The BRAVEAURORA team

Board Austria

Sarah Deckenbacher, M.A.
Chairwoman
sarah.deckenbacher@braveaurora.com
Sarah studied social work at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and completed training courses in group dynamics and rhetoric and communication. She has more than 15 years of management and leadership experience in the social economy.
She is one of the founders of BRAVEAURORA and describes herself as an encourager and social visionary. She wants to be a role model – for a warm-hearted society that looks out for one another. Across borders.

Julia Obereder, M.A. M.A.
Deputy Chairwoman & Managing Director (full time)
julia.obereder@braveaurora.com
Julia studied social work and social management at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. She is one of the founders of BRAVEAURORA and has been the managing director of BRAVEAURORA Austria since 2024. With over a decade of experience in development cooperation, she is passionate about child protection, social justice and a culture of giving that promotes solidarity and opportunities for all, especially as a mother of two.

Susanne Gahleitner, M.A.
Board member
susanne.gahleitner@braveaurora.com
Susanne is a social worker and trauma educator focusing on children and young people. Guided by the values of protection, dignity and justice, she advocates for non-discriminatory spaces and genuine participation. With a critical eye on social power structures, she is committed to anchoring inclusion as a lived practice and bringing about sustainable change.

Simone Blümel, MSc.
Board member
simone.bluemel@braveaurora.com
Simone comes from Vienna and is a trained inclusive elementary school teacher and music therapist. She has felt connected to BRAVEAURORA and Ghana since her volunteer work there and has been on the board since 2018. The approach that the uniqueness of each person is an enrichment shapes both her professional and private attitudes. She particularly values respectful encounters and stimulating conversations that allow for exchange and development.

Abdul-Rahman Gbana Iddrisu, M.A.
Managing Director
abdul.iddrisu@braveaurora.com
Abdul is BRAVEAURORA's Executive Director in Ghana and has led the team since 2015. He is a development professional with expertise in leadership and program management. Abdul holds a Master of Arts degree in NGO Management and Rural Development, and he is passionate about advancing child protection, endogenous development, and gender equality. Abdul likes BRAVAEAURORA because it is a learning organisation.

Abubakari Alhassan, M.A.
Deputy Managing Director & Project Coordinator for Poverty Alleviation
abubakari.alhassan@braveaurora.com
Mr. Abu joined BRAVEAURORA in 2014 as Education Coordinator and now serves as Livelihood Promotion Coordinator. He holds an MA in Environmental Security and Livelihood Change, a BSc in Business Administration, and an HND in Secretaryship and Management. With extensive teaching experience and a Teachers’ Certificate “A,” Mr. Abu is committed to advancing education and livelihoods.

Simon Yaan Suuk, M.B.A.
Finance & Administration Director
simon.yaan@braveaurora.com
Simon is the Finance and Operations Manager at BRAVEAURORA. He holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), with expertise in financial planning and operational efficiency. Simon is passionate about social impact and driving organisational growth. Simon leverages his skills to create positive change and promote sustainable development in communities. Simon is inspired by BRAVEAURORA’s mission.

Eklimatu Ali-Nuhu, Dipl.
Social worker
eklimatu.ali-nuhu@braveaurora.com
Eklimatu is a Child Protection Officer at BRAVEAURORA. She joined the organisation in 2013, holds a Diploma in Social Work and is currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. Eklimatu is dedicated empowering her clients and raising awareness through sensitization programs. She enjoys working at BRAVEAURORA because of its commitment to creating lasting change and empowering individuals.

Fuseini Sumaila
Programme Assistant
gabriel.bugri@braveaurora.com
Fuseini joined in 2021 and currently serves as a Programme Assistant in the Child Protection team. His background is in Community Development and he’s currently pursuing a degree in Community and Organisational Development. Fuseini brings experience from various organizations and he is passionate about empowering children and women. Fuseini is committed to BRAVEAURORA because it drives meaningful change in communities.

Bintu Isaaka
Financial and Administrative Assistant
bintu.issaka@braveaurora.com
Bintu joined BRAVEAURORA in January 2025 as a Finance and Administrative Assistant. With a Bachelor’s in Economics and Business Administration (Accounting), she previously worked on GIZ/Agribiz’s SMELoop project. Passionate about supporting vulnerable women and children, Bintu advocates for Gender Equity and Inclusion and is eager to contribute to BRAVEAURORA’s mission.

Doreen Kada Abagali
Child Protection Officer
doreen.abagali@braveaurora.com
In January 2024, Doreen joined the BRAVEAURORA team as a Child Protection Officer. She holds a certificate in Community Health Nursing, a diploma in Community Nutrition, and a bachelor’s degree in public health nutrition. With experience at Wedam Clinic, War memorial hospital and Tamale Central Hospital, Doreen is passionate about supporting children and communities through her expertise in health and nutrition.

