Our People
CORE TEAM
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Zainab Ahmad Adamu
Senior Programme Manager (Jigawa)
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Miranda Buba
Director of Programs and Advocacy
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Yifei Jefferson Chen
Co-Founder
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Alex Catalán Flores
Director of Operations
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Salau Habibat
Senior Programme Manager (Sokoto)
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Maryam Ibrahim
Senior Programme Manager (Kebbi)
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Mujahid Aliyu Idris
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist
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Céline Kamsteeg
Director of Growth and Co-Founder
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Sigrid De Lepeleire
M&E Fellow
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Jennifer Ndefo
Finance and Compliance Officer
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Klau Pakos
CEO and Co-Founder
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Fatima Balarabe Umar
Program Coordinator
Why did you decide to co-found Lafiya?
“My journey to co-founding Lafiya began with a clean cookstove initiative in Nigeria. I met so many brilliant, motivated women who wanted to join our programme and earn an income for their families, but faced a major barrier: they couldn't commit to long-term work because they didn't know when their next pregnancy might happen. That experience changed everything for me. I realised that family planning is not just a health issue, but it is the bedrock of agency and economic development. I co-founded Lafiya to solve that fundamental piece of the puzzle. What excites me most today is the drive of our mission-aligned team and the sheer scale of the impact we’re seeing. By giving women the tools to choose their own futures, we’re finally unlocking a global potential that has been sidelined for far too long..”
Klau Pakos, CEO
OUR ADVISORY BOARD
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Dr Kayode Afolabi
Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health at the Federal Ministry of Health
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Pape Amadou Gaye
President Emeritus at IntraHealth International, Founder President at Baobab Institute for Health and Development
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Sophie Gulliver
Policy Analyst at the Center for Global Development
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Mu'azu Muhammad
MPA - Development Practice Candidate at Columbia
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Patrick Stadler
Co-founder and chair of the board of New Incentives, Coordinator at Pour Demain
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Dr Chelsea Morroni
Director, Botswana Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Initiative, Senior Research Associate, Botswana Harvard Health Partnership
Why are you motivated to work at Lafiya?
“Working with Lafiya has been one of the most meaningful parts of my career. I love being part of an initiative that brings real change to the grassroots communities, especially women. My motivation to work on contraceptive access comes from the stories I’ve witnessed personally of women who simply wanted the freedom to decide when to have children, but faced barriers of misinformation, stigma, or limited access. It’s not just about preventing pregnancies. I want to empower women to make choices with confidence. Through my work with Lafiya, I’ve seen how one conversation can open doors. That’s what keeps me committed knowing that every effort contributes to a healthier, more empowered generation of women and families.”
Fatima Balarabe Umar, Project Coordinator
Our Funders and Partners
Lafiya is proudly working with the Nigerian government and supported by some of the world’s most discerning donors seeking evidence-backed impact at large scale:
Why are you motivated to work at Lafiya?
“I have always loved working in communities. Whenever I visit a community, the love and support shown by the people gives me great joy. Seeing women smile and confidently talk about their reproductive choices inspires me. Because of our work, there is less stigma in the community. Seeing husbands support their wives in family planning, something that was unheard of not long ago, is a huge shift. Now, these women are empowered: they’re running businesses at home to support their households. I’m really proud to be a part of this change.”
Maryam Ibrahim, State Programme Manager (Kebbi)
LAFIYA SISTERS
From the community and for the the community
An integral part of our model relies on leveraging local health networks - a community of trained health workers, whom we call Lafiya Sisters. Women trust our Lafiya Sisters because they live and work in the communities they serve.
Since 2021, we have trained over 470 Lafiya Sisters to drive our mission.
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February 2026 | Kano
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January 2026 | Sokoto
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November 2025 | Kano
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November 2025 | Jigawa
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April 2025 | Kebbi
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May 2024 | Jigawa
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May 2024 | Sokoto
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2023 | Kebbi
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2023 | Jigawa
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2022 | Jigawa
Why are you motivated to work at Lafiya?
“I am motivated to conduct house-to-house visits in my community, because women prefer this approach. It offers them privacy to access family planning services safely at home, without the risk of stigma. This is especially key for those living in conservative communities with extended family members.”
Fatima Salisu Kanti, Lafiya Sister in Jigawa