Friends of Ubuntu Mundo
Childhood should be a time of limitless potential.
Where you are born, what you are fed, how you are educated, what opportunities are available to you— all these things impact a child’s ability to realize that potential.
Friends of Ubuntu Mundo believes that every child deserves the chance to live their fullest life, and supports initiatives that give children that chance.
Mission
Inspired by the work of Cecilya Bravo and Roland Oosterhout of Ubuntu Mundo in South Africa, Friends of Ubuntu Mundo was established to fund programs that support vulnerable children around the world with targeted nutritional, health and education programs.
Friends of Ubuntu Mundo funds programs that see the beauty and potential in each child, and we invite you to join us in feeding their futures.
EIN: 84-2396826
Board and Leadership
The founding members of the Board of Friends of Ubuntu Mundo all know one another through their children -- they met as parents at a small school in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood where Cecilya was the beloved Spanish teacher. It is the love of children that drew them to this work. That and the example set by Cecilya and Roland who upended their lives, moved across the world, and have dedicated themselves to making a positive difference for vulnerable children everywhere.
Sabrina Coughlin
Board Chair
Sabrina is the mother of three, with a background in law and nonprofit administration, who stepped down from paid work in her 40s to parent full time and volunteer at her children’s school and other community organizations. She lives in NYC with her husband and, together with their grown children, they support the arts, education, social justice, and climate justice causes. It is Sabrina’s great joy to be part of this work.
Jodi Hecht
Treasurer
Jodi is a mother of two with a passion for infrastructure, government policy and podcasts. As a financial analyst, she is more than numbers and spreadsheets. Her interests have guided her to climb wind towers, tour the gold vault at the Federal Reserve and see fourteen movies in ten days. She aspires to develop a sustaining, smart city. Now, she lives in NYC with her husband, son and daughter, who share her enthusiasm in music and social justice.
Katya Plyshevsky
Secretary
Katya Plyshevsky worked in marketing and distribution until deciding to stay home to raise her two daughters. In her parenting journey, she became deeply interested in health and wellness which led her to study homeopathy. She currently lives in NYC with her husband and children and runs a homeopathic practice. Her interest in health, nutrition, social justice and environmental sustainability drew her to Ubuntu’s wonderful mission and inspiring work.
Roland Oosterhout
Director
Roland brings a background in finance and 20 years as a hedge fund manager in NYC to the enormous task of designing a global network to feed children. Roland works on the operations of Ubuntu Mundo as well as strategic planning for its growth and success. His hands-on experience and insights help inform the work of Friends of Ubuntu Mundo as it pursues its mission of supporting vulnerable children around the world.
