Phoebe Wakhungu, CPA
Financial Accountability & Systems Advisor | International Advisory Board
Phoebe brings a unique perspective to SAWA SAWA, understanding that financial accountability is connected to every aspect of an organization's operations. As a Certified Public Accountant and systems architect, she brings expertise in developing integrated, transparent, and sustainable systems that reduce dependence on individuals and strengthen institutional continuity.
Her work encompasses the entire SAWA SAWA journey, from the first order placed with an artisan to the moment a finished product reaches a customer. Through interconnected systems for communications, payments, financial records, inventory, logistics, and operational infrastructure, Phoebe helps identify vulnerabilities, close gaps, and establish processes that promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
Phoebe generously volunteered her time and expertise following a turbulent period in SAWA SAWA's history, which included an attempted takeover involving internal and external parties. That experience exposed vulnerabilities in the organization's operational structures and reinforced the importance of strong governance, independent oversight, and institutional safeguards. Rather than allowing those challenges to define its future, SAWA SAWA chose to learn from them and build stronger systems.
Phoebe's role is to help examine those vulnerabilities, strengthen internal controls, and create an operational framework that protects the organization from similar disruptions. Her guidance supports transparent financial management, grant applications and reporting, annual nonprofit compliance, board accountability, and a collaborative environment where information is accessible, responsibilities are clear, and no single individual holds the organization's institutional knowledge.
At its heart, Phoebe's work is about building an organization that can outlast its founders, withstand challenges, and continue empowering women for generations and centuries to come.
Beyond her contributions to SAWA SAWA, Phoebe brings nearly two decades of experience in international finance, nonprofit governance, and regulatory compliance across East Africa.
Read Phoebe's professional biography below to learn more about the expertise and experience she brings to our International Advisory Board.
Phoebe Nekesa Wakhungu, CPA(K) | Associate CPA Australia
International Finance Leadership | Regional Tax & Regulatory Expertise | Financial Governance
Phoebe Nekesa Wakhungu is a senior finance executive with 17 years of experience across international non-profit and commercial organisations in East Africa. Her expertise lies at the intersection of international finance leadership, regional tax and regulatory compliance, and financial governance. She helps organisations navigate cross-border complexity, strengthen accountability and steward resources responsibly.
She currently serves as Finance Manager, Global Operations at an NGO, providing financial leadership across a UK charitable organisation and its operations in East Africa. Her experience spans multiple legal entities, currencies and donor-restricted portfolios, with a focus on financial controls, systems design, reporting and compliance across jurisdictions.
A Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA(K)) and Associate CPA Australia, Phoebe brings practical expertise in tax administration and regulatory compliance across East Africa. Her experience includes direct engagement with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), alongside working knowledge of the tax frameworks in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. She holds an MBA in Finance and is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), with a concentration in Finance . She is a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya, CPA Australia and the Institute of Directors Kenya.
Phoebe contributed to the development of Kenya’s Income Tax (Charitable Organisations and Donations Exemption) Rules, 2024. This combination of regulatory engagement and practical implementation reflects her ability to translate tax expertise into tangible organisational outcomes.
As the CPA and Financial Accountability Advisor on SAWA SAWA’s International Advisory Board, Phoebe advises on financial governance, accountability systems and cross-border compliance. She brings a regional perspective to strengthening financial controls, supporting sound decision-making and building the financial and operational foundations for sustainable organisational growth.
