Introducing the Sustainable Growth Fellows 2025
Ntiro, Sam Joseph. Palm Tree. Oil on canvas, Lot 2047. Potomack Company, 8 Oct. 2024, Alexandria, VA, www.potomackcompany.com
In October this year we welcomed five Sustainable Growth Fellows to Tanzania. The 24-month program places fellows in impact-driven businesses across Tanzania and beyond. We aim to provide our fellows with a hands-on experience, contributing to sustainable economic growth while tackling real-world challenges.
The new fellows are already contributing to high-impact work in various parts of the country. They bring a range of distinct skills and experiences and are set to play an integral role in supporting the operations and growth of a diverse range of businesses.
Cherotich, from Kenya, is a data science and AI developer with a bachelor’s degree in Business Innovation Technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Her work focuses on building data and AI solutions that advance technology adoption and support sustainable development. She has developed scalable AI models, including predictive tools for financial inclusion in East Africa. She is certified in Data Science and AI through KIEP-SKIES x World Bank and Moringa School.
Cherotich has joined Tanganyika Blue in Western Tanzania as a Digitalization Developer. Tanganyika Blue is Tanzania’s first commercial native species aquaculture farm on Lake Tanganyika, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake by volume. In partnership with SUSTAIN, a Swiss organization developing a sustainable aquaculture value chain in East Africa, Cherotich will support the modernization and scaling of digital systems, strengthening data infrastructure, operational visibility, and technological capabilities across both companies.
Divyam, originally from India, comes from a family of foresters and has a deep‐rooted passion for biodiversity conservation and nature restoration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship from O.P. Jindal Global University. Divyam has previously worked with the UNDP Nature Hub in Türkiye, contributing to global biodiversity finance and ecosystem services policy research.
During his fellowship, Divyam will spend three months with Dark Earth Carbon, gaining hands-on experience with the financial and operational aspects of a biochar production facility. He will then join Farmers for Forests in Pune, India, a hybrid social enterprise which financially supports farmers to protect existing forests, undertake reforestation, and transition to agroforestry on degraded agricultural land. Divyam will establish their biochar operations from the ground-up while supporting their agroforestry financing initiatives.
Josef is an American Brazilian holding dual-master’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from SOAS University of London and Johns Hopkins SAIS. He has previous work experience in sustainability consulting in Italy as well as advising on investment projects at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Josef has joined Dark Earth Carbon as a business development executive at the cusp of the inauguration of their new facility, which will more than triple their production of biochar. He will be working in strategy and operations, developing methods to connect the biochar product with hundreds of smallholder farmers in the region. In his free time, Josef loves to play football and has recently joined training sessions with the company-sponsored team, Dark Earth FC.
Camille, from the United States, holds a first-class MA in International Relations from the University of St Andrews where she was also a Music scholar. During her degree, she conducted research on the global influence of community-based HIV/AIDS surveillance innovation in East Africa. Camille has experience living in Tanzania as a Laidlaw Scholar, where she completed a research project on the equitable impact of music education in Dar es Salaam and Scotland.
Camille will initially help Dark Earth Carbon, Upendo Honey, Pure Joy Honey, and Tanganyika Blue, hone their communications and marketing strategies before transitioning to pioneer new strategy and operations within these companies. Camille enjoys studying how the arts and community resilience shape collective-action approaches to international relations.
Monica is a food application specialist from Southern Italy holding a master’s degree in Food Science & Technology from the University of Parma. She holds a variety of professional certifications in quality and food safety management systems. Monica has international experience across Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Recently in Finland, Monica helped develop sustainable alternatives to cocoa butter and palm oil for industrial applications.
Monica has joined Upendo Honey and Tanganyika Blue as a food technologist, where she will support projects in product design, processing improvements, and quality assurance. Through this role, she aims to advance sustainable food innovation while contributing to local economic growth.
Curious and globally minded, Monica enjoys exploring new cultures and understanding how food technology can generate value for societies and economies. In her free time, she loves cooking, traveling, and enjoying nature.
Our second cohort of fellows represent an ambitious and diverse group that is deeply committed to advancing sustainable economic growth across various sectors. Their placements reflect GPI’s mission to pair high-potential talent with enterprises that are driving inclusive growth, technological innovation, and environmental resilience. As the fellows begin their work across Tanzania and India, we look forward to supporting their professional development and witnessing the lasting impact they will create alongside our partner organizations.
We’re certain you’ll be hearing from our fellows in GPI articles soon and can’t wait to see what fresh ideas our fellows bring to the table.