We are pleased to welcome Ayub as Progreso’s new Program Manager for East Africa. Ayub is a development professional with over 10 years of experience in agriculture, cooperative development, and access to finance. With a background in accounting and a strong commitment to improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, he has focused his career on designing and managing programs that strengthen rural enterprises, promote inclusive market systems, and support sustainable development, especially in the coffee and cocoa sectors.
Throughout his career, Ayub has led donor-funded initiatives, built strategic partnerships, and supported cooperatives to become more resilient, market-ready, and financially sustainable. He is driven by collaboration, innovation, and hands-on engagement with communities to achieve lasting impact.
What attracted Ayub to Progreso is its clear commitment to sustainable and inclusive agricultural development, practical support to cooperatives, and innovative use of digital tools like Beyco. Having worked with Progreso on regional programs in the past, he was inspired by the organization’s farmer-centered approach and grassroots partnerships. Joining the team is a natural next step in advancing his passion for transforming rural livelihoods.
In his new role, Ayub looks forward to working alongside an inspiring team to build resilient, inclusive value chains across East Africa. He is eager to engage with producer organizations on the ground, understand their challenges, and co-create solutions that strengthen governance, increase access to markets and finance, and enhance climate adaptation capacities. He aims to bring strategic leadership, regional insight, and a collaborative spirit to support the growth of Progreso’s programs and help scale digital tools like Beyco to increase transparency and traceability.
Outside of work, Ayub enjoys travel, spending time in nature, and listening to community stories, especially from farmers, whose resilience continues to inspire him. He is also a smallholder dairy farmer, passionate about photography, volleyball, and cycling. Committed to lifelong learning, Ayub is particularly interested in dairy farm productivity, regenerative agriculture, and climate adaptation strategies.
Please join us in warmly welcoming Ayub to Progreso and wishing him every success in his new role!
