Meshack Kisendi Masanja

A blue gradient background with navy text has “The D-30 Disability Impact List” at the top centered above “2023 Honoree” which is in between two laurels. The words “Meshack Kisendi Masanja, Tanzania” are to the left of a picture of Meshack, which fills the right. Meshack is a Black man with short hair wearing a maroon polo and sunglasses. At the bottom, “Diversability, #D30DisList.” fills the left corner.

Meshack Kisendi Masanja (He/him/his)

Co-founder and CEO of Mzeituni Foundation

Tanzania

Meshack Kisendi Masanja is a person with visual impairment, a co-founder and CEO of the organization, Mzeituni Foundation, working for the elimination of poverty, and inclusion specific to persons with disabilities based on the principle of “Nothing About Us, Without Us”. 

Over the past year, he facilitated 12 social entrepreneurship groups. Each group was able to obtain grants from local government authorities and started social businesses for social economic growth.

As part of his work, 15 children with disabilities were sent to schools with accessible environments – Furaha primary school, Tabora deaf primary school, and Uhuru Mchanganyiko primary school. Meshak says, “As a person with two daughters, I want to see freedom of inclusive investment on leadership, team working, and technology utilization for positive and sustainable change.”

Meshack was involved in organizing the Braille Day 2023 in Tanzania in collaboration with other stakeholders including NESODO. He also advocated for social protection and security for African union protocol Tanzania government ratification agenda for Elderly and Disabilities in April 2023.