Living and Deepening Our Values

Africa Leadership

At Global Grassroots, we truly live our mission and vision. We trust in the wisdom of grassroots women to identify community needs and develop and implement solutions to those needs, whether their community consists of a few hundred, a few thousand, or a few hundred thousand members - or more. We believe that community transformation is best led from within and centered around the wisdom of local communities, local staff, and local leaders.

To help guide us in our vision of an Africa-led Global Grassroots, we are proud and grateful to welcome three new African board members.

Sharmila Bhatt, Tanzania

Founder and Director, Soft-Tech

Many in the ICT sector regard Sharmila Bhatt as a leading authority when implementing Integrated Financial Management systems for Governments in Africa. She is a founder and Director of Soft-Tech companies that have implemented solutions for six Governments in Africa. With a workforce of 120 technical people, she has immense experience in systems and solutions development.

For over 18 years Sharmila founded and was the CEO of Learnit Institute of Business and Technology which was the largest fully NACTE accredited private ICT training facility in Tanzania with a capacity of over 900 students. Over 20,000 students graduated in various courses through the organization. An engineer by background, she is the recipient of the “Women in Science & Technology award for 2015, “Service above Self Award” which is the highest award given by Rotary International for her service to mankind, and TOP 50 Women in Management Award in 2021.

She founded and chaired one of the largest sporting events in Dar Es Salaam under her leadership for Rotary called the Rotary Dar Marathon for the past 10 years with more than 16,000 attendees and has raised significant capital for many large community service projects in Tanzania. She was the District Governor for Rotary International in 2018-19 for Tanzania and Uganda and formed 18 new Rotary clubs during the year.

She is currently a trainer at the International Assembly for 2021-22 incoming Rotary District Governors. Sharmila frequently shares her knowledge by speaking at events, dabbles with art and craft, enjoys meditation, and is trying to build her expertise in Nutrition & Yoga. Her enthusiasm helps to quickly connect with people and make an impact on them to take action. She has a 24-year-old son Ankit Bhatt and shares her passion on many fronts with her husband Harish Bhatt.

Marie Odette Kansanga Ndahiro, Rwanda

Rwandan Gender Expert and Social Anthropologist

Marie Odette Kansanga Ndahiro is a Rwandan gender expert and social anthropologist researcher, and an international professional sexual and gender-based violence trainer with a combined 20 years’ experience.

At 14 years, Marie Odette embarked on kinship and gender relationships research leading her college research team, a voluntary work she has continued ever since. 

Later as a professional accountant (ACCA) and a Master of social sciences in Gender and Development she secured high positions in the Government of Rwanda and as well in the body of Rwandan, African, and international academic researchers focusing on women’s rights, place, and role in the society. She mostly worked as such in Rwanda, the Great Lakes Region of Africa (12 countries), the EAC; Australia, United States, Europe, and African universities, as well as international organizations, diplomatic and multilateral bodies fighting for women and children’s rights starting from the grassroots’ level upward.

Marie Odette is an opinion leader in Rwanda, a women’s rights activist and a regular advocate for gender and social justice, and a passionate gender activist in African Great Lakes countries. She is a politically clear and confident person, committed to gender transformation and inclusiveness, an active participant in Rwandan and African journey towards social justice and sustainable peace and development.

Arthi Rabikrisson, South Africa

Founder and Managing Director, Prerna Advisory

Arthi Rabikrisson is the Founder and Managing Director of Prerna Advisory, based in South Africa, which focuses on neuroscience-based coaching and assessment for individuals, teams, and corporates; strategic business consulting to SME’s, and capital introduction to alternative funding sources.  

Over the course of an intensive 15-year corporate career in the investments industry, Arthi has led multiple, successful initiatives (among them equity research, talent management, capital raising, portfolio management, transformation, and coaching) across geographies and client segments in business.

Arthi is an MBA graduate from Henley Business School, having been awarded the prestigious Archbishop Desmond Tutu scholarship at the age of 26 to complete her studies. Her thesis on EI in teams to attain competitive advantage in financial firms was awarded a distinction. She went on to achieve her Professional Certificate in Coaching and Behavioral Change through Henley Business School.

Arthi is an ACC ICF accredited coach, a member of the Association of Coaching, Master Partner Practitioner for the Neuro-Agility Profile™ Assessment, and a member and contributor on the Forbes Coaches Council. She serves as an Academic Tutor for MBA candidates at Henley Business School and is also listed on the executive panel of coaches for a number of South African companies.  Arthi has focused her worked predominantly on women’s empowerment and development, where using her coaching, strategy, sales, and finance skills, she helps women craft their personal and business brands holistically and with confidence. She is a mentor on the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in Business and hosts the growing Inspire your Life podcast, aimed at bringing uplifting stories of real people, with implementable advice and lessons learned for the listener’s benefit.