Meet the Team

While our hearts are with our team in the camps, the Sandblast headquarters is based out of London, UK.

Our team travels frequently to collaborate on the ground in the camps, combined with working remotely and in-person to manage all our projects, events, and campaigns.

  • A young woman with curly black hair, glasses, and hoop earrings smiling in an indoor setting.

    Danielle Smith - Director

    Danielle has been involved with the Saharawi refugee community since 1991. She speaks five languages, including Hassaniya, and holds a BA in Biochemistry (Mount Holyoke) and an MA in Cultural Anthropology (Haifa University).

  • Vedika Mathur - Assistant Director

    Vedika holds over 5 years of experience working with initiatives to empower marginalised communities. Her research at UCL and UCLA focused on the empowerment of marginalized communities and cultural reclamation.

  • A man with dark curly hair, glasses, and a beard looks thoughtfully to the side in a well-lit room with a light-colored wall and a plant in the background.

    Kerri Molloy - Coordinator of Programmes

    Kerri leads Desert Voicebox's English programme and spends part of each year on the ground in the Saharawi refugee camps. She’s worked on cultural preservation and women’s empowerment in Tanzania, Guatemala, and Laos.

  • Zella Collier - Head of Communications

    Drawing from an interdisciplinary and international background in Professional Writing and Marketing, Zella leads our Communications Team to craft the content plan and application of Sandblast’s deliverables.

  • A woman with dark, curly hair wearing a red jacket and blue jeans, standing by a rocky shoreline with a large body of water and a cloudy sky in the background.

    Aishwarya Iyer - Graphic Designer

    Aishwarya manages Sandblast’s design projects. She holds a master’s in Ethnographic and Documentary Filmmaking (UCL) and has a background in environmental video journalism and creative production.

Meet the Local Team

A group of five women in colorful headscarves and traditional dresses smiling and standing in front of a white wall with colorful handprints and painted text that reads 'DESERT VOICEBOX' and 'After school learning center for creative education in English and Music Sandblast UK.'

Desert Voicebox is led by a remarkable team of Saharawi women who are transforming education from within the refugee camps. While women play vital roles in camp life and in the peaceful advocacy for Saharawi rights, they often face significant barriers to further education and professional development due to social expectations and caregiving responsibilities.

Since 2016, Desert Voicebox has recruited and trained five Saharawi women to become teachers, administrators, and leaders within the programme. We prioritise hiring young women who have not completed secondary school, creating local opportunities for career growth, gaining livelihoods, and community leadership.

By training and employing women inside the camps, Desert Voicebox strengthens long-term self-reliance and reduces aid dependency, while offering a pathway to transferable skills and personal growth.

  • A man with wavy dark hair, glasses, and facial hair looks to the side in a well-lit room with a light-colored wall and a plant in the background.

    Tekween Mohamed — Administrator

    Born and raised in the Boujdour camp, Tekween worked in the Education Office before joining Desert Voicebox at its inception in 2016. She taught English for several years before becoming the programme’s administrator in 2023.

    “Desert Voicebox provides an amazing chance for children to learn another language, and it's wonderful to see the excitement in their eyes.”

  • Fatimetu Malainin — Music Teacher

    Fatimetu studied at the Saharawi Institute of Music in the refugee camps in Tindouf. Before joining Desert Voicebox in 2016, she worked as a sports teacher, as there were no jobs available in music.

    “I love having so many opportunities to learn as part of the programme... We get to escape from the normal – something that is so important for us and for the children.”

  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length black hair wearing a dark blue top, surrounded by green foliage.

    Nicole Lehbib Moulay Aali — Music Teacher

    Nicole is from Boujdour Camp. She left secondary school to care for her brother and later worked at a primary school before joining DV as a music teacher.

    “I’ve become better at my new job with a lot of effort. I thank everyone who has given me training and advice, and all those in charge of the Desert Voicebox.”

  • A young woman with a big smile, wearing glasses with a thin wire frame, hoop earrings, and layered necklaces. She has dark, curly hair and is dressed in a white top with colorful stripes. The background appears to be a casual indoor setting, possibly a cafe or office.

    Nanaha Bachri — English Teacher

    Nanaha was born in the refugee camps and completed her secondary education in Algeria. Although family pressure prevented her from attending university, she studied Spanish and English and taught middle school before joining Desert Voicebox in 2019.

    “I'm a different person now; I'm courageous and confident. I really enjoy being a teacher in this programme.”

  • A man with dark, curly hair, wearing clear glasses and a nose ring, looking off to the side with a slight smile, sitting in a room with a plant in the background.

    Tarba Mohamed Fadel — English Teacher

    Tarba teaches English for Levels 1 and 2. She holds a bachelor's degree in English Literature and joined DV at the end of 2022. She sees Desert Voicebox as a gateway to global connection and knowledge for the next generation.

    “I’m happy to be part of this project. It’s the best project helping our children in many ways, and we’re going to do our best to keep it going.”

  • Embarca Zeyu - Music and Dance Teacher

    Embarca Zeyu is a highly respected, talented Saharawi artist with a deep knowledge of traditional dance and music. She teaches dance, singing and the tbal drum at Desert Voicebox.

    She was one of the eight members of the former Tiris band, which toured the UK and participated in the 2007 Sandblast Festival, at Rich Mix in London.

  • Mahfud Othman - Tidinit Teacher

    Mahfud Othman is a multi-instrumentalist and one of the few Saharawis who have mastered the traditional tidinit in the camps.

    He began teaching tidinit to the DV students back in 2019 and is helping to create a traditional music group made up of the most talented students.