Edwin Escoto is Groundswell International’s Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining Groundswell, Edwin worked for nearly a decade as the Executive Director of Vecinos Honduras, a leading NGO promoting rural development and agroecology. Before taking on the leadership role at Vecinos, Edwin worked for five years as World Neighbors’ Coordinator for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods in Mesoamerica (Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua), and, prior to that, as the Agricultural Extension Coordinator for a large FAO food security program in Honduras. Edwin holds a degree in Agronomy from Honduras’ National Agriculture University.
Staff
Maylis Moubarak
Maylis Moubarak is Groundswell’s Storytelling and Communications Manager. Maylis has lived in eight countries and worked for multinationals, startups, nonprofits, and social enterprises across four continents. Prior to joining Groundswell in 2024, she spent over seven years working in editorial content, communications, marketing strategy, and international events in various industries. She’s passionate about crafting stories that bridge borders and inspire audiences to support meaningful projects.
Navaraj Upadhyay
Navaraj Upadhyay is Groundswell International’s Regional Coordinator for South Asia. He started his career as a volunteer for Jay Nepal International at Sindhupalchok (Nepal) helping to rebuild houses, drinking water supplies, and hospitals for people affected by earthquakes. He went on to be a project coordinator for agriculture there for 3 years. After that, he worked as an agriculture officer of the Nepal Government for a year, different private companies for a year, various NGOs for more than 2 years, and as a facilitator of PDC (Permaculture Design Course) for two years. Navaraj holds a post-graduation degree in agricultural economics from Tribhuvan University and did nationwide research on microfinance. His expertise includes scientific research designing, data analysis, training and extension of agro-ecological practices, permaculture designing, project preparation and analysis, and volunteer mobilization.
Ruby Zhang
Ruby Zhang, of Goldin Group CPAs, serves as Groundswell International’s Chief Financial Officer. Goldin Group specializes in providing outsourced CFO services to nonprofits, with budgets ranging from $500,000 to $50 million, and has been the outsourced CFO for some of the largest nonprofit organizations in the State of Maryland. Goldin Group is the exclusive provider of financial services for the largest non-profit trade associations in the Washington, DC area – Maryland Nonprofits and the D.C. Center for Nonprofit Advancement. Ruby is Goldin Group’s Director of Operations and has been with Goldin Group for over 5 years. She specializes in leveraging technology with CPA services, financial reporting, nonprofit accounting and best practices, nonprofit strategic direction, and financial analysis. Ruby is a licensed CPA in the State of Virginia.
Freda Aagyereyir Pigru
Freda Aagyereyir Pigru is Groundswell International’s West Africa Regional Communications Coordinator. Prior to joining Groundswell, Freda worked for six years with one of Groundswell’s partner organizations, Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), based in Ghana as a community engagement officer implementing projects in the areas of agroecology, nutrition, women, and youth empowerment. Additionally, she has worked with a community radio station in northwest Ghana as a reporter, host, producer, and station coordinator.
Charles Arhin, Regional Finance Coordinator West Africa & Latin America
Charles Arhin serves as Regional Finance Coordinator for West Africa and Latin America. Charles has 19 years of experience as Accounting and Finance Professional for both For Profits and Non-Profits. Before joining Groundswell, He spent 9 years serving as Finance Manager for several In-country and Regional level development projects in West Africa, among them include, USAID/IREX Mandela Washington Fellowship project implemented in 22 countries in West and Central Africa, USAID/FHI Learn Project in Ghana, USAID/PATH Malaria Care Project in Ghana, USAID/World Learning contraceptive Project in Ghana. Charles is a Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA).