Our Volunteers
PLATFORM for the NEEDY (PLANE) offers a number of the Online and Onsite Volunteer and internship opportunities. We bring about change by working through volunteers and partners to empower communities in some rural poorest districts in Uganda. Together we can reach more people, poorest communities in areas of health, education, Gender Based Violence, Livelihoods, Environment etc.
Dr. Elizabeth Hynes from Netherlands
My goal with this writing is very dear to my heart. I want everyone in Uganda who is concerned about the issues of teenage pregnancy and child brides to know that their concern is understood and sympathized by women and men everywhere. Girls deserve a childhood, an education, and a long life of freedom. I have been working remotely with charities in Uganda for almost 2 years now. Writing with PLATFORM for the NEEDY is enjoyable and important because when we reach out to help there is a cascade of positivity. Writing poems is my way to share the modest wisdom I have learned myself. I envision PLATFORM for the NEEDY becoming a widespread source of knowledge and hope. It is not someone's fault for having a difficult life but a simple thing like a poem or education can change a life and a whole community. Join us in helping this vulnerable community Dr. Elizabeth L. Hynes, BSCHons PQ Attorney
Maksym Burmistenko
My full name is Maksym Burmistenko (but everyone calls me Maks). I am 17 years old and I am from Kyiv, Ukraine. I moved to Amsterdam in August 2022 because of the war in Ukraine to continue my education here. I am currently studying at the British School of Amsterdam doing my AS-Levels (first year of A-Level). Subjects I take are: Maths, Economics, History and Global Perspectives. I am really keen on Economics and this is the field where I want to develop and build my future career. I am getting my highest results in Economics so I think this would be the best subject that I could potentially teach children. I have some hobbies but the main one is football. I have been playing it on a pretty high level since I was 7 years old. I would be really happy to join your team and make this world a bit better because I honestly understand how important education is, especially when war came to my home and missed a lot in school.
Namara Winnie
I am Namara Winnie from Uganda, East Africa. I’m a Social Worker. I have a Bachelors degree in Computer Science from Mountain of the Moon University (MMU). I joined PLANE in 2018 as a volunteer in Bahemuka drama. I have like the drama because apart from being educative, entertaining, its pulls audience and gives me the chance to interact with different category of people. I enjoy data collection, follow ups and people’s feedback.
Stella Tuhaise
I am Stella Tuhaise, a primary school teacher. I volunteer with PLANE is schools in their Program of Advocacy for Children and Sexual Education. This program talked me to understand the issues of children and youth and how to respond to them. I’m enlightened on the issues of children and adolescents rights but also handling them.
Abderrahman Jalled
My name is Abderrahman Jalled but you can call me Abdo (: I am an international student from Tunisia located in Turkey. I'm prospective neuroscience and public health student. I volunteer with PLANE as a Designer and video editor as well as a project manager. I joined PLANE because I got impressed by the work they do and I wanted to share my experience with them. I wish more people get to know PLANE and volunteer with it. Volunteering is a lifestyle. Abdo
Cayla Younger
My name is Cayla Younger. I am from Phoenix Arizona United States. I joined PLANE to help encourage increased access to education and support for underserved families. I have an interest in public health and work with PLANE to encourage the well-being of others. I’m a content writer and social marketer. I’m optimistic if we team up we can make a big difference in the lives of needy children and women.
Anushah Habib
I’m Anushah Habib, an 11th grader studying at The Winchester School, Dubai. I am from India but have lived in The UAE my whole life. As a result of my culture and my surroundings, I have always been motivated to give back to society and help those in need. I felt the need to join the mission when I first came across PLANE and its missions. I spoke with their founder and learned the tremendous impact they make on the Ugandan community. Teaching biology, I felt was a great way to spread knowledge and encourage these kids to learn and expand their understanding of the world. This will allow them to one day use this knowledge to go further in life.
Mr.Paeto Chayarat Wangweera
Hi! My name is Paeto Wangweera. I’m from Thailand and I am currently a sophomore at Northfield Mount Hermon high school in the Massachusetts United States. I work as a software developer for PLANE as I am deeply interested in computer science. Volunteering as a developer is a big achievement for me as I am also invested in Volunteering for needy students. I came across PLANE online and was really interested in how they help kids that lack opportunity and education. I have always hated the fact that people are not born equal and there is no solution to it. So this is the most I could do. I am volunteering as a developer because it was the path I was interested in and I hope I will help enhance PLANE’s website and software to their best performance and appearance. I hope I will get to see the kids’ smiles during my time here.