Lydia Achanbisa
Child Protection Officer
lydia.achanbisa@braveaurora.com
Lydia has been a Child Protection Officer at BRAVEAURORA since January 2024. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from KNUST. With 4 years of expertise in case management and child protection, she is committed to supporting families, creating safer environments, and empowering children to thrive. BRAVEAURORA is the perfect organisation for Lydia’s radiant personality.

Gabriel Aminu Bugri
Education Officer
gabriel.bugri@braveaurora.com
Gabriel has been BRAVEAURORA's Education Coordinator since 2021. He has extensive experience in community development. Holding a degree and diploma in Development Management and a diploma in Education, he is dedicated to empowering vulnerable individuals. Gabriel finds fulfillment in advocating for impactful change and witnessing transformative improvements in people's lives.

Samuel Abeene Azubire
Resource Mobilisation Officer
samuel.abeene@braveaurora.com
Samuel, BRAVEAURORA's Resource Mobilization Coordinator since May 2023, ensures the organization secures resources for project implementation. With a strong background in accounting and finance, he brings expertise and a deep commitment to community empowerment. Samuel is passionate about helping women, youth, and children to attain their full potential.

Hamdan Mohammed
Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Officer
hamdan.mohammed@braveaurora.com
Hamdan Mohammed is passionate about supporting the vulnerable. He holds a bachelor’s degree in integrated development studies from the University for Development Studies. His career includes roles at the Northern Regional Planning Coordinating Unit in Tamale and Northeast Innovation Hub in Walewale. He joined BRAVEAURORA as a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer in 2023.

Rachia Yakubu
Cleaning Staff
Rachia joined the BRAVEAURORA team in 2022. She is responsible for cleaning and maintaining a hygienic office space for the team in Walewale. She has also assisted in other casual activities in the office. She was previously engaged with Zoomlion Ghana. Rachia has special interest in children and loves spending quality time with them, either through playing games, telling stories, or simply engaging them in conversations.

Zenabu Saaka
Cleaning Staff
Zenabu was employed as a cleaner in 2009. She has since been responsible for the general tidiness of all BRAVEAURORA offices. In addition to that, she provides general support to team members.

Ali Nuha
Building Protection
Ali is one of our dynamic and enthusiastic security worker at BRAVEAURORA. With his energetic persona, Ali has been a valuable asset to the organization, assisting staff and volunteers with their daily tasks. He holds a Diploma in Basic Education and is currently pursuing a degree in Education during weekends. Ali has also completed his National Service at Sayoo Junior High School and undergone security awareness training from the West Mamprusi Municipal Police Office. Ali is well known for his active and sociable personality, making him a favorite among colleagues and friends alike.

Richard Gambase
Building Protection
Richard is a dedicated security officer at BRAVEAURORA's Walewale office, having joined the team in February of 2023. With prior experience as a Security Officer for Private Residential Homes in Accra, Mr. Gambase has honed his skills in safeguarding both lives and property.

Alidu Mahamadu
Building Protection
Alidu is the night-watchman of the BRAVEAURORA buildings. He has been working with the organisation since February 2020. Alidu takes his role seriously and ensures that all the organisation's properties are safeguarded.

Mohammed Adams
Driver
Mohammed Adams joined the BRAVEAURORA team as a driver in 2020. He is a dependable staff with years of experience in driving. Mohammed prides himself in his clean driving record which is a direct result of his diligence, focus and an excellent sense of direction. Mohammed is very passionate about his work and the development of rural communities.

Shahadu Kasim alias Malam
Gardener
Malam is employed as a Gardener at BRAVEAURORA. He is mainly responsible for the local greening-project. He works with other local farmers to produce organic foods for the community.

Victoria Hausleitner, B.A.
Victoria supported the Ghanaian team in the area of child protection during her volunteer placement at BRAVEAUORA in 2024. As a marketing graduate, she contributes her expertise as a member of the PR team before, during and after her stay in Ghana. She is jointly responsible for social media and the preparation of the impact report.

Franziska Schrott, BSc.
Franziska is currently a master's student in International Development at the University of Vienna and became aware of BRAVEAURORA during her studies in social economics. She has been part of the PR team since 2022 and represents BRAVEAURORA in the working groups on co-financing and food security in the Global Responsibility Working Group. She particularly appreciates the close cooperation and the tangible commitment to sustainability at BRAVEAURORA.

Christina Riegler, M.A. M.A.
Christina has been part of BRAVEAURORA's PR team since 2020. Her main responsibilities include coordinating the annual impact report and designing the monthly newsletter. Christina, who has lived in Zambia, among other places, is particularly passionate about our projects in the field of education that promote inclusive, equitable and high-quality education (SDG 4).

