Meet the Team

Galiwango, Sam │ Sam Galiwango, BComm, Head of Operations

Sam’s journey with Viva! began in 2022. Sam has worked as an Auditor with Continental Partners (CPA) in Uganda for seven years. He has a wide financial skillset – vital for running a charity which needs accountability of donor funds in the minutest detail.

Sam has lived in Uganda all his life, and his understanding of Ugandan culture and the challenges faced gives him the understanding to run Viva! Uganda projects with maximum impact.

Sam is interested in issues which enhance environmental conservation and foster sustainable development in communities – and these are some of the key challenges Viva! Uganda is addressing. Sam is vegan because of his concern for our planet and all life. He says: “Join us as we work towards saving the environment and protecting animal rights so that we can save the future of our motherland – Uganda!”

Meizler, Dash │ Dash Meizler, Dip Journalism, Head of Campaigns and Marketing

Fahd Kharim Ssevume, commonly known as Dash Meizler, is an accomplished humanitarian and animal rights activist known for his effective and efficient animal activism throughout Uganda. His love for humans and non-human animals inspired him to incorporate friendly, inspiring methodologies to spread veganism all over his country. His opinions are highly valued, people trust and respect his judgment and his tactics result in extensive, enduring change.

He has a decade’s worth of experience working in Ugandan NGOs, specialising in helping and empowering vulnerable children, including at a refugee camp for Save the Children Uganda and as project manager for the Great Child Foundation. Dash looks forward to productive and long-lasting results for high-level change with Viva! Uganda. He’s run several vegan campaigns and given dozens of school talks in Uganda. Dash is currently using his untiring commitment, drive, and leadership skills to bring more dignity and autonomy to both human and non-human beings in Africa.

Townsend, Kristian │ Kristian Townsend, Development Manager

Kristian’s journey with Viva! began in 2016 when he joined the UK team as a manager within its marketing team and was Viva!’s podcast presenter. He has a passion for veganism, compassion for children, deep concern for environmental issues, and has lived and worked in Africa for several years. He now splits his time between Africa and the UK, bringing his invaluable knowledge and diverse skillset to the development of Viva! Uganda.

Kristian has many years of experience in setting up and co-running different businesses including a vegan health food restaurant and a busy record label.

Gellatley, Juliet │ Juliet Gellatley, BSc zoology & psychology, Dip Direct Marketing, Dip Nutritional Therapy, Founder & Director of the Board

Juliet is the international founder and director of vegan campaigning charity Viva! in the UK and also founded its sister groups, Viva! Poland and Viva! Uganda. Juliet became vegetarian in her teens after managing – against the odds! – to visit a pig factory farm in the UK; and then became vegan. She has spent her working life campaigning on behalf of animals and promoting good health through diet. After obtaining a degree in zoology and psychology, she became the Vegetarian Society of the UK’s first youth campaigner in the 1980s and quickly rose to become the Society’s campaigns director, and then director. 

On 26 October 1994, she launched Viva! in the UK; Europe’s largest vegan campaigning charity. Juliet has since created and launched numerous campaigns on the disastrous repercussions of eating animals, not just for them but also for the planet and our health. High profile campaigns have included fighting the cull of kangaroos in Australia and ending its sale in all UK supermarkets, and causing the collapse of the ostrich meat trade in the UK. She launched the long running campaign End Factory Farming Before It Ends Us, and has investigated many pig farms for multiple campaigns from Pig In Hell to Hogwood, and dairy farms for White Lies, followed by Scary Dairy.  

Juliet has also investigated many other farms – often the big names – and exposed the devastating cruelty inherent in intensive farming. She was the first person to start presenting the horror of factory farms in front of the camera as a campaign – which she named Face Off, which was taken to many cities across the UK, changing the hearts of many. 

Juliet is the author of several reports and guides, and producer of the award-winning documentary HOGWOOD: a modern horror story, available on Amazon Prime and Netflix. She is also producer of Viva!’s first TV ad, Take Away the Meat (reaching 38 million people) and co-produced the UK’s first cinema ad, Bringing Hope to Millions. She produced videos that went viral as part of 3 in 4, a campaign that she created which reached millions of people during the Covid pandemic exposing the link between wet markets, factory farming and infectious diseases. 

