Patience Ndlovu is the Regional Representative for the Bantwana Regional Network (BRN), bringing extensive experience in strategic leadership, programme development, policy engagement, systems strengthening and locally led development. A longstanding member of the Bantwana Initiative since 2008, Patience played an instrumental role in its evolution into a regional network, championing a vision of African-led development grounded in local expertise, leadership and sustainable solutions.

Patience has held several senior executive and technical leadership positions within Bantwana, including Vice President/Executive Director of WEI-Bantwana, Country Director in Zimbabwe and Malawi, and Chief of Party for the USAID/PEPFAR-supported Vana Bantwana and Ana Patsogolo programmes. Across these roles, she provided strategic direction, guided programme implementation and strengthened partnerships with governments, development partners and other stakeholders across the region.

Among her notable contributions was leading the development and scale-up of Zimbabwe’s National Case Management System under the UNICEF Child Protection Fund. The system was rolled out across all 65 districts in Zimbabwe and has since been replicated in other African countries. She also led the start-up and implementation of the Ana Patsogolo programme in Malawi and contributed to the growth and strategic direction of Bantwana’s programmes across Southern and Eastern Africa through her regional advisory work, technical support and new business development.

Patience has also served on national and international advisory and expert panels, including the UNICEF Global Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Technical Working Group. Her experience spans child protection, social protection, public health, policy and institutional strengthening, underpinned by strong research, communication, management and stakeholder engagement skills.

As Regional Representative for BRN, Patience brings this wealth of experience to advancing the network’s regional vision, strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange, and promoting locally led approaches that place African institutions and communities at the centre of development. Her leadership reflects a longstanding commitment to shifting decision-making closer to the communities affected, investing in local capacity and expertise, and advancing equitable and sustainable outcomes for children, adolescents and families.

Patience holds an MA in Policy Studies from the Southern Africa Regional Institute for Policy Studies (SARIPS).