Our Staff

Mary Oakes

I bring over 20 years' experience in the charity sector, specialising in fundraising for international development. I began my career at Tearfund, helping to establish what is now a global major donor programme, and I've since led fundraising teams at Church Mission Society, World Vision UK, Habitat for Humanity, and Innovista International. My work has taken me across Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, raising resources for Christian mission as well as both humanitarian and development work. I have also been a board member for Embrace the Middle East for the last seven years. I joined Opportunity International UK in 2023 as Deputy CEO and became CEO in February 2025. Based in north Oxfordshire, I enjoy the outdoor life with my husband Michael, Springer Spaniel Poppy, and ex-racehorse Moo.

Shabnam Zamurd

Shabnam is an FCA, she previously worked for the Tussauds Group and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Chantrey Vellacott DFK in 2001.

Lydia Baffour Awuah

As the Director of International Programmes, I lead and manages the International programme team. I am also responsible for the acquisition, management and evaluation of grants from institutional donors.

I am also OIUK's Gender specialist, supporting the design of programmes to include women and gender awareness training within communities.

Rebecca Andrews

I joined Opportunity International UK in January 2026 bringing over 20 years’ experience in fundraising, sales and marketing across the public and private sectors. I love working towards ambitious targets and have a strong track record of building long-lasting, mutually beneficial funding relationships.

With a focus on high-value and corporate fundraising, I’ve led fundraising teams, set up new business development boards and worked with a wide range of charities including Motivation International, Place2Be, NSPCC and ChildLine. I’ve also worked as an independent fundraising consultant, helping organisations grow their income and partnerships.

Outside of work, I love making and creating – whether that’s painting, drawing, crafting or baking!

Catherine Manser

As the Head of Philanthropy at Opportunity, I work closely with our generous donors and stakeholders, motivating and inspiring them to support our distinctive approach to financial inclusion.

Prior to joining OIUK, I moved from the public sector into the profit-for-purpose space where I was Client Director at a leading Diversity, Equity & Inclusion consultancy. I am motivated by doing impactful work that makes a difference to the lives of those who are most disadvantaged.

Tamsin Scurfield

I have been living and working in sub-Saharan Africa since 2006. First with a grassroots community development organisation, then in the humanitarian sector during the Horn of Africa Famine Response in 2011, supporting the relief efforts of Somali refugees in Northern Kenya.

Since 2015 I have worked for Opportunity International as both an in-country and regional resource, based out of Uganda. My key role includes identifying business and new partnerships to enhance the impact and reach of Opportunity. In this role I have provided strategic advice and operational support for women, youth, the disability and refugee segment.

I have led on OIUK's refugee strategy since a visit to Kiryandongo settlement in Western Uganda in early 2018, where I realised the potential for refugee financial inclusion and self-reliance. As of February 2024, I became the Head of Refugee Finance at OIUK, providing leadership to ensure the program delivers scalable and inclusive financial services to Refugees and host communities.

Noah Ssempijja

Noah Ssempijja is our Refugee Programme Coordinator in Uganda. He is in charge of end to end management of the programme from field implementation, compliance, partnerships management, and monitoring, evaluation and learning. He is our focal person for all refugee activities in Uganda.

Rachel English

I have spent 8 years at Opportunity International UK leading impactful projects in Rwanda and Uganda, empowering our rural clients to establish sustainable livelihoods and enabling them to build economic security.

Prior to Opportunity, I led a global women's rights organisation and championed initiatives focused on improving women's labor rights in East Africa. I've also worked in business as a project manager in the Gulf.

Outside of work, I really enjoy walking and travelling.

Lydia Nanono

I am a strategic Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Specialist with over 12 years of experience leading evidence-based programming across humanitarian and development sectors, including refugee response, livelihoods, financial inclusion, agriculture, resilience, health, nutrition, and WASH. I also have extensive experience designing and strengthening organisational MEAL systems, developing Theories of Change, logical frameworks, MEL plans, results frameworks, and accountability mechanisms that improve programme quality, adaptive management, and organisational performance.

I have successfully led baseline, midline and endline evaluations, impact assessments, operational research, data quality assessments, and learning initiatives for multi-donor programmes funded by BMZ, GFFO, Hilton Foundation, Mastercard Foundation, IFAD, BPRM, and other international development partners. I have also made significant contributions to proposal development through the design of results-based frameworks, indicators, MEL strategies, and evaluation plans.

I hold a Master of Science in Monitoring and Evaluation, a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management, a Postgraduate Certificate in Project Monitoring and Evaluation, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Statistics.

Thomas Beattie

As Donor Acquisition and Innovation Manager I look for new and novel ways to encourage people who have not previously supported Opportunity International to make their first gift. Before joining Opportunity, I previously worked as a fundraising consultant within the education and international development sectors alongside a wide range of clients.

I have a Master's degree in international development which instilled in me the importance of offering a hand up not a hand out when it comes to charity work. As a result, I am particularly driven to help offer increased self-reliance in the locations in which we work.

Brigitta Falcini-Dyson

As the Communications Manager at OIUK, I work to raise brand awareness and promote our work through content creation, direct mailing, digital marketing, printed materials and PR. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is sharing our clients' inspiring stories, which motivate me every day. I also love the opportunity to regularly get creative.

I have a Master's degree in Primate Conservation, which was driven by a passion for the envrionment and the connections between the animals and people within it. For me, it's exciting to use some of the knowledge and insights from my Master's at OIUK.

When I'm not at work, you can find me spending time with my husband and our litte tuxedo cat, Yzma.

Perihan Doganay

I joined Opportunity in May 2017. I completed my Finance and Accounting degree in Canada in 2013 and have worked in a variety of finance related roles since. I currently oversee our management accounts, alongside managing our database.