Management
team
OUR management team
Self Help Africa's management team supports the Board in the achievement of its objectives.
Feargal O' Connell
CEO
Feargal O’Connell is chief executive of Self Help Africa. Feargal has over 20 years of experience working in senior roles at non-governmental organisations including Concern Worldwide, the International Rescue Committee and Sightsavers Ireland, where he was CEO.
He has worked in Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, South Sudan and Nigeria. He also worked for periods in New York and in Ireland.
Feargal has developed expertise in risk, crisis and change management through leading programmes on health systems strengthening, climate change and resilience initiatives, as well as front-line emergency response in fragile and conflict settings.
Feargal holds a Bachelor of Arts from University College Dublin and a Masters in Conflict, Security and Development from the University of Leeds. He took up his position in April 2023.
Gus McNamara
Director of Business Services
Gus McNamara is Director of Business Services at Self Help Africa. Gus has over 30 years of experience working in finance, with over half of that time working in the international non-governmental organisation sector.
Gus was Head of Finance at Trocaire for 12 years, and also held the position of Finance Manager at Gorta for a number of years. Prior to joining Self Help Africa in early 2023, Gus was Director of Finance and Operations at The Abbey Theatre, a charitable body and Ireland’s National Theatre.
Gus is an ACCA qualified accountant and is also an ACCA fellow. He transitioned to his new role in November, 2023.
WEZI GIBSON
Head of Governance & Strategic Initiatives
Wezi Gibson is Head of Governance & Strategic Initiatives at Self Help Africa.
Wezi has more than 17 years of experience in the international non-governmental organisation sector.
Wezi has previously worked for organisations including ActionAid, Feed the Children International, Concern Worldwide and United Purpose in Malawi, where she was Deputy Country Director - Operations. Wezi has worked in South Sudan, Chad, Zambia and Malawi, and held the role of Donor Compliance Advisor with Concern Worldwide in Ireland.
Wezi is an ACCA qualified Accountant and holds a Bachelor Degree of Accountancy from The University of Malawi and a Masters in Strategic Management (Innovations) from Dublin Institute of Technology (now Technological University Dublin). Wezi joined Self Help Africa in January, 2024.
MARTHA HOURICAN
Director of Public Engagement
Martha Hourican is Director of Public Engagement at Self Help Africa. Martha is a senior leader with 15 years of experience in business development, relationship management and leading high performing teams in a non-profit environment.
She has worked previously with GOAL in New York and in international development in Sri Lanka and Guatemala.Martha began working with Self Help Africa in 2009, when she oversaw the successful establishment of the organisation in New York and Boston.
Since 2016, she has been Director of Business Development in the UK and Ireland, developing and implementing a fundraising strategy, and overseeing fundraising activities in both markets. Martha has a BA in History from Trinity College Dublin, an MA in Development Studies from University College Dublin, and an MSc in Climate Change from Dublin City University.
Kathrin Hall
Director of International Programmes
Kathrin Hall is Director of International Programmes at Self Help Africa. Kathrin has 20 years of experience in project and programme design and management, stakeholder engagement, development, business, and marketing.
Kathrin previously worked at the Met Office for nine years, ultimately as Head of International Development, where she was responsible for the design and delivery of large scale climate programmes in more than 25 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, South America, and the Pacific.
Kathrin joined Self Help Africa in 2022 as Head of Programme Funding, and since October 2023 has also served as interim Director of Impact, Strategy & Policy. Kathrin holds a first-class degree from the University of Hertfordshire, and is a Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Practitioner.