Juliet became a qualified nutritional therapist in 2005 and launched several health campaigns with her colleagues Dr Justine Butler and Veronika Prošek Charvátová, under Viva!’s health and nutrition arm, Viva! Health. They have promoted the benefits of being vegan and also exposed the damage being wrought by consuming meat and other animal products.  

Juliet is also the author of The Livewire Guide to Going, Being and Staying Veggie!, The Silent Ark: A Chilling Expose of Meat – The Global Killer, and Born To Be Wild: The Livewire Guide to Saving Animals. Juliet has given many hundreds of talks, radio, podcast and TV interviews and received awards including the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain from Sir Paul McCartney: Animal Welfare Award, Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year: Education, the Australian Wildlife Protection Council’s Wildlife Protection Award, the People Environment Achievement National Award, and the St Francis Award for helping animals. 

“As a teenager the seeds for Viva! were sown. I witnessed the sheer scale of animal suffering – rows upon rows of pregnant pigs confined to cages, gnawing on their metal prisons. There was one particular pig which has stayed with me forever. At the end of a row of stalls, there was a large boar who dragged his exhausted body towards me. He looked straight at me, his sad, deep eyes staring into mine. In that moment I knew I would dedicate my life to saving animals. 

Since then and over the decades, I have travelled to Africa – mainly Uganda and Kenya many times. Uganda, in particular, has a piece of my heart. It is a beautiful and complex country where I have met the most inspiring people and had the privilege to see the most incredible wildlife. I’m determined that Uganda will lead the way in Africa in using the most obvious and vital solution to so many of the most extreme environmental problems – shifting diets to plant-based to massively reduce the need for land and water; to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; to protect people’s health and to be kind to all kind.”

Kasaija, Denis │ Denis Kasaija, Director of the Board

A country boy by heart, Denis was born and raised in Mukono where he lived for all his childhood. He attained a professional guiding certificate from the Uganda Safari Guides Association (USAGA) and is currently pursuing further studies in tourism and wildlife management at the Uganda Wildlife Institute.

Before joining tourism, Denis trained as a primary school teacher and taught mathematics and science at elementary level, before deciding upon a career change. 

Denis started guiding in 2011 and worked for various major Ugandan tour companies in Kampala as a senior guide. Denis is multilingual and can speak English, Swahili, a little German and Italian, which helps him communicate well with guests. His hobbies and interests include running, reading, watching football and spending time in his strictly vegan farm. He also has a passion for zoology and botany coupled with an expanding love for birding and entomology. 

Denis says: “I’m vegan to help protect wildlife – to reduce my carbon footprint on planet Earth. Also, because it is such a healthy way to live and because I detest cruelty. I’m proud to a part of Viva! Uganda.”

Belford, Faith │ Faith Belford, Bachelor of Supply Chain and Logistics Management

Faith Belford is a highly accomplished procurement officer. Her professional journey with Viva! Uganda started in 2023 when she joined as a volunteer for the KindHeart project.

Motivated by a transformative incident where she witnessed the inhumane treatment of cows during transportation, Faith made a conscious decision to champion animal rights. The sight of animals packed in cruel conditions in distress, ignited her compassion. Recognising that, as animals express emotions, they must suffer in inhumane conditions. Faith dedicated herself to finding compassionate ways to treat these non-human beings with love and kindness.

Prior to her involvement with Viva!, Faith served as a Procurement Officer at Job Distributors Limited in 2022. During this time, she honed various business and interpersonal skills that laid a strong foundation for her current role.Since joining Viva! Uganda, Faith’s commitment to animal rights, love for children, and understanding of plant-based diets have not only grown but have also influenced positive changes in her immediate environment and beyond. Her goal is to employ friendly and understanding techniques that cater to diverse ethnicities, aiming to foster a broader understanding of veganism and how it helps animals and our planet. Faith looks forward to contributing significantly to Viva!’s mission and creating a lasting impact on a national and global scale.

