Meet The Team
Secretariat
Kyazze Arnold
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kyazze Arnold is a refugee, queer person, radical feminist, sex worker by choice, and a dedicated human rights defender passionately advocating for the rights, dignity, and liberation of sex workers, queer, and gender-diverse communities. Arnold is the Founder and Executive Director of KNESWO Feminist Initiative, a refugee-led feminist organization working to empower refugee, migrant, and internally displaced sex workers in all their diversities across Kenya and beyond. With years of experience in grassroots organizing, feminist movement building, and human rights advocacy, Arnold has become a powerful voice in advancing gender justice, sexual and reproductive justice, and social protection for marginalized communities. Their work centers on creating safe spaces, strengthening feminist leadership, promoting bodily autonomy, and challenging systems of oppression, violence, stigma, discrimination, and criminalization affecting sex workers, refugee women, queer persons, and migrant communities. Arnold is deeply passionate about women’s rights, sex workers’ rights, queer and gender-diverse rights, and the empowerment of adolescent girls and young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. They strongly advocate for access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, mental health support, economic justice, and community-led humanitarian responses that prioritize dignity and inclusion. Their activism also focuses on climate justice and the disproportionate impact of climate change, displacement, poverty, and humanitarian crises on sex workers and vulnerable migrant communities. Arnold continues to amplify the realities and lived experiences of refugee and migrant sex workers within regional and global feminist and human rights spaces. In recognition of their leadership and advocacy, Arnold currently serves on the Global Fund for Women / CoMotion Advisory Committee on Birth Justice and Maternal Newborn Health and is also a Steering Committee Member at the Mixed Migration Centre under the Danish Refugee Council. They additionally serve at The Victor Mukasa Foundation as the Representative for the Africa Region, contributing to regional advocacy, movement building, and the advancement of queer and feminist justice across the continent. Through these platforms, Arnold continues to influence policies, strengthen feminist movements, and advocate for justice, protection, and meaningful inclusion of marginalized communities globally.
Rahim Munubi
PROGRAMS/OPERATIONS MANAGER
Rahim Munubi is a gender-diverse sex worker, radical feminist, and dedicated human rights defender serving as the Programs Manager at KNESWO Feminist Initiative. He leads programs that support refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and internally displaced sex workers in all their diversities, with a strong commitment to feminist values, social justice, and community-led empowerment. Rahim’s work is grounded in advancing human rights, equality, and dignity for marginalized communities often excluded from mainstream systems of support. Through his leadership, he focuses on building inclusive systems of care, strengthening community resilience, amplifying marginalized voices, and advocating for justice and protection for vulnerable populations. As both an activist and a community leader with lived experience as a sex worker, Rahim brings deep understanding, authenticity, and compassion to his advocacy and programming. He has developed strong expertise in program management, community mobilization, capacity strengthening, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring and evaluation. His lived realities continue to shape interventions that are community-centered, responsive, and rooted in the actual needs of displaced and marginalized communities. Rahim has extensive experience in grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and health and human rights promotion, particularly for sex workers, queer communities, and gender and sexual minorities. Through his involvement with the GBMSMS community and feminist movements, he continues to challenge stigma, discrimination, criminalization, and violence affecting sex workers and other marginalized groups while promoting safer, inclusive, and affirming spaces for all. He is deeply passionate about feminist leadership, sexual and reproductive justice, mental health, economic empowerment, and the protection of refugee and migrant communities. Through his work at KNESWO Feminist Initiative, Rahim remains committed to driving systemic change, strengthening community voices, and ensuring that displaced sex workers and vulnerable populations are recognized, respected, protected, and empowered to thrive.
Winniefred Ikanza
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICER
Winniefred Ikanza is a refugee woman living in Kenya, a passionate feminist, and a dedicated human rights advocate serving as the Finance and Administration Manager at KNESWO Feminist Initiative. She holds a Degree in Human Resource Management and is committed to advancing feminist leadership, community organizing, and social justice among refugee and migrant communities. With experience in financial management, administration, and grassroots community work, Winniefred plays an important role in strengthening organizational systems and supporting programs that promote dignity, equality, and inclusion for marginalized populations. She is deeply passionate about empowering young women and adolescent girls in refugee and migrant communities through advocacy, leadership development, economic empowerment, and access to essential social and health services. Through her work at KNESWO Feminist Initiative, Winniefred continues to champion the rights of refugee women, migrant women, and vulnerable young people.
Our Board
Phelister Abdalla
BOARD CHAIR
Phelister Abdalla is a feminist and woman human rights defender with extensive experience in advancing sex worker rights at national, regional, and global levels. She currently serves as the Board Chair of KNESWO Feminist Initiative and National Coordinator of DADA KIPEPEO, where she continues to champion dignity, safety, and inclusion for sex workers and marginalized communities. She is the former President of the Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) and previously served on the Steering Committee of the Red Umbrella Fund, contributing to global advocacy and resource mobilization for sex worker-led movements. At national level, she also served as the National Coordinator of the Kenya Sex Workers Alliance, strengthening coordination and advocacy for sex workers across Kenya. Through her leadership, she continues to advance feminist, rights-based approaches that center the lived realities and voices of sex workers.
Shyleen Momanyi
BOARD CO-CHAIR
Shyleen Momanyi is a feminist activist and a champion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for women and girls in all their diversities. She serves as the Executive Director of YWLI, where she is responsible for strategic thinking, planning, resource mobilization, and overseeing the successful implementation of the organization’s mission. She brings extensive experience in young feminist organizing, movement building, and campaign and policy advocacy on SRHR, and continues to be a driving force in advancing gender equality. Her motivation is rooted in fostering communities where women and girls of all diversities are respected and treated with dignity. Shyleen has played a key role in empowering the next generation of young feminist leaders through mentorship and movement strengthening. Outside her activism work, she enjoys collecting and nurturing plants, reflecting her passion as a dedicated plant enthusiast. She also serves as Co-Chair of the KNESWO Feminist Initiative, contributing to its leadership.