Cornelia Issahaque, M.A.
Cornelia is a social worker specialising in refugees and migration. Since volunteering in Ghana in 2019, she has developed a strong connection to Ghana and BRAVEAURORA. She is currently part of the PR team, responsible for social media, and represents BRAVEAURORA in the working groups on co-financing and food security in the Global Responsibility Working Group.

Nicole Ametsreiter, M.A.
Nicole joined BRAVEAURORA in 2021. After an enriching internship working on projects in northern Ghana, she is now increasingly involved in coordinating volunteer assignments. Child protection is not only close to her heart in her daily work as a social worker, but also in her special commitment to families in Ghana.

Anna Freylinger, BSc.
Anna has been involved with BRAVEAURORA since 2018, convinced of the importance of sustainable development cooperation and motivated by a desire to make an active contribution. Her responsibilities include organising donations, in particular filling the fundraising box, where she makes good use of her numerical skills. As a multiplier, she helps to raise awareness of BRAVEAURORA's mission and provides sustainable support for poverty reduction, education and the reintegration of orphans in Ghana.

Ingrid Weberbauer
Ingrid works as an accountant at BRAVEAURORA. She records all incoming and outgoing payments, takes care of invoices and ensures that donations are handled with care, diligence and accuracy. This also forms the basis for BRAVEAURORA's donation seal of approval.

Gabriel Unterholzer
Gabriel has been part of BRAVEAURORA since his volunteer placement in 2020 and has been ensuring that the IT infrastructure in Austria and Ghana runs smoothly for everyone ever since. From the website to email accounts and file sharing, he is the one who keeps everything running smoothly. Outside of work, he studies computer science and AI and is committed to digital and accessible emergency call systems.

And many more!
...and there are so many other helping hands and minds who carry BRAVEAURORA in their hearts and support us whenever needed – whether at parties, with translations, lectures, and more! Each and every one of you is an important and valuable part of our joint efforts!

Dr. Christin ter Braak-Forstinger, LL.M.
Founder & Chairwoman of the Advisory Board
christin.forstinger@braveaurora.com
Christin was chairwoman of BRAVEAURORA from 2009 to 2021 and handed over her role as chairwoman to Sarah in June 2021, at the same time taking over as chair of the BRAVEAURORA Advisory Board.
She is co-founder of Chi Impact Capital, an independent impact investing consulting firm in Zurich. Christin studied at JKU in Linz, completed her master's degree at Duke Law School in the United States, and wrote her doctoral thesis at Harvard Law School. She is also a university lecturer on impact investing and the author of several books. Christin is a happy mother. Yoga is an integral part of her life.

Sonja Jöchtl
Member Advisory Board
Sonja is the founder of Love Politics, a non-partisan, non-profit organisation that aims to bring a new generation of politicians into politics.
From 2015 to 2021, she was managing director of the European Forum Alpbach Foundation. Sonja is a communications and philanthropy expert with more than 10 years of experience at the executive board level of Caritas Austria. She is a board member of the Austrian Foundation Association, a former member of the Austrian steering group of the UN Global Compact, and a board member of the Austrian Fundraising Association.

Baerbel Mueller
Member Advisory Board
Baerbel lives and works as an architect and researcher in Vienna and Ghana, and has been an architect and planner for Braveaurora in Guabuliga since 2009. She is an associate professor at the Institute of Architecture at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where she heads the Lab [applied] Foreign Affairs, which investigates spatial and cultural phenomena in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. She is the founder of nav_s baerbel mueller [navigations in the field of architecture and urban research within diverse cultural contexts], with a project focus on the African continent since 2002.
Her work encompasses architecture, urban research, installations, scenography and curatorial projects.

Dr. René Andeßner
Member Advisory Board
René lives in St. Florian near Linz and works as an associate professor at the Institute for Public and Nonprofit Management at JKU Linz. His research and teaching therefore focus on associations and other nonprofit organisations. Practical contacts, knowledge transfer and active collaboration are very important to him. For this reason, he has been personally involved in a number of NPOs (in a wide variety of roles) since his student days. His other passions include history and stories.

Baba Seidu
Chairman
babaseidu@hotmail.com
Baba was born in Guabuliga, comes from the Chiefs family and spent his childhood and youth in this remote village. He later studied in the USA, where he also completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Baba Seidu returned to Accra with his family in early 2009 from the United States (where he had lived for more than 20 years) and established his own company there. Baba still has a very strong personal connection to the village of Guabuliga and visits regularly.

Iddris Abdallah
Secretary

John Paul Dakurugu
Cashier