Our Amazing team

Meet the exceptional humans who make it all happen at International African School.  It’s their Dedication to Education that Propels Our Mission Forward.

FOunder – Odilia Anyachi Okonga

Her unwavering commitment to amplifying African voices in the realm of education is both a deeply personal passion and a driving mission. As a published author of Swahili grammar books in English, French, Dutch, and German, she has made substantial contributions to the documentation and advancement of resources for integrating African perspectives into the classroom.

In addition to her literary accomplishments, Odilia leads immersive cultural and safari tours to East Africa, providing unparalleled opportunities for groups and students to deeply engage with Swahili and African culture, fostering a profound understanding and appreciation.

Based in the Netherlands, Odilia works as a freelance teacher, where she introduces the Discovering Africa Program in primary and secondary school classrooms. Through the art of storytelling, she skillfully utilizes African folktales to impart invaluable lessons in civics, culture, and history.

Leveraging her extensive experience at a UN organization, Odilia has adeptly navigated interactions with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. She also serves as a motivational speaker and co-founder of KAAAL (KEMET AWARDS FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN AFRICAN LANGUAGES), an organization dedicated to promoting the development of African mother tongues.

Dr. Otieno Ong’ayo (Antony) 

Holds a Ph.D. in Development Studies from Tilburg University and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Political Science from Stockholm University. His research interests encompass development politics, migration, Diaspora transnationalism, civil society-state relations, digital citizenship, and decoloniality.

He has been a member of the Commission on Development Cooperation (COS) of the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs (AIV) for the Dutch Government.

 rAhab Njeri

Studied British and North American History, African Studies, and English Studies at the University of Cologne. She has a Ph.D. in the International Research Group “IRTG 1864 Diversity” at the University of Trier, focusing on the construction and representation of Blackness in Canadian cities from 1960 to 1990. Her academic interests span Black Feminism, Africana Womanist, Postcolonial Studies, and Critical whiteness. 

Njeri is actively engaged in anti-racism efforts and serves on the University of Köln’s Referat for Gender and Diversity Management and is also a Board member of Klima Freunde in Germany.

Grace Kavochi McBride 

A trained Early Childhood educator with 20 years of experience teaching Public and private schools, grades preschool to 3rd grade, in the United States of America. Grace also has a master’s degree in Education as a reading specialist. 

She has skills in Curriculum Development & Design; Differentiated instruction in the classroom, Multiple intelligence learning centers in the classroom, and collaborative groups of learners in the classroom.

Grace’s diverse interests, including linguistics, literature, creative writing, and photography, reflect her multifaceted contributions to the school’s mission.

Liesbeth Simone Peroti 

Born in Suriname, Caribbean/South America, she pursued her academic journey in music pedagogy, performing arts, and musicology across the Netherlands, Jamaica, and Ghana. Her extensive education forms the foundation of her artistic and cultural contributions.

She also serves as a Producer, contributing to both national and international organizations like Naks (National African Culture Suriname), IHIB (Online Institute for Hebrew Israelite Awareness), CS (Suriname Conservatory of Music) and LMPA (Lisibeti Music Performing Arts)