From ideas to actionable systems change
Savanna Group partners with governments and their stakeholders to clarify priorities, design coherent policies, and deliver reforms that last—aligning leadership, evidence, and systems for lasting impact.
We work in the spaces where governments are shaping direction — sometimes from a clear mandate, other times amid competing ideas. Our role is to help leaders see opportunities and trade-offs clearly, align partners, and turn collective intent into achievable action. Our role is to help decision-makers see systems clearly, test policy options with evidence, and align partners around practical, impactful solutions.
Our services
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![Policy Advocacy [Agenda Setting, Policy development & Change Management]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/668c9096c623465422c0fa7e/dbc74ad0-a308-49bc-9708-8b8b51bbb7a9/agenda.png)
Policy Advocacy [Agenda Setting, Policy development & Change Management]
We work with governments and their partners to shape, align, and implement policy reforms — from clarifying national priorities and building political momentum to designing implementation structures that translate policy intent into on-the-ground action.
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Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Consulting
We work with corporate and government partners to unlock opportunities for companies to translate their ESG commitments into real-world impact — aligning business investments with national priorities and community outcomes.
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Strategic Project Management
We help our clients design, manage, and deliver strategic programs — expanding delivery capacity, strengthening alignment across partners, and translating strategy into measurable, scalable results.
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Research & Insights
We generate actionable insights that help our clients and government partners see systems clearly, identify leverage points, and make informed decisions that strengthen policy design and delivery.
Our approach
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Government-Centered Approach
Our belief is that sustainable and scalable improvements in public service delivery are best achieved through government leadership and involvement.
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Deep Sectoral Analysis
We conduct thorough sectoral system analyses before defining specific interventions, dedicating significant time upfront to understand the context deeply.
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Local Expertise and Onboarding
Key staff leading projects in specific countries are chosen for their organic connection to these regions and undergo comprehensive onboarding to ensure effective engagement.
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Adaptive and Collaborative Methods
Our approach is adaptive and iterative, leveraging cross-country peer learning and competition to drive progress. We also rely on deep political economy insights and foster trust relationships with key local actors to address systemic challenges effectively.
We deploy a systems-thinking worldview that enables us to see through unobvious blind spots
At Savanna Group, we adopt a systems thinking approach. We put people at the center of how we think about change and strive to understand the incentives that drive decision making at multiple levels of society – households, governments, businesses, international community among other interest groups.
Change happens within fairly complex settings, and we have perfected the art of threading the link between social, political and economic considerations and how these influence decision making at individual, household and institutional levels.
Every engagement is unique, and is treated as such
Our work has taken us across multiple sectors - from malaria control, climate change mainstreaming at the national level, agriculture and agribusiness, and sanitation. We see common threads across these issues, but we also know that no two issues are the same.
We customise each engagement by carefully engaging key actors, and integrating technical knowledge & experience with the political and social contexts. We have developed a track record of designing and executing inclusive policy change processes, that align incentives of even hitherto competing interests.
We have access, credibility, and agility
Savanna Group LLC excels in driving policy change and stakeholder engagement across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia & North America, leveraging the extensive experience and proven track records of its founders.
The organization's expertise in digital transformation, WSH, agribusiness, and climate systems change stems from the past work of its key team members, who have held senior roles in the regions. Savanna Group effectively engages with policy and political decision-makers, utilizing the robust networks established by its founders with academia, think tanks, CSOs, the private sector, and governments.
Our flexible, iterative approach, shaped by past experiences, adapts to complex challenges, ensuring our unique ability to facilitate inclusive policy development and implementation, making us a trusted partner for impactful change across these regions.
Our Core Team
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Eric Momanyi
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Eric Momanyi is a systems thinker with a proven track record of driving sustainable change through innovative policy advocacy and strategic project management. With expertise spanning agriculture, sanitation, health systems, and climate change, Eric excels at navigating complex, multi-sectoral challenges and crafting impactful solutions that bring diverse stakeholders together.
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Mercy Lusungu Mkandawire
Co-Founder and Director
Mercy Mkandawire is a Co-Founder and Director at Savanna Group, bringing expertise in bioethics, global health, and infectious tropical diseases research. With advanced degrees in Medical Parasitology & Entomology (JKUAT) and Bioethics (Harvard), she has supported efforts to strengthen ethical accountability systems in health research across Kenya and Malawi. Her experience in data management, regulatory systems, and human subject protection reflects Savanna Group’s commitment to advancing ethical practices and fostering inclusive growth.
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Ngure Gathura
Co-Founder & Director, Operations
Ngure Gathura is an accomplished Operations professional with a remarkable track record in Finance, Human Resources, and Operations Management. As a co-founder of Savanna Group, Ngure is passionate about driving organizational excellence and delivering transformative impact through strategic leadership and innovative solutions.
With over a decade of experience, Ngure has significantly contributed to renowned regional and global organizations, including IPPF Africa Region, Trademark Africa, and John Snow Inc. He has a proven ability to transform organizations by designing and optimizing financial and operational systems that align with strategic goals, resulting in improved efficiency, enhanced accountability, and measurable impact.
Ngure is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K) and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the United States International University (Kenya). His unique blend of technical expertise and strategic insight is core Savanna Group's mission to deliver impact for our clients.
When not working, Ngure enjoys spending quality time with his family and pursuing his passion for farming.
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Esther Oenga
Program Associate
A lawyer-turned-policy professional, Esther combines her LL.B. and an MPA in Public Policy from Beijing Normal University with on-the-ground experience to serve as the programmatic backbone of Savanna Group’s work.
Based full-time in our Nairobi office, she gives hands-on backup across projects—cultivating public-sector relationships, shaping new policy-change initiatives, and steering day-to-day delivery.
Off the clock, she recharges by cooking, devouring historical biographies, and exploring new cultures.
