As a powerful force for good, the African diaspora drives essential development through remittances and investments. Yet the collective impact of these efforts, particularly when scaled across borders, remains underutilized. To fully unlock the potential of diaspora-driven philanthropy, African Diaspora Network (ADN) and Myriad USA are proud to introduce the ADN African Diaspora Innovation Fund (AfDIF). Explore the vision, structure, and opportunities of AfDIF, a collaborative initiative aimed at channeling philanthropic capital into high-impact social entrepreneurs across Africa.
Josh Ghaim is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ignite Venture Studio, a new brand and innovation accelerator focused in the Health and Beauty markets as well as investments and support of Women and Minority led start-ups. Prior to his new venture, Josh was the former Chief Technology Officer of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health.
Muhsin Hassan
Managing Director, Awards, Data, & Learning, Lever for Change (Moderator)
Muhsin Hassan
Managing Director, Awards, Data, & Learning, Lever for Change (Moderator)
Muhsin Hassan is Managing Director, Awards, Data, and Learning at Lever for Change. He leads the awards team which supports donor partners who sponsor challenges. He also leads development and implementation of the data strategy, oversees learning and evaluation efforts, and directs the generation of actionable insights to inform program development, as well as for dissemination across the philanthropic sector.
Muhsin has spent his career at the intersection of philanthropy, international development, and strategy consulting focusing on advancing socio-economic and political development in the global South. He began his career at USAID, where he worked on several issue areas including economic growth, democracy & governance, conflict mitigation, and peacebuilding. Muhsin received both his MPA in International Development and A.B. in Public Policy from Princeton University.
Romi Bhatia
Venture Partner at Jedar Capital
Romi Bhatia
Venture Partner at Jedar Capital
Mr. Romi Bhatia is the Managing Director of RB2 Investments LLC, an investment advisory Firm. He was previously (acting) North Africa Director for Prosper Africa; a presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows. Mr. Bhatia has worked for the past 20 years in the international development and finance field with a focus on microfinance, small business development, and mobilizing private capital for development. During his 10-year span at USAID, Mr. Bhatia has also served in roles as the Sr. Advisor for Diaspora Engagement and Africa Team Lead for the former Office of Development Credit and currently overseas the Prosper Africa Catalytic Investment Facility. Mr. Bhatia was a Fulbright scholar in India with SKS Microfinance (2001) and recipient of the Rockefeller Foundation Global Fellowship on Social Innovation (2015). Mr. Bhatia received his Master’s Degree in International Finance and Business from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (2004).
Kady Sylla
Director – Africa & Middle East, Myriad USA
Kady Sylla
Director – Africa & Middle East, Myriad USA
Kady serves as Director for Africa and the Middle East at Myriad USA, a global philanthropic institution that facilitates cross-border giving and provides donors with a simple and efficient platform to support nonprofit initiatives anywhere across the globe.
She collaborates closely with donors, contributing to impact in Africa and the Middle East. She also oversees Myriad USA’s fiscal sponsorship services for and partnerships with locally led nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, and diaspora networks.
She has extensive experience in global philanthropy and international development, having held roles at the Open Society Foundations, USAID, the UK’s Department for International Development, private and public foundations.
Krsna Powell Sayari
Lead Advisor,Africa Practice
Krsna Powell Sayari
Lead Advisor,Africa Practice
Krsna Powell leads philanthropic and development donor engagements at Africa Practice. She is a development practitioner specializing in resource mobilization, impact-driven investment, and strategic partnerships. With over 15 years of experience in the public and private sectors, she has advised multinational companies, social enterprises, philanthropic foundations, and development donors on resource and investment mobilization strategies across responsible business, capacity building, economic resilience, climate, and natural capital.