Anna Varanya Boonteang
My name is Anna Varanya Boonteang from Thailand. Am a mother and a Tutor at Maths Sci & English for Genius college. I learnt about PLANE from my son Peato Chayarat Wangweera, also a volunteer who narrated to me the amazing work PLANE was doing. My family and I are generous about humanitarian activities and helping the needy children is our passion. As a brand ambassador of the organization I will help to raise brand awareness and increase visibility and funding opportunities. I help in promoting services and programs of PLANE in the local language to implement marketing campaigns. I represent the organization’s brand positively in a multitude of settings; assisting in content creation; participating in event marketing; generating brand awareness through word-of-mouth marketing in my community and institution. Join me in the campaign to spread the message together.
Rhea Malhotra –Community Outreach & Graphic Design
My name is Rhea Malhotra from Johannesburg, South Africa. I am in grade 11 and I volunteer at PLANE in their program for advocacy for woman empowerment, sexual awareness education as well as teaching Math and Science through creating educational videos, info graphics and editing advocacy videos. I chose to volunteer at PLANE as I am extremely passionate about community outreach and technology, using a combination of the two, I’d like to make a difference in the community. I would love to spread awareness and promote PLANE through helping children develop the skills to understand the world around them.
Nidhi Reddy - Empowerment & Livelihoods Manager
My name is Nidhi Reddy. I am a grade 10 student from Hyderabad, India. While researching about the issues faced by the Ugandan citizens, I was moved by the amount of children stunted as a result of malnutrition. Everytime food is wasted, I get a painful reminder of the children who are dying due to malnourishment. PLANE is an organisation through which I aim to provide better nutrition for the young children and improve their health. I have joined PLANE as the Empowerment & Livelihood Manager to provide the people in Uganda with the resources they require to ensure a sustainable living standard. I hope to achieve this by networking with various companies and individuals to support such causes.
Hi, I am Raissa Batr.
Hi, I am Raissa Batr. I am a junior living in Canada. I am a budding wordsmith connecting to the world with my short stories and using my craft to speak up against discrimination of all kinds -- gender, racial and economic. I also love to play the piano and firmly believes that writing is a lot like music -- to make an impact one must strike the right notes. My hobbies also include reading and traveling.
Preesha Kothari - Global Partnership Manager
My name is Preesha Kothari. I am currently studying in 11th grade at TISB, Banglore. I am volunteering at PLANE as their Global Partnership Manager. I have a strong interest in marketing, business, and an innate need to make new connections throughout the world and understand cultures better. Additionally, I’ve also shown my enthusiasm for branding and marketing of cosmetic products by participation in cosmetics and aesthetics exhibitions to assist in the promotion of my father's cosmetic brand among numerous international pharmaceutical and facial aesthetics brands. PLANE provides me with a wider platform to showcase my interest in creating impact for underprivileged kids, and leverage my natural marketing and networking skills to foster new partnerships for PLANE. As I journey through this opportunity, my goal is to expand my professional network, make multiple connections in the global impact space, and successfully organise global fundraising events.
Rintaro Hirota - Graphic Design Director
Hi! My name is Rintaro Hirota and I am a high school student attending St. Mary’s International School in Japan. I am the Graphic Design Director of PLANE, and I design social media graphics for Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. My mentor introduced me to this program and after seeing what PLANE has done to help support the orphans in Uganda, I also wanted to be part of it. I saw this role of the Design Director and I wanted to help them with my designing skills. As the Design Director, I want to inform people about the current situation of the people in Uganda and let them know that they can also help with the activities of this organization.
María Lupita - Graphic Design & Marketing Volunteer
I’m María Lupita, a high school student based in México. I love to illustrate and design, so I’m working with PLANE as a Graphic Designer in the team of Marketing. I learned about PLANE through social media and saw they had opportunities to help and I was immediately intrigued. I have a close friend who has been in a tough situation before and, thanks to the help of an organization in my home city, she was able to move forward from her past experiences and grow as a person. I’ve seen the kind of positive impact an organization can have on a person's life and that’s why I decided I had to help someone else too. Not only that, but I find PLANE a huge opportunity for me to indulge in my passion for design and art while also having my skills be of use to others.
