Edith Otiende-Lawani is a 35year old legal practitioner originating from Kenya. Her passion for defending human rights led her in 2006 to Germany, where she later joined Ludwig-Maximilian-University in Munich in to study law. After qualifying as a Lawyer, she did her legal internship „Referendariat“ with the Higher Regional Court „Oberlandesgericht“ Munich and various administrative authorities. Since 2011, she´s been working with legal firms majorly in the field of compliance, criminal law, immigration law, corporate law, employment law and administrative law.

Through her social engagements with NGOs and public sectors active in development cooperation, she was inspired to found the association « Giving Africa a New Face e.V. » in 2017, which aims at promoting sustainable partnerships between Germany and Africa, as well as inclusive socio-political structures in Germany. The demand for promoting German-African B2B Partnership prompted the foundation of her company „The Bridge Consulting“, which brings Start-Ups and SMEs with Investors together, within Germany and between Germany and Africa.

GAaNF is also a beneficiary of the PMD funding programmes from the German organisation funding Vereine to do projects back home. Ms Otiende-Lawani is also very active in politics where she holds various positions within her Party, and aspires to create reforms especially as regarding development, refugee and migration policies.