IN COUNTRY TEAM
PASTOR DAN & MONICA MAWANDA
“Hello. I am Pastor Daniel Mawanda. Born 1972 in Magada Village Namutumba District. I join my wife Monica in 1992. We have 4 children but God bless us with many other children the orphans to care for them. I received Jesus as my savior in 1993.
In 2000 God send me in Word and Spirit seminary in a two years training after the seminary I started pasturing a church in the year 2004 up to now. Am a pastor and a evangelist my church is in a town called Iganga but God told me to go deep in the village to preach and teach his people. Here in Uganda pastors they don’t want to go in villages because people in the village are very poor. As I do the ministry in village I find many children abandoned father died and mother the twelve years elder child suffering to care for his or her brothers. I find many children not in school because nobody can help them to buy books and school uniform etc.
Me, I came from a poorest family and my father failed to take me to school. I thank God for my beloved friend Michelle who always stands with me to give school fees for my children. Michelle praying also God to help me to build a house where I can be with many children.
I have a plan also to give goats and pigs to the widows who are still alive to help them because if we give them goat’s pigs and chickens they can support their self.”
U.S. ADVISORY BOARD
MICHELLE JUE:
FOUNDER + U.S. DIRECTOR
As the Founder of The Mawanda Project, Michelle is responsible for the vision, strategy, and directly working with Daniel Mawanda in Iganga, Africa. During her first trip to Uganda in 2010, she immediately fell in love with the community, culture, and country as a whole. This experience, combined with her passion for helping others and cultivating relationships, still drives her today. Michelle received her B.S. in Bioengineering and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UCSD. She currently works as an Engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense in San Diego, CA.
Erik Jue
Erik Jue, Ph.D. has 8 years experience developing point-of-care diagnostic medical devices for low-resource settings. He is dedicated towards combating infectious diseases and improving healthcare. Erik received his Bioengineering B.S. from UCLA and Ph.D. from Caltech. He currently works as a Software Engineer at Google and is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of The Mawanda Project.
Robert Garcia
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” (Winston Churchill). Robert began a robust sales career in both telecommunications and the software industries. His business portfolio encompasses operations, human resources, and fiscal management. Robert eventually transitioned into the recycling industry where he built 28 years of recycling experience working for some of the largest waste and recycling companies in the nation. He currently serves at his church and maintains his role as chief influencer for his four adult children.
Gloria Garcia
“It will be the people with the greatest love, not the most information, who will influence us to change” (Bob Goff). Gloria has a strong passion for encouraging and being there for others. After serving as a bilingual educator for 9 years, Gloria joined the executive team of her family restaurant business until child raising quickly became her priority. With four, now adult children, she devotes her time to the social development of young women and helping them build the best version of themselves. She and her husband Robert reside in downtown San Diego, CA.
Korte Zickefoose
After traveling to Uganda with The Mawanda Project team in 2024, Korte witnessed firsthand the impact of MD Standard School and the life-changing opportunities education provides for students and families in Iganga. Inspired by the stories, resilience, and joy of the community, he joined the Advisory Board in 2026. As a freelance graphic designer and The Mawanda Project Secretary, Korte brings both creativity and strong organizational support to the team. He enjoys traveling, board games, and spending time with his wife and daughter.
In July of 2017, a select few from the US Advisory Team took it’s first ever Founder’s Trip to Iganga Uganda! Check out the trip here!