Tozie Zokufa is a prominent South African advocate for animal welfare with a career that spans both public and private sectors. His professional journey encompasses over a decade of experience as a Food Safety Officer and Veterinary Public Health Practitioner, roles that have provided him with profound insights into the inner workings of the meat production industry. In 2010, Mr Zokufa led the "One Meat-Free Day a Week" campaign in Cape Town, a significant initiative promoting reduced meat consumption for environmental and health benefits. 

Throughout his career, Mr. Zokufa has contributed to academic and public discourse on animal welfare, presenting papers at various universities and international conferences. He has also authored a chapter in "Sustainable Food Security in the Era of Local and Global Environmental Change," published by Springer in 2013. 

His extensive experience and unwavering dedication continue to influence positive changes in animal welfare policies and practices in South Africa and across the African continent. 

His desire to effect broader change prompted a shift towards advocacy. He has worked with globally recognised organisations such as Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society International) and Compassion in World Farming, enhancing his expertise in animal welfare policy and initiatives. His dedication and leadership in these roles paved the way for his appointment at CAAWO, an organisation committed to advancing animal welfare across Africa. 

Before founding CAAWO, he served as the Executive Director of A Greener World South Africa and held various positions with different NGOs. He is renowned for exposing unethical practices in industrial farming and advocating for legislative reforms to improve animal welfare standards. Under his leadership, CAAWO has concentrated on uniting African nations to adopt animal welfare frameworks, leveraging partnerships with governments, NGOs, and communities. His efforts underline the intersection of animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and social justice. 

Looking ahead, Zokufa envisions a future where animals across Africa are treated with respect and compassion, a goal he continues to pursue by expanding CAAWO’s influence and network. 

Dr. Masika Sophie is a veterinary surgeon with a Master’s in Epidemiology and Economics. Her work focuses on demonstrating the value of One Health in strengthening systems to address complex health policy challenges. 

She currently is the Global Health Policy Manager at the World Federation for Animals(WFA), where she leads policy and strategy development on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPR) and acts as the liaison lead to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the intersection of the triple planetary crises and health. 

Additionally, Dr. Masika is a trainer at the FAO Learning Centre on female leadership in One Health, an alumna of the Gates Foundation’s WomenLift Health Global Health Leadership Fellowship, and an active member of several key committees, including the AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform and the International Coalition for Animal Welfare (ICFAW). 

With a decade of experience, she has worked extensively with NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, UN agencies, and member states, excelling in strategic partnerships, policy development, and multi-sectoral collaboration. 

Dr. Masika previously worked with Kenya’s Directorate of Veterinary Services and the Ministry of Health, as an Epidemiologist and Chief Veterinary Officer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she supported Kenya’s preparedness and response efforts as an epidemiologist. Her research background includes work on zoonotic virus hunting in primates and wild rodents, wildlife conservation of pangolins in Masai Mara, and veterinary medicine. 

In addition to serving as a Board Member of AHAC tasked with overseeing our regranting process, Dr. Margaret Wawuda Mwakima, Ph.D., CBS is a Sustainable Economic Development professional currently focusing on the effective delivery of Programmes and Resource Mobilization for our organization. As a Ph.D. graduate, Dr. Mwakima has written a thesis on “Determinants of the Biodiversity Conservation -Tourism Nexus in the Buffer Zone of Amboseli Biosphere Reserve, Kenya.”  She is also a holder of a Masters Degree in Environmental Science with a major in Sustainable Development; and a Bachelor of Education (Science) Degree in Botany and Zoology all from Kenyatta University. Dr. Mwakima also has a Diploma in Environmental Management from Galilee College, Israel.

Dr. Mwakima has a vast experience in strategic leadership and resource mobilization in the public sector having served as a Principal Secretary for over eight years in various State Departments of different Government Ministries for the Republic of Kenya, including as PS of Wildlife and Environment.

She also has over twenty years’ experience as an Environmental Scientist and as Biodiversity Conservationist within the Tourism and TVET sub sectors as well as in Regional Integration. She has worked as the Head of Industrial Training and a trainer in Environmental Management, Sustainable Economic Development, TVET, Blue and Circular Economy. She has been Chairperson Trade Mark East Africa and Northern Corridor Transport and Transit Coordination Authority and Board Member of Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery and LAPSSET Corridor Secretariat among others. She has also been the Vice Chairperson of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Board of Trustees and a Board Member of Ecotourism Kenya.

