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Buhle Makamanzi leads the foundation’s communications work in Africa. She has more than 24 years of experience working with international development agencies, diplomatic missions, and the nongovernmental sector in the areas of program management, advocacy, communications, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

Before joining the foundation in 2015, Buhle served as deputy director of the U.S. State Department’s Africa Regional Media Hub, which is based at the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has worked as an M&E consultant, providing M&E expertise to organizations in the not-for-profit sector across Africa. She also served as a senior communications specialist and Strategy Advisor for African Monitor Trust, an organization that tracks development funding commitments by African governments and their donor partners and how they affect grassroots communities.

Earlier, Buhle worked as a regional information, communications, and advocacy officer for We Effect (formerly Swedish Cooperative Centre), where she was responsible for East and Southern Africa. She also worked as a communications officer for the Swedish Embassy and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency in Harare, Zimbabwe;. She also worked as a press officer for the British Embassy in Harare. In 1999, Buhle co-founded the Media Monitoring Project , an independent advocacy body that works to promote freedom of expression in Zimbabwe.

Buhle has two master’s degrees, one in international relations and one in organizational psychology, specializing in monitoring and program evaluation, both from the University of Cape Town. She also holds a B.A, a postgraduate degree in media and communication studies, a postgraduate degree in health and HIV/AIDS management, and a diploma in public relations.