The Geno Team
Solomon Ariko pictured here with Paul started the Geno project. With great sadness Solomon passed away at beginning of 2021. We remember Solomon here.
Paul Macdonald is a Trustee and Chairman of Geno. He is currently the managing director and major shareholder of Helvetica Deutschland GmbH, a property management company in Berlin. Furthermore Paul is a non-executive director of PME African Infrastructure Opportunities plc and Qatar Investment Fund plc. Paul became involved with Osika and the Geno project in 2005, when he and Solomon started it, and he has been supporting the project financially and professionally ever since. His vast business experience and strong relationships with the community and the project mean he is the ideal person to chair the Geno Project.
Rebecca and Solomon Ariko have both been involved in the Geno project from the beginning.
Rebecca Ariko has taken on the leadership role of the organisation in Kenya, following the sudden death of her husband Solomon on the 16th April 2021. She has been working with Solomon to develop Osika for many years and she has been closely involved in the Geno project since it was incorporated in 2015. Rebecca has not only brought up and educated her own children she has also brought up and educated her nieces and nephew. Rebecca trained in Animal Health and Beekeeping technology and worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock development as an Extension officer for a period of 33 years. Her efforts were to train farmers on feeding and structure of livestock. She has recently retired from this position.
Rebecca was instrumental in developing the education program for the Geno project and played a significant role in encouraging, mentoring and guiding the students. The students look to Rebecca for guidance, advice and encouragement. She regularly speaks to the teachers at Osika primary school and also to the parents whose children are part of the program. She interfaces with the administration and teachers at secondary school attended by the students. Rebecca has looked after all the trustees and their families when they visit Osika. It is a great bonus to have Rebecca continuing the work of the Geno project.
Eunice Atieno was initially supported by the Geno project as a student and now works for the project.
Eunice Atieno began working with the Geno project in Kenya in 2019. Eunice was one of the first students to benefit from the project. She completed her primary school with excellent marks and was sponsored by the Geno project to attend Kisumu Girls High School where she achieved a B. She was then sponsored by the project to attend Moi university where she obtained a Second-Class Honours Upper Division (2.1) Bachelor of Science in Operational Management. Her work experience includes working for Nairobi National Museum, the Ministry of Tourism and at the Classic Hotel, Awasi. For six months Eunice was a teacher at Kipsisiin primary school in Nandi County. She also speaks three languages.
Eunice has excellent organisational skills, works to deadlines and is result oriented. She is hardworking and quick to adapt to change. She also has very good computer skills. She liaises with a wide variety of people. The other benefit is that Eunice knows the students extremely well and can relate to the issues they are facing.
Iona Macdonald is also a Trustee and has BA Honours in Finance from the University of Strathclyde and is a qualified chartered accountant. She has gained extensive experience while working within the Audit department at Deloitte. Iona is in charge of completing the accounting requirements and business processes within Geno. Furthermore she will utilise her business experience to develop Geno and achieve the greatest benefit for the community. Iona initially visited Kenya in 2007 when she met a number of the key members of the Osika community. Iona has established strong relationships with the Osika community and has participated in current projects.
Seonaid Macdonald, also a trustee, started her own property company with her sister Iona and manages this on a day to day basis. She is also a graduate from the University of Strathclyde with a BA Joint Honours in Human Resource Management and Hospitality and Tourism Management. Her main focus lies with interacting with sponsors when fundraising as well as managing the daily admin requirements. Furthermore Seonaid arranges fundraising events for Geno and maintains regular contact with Roselyne and Solomon. Her first visit to Osika occurred in 2009 and since she has been back to the village numerous times. These visits have helped her develop a strong relationship with the Osika community and provide her with great insight into the needs and desires of the community.
Murray Mathieson, also a Trustee, is the owner and operator of Positively Legal®, which was established in 2001. The company provides specialist coaching, consulting and training services to law firms, in house legal departments and other businesses.
Murray is a non-practising solicitor and accredited business coach, with extensive legal and business experience.
Murray’s sons Campbell and Stewart have both visited the village of Osika with Paul, in 2013 and 2018, to get a first- hand experience of the projects and the community. Murray, Campbell and Stewart are all very interested in the development of the project, with Murray also visiting in 2016 with our other Trustees.
Leonard O’Brien, the final Trustee, become an Associate of the Institute of Taxation in Ireland in 1989 while working at Coopers & Lybrand in Limerick, after which he obtained a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance from the Dublin City University. In 1995 he qualified as a chartered accountant while working with KPMG in Dublin as well as in Philadelphia and New York. In 2011 he established his own company called Salamander Group, based in Geneva which specialises in Private Equity, Asset Management and Financial Services. His extensive business experience greatly benefits Geno in his position as a Trustee.