The Journey Behind Align with Africa: The Right People, the Right Time, the Right Vision

Three years ago, my life changed forever.

I had spent 15 years in the entertainment industry in the Bay Area, tailoring my MBA in Entertainment Marketing and International Management & Leadership, but never once did I see myself as an entrepreneur. I had worked in innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, yet I never imagined launching something of my own. That changed when I stepped into international development in East Africa, where I saw firsthand both the incredible potential of local communities and the deep flaws in how the world approaches “helping” them.

Dora Okeyo , my former colleague and the co-founder of Align with Africa, was the first person to show me the realities of international development—not through reports or donor updates, but through the lived experiences of people in rural communities. When I met Dora three years ago, my worldview shifted permanently. She later introduced me to Akinyi Awora , saying that what Akinyi was doing—and the DALE Framework she had developed—was exactly what was missing in the global development space.

They both gave me so much grace as I asked a million questions over the next few years. I watched them engage with communities with deep respect, never assuming they had the answers, but instead working alongside them. They found my curiosity refreshing (and sometimes amusing), and what struck me the most was when they said, “Your lack of experience in development is an asset.” I remember Dora telling me, "You may not be an expert in international development, but you are an expert in human development." Because I didn’t come in with preconceived ideas of how things should be done or have always been done, I was able to see things simply—through a human lens.

And once I had seen, I couldn’t unsee it.

For my entire life, my idea of “Africa” had been fed to me through poverty porn—images of babies with distended bellies and flies in their eyes. But when I stepped into these communities, I saw something entirely different: beauty, luxury, joy, resilience, entrepreneurship. I saw mothers using their skills to uplift entire villages through small businesses, and for the first time, I saw myself in them. I, too, was a mother. I, too, wanted to build something lasting for my children. And if they were entrepreneurs, then maybe—just maybe—I could be one, too.

This is where the vision for Align with Africa was born. But visions don’t become reality alone.

The Women Who Made This Possible

As I built out this idea, three extraordinary women entered my life at just the right time—as if we had been living parallel lives, unknowingly preparing for the moment we would converge. Each of them has not only shaped Align with Africa but has also become a mentor to me, guiding me in ways I never imagined.

Akinyi Awora, Founder & President of the Kadana Foundation and Director, Africa Region at Align with Africa, is a visionary who created the DALE Framework (Design, Adapt, Learn, Evolve), an agile model for localization. Based in Kisumu, Kenya, she ensures that everything we do is rooted in community leadership and cultural knowledge. She embodies what development should look like—local, adaptive, and deeply respectful of the people it serves.

Alyne C. , Founder & CEO of Global Tides Group and Chief Strategy Officer at Align with Africa, was born in rural Kisii County, Kenya, where she was one of just 100 students accepted into law school per year in the entire country. I discovered her through her TED Talk and was so inspired that I watched it five times before mustering the courage to send her a cold message on LinkedIn. I expected nothing—but she responded, gave me her number, and told me to call her. That was June of last year, and since then, she has guided me in ways that have made me grow more than I ever thought possible.

A Model for the Future of Development

The work we are doing couldn’t be more urgent. Right now, the international development sector is at a crossroads, and nowhere is that clearer than with USAID’s recent restructuring and program shutdowns. Billions of dollars have been invested in aid programs, yet many are now being reevaluated, and talented professionals across the sector are facing uncertainty about what comes next.

This moment isn’t just about funding cuts—it’s an opportunity to rethink how development is done.

During one of our conversations, Akinyi put it plainly: the challenge isn’t just about financial resources, but about who holds the power to define development. Too often, international organizations have designed solutions from the top down, rather than centering the expertise of those on the ground who understand their communities best. The result has been well-intended but often unsustainable programs that struggle to create lasting impact.

But what if this moment of change could be an opportunity?

At Align with Africa, in partnership with the Kadana Foundation, we believe in localization not as a buzzword, but as a real shift in practice. We are demonstrating that development doesn’t have to disappear when external funding runs out—because when communities drive their own solutions, those solutions endure.

The co-creation sessions in Tanzania this week are proof of this. Instead of an aid program delivering pre-determined resources, these women (and a few men!) were equipped with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to access the resources that had always been available to them but had never been within reach. They are now positioned to navigate government processes, form businesses, and drive their own economic futures—without dependency on external aid cycles.

This is not about abandoning the development sector—it’s about evolving it.

To those who have worked tirelessly within USAID and other development agencies, this is an invitation: your expertise is needed now more than ever. There is space for those who have dedicated their careers to meaningful impact to help shape this next chapter—one that is more sustainable, more collaborative, and truly community-led.

We don’t have all the answers, but we know one thing for certain: the future of development will be co-created.

This is Just the Beginning

The social enterprise has launched, with overwhelmingly positive market feedback at Sundance. Our first artisan group, Il’laramatak Community Concerns, signed an MOU with us, deciding that 20% of proceeds would go toward building a nursery school so their youngest children would have a place to be while they worked.

But what happened next moved me to tears.

When we talked about the wildfires in California, these women—who have faced their own hardships—didn’t just want to support their own community. They asked if we could also support families in LA and Altadena who had lost everything. They were thinking not just about their village, but about the global village.

Now, through our first collection—designed in collaboration with Il’laramatak Community Concerns—you can be part of this global village. Every purchase directly funds their vision for a nursery school while also contributing to relief efforts for families affected by the wildfires in LA and Altadena. Shop now and join us in proving that ethical trade can create lasting impact across continents.

We are not just launching an organization. We are building a movement.

This isn’t just about building a marketplace—it’s about proving that ethical trade can fuel long-term, community-led development. As we scale this model, we’re also raising our seed round to grow the social enterprise, expand partnerships, and bring more artisan communities into the global economy. The early momentum is undeniable, and we’re inviting values-aligned investors to join us in building the future of impact commerce.

If this resonates with you—whether as a funder, partner, or advocate—I invite you to join us at the beginning of something truly transformative.

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