Nalimanga, Smith │ Smith Nalimanga, Bachelor of Business Computing

Meet Smith, a devoted member of Viva! Uganda, serving as a volunteer for Project KindHeart in the Kigezi region. Hailing from Uganda, Smith holds a degree in Business Computing, combining technical expertise with a profound understanding of plant-based diets, enriching the Viva! Uganda family with his unique skill set.

Smith embarked on his journey with Viva! in 2023, driven by a passion for veganism, love for animals, compassion for children, and a sincere concern for environmental issues. His commitment to embracing veganism solidified during his professional engagements with diverse individuals and companies, where he witnessed the positive impact of plant-based diets on health.Smith’s continuous devotion to bringing about positive change in Uganda is a clear testament to his everlasting dedication to the Viva! cause. Together, we aim to foster sustainable development, environmental conservation, and compassion for all living beings. Let’s make a significant impact on the world around us, helped by Smith’s expertise and unwavering dedication to Viva!’s mission.

Kintu, Hussein │ Hussein Kintu, Dip Computer Science, Dip IT

Hussein Kintu is a pivotal member of Viva! Uganda, contributing as a Volunteer for Project KindHeart in the Kigezi region. A Ugandan professional with diplomas in computer science and information technology, combined with medical herbalism, Hussein brings a unique fusion of technical expertise and a profound understanding of plant-based diets to the Viva! Uganda family.

Commencing his journey with Viva! in 2023, Hussein’s inspiration stems from a deep-seated passion for veganism, love for animals, compassion for children, and a genuine concern for environmental issues. His commitment to embracing veganism solidified during his international experiences in Turkey and the Bahamas from 2019 to 2022, where he personally witnessed the transformative impact of plant-based diets on health.

Before joining Viva! Uganda, Hussein served as the Communication and Media Secretary at the Global Information and Social Resource Foundation in 2020. This role equipped him with valuable experience in effectively communicating organisational missions.Collaborate with Hussein Kintu as we collectively strive to create a brighter future for Uganda and the planet. Our shared goals include fostering sustainable development, environmental conservation, and compassion for all living beings. Together, let’s make a significant impact on the world around us under Hussein’s expert guidance and unwavering commitment to Viva!’s mission.

Prošek Charvátová, Veronika │ Veronika Prošek Charvátová, BSc Biology, MSc Biology, MSc secondary education and teaching, senior researcher

Veronika joined Viva! UK in 2010 to work on health campaigns, promoting the countless benefits of a healthy vegan diet and helping people to improve their health. She is a researcher and nutritionist with a BSc in Biology and master’s degrees in Biology and Education.

Over the years, Veronika has worked on several campaigns and created a wealth of resources, including those focused on diabetes, bone health, cancer, heart disease, healthy vegan diet, children’s health and sports nutrition.

She is keen to help people make informed choices so they can thrive and feel great. Even though she’s an expert on nutrition, her vegan journey started with ethical choices more than 20 years ago and she’s also passionate about protecting the environment and promoting sustainable lifestyle choices.

Butler, Justine │ Justine Butler, Dip Nutrition, BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, PhD Molecular Biology, head of research

Dr Justine Butler first joined Viva! UK in 2005 as a health campaigner producing ideas for and organising health and nutrition-based campaigns. She is an expert on the impact of diet on our health. 

Her background combines her passion for both food and science – she holds a PhD from Bristol University in Molecular Biology, and a BSc from the University of the West of England in Biochemistry, a Diploma in Nutrition and writes her own food blog.

Justine has worked on many health campaigns including Viva!’s groundbreaking White Lies campaign which explored the science behind the health problems with consuming dairy foods. As well as writing numerous scientific reports, guides and factsheets for Viva!, Justine has had an extensive list of articles published in national and regional newspapers as well as health and trade journals.

Currently head of research at Viva! UK Justine’s role has expanded to include research on health, animals and the environment. She provides updates on the latest research, keeping the Viva! team informed of new developments as they happen. As a long-term vegan, Justine is committed to sharing her experience and knowledge to help people make their journey towards going vegan.