Executive Director, Volunteer

A former investment banker in emerging markets, Barry traveled to Timbuktu, Mali and attended the Festival au Desert in January 2010. While there he had a chance encounter with a village of Tuareg and returned home to California with the idea of rebuilding the village’s educational infrastructure. By the end of 2010, he had organized Caravan to Class as a 501c3, partnered with a local non-governmental organization to administer the project, raised funds, and started construction on Caravan to Class’ first school in the village of Tedeini.

Program Director, Bourse Jackie, Bamako

Fatoumata has a Master's in Market Communication and Journalism. She is also trained in negotiation and mediation and has had an impactful career as a social entrepreneur, launching and consulting on many projects and initiatives focusing on women and girls. In 2019, she was chosen as a Laureate of Women of Ambition, Mali. She has won numerous other awards during her career and recently spent a number of months in the United States as a Mandela Washington Fellow.

Assistant Program Director, Bourse Jackie, Timbuktu

Sira was born and raised in Timbuktu. She holds a degree in Logistics and Transport Management from the Institut Supérieur des Techniques Economiques Comptables et Commerciales in Bamako. She worked as a purchasing logistician in an agricultural company that delivered 1 million agricultural producers in Mali with the aim of reducing poverty in Mali. Her journey began in 2016 when she participated in a leadership program in the United States representing the city of Timbuktu. In 2018, Sira was in the first Bourse Jackie scholarship cohort.

Program Manager, Bourse Jackie English-Language Scholarships

Monica graduated first in her class at the University of Ghana with a Bachelors’ of Science in Administration and Accounting. She has held various positions in academia at the University of Ghana and is passionate about humanitarian work volunteering with organizations that fight gender-based violence and facilitating mentoring programs. She was also the winner of the University of Ghana Innovation and Incubation award.

Founder and Director, Nord et Developpement, Timbuktu

Hamadou Toure is a Malian national from the Timbuktu Region. He has a university degree in Engineering and Applied Sciences and founded the NGO Nord et Developpement (Nor Dev) in 2010 after a fifteen year career with a number of large NGOs in Mali. Caravan to Class is Nor Dev’s first partner NGO.

Supervisor of Education Programs, Nord et Developpement, Timbuktu

A native of Timbuktu, Aboulaye holds a master's degree in French from the University Mohamed Khider Biskra in Algeria. He has worked on a number of social service projects including an emergency rehabilitation project funded by OXFAM. Abdoulaye has also worked in the area of micro-credit for women in Northern Mali.

CEO and Co-Founder BT Institute

George Twum-Barima is a Ghanaian national and long-time educator passionate about providing educational opportunities for West Africans. He is fluent in both English and French and has a wealth of work experience in both the corporate, governmental and non-profit sector.

Partner, Empyrean Capital

Chief Operating Officer, Upward Women

CEO, Thrive Acquisition

Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability Lab Mali

Distinguished Professor, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service

Former Ambassador to Netherlands

Executive Coach and Advisor