PROF BENJAMIN SANGO

• Prof. Benjamin Sango is a humanitarian leader and refugee-rights strategist advancing locally led solutions for displacement, social inclusion, and sustainable development across Africa and beyond. As Executive Director and Co-Founder of L’Afrikana, a refugee-led organization operating in Kenya and Canada, he leads initiatives that expand access to education, strengthen livelihoods, protect vulnerable populations, and promote refugee participation in policy and development processes. Drawing from lived experience as a refugee born during the Congo crisis, Prof. Sango brings a perspective that bridges community realities with institutional strategy. His leadership focuses on transforming humanitarian response from short-term assistance toward long-term resilience, economic participation, and community ownership. He is recognized for advocating the meaningful inclusion of Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) as essential partners in shaping equitable and sustainable humanitarian systems. Prof. Sango’s professional engagement spans multiple African contexts, including Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. His work integrates grassroots mobilization with strategic engagement among governments, international NGOs, and development partners, enabling collaborative approaches to complex displacement challenges.
• He holds academic qualifications in Business Management, complemented by training in Business Administration, Information Technology Management, and International Relations & Diplomacy. This multidisciplinary background supports his ability to operate at the intersection of governance, program implementation, and policy dialogue. Under his leadership, L’Afrikana has strengthened its role as a community-driven platform delivering education programs, women and youth empowerment initiatives, and advocacy efforts aligned with evolving refugee inclusion frameworks such as urban integration and self-reliance approaches. He has guided institutional recovery and organizational transformation processes, reinforcing governance systems, partnerships, and accountability mechanisms within refugee-led structures. Beyond organizational leadership, Prof. Sango contributes to broader conversations on humanitarian reform, localization, and the future of aid. Through public engagement, training, and strategic dialogue, he promotes models that shift power closer to affected communities while ensuring transparency, dignity, and sustainable impact.
• Areas of Expertise Refugee Policy & Protection Systems, Localization and Refugee-Led Organization Strengthening, Humanitarian Strategy & Program Development, Institutional Governance and Organizational Transformation, Community Resilience & Livelihood Systems, Cross-Border Humanitarian Coordination, Strategic Partnerships & Donor Engagement, Public Advocacy and Thought Leadership Professional Vision Prof. Benjamin Sango works toward a humanitarian ecosystem where displaced populations are recognized not only as beneficiaries of assistance but as leaders, innovators, and contributors to social and economic development. His work seeks to redefine humanitarian practice through dignity-centered leadership, locally driven solutions, and sustainable community empowerment.