fepa office
We are a small, dynamic, and motivated team that is passionately committed to the goals of FEPA.
The FEPA office is managed by Marcel Dreier (60%) and Denise Staubli (50%). Iria Mudimu, Katja Majirija, and Stephanie Roffler contribute their expertise on an hourly basis as freelancers and volunteers.
On-site in Zimbabwe, Tatenda Mutema supports the team as needed.
Marcel Dreier – Co-Executive Director
Marcel has been working for the fepa office since 2015, following several positions in project and management roles and a historical dissertation on development and health issues in rural Tanzania. He originally moved from Lucerne to Basel for a sociology degree in the early 1990s, when an engaged group of lecturers and students in African Studies opened the door to new intellectual and cultural worlds for him. Since then, he has combined social engagement in Switzerland with continuous learning about the various ways people can support each other. He appreciates being able to work with many wonderful people. For him, fepa thrives on these people and the honest and loving projects they create and support. Marcel lives with his partner not far from the fepa office in Basel and enjoys racing through the Jura, the Black Forest, and the Vosges on one of his racing bikes in his free time.
Denise Staubli – Co-Executive Director
Denise joined fepa in April 2024. She is a certified coach with a wealth of international and sustainability experience, bringing a holistic, nurturing pair of eyes to her role. Having delved into environmental, cultural, and social challenges across four continents, Denise has equipped herself with creative problem-solving skills, entrepreneurship, and broad project experience throughout her career. She worked for organizations such as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, where she was trained in international cooperation and diplomacy. When not working, she enjoys swimming in lakes and rivers with friends, meeting people and looking after her many plants. One of her fondest memories from Sub-Saharan Africa is dancing to African beats with incredibly talented people.
Iria Mudimu – Content Creator
Iria Mudimu is an anthropologist and filmmaker who had regular long stays in Zimbabwe. She has been working with fepa since August 2020 on various tasks.
Katja Majirija – Desk Officer Agroecology
Katja has been working on an hourly basis with fepa since 2020 as a Desk Officer for their partner organization, Participatory Organic Research & Extension Training Trust (Poret), focusing on Holistic Land and Livestock Management (HLLM). With a BA in Environmental Engineering from ZHAW and family roots in Zimbabwe, she is well-positioned to understand and effectively communicate Poret’s agroecological techniques. During and after her studies, she gained valuable field experience in human-wildlife conflict mitigation through internships with the NGOs EHRA in Namibia and CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe. As she and her Zimbabwean husband run a farm in Zimbabwe, she is closely connected to local conditions and has a deep understanding of the community’s circumstances. Despite limited free time after the birth of her first son, she occasionally finds time to go for a run in the woods. On Sundays, Katja and her family can be found at church.
Stephanie Roffler – Desk Officer Partnership South Africa
Stephanie Roffler is South African native with roots in Cape Town and the Central Karoo and lives in Basel. Since 2019, she has been volunteering and working on an hourly basis for fepa. Her work focuses primarily on collaborating with the South African project “Central Karoo Farm Community Association (CKFCA),” which addresses community and youth development. This role keeps her grounded and connected to her home country, and she values the opportunity to contribute to the potential of these communities. Stephanie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and Economics (LLB, B.Com) and has worked in the field of “Internationalisation of Higher Education” at the University of Cape Town. She completed her Master’s in International Development in 2018 before moving to Basel. Stephanie is passionate about the concept of lifelong learning, which she actively practices through travel, raising her children with her husband, and integrating into Swiss life.
Contact Stephanie via e-mail
Tatenda Mutema – Consultant based in Zimbabwe
Tatenda has been working for fepa in various assignments since August 2023. She co-led the study trip to fepa in 2024 and supports local projects and other matters on behalf of fepa onsite in Zimbabwe. She is a health services professional with an MSc in International Management from FHNW in Basel and more than ten years of work experience. Tatenda has also worked with the Gostar Foundation, a Swiss NPO based in Ethiopia, where she was responsible for project management, as well as with various private and public health institutions in Zimbabwe. In her spare time, Tatenda enjoys traveling and reading. She also organises tourism trips for those interested in visiting Zimbabwe through her network.
Get in touch with Tatenda via LinkedIn
Volunteers at the office
Dingulwazi Kenneth Mudimu, Joyce Schäfer and many more that we can count on for short-term assignments. If you also want to participate: More information here. We look forward to seeing you!