Regional Directors

Halima Samad, Regional Director of Tri-State Area

Halima Samad grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and moved to Pakistan at age 11 where she spent a majority of her adolescent years.  She returned to the United States to pursue her undergraduate education, starting her work in the non-profit sector in the areas of public and foreign policy after graduating from college.  Her commitment to civic engagement has led her to serve as as the Islamic Center of NYU community service coordinator where she arranged service projects in conjunction with various non-profits including Project Sunshine, the Council on the Environment of NYC, Women in Need, NY Cares, Publicolor, Street Project: Harlem Dowling and soup kitchens in New York City.  She is a also a member of the NJ state judiciarys minority concerns committee which educates the public and works with officials within the court system & local non-profits to solve issues ranging from domestic violence to juvenile justice.  Halima holds a B.A. in Economics and Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies from NYU, and previously worked at Dow Jones & Inc. as an Associate Producer for the Wall Street Journal Online. 

Catherine Manfre, National Director of Egypt

Catherine Manfre grew up on Long Island, moved to Florida when she was 12, and recently graduated from New York University majoring in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and minoring in Economics. She was a member of AIESEC, an international student led organization, and completed an AIESEC traineeship in Istanbul, Turkey last summer. She has also interned for political campaigns and worked for the Washington Square News at NYU. Currently, she resides in Cairo, Egypt working at a magazine called ICT Business as an editor, writer, and designer. She hopes to get her M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and later get either her MBA or J.D. She is interested in World Faith because she believes that people are much more similar than the media and stereotypes make it appear. People generally have similar goals like making a living for themselves, having a family and being happy. These similarities are much greater than differences in religion, culture and ethnic background. She hopes that World Faith will help build relationships between diverse people so that these similarities are realized. 

Naazish YarKhan, Regional Director of Chicago

Naazish YarKhan founded the Refugee Assistant Programs to address the needs of refugees from around the world who were relocated to Chicago.  In 2010 RAP became a World Faith Chapter, joining in the global interfaith service movement.  She is a syndicated writer, blogger for the Huffington Post, publicist and public speaker.  Her commentaries have aired on Chicago Public Radio and NPR.  She has written for over 30 publications globally.  In 2009, she was the recipient of the inaugural MWA "Inspiring Woman Award."  She lives in Chicago with her husband and two children, and is working on her first fiction novel. 

Shahid Rehmat, National Director of Pakistan

Shahid Rehmat Ghouri was born in a Catholic family in Lahore.   He is now a masters student of sociology and soon political sciences, to do the advocacy at government level with political leaders and police makers for the minority rights & religious freedom.  After the Gojra and Kasur incidents in 2009, he founded Interfaith Youth in Action (IYA) as youth-led network for peace and harmony with the support friends from diverse faiths to promote interfaith pluralism and dialogue.  IYA, the core of World Faith Pakistan, provides safe spaces, opportunities, and platforms for interfaith action through common values to serve the community. In 2010 IYA-PK became Chapter of World Faith, joining interfaith global service network.

 Obi Peter Daniel Onyeigwe, National Director of Nigeria

Obi Peter Daniel Onyeigwe is one of the founders and Director of Youth for Peace Building and Development in Africa (YOUPEDA).  He received his Bachelor’s degree in Human Relations and Religious Studies from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University-Awka –Anambra-Nigeria. Obi has four years progressive experience as youth development professional, guiding the YOUPEDA from a grass-roots group of volunteers into a successful nonprofit organization, whose programs have become a model for community-based volunteers.  Obi lectures, leads workshops and trainings, and provides consultations for organizations throughout for local and international organizations.  Recent trainings have been conducted for Trainees and volunteers in Nigeria and community leaders in Nigeria, Defence Health Club in Defence Headquarters, Nigeria. And his contributions in the international conferences, abstracts and presentations interfaith matters and development, HIV prevention, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. His is an activist and core advocate for the peace and religious harmony. He joined World Faith in 2010, as YOUPEDA became a World Faith Chapter.

 Jared Akama Ondieki, National Director of Kenya

Jared Akama Ondieki co-founded CEPACET, a World Faith Chapter. CEPACET promotes human rights, democracy, Interdependence and Peace in Kenya.  Tirelessly active as a volunteer in community affairs, Jared served leadership roles for the promotion of a peace and reconciliation process during the post election violence. He helped in co-coordinating a worldwide vigil of peace where over 25,000 people prayed for peace in Kenya during the post election violence. His activities in contributing to peace initiatives continues unabated.  He has helped initiate community networks for peace to foster co-existence and understanding among communities of Kenya,this has been possible by engaging diverse faiths. The networks also promote interfaith pluralism and dialogue more so between Muslim and Christians.  Jared Believes that Partnership can help make the world a better place for all.

 Bipul Gonsalves, National Director of Bangladesh

 Bipul works for the National Council of YMCAs of Bangladesh as an Executive Secretary for Programs. Form August 2011 I am also appointed as a Regional Asia Pacific coordinator of EASY Net.  In 2006 he organized the first International event on inter-religious dialogue for university students in India. In 2008, he started to work with the local young people, and he's grown to believe youth have power to transform the society.  In 2011 He founded World Faith Bangladesh:  Interfaith Youth Chapter.    

 Zakaria Ouedraogo, National Director of Burkina Faso

Zakaria, born in Sancé in the Province of Bam, is an economist by training, a Muslim, and a husband and father.  He works in a design office (Moogre Training & Actions) in Ouagadougou, where he is responsible for studies and support technique in Ouagadougou, as well as volunteers with theAssociation Sougrnooma of returnees from Côte d'Ivoire (ASRCI).  He is also a member of the Association Keneya Solidarity (AKS) as Secretary General, member of the Young Leaders Network for West Africa achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Burkina section, in charge the theme "Participation at the base to translate the MDGs into laws."  He has traveled throughout the region including Ghana, Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire.  Zakaria has always worked with all people of different religions, actively participates in inter-religious discussions the search for peace and development.