FOUNDERS

Piye has three founders who oversee all of Piye’s operations. The Founders are: Dr Francis G. Oriwa Matete, Naomi Atieno Matete and Sheila Matete-Owiti.

STRUCTURE

Piye is registered in NSW Australia and is run by a Board of Governors based in Sydney.

The Board of Governors comprises of: Sheila Matete-Owiti (Founder), Dr Peter John Chen (Chairperson), Pauline Muscat (Secretary), Fortune Ditsa (Treasurer), Harley Dale and Wycliffe Owiti.

In addition to the Board Members, Piye has a number of advisors who provide guidance and support in their various areas of expertise.

BIOGRAPHIES

Dr Francis G. Oriwa Matete
Founder
MBChB, M.R.C.Psych (UK)

Francis holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degree of the University of Nairobi, postgraduate qualification in Psychiatry and membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists of the UK. For several years he worked as Provincial Psychiatrist in Kenya and Assistant Director of Medical Services. In that capacity he planned and operationalised the provision of mental health services for a population of approximately five million people living in Nyanza, Western and Rift Valley Provinces. Since 1984 Francis has initiated various community development activities including:
     a) The Rangala Community Development Project.
     b) The Kajulu Dairy Cow Multiplication Project
     c) HIV/AIDS training/seminars for health professionals and community groups, colleges and universities
     d) Your Future In Your Hands Group.
These experiences provided him with a unique opportunity to witness first hand the disconnect that existed between officially held views and the stark reality of poverty and ill health. Thus, a yearning to bridge that gap was born.

Francis has expertise in the dynamics around culture, poverty and disease morbidity, psychopharmacology, alcohol and drug dependence disorders, community psychiatry, primary health care and community capacity development. In 2001 he relocated to New Zealand where he works as a Consultant Psychiatrist. Francis serves as the Piye Community Liaison.

Naomi Atieno Matete
Founder
Certificate of Accounting

Naomi graduated from Reeswood College, Nairobi and worked with various firms in Nairobi an administrator and office manager. She later joined the University of Nairobi where she worked before resigning to proceed with her family to the UK. Upon her return to Kenya, she became heavily involved in business where she owned and managed a pharmacy and hair salon. She has also supporting her husband in various community activities such as The Rangala Community Development Project and The Kajulu Dairy Cow Multiplication Project. Since the family relocated to New Zealand in 2001, she has taken pride in being a home-maker and raising their five children. Naomi’s greatest area of interest is in informal micro-financial institutions and the application of such concepts in helping the female rural poor. Naomi serves as the Piye Community Liaison.

Sheila Matete-Owiti
Founder & CEO
BSc Biomedical Science (Hons); MSc InfoSys (Dist); MSc. Public Health

In 1995, Sheila was awarded the Presidential and Honors Scholarships from the USA to pursue her undergraduate studies. Upon graduation, she worked as a genetics researcher in California and Illinois in the area of cancer drug development. In 2002, Sheila moved to Australia to pursue a Masters in Health Information Systems. Sheila worked as a researcher at the University of Wollongong for 4 years. Her areas of expertise are in social research, policy and program evaluation and community development. In 2006, Sheila was awarded the Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship to pursue a MSc Public Health degree from Maastricht Universiteit, Netherlands. She returned to Australia to work as a Policy Analyst for the NSW Department of Health.

It is through Sheila’s desire to demonstrate Christian love to address the injustice faced by the poor in Kenya that Piye Inc was born.

Dr Peter John Chen
Chairperson
DipMR; BCom(Hons); PhD (ANU)

Dr Peter John Chen is a lecturer at the University of Sydney where he teaches media and public policy in the Department of Government and International Relations.  He has management experience in Government and the private sector, with qualifications in management and administration.  Peter’s work background includes experience in consulting, information technology, policing and health policy.

 Pauline Muscat
Secretary
BE - Elec (Hons Class I); MIB (Dist)

Pauline has completed a Bachelor of Engineering and has accumulated fifteen years service with BlueScope Steel (formerly BHP) where she is currently employed. A growing interest in international affairs led Pauline to pursue and complete a Master of International Business in 2005. Pauline has experience in project management and execution, and has a wide range of technical skills. With an enquiring mind, and an adventurous spirit, Pauline has a willingness to learn and interact, and has also travelled extensively.

Wycliffe Owiti
Board Member
B.Com(Hons); PGD. Mgt; M. Accounting

Wycliffe completed a Bachelor of Accounting at Banaras Hindu University in India. He moved to Sydney in 2003 to pursue a Masters in Accounting at the University of Central Queensland. Wycliffe works as an accountant and is pursuing his CPA qualifications. As the chair of the Anyuola group in Sydney, he was instrumental in organising poverty-reduction projects in Kenya. Having grown up in Kenya, Wycliffe sees Piye as an opportunity to give back to a community where children continue to die of preventable diseases.

Professor John J Glynn
Advisor
MA, MPhil, PhD, FCPA, FCCA

Professor John Glynn is Dean of the Graduate School of Business at the University of Wollongong.  Professor Glynn has wide international experience in management development programs. He is an advisor to a number of companies, government agencies and departments including the National Audit Office (UK), The Australian Audit Office, the NSW Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee and the OECD. Professor Glynn has particular interest and expertise in the areas of strategy formulation management of change, financial management and performance appraisal across all levels of the public and private sector.

David Guillaume
Advisor

David has worked for over thirty years in both the UK and Australia on projects in the manufacturing, insurance and finance sectors. David joined the Rotary Club of Corrimal in 2001. He served as club treasurer from 2002 - 2005 and as president in 2006 - 2007. David has been involved in Rotary District projects for many years, and spearheaded the approval process that granted the Ongeche project Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) recognition in 2007. He remains a keen and passionate supporter of Piye’s vision. 

Kerrie Guillaume
Advisor

Kerrie Guillaume was born in Wollongong and joined the Rotary Club of Corrimal in 2001 and was President from 2004-2005.  She has held various positions at district level including Chair of Model United Nations Assembly (MUNA) for six years.  Kerrie has recently completed her Master’s in Leadership and Management in Education. Kerrie is a passionate teacher. She believes that education is a springboard for one to reach their full potential, and that holistic education is a true and realistic concept. 

Beryl Ajowi
Advisor
BMus (Hons.)

Beryl completed her bachelors with honours degree in Music Composition and Sonic Art at Victoria University in New Zealand. She has also worked as a composer and sound designer for several theatre and film projects. Beryl is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Policy. She is interested in the promotion of intrinsic cultural knowledge as a means of instilling a sense of identity and pride among communities in Kenya. Beryl hopes to represent an artistic perspective to the goals of Piye.