Born in Kenya, Dr Carolyne Opinde is the founder of The NGO Whisperer, a global consulting agency that provides technical support to nonprofits and social enterprises. Opinde, who is both a compliance and risk expert and resource mobilisation specialist, stumbled into the non-profit sector. Growing up, Opinde’s mother worked in the community. “She was very much at the forefront of providing socioeconomic services, but I went to the University of Nairobi and studied mathematics and chemistry. I was thinking of either becoming a chemical engineer or statistician.”

While interning at a research company in Kenya, Opinde got invited to an interview at I Choose Life – Africa (she didn’t know it was an interview at the time). When she realised the work wasn’t voluntary but, rather, a paid position, her career in social development catapulted. Opinde applied to Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) – a UK-based organisation – to become a professional volunteer. “I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into, but I wanted to impact people’s lives. They were looking for someone with the skills that I have. I went through the process and in 2008, I had the privilege and honour of being relocated to South Africa to work with organisations here.”