Our Board includes experts in finance, healthcare, engineering, and education. Led by Chairman Selerin Ntahitagabira, the team brings deep leadership from the Burundian diaspora to guide BDI’s mission and ensure impactful, community-driven development.

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Selerin Ntahitagabira, CGMA, MBA

Chairman

Selerin Ntahitagabira is a co-founder and current Chairman of Burundi Development Initiatives (BDI). He has served on the Board of Directors since 2012 and was its initial Chairman until 2020. He was reappointed to the Board chairmanship on December 31, 2024. In his professional life, Selerin Ntahitagabira is an accomplished organization management professional and the Chief Financial Officer for the Coalition for Responsible Community Development, a not-for-profit organization serving disadvantaged youth, adults, and small businesses in South Los Angeles, California since 2017. He has more than 20 years of financial management experience at both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Selerin has outstanding skills in strategic planning, cash flow management, budgeting and forecasting, financial analysis, internal controls design and maintenance, risk management, financial systems conversion, timely and accurate financial reporting, and superior management/coaching of fiscal and administrative teams. Among other professional occupations, Selerin served as Vice President & Controller at United States Veterans Initiative from 2008 to 2016. Selerin holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Accounting and Finance. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and holds the designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant. Selerin is also active in other humanitarian endeavors, which include serving as Board treasurer for Rainbow Humanitarian Caretaker Foundation, and a Finance Commissioner for Burundi’s Cibitoke Diaspora Network.
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Anaclet Bampema, RN

Board Vice-Chairman and Treasurer.

Anaclet Bampema is a co-founder and current Vice- Chairman and Treasurer of Burundi Development Initiatives (BDI). He has served on the Board of Directors since 2012 as a Director. He was appointed to the Board as Vice-Chairman and treasurer on December 31, 2024. Anaclet Bampema is Registered Nurse (RN), holding a Bachelor Degree in Sciences of Nursing (BSN). He has been a Registered Nurse since 2019. Anaclet Bampema is married and is a father of four kids. He live in Jacksonville Florida, the Sunshine State.
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Desire Manirakiza

Secretary

Desire Manirakiza currently serves as the Secretary of Current Burundi Development Initiatives (BDI). He is a results-driven Civil Engineer with an unwavering commitment to both public and private entities engaged in designing, planning, and constructing life-changing infrastructure for underserved communities. His professional ethos is grounded in a deep sense of loyalty to initiatives that provide lasting, transformative solutions. Having built his career in the State of Massachusetts, he brings hands-on experience from a wide range of heavy civil engineering projects. His roles have included Laboratory Reinforced Concrete Technician, Field Engineer for tunnel finishes contracts, and Project Manager for roadways and bridge developments. Throughout his work, he consistently prioritizes the interests of project owners while maintaining high ethical standards and treating all stakeholders with equal professional respect. His expertise spans the full project life cycle, with core strengths in managing project scope, controlling budgets, adhering to schedules, engaging diverse stakeholders, and upholding rigorous quality standards.
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Dr. Jean-Baptiste Hajayandi

Director and Former Chairman

Dr. Jean-Baptiste Hajayandi is a co-founder, Director and Former Chair. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of African and World History. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Modern World History from St. John’s University (2001) and a PHD in African History from Stony Brook University (2013) in New York. After graduating from the University of Burundi with a BA in History, he worked for the government of Burundi, from 1985 to 2000, in various capacities and positions in the fields of Education (High School History Teacher, Assistant Principal, Inspector), Politics (Junior Political Adviser to the President), and Diplomacy (Second Counselor in New York, Chief of Staff/Secretariat of State for Cooperation). He is now an American citizen and lives in New York City.
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Diomede Misigaro Richard, M.S, MBA

Director

Diomede Misigaro Richard is an experienced project management and community development professional with more than 25 years of experience across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, he serves as Self-Sufficiency Lead Case Manager at Catholic Charities, where he oversees refugee resettlement programs and supports newly arrived families in achieving cultural and economic integration. Diomede holds a Master of Science in Accounting & Information Systems from Middle Tennessee State University and an MBA from Cheikh Anta Diop University. His career includes extensive work in program compliance, policy implementation, and community leadership. A respected figure in the Burundian diaspora, he has trained and mentored immigrant communities and held leading roles, including Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Burundian Diaspora. Fluent in five languages, Diomede has strong intercultural skills, strategic insight, and a long-standing commitment to social and economic development—qualities that enrich the mission of Burundi Development Initiative
Burundi Team
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Epitace Rurimwishiga

Deputy-President and Deputy-Legal Representative

He is a development and finance professional with over two decades of international experience in banking, economic development, and policy research. He has held senior roles at Ameriprise Financial and US Bank in the United States, specializing in credit analysis, home lending, portfolio management, regulatory compliance, and operational procedures. In Africa, he contributed to major research and policy publications with UNESCO-BREDA. At UNESCO, he was a member of team which compiled research and contributed to the publication of 1995 and 1997 "Report on the State of Education in Africa". He also worked with Professor N'doye on the publication of "The Deterioration of Teachers Working Conditions in Africa". At IDEP, he was Research Assistant and participated in many seminars and workshops on structural adjustment programs and their impacts on Africa’s socio-economic development. His experience combines financial expertise with economic planning, and evidence-based research, providing a strong foundation for impactful board leadership.
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Sylvane Bizimana

President of the Supervisory Board

Mrs. Sylvane Bizimana is a senior legal professional and career magistrate with over fifteen years of experience in judicial oversight, regulatory compliance, and institutional governance. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and has served in administrative courts, courts of appeal, and prosecutorial offices, handling complex administrative, financial, commercial, and criminal matters. She previously served as a Justice Inspector, focusing on legal and institutional risk assessment, particularly in banking and public procurement cases. She currently serves as Head of the Litigation Department at BBCI, overseeing legal risk management, compliance, and high-value litigation.
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Naphtal Hicuburundi

Member of the Monitoring Committee

Naphtal Hicuburundi is an experienced public health and humanitarian professional with extensive experience in HIV/AIDS coordination, disaster management, and community development across Burundi. He has served in key leadership roles, including Provincial Secretary of the Burundi Red Cross in Cibitoke, Technical Advisor to the Provincial Committee for the Fight Against HIV/AIDS, and Socio-Cultural Advisor at the Presidency of the Republic of Burundi. He holds an International Diploma in Comprehensive HIV Care from the University of Paris 13 and the University of Burundi, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Geography. Throughout his career, he has contributed to national committees such as the Board of the National Blood Transfusion Center and the Board of the University of Burundi. Dedicated to community resilience and public health advancement, Mr. Hicuburundi brings strong leadership, multisectoral experience, and proven commitment to development in Burundi.
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Bernard Simbahwanya

Executive Assistant and Project Manager

Bernard Simbahwanya is a Communication, Public Relations, and media professional with more than fifteen years of experience working within academic, public, and media institutions in Burundi. He has worked with Olivia University Bujumbura as a Public Relations Officer; and with the Office for Burundi des Revenue (OBR), where he contributed to the implementation of institutional communication strategies, public awareness initiatives, and the strengthening of the institutions’ public image and credibility. A former journalist and media executive, and a graduate in English Language and Literature from the University of Burundi, he now brings his expertise in strategic communication, institutional relations, and content production to advancing the mission and impact of Burundi Development Initiatives.

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