Mary Maina

Mary Maina is a diversity, equity, and social inclusion advocate and professional with more than 8 years’ experience integrating women, youth, and disadvantaged populations into development and social inclusion programming. Ms. Maina is the Social Inclusion Manager on the Feed the Future Hanga Akazi (Create Jobs) Activity, a project supporting the growth of Rwanda’s knowledge-based economy by increasing inclusive employment and entrepreneurship opportunities across the food system.

Prior to joining RTI in 2022, Ms. Maina co-founded Africa Cricket Foundation, where she designed programs on diversity and social inclusion, sports for development, women and youth empowerment, and mental wellness for adolescent boys and girls, athletes, and coaches. She was the Program Director (Acting Country Manager) for Cricket Builds Hope, overseeing the implementation of all sports for change programs, including designing and coordinating programs focused on social inclusion, community health and youth/women empowerment. During that time, she also captained the Rwanda National Women’s Cricket Team.

Ms. Maina has held many leadership positions in Rwandan and international organizations including Executive Committee Member and Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Focal Person for the Commonwealth Sports for Development and Peace; Community Service Director for Rotary Club of Gasabo (Kigali, Rwanda); and National Vice President for International Global Volunteerism and National Recruitment Manager at AIESEC. She is fluent in English and Swahili, and skilled in Kinyarwanda, Kikuyu, and Nyanja.