Deaconess Leah Wandera

Deaconess Leah Wandera(she/her/hers) is a member of Kenya/Ethiopia Annual Conference and an affiliate member of Great Plains Annual Conference. While pursuing her Masters in Divinity with concentration in Social Justice Advocacy, Leah tried to help revive MFSA Greater New Jersey Chapter.

She is the first deaconess from the African Region.  She was consecrated as a deaconess in the UMC in 2022. In 2023, she was part of the Kenya/Ethiopia Annual Conference team that helped to strategize and mobilize resources to retain United Methodist Church active status in Kenya. She is also part of the reconciling ministries leading team in Kenya

Before moving to Drew University  Theological School  from 2020-2022, Leah served as a global mission fellow in Zimbabwe from 2016-2018.

She started a foundation called Wema Health Foundation, that advocates for human rights and supports women, girls and youth to access health care and higher education.

She graduated from Moi University (Kenya) in 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in Project Planning and Management. And she is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Health at University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Leah appreciates the intersection between MFSA's work and her calling as a deaconess to advocate for social justice. Her vision is to reinforce the understanding of the need for social justice advocacy and encourage her Annual conference to actively engage in social justice.