusion.

The ACN Affiliate Program is a strategic extension of our decade-long mission to equip high-potential African youth with career-building opportunities. In partnership with Mastercard Foundation, the program engages mission-driven, locally rooted non-profit organisations across Africa to expand our reach into underserved geographies and communities, particularly among women, refugees, internally displaced persons and persons with disabilities. Through a renewable multi-year collaboration, our Affiliates train participants, engage employers, build network strategies and monitor inclusive outcomes.

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Hanifa Mufaro Manda
Senior Program Manager, Affiliates Program

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Hanifa Mufaro Manda is a Project Management professional and Human Rights advocate with a passion for democracy and governance. She holds a Master of Philosophy in Human Rights from the University of Pretoria and is pursuing a PhD in International Relations.

At Africa Career Networks, Hanifa leads the Affiliates Program, drawing on her experience across non-profits, government, and multilateral organizations, including Freedom House, the International Republican Institute, and Habitat for Humanity. She is a 2021 Young African Leaders Fellow at the European University Institute.

Nthati Mabena
ACN Affiliates Program Associate

Nthati was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa and is a programme professional with an Anthropology Honour’s degree from the University of Pretoria. She is a fierce advocate for mental health and diversity and is driven by wanting to make a meaningful impact in young African lives. She has experience in research, gender advocacy and social entrepreneurship. She expresses herself creatively through book reviews, fashion and baking. Nthati loves her friends and family and believes heavily in community.