 At global level, Dr. Mwakima has successfully led High Level negotiations to the United Nations Conference of Parties (COPs) i.e. UNFCCC, UNCCD, UNCTAD, CITES, CBD, UNEP, UNEA,  European Union, World Bank, FAO, UNESCO  and at regional level to African Union Commission, NEPAD, IGAD and East Africa Community. Dr. Mwakima has been highly commended for the successful negotiations and implementation of National and Regional projects under World Bank, European Union, KfW/GIZ, FAO, UNESCO, SIDA, DANIDA, WWF, AWF, African Development Bank, African Union- NEPAD, China Exim Bank, among others.

 In advancing her knowledge and professionalism, Dr. Mwakima has attended various courses both locally and internationally. Dr. Mwakima is a member of Institute of Directors (IoD)-Kenya and Kenya Association for Public Administration and Management (KAPAM)). Dr. Mwakima keeps abreast with her responsibilities through development of strategic linkages, networks and partnerships within her profession as well as participating in voluntary community development initiatives. She has travelled to over seventy nations of the world.

Dr. M. Mbaka is a veterinarian, animal welfare expert, and conservation advocate with over three decades of experience in policy development, research, and governance. He has played a pivotal role in advancing animal welfare and veterinary governance in Africa. This is through contributing to the development and implementation of the Animal Welfare Strategy for Africa under the African Union Interafrica Bureau for Animal Resources [AU-IBAR], and serving as an animal welfare expert to strengthen the Secretariat of the African Platform for Animal Welfare at AU-IBAR. His expertise has shaped policies that promote humane treatment of animals across the continent, including leading advocacy efforts that resulted in the African Union’s decision to ban the donkey skin trade in Africa. He has also worked directly with diverse international animal welfare organizations, which has honed his knowledge on a world view of animal welfare.

As a dedicated researcher, Dr. Mbaka has conducted impact assessments and stock-taking exercises on animal welfare implementation in Africa, identifying key barriers to investment and policy adoption. His scholarly contributions include, research on aquatic animal welfare and sustainable aquaculture, and a study on the role of farming systems on water quality. His work integrates African traditional knowledge systems with modern science to promote sustainable and ethical animal management practices.

Dr. Mbaka is also a champion of conservation and biodiversity. He has an award from the County Government of Machakos County in Kenya, celebrating his conservation work. He advocates for the intersection of livelihoods, ecosystem health, and responsible resource management. He actively promotes One Health principles, ensuring the welfare of animals, humans, and the environment is addressed collectively. While working at the AU-IBAR, he played a key role in the championing for the UNEA Resolution on the nexus between animal welfare, the environment and sustainable development.

In veterinary governance, Dr. Mbaka has held leadership roles influencing veterinary policy, regulatory frameworks, and capacity-building programs for veterinarians and animal welfare professionals. He has contributed to strengthening WOAH-aligned training programs for Country Animal Welfare Focal Persons and has supported the establishment of the Association of African Veterinary Statutory Bodies.

Committed to academia and capacity building, he taught at Chuka University in Kenya, where he headed the Animal Science Department. He continues to work to elevate the standards of animal welfare education and research by mentoring professionals, collaborating with institutions, and shaping the next generation of animal welfare champions in Africa. His interdisciplinary approach combines scientific research, traditional knowledge, policy advocacy, and practical interventions to drive sustainable change in animal welfare, conservation, and veterinary governance.

Jim Karani is an attorney who advises on Animal, Criminal, and Environmental law. He is a Founder and General Counsel at Lawyers for Animal Protection in Africa (LAPA) a nonprofit organization based in Kenya working in various countries in Africa to advance and elevate the welfare and status of wildlife and farmed non-human animals. He has a Master’s Degree in Animal Law from Lewis and Clark College, currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at John Jay College with research interests in environmental criminology and organized wildlife crime.

In addition to being one of the co-founders of the Alliance for Human Animal Coexistence, Kahindi brings with him a wealth of experience, knowledge, and a passion for research-driven and community-based conservation. He is a career wildlife conservationist with extensive experience at senior management levels at various non-profit organizations, including Save the Elephants, Ecotourism Kenya, and the Africa Network for Animal Welfare. His career now spans 29 years working as a field naturalist, environmental education expert, trainer in wildlife social work, field wildlife research scientist, eco-tourism expert, university lecturer, and community-based wildlife conservation expert. Kahindi is a long-time member of Nature Kenya, current member of the National Birds Management Taskforce, birds scientific sub-committee of Nature Kenya, and the Kenya Bureau of Standards ecotourism committee.