Ojas Bajaj - Fundraising Manager
My name is Ojas Bajaj and I'm currently in my first year of the IBDP programme at Dhirubhai Ambani International School, India. I'm a 17 year old finance enthusiast, working as a Fundraising Manager with PLANE. Working with finance and data is one of my biggest interests, and pursuing internships, leadership roles and other activities surrounding these topics has only expanded this interest. I hope to apply my abilities in a socially sustainable direction, and I think that I can really contribute to the vision of PLANE.
Ayanat Amanova - Digital Marketing Intern
Hi, my name is Ayanat Amanova! I am a student of 9th grade from Kazakhstan. Recently, I heard about the problem in Uganda and decided that I could contribute to this project. As a part of this project, I would like to contribute by expressing the problem in social networks by creating various comics and organizing projects around the school and the city. I hope that I can contribute to the problems of Uganda and help the society with my actions.
Joshua Owusu Ansah - Digital Marketing and Communications Intern
Hi, my name is Joshua Owusu Ansah, and I'm a 25-year-old creative from Ghana who is passionate about activism and the tech industry. In the past, I worked as an intern at the Ghana Meteorological Agency and as a customer service personnel at GhIPSS, a reputable pseudo-financial firm in Ghana. These experiences have taught me the value of working with people from diverse backgrounds and have equipped me with invaluable skills. Currently, I'm interning as a Digital Marketing and Communications intern at PLANE, where I'm excited to learn and contribute to the organization's vision. Even though I studied Meteorology and Climate Science at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, I'm eager to expand my skills and support PLANE's mission by creating engaging designs, producing creative content, and contributing to meaningful projects. I chose to intern at PLANE because of its dedication to creating an environment of learning, idea-sharing, and inspiration while addressing sensitive issues.
Tshepo Tlhacoane - Digital Marketing and Communications Director
Tshepo is an international lawyer, researcher and writer. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree (B.A.) majoring in Political Studies and International Relations, a postgraduate Law Degree (LL.B.) and a Master’s Degree (LL.M.) specializing in International Law, which includes a focus on human rights protection. Prior to joining PLANE, Tshepo obtained experience in communications and human rights protection at multiple United Nations agencies such as the United Nations World Food Programme, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Secretariat of the International Narcotics Control Board which falls under the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Additionally, he has experience working at the Wits Law Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa, which provided free legal services to people who would otherwise not be able to afford legal representation. Tshepo is interested in using his knowledge and skills to protect and promote the human rights of vulnerable people, in and out of emergency situations.
Paola Karafili
Hey, everyone! My name is Paola Karafili, and I am currently an IB scholarship student at Doukas School, Athens, Greece. Having experienced racism firsthand as a biracial Greek – Albanian student, I am determined to be a voice for those who face discrimination and inequality. Growing up, the racist incidents I encountered in my everyday life only strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the world .I believe that education and empowerment are key to breaking the cycle of poverty and discrimination that many face, and I am committed to being an advocate for positive change. Thus, joining the Platform for the Needy was a natural step for me, as it aligns perfectly with my aspirations to address societal inequalities and provide opportunities for those less fortunate.
Ridhima Suri
Hello All, My name is Ridhima Suri, I am an Indian National currently based in Texas, U.S.A. I come from the background of Humanities with years of experience in Content Writing, Research and Teaching. My association with PLANE as a Volunteer in the field of Research and Content Writing is driven by my urge to work for the betterment of underprivileged children and women living in Uganda and across the globe by providing them access to educational content and videos, by doing research and writing articles on various platforms in order to make society aware of their hardships and getting the required attention towards them which can help elevate their lives. PLANE as an organization is doing amazing work, It provides me a great platform to connect and reach out to these wonderful Ugandan people who need our help in every possible manner and I truly believe that together we can make a positive difference in their lives however small it may be. By joining hands, we can definitely make the world a better place
Anastasiia
Hi! My name is Anastasiia, but you can call me Nella 🙂 I am a gap year student from Russia who is currently working for a venture capital firm. My extensive experience in volunteering includes roles in marketing, public relations and business analysis. I am proud to be a fundraising coordinator for the Platform for the Needy and assist women and children in Uganda. I joined this organization because I am grateful for the work they do and want to contribute to it. I am convinced that together, we can make a significant impact in Uganda and many other regions.
