WACHEF Appoints Beden Barnabas as Executive Director, Faizah Yaro as Deputy Executive Director.
By Christiana Babayo.
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation (WACHEF) has announced the appointment of Mrs. Beden Mergu Barnabas as the new Executive Director of the Foundation, alongside Ms. Faizah Abubakar Yaro as Deputy Executive Director, with immediate effect.
The appointments followed a rigorous screening and interview process conducted by the Board to identify leaders with the capacity, experience, and vision to advance WACHEF’s mission.
The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Garba Danjuma, on 31st December 2025.
Mrs. Beden who holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Sociology brings to her new role a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, program management, and institutional development. From June 2025 to date, she served as Deputy Executive Director of WACHEF, where she provided strategic leadership for program delivery, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and donor priorities.
In addition, Mrs. Beden served as Project lead CLM N-THRIP Project, Bauchi, implemented by WACHEF and funded by the Global Fund.
She holds several professional certifications, including Project Management for Development Professionals (PMD Pro), Leadership Essentials, Project Management Essentials, and specialized certifications in WASH in Emergencies, Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, and Disaster Readiness, earned between 2024 and 2025.
The Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Faizah Abubakar Yaro possesses a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Public Health, and is a Project Manager at WACHEF, Jalingo, Taraba State, where she manages the Transforming Health and Resilience for Individuals through Vibrant Empowerment (THRIVE) project.
The project was implemented by the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN) as the prime partner, in collaboration with Project HOPE, TA Connect, and Heartland Alliance (HALG), and funded by the United States Government.
She also served as Assistant Executive Director at WACHEF, supporting the planning, implementation, and monitoring of organizational programs and services, as well as overseeing daily operations to ensure efficiency and compliance.
The Board of Trustees expressed confidence that the new leadership team will consolidate WACHEF’s gains, strengthen institutional growth, and deepen the Foundation’s impact in improving the health and well-being of women and children across Nigeria.
The Board also commended the outgoing Executive Director, Jafaar Magaji, for his commitment and achievements during his tenure.
