Our People

Nguyen Van Hanh has been with The Dariu Foundation since 2007 and brings more than 20 years of experience working with international organisations, including the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In 2011 he earned a master’s degree in finance and banking from Université Paris Dauphine and ESCP. He has extensive experience in microfinance and in managing multi-donor projects, along with over 15 years of building digital and AI skills across Asia and Africa.

Pham Thi Thanh Thuy has been Chief Operating Officer of The Dariu Foundation since July 2021. She previously served as deputy managing director from August 2017 and led the foundation’s finance function from 2014 to 2017. She completed her studies at Vietnam National University in 2009 with a degree in accounting and auditing. Her senior roles have given her broad experience in finance, accounting and project management.

Manuela Nieth holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has long-standing experience across a range of functions – from business development and leadership development to communications and media relations. A solutions-focused generalist, she finds practical routes forward, brings the right people together and uses her international network to create connections that work.

Phan Thi Hong Nga has been CFO of The Dariu Foundation since August 2017; before that she worked for four years as an accountant at TDF. She holds a degree in accounting and auditing and an MA in development economics from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and the International Institute of Social Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

George Jilani has been Chief Representative of The Dariu Foundation in Kenya since 2025. He brings over seven years of leadership experience in international development and education technology – including as country director and as chair of a non-executive board – and combines a background in private-sector edtech with social impact leadership.

Monica Stanciu brings more than 16 years of fundraising experience across Asia and Europe. She has built strategic partnerships for leading educational institutions and secured significant philanthropic investment. She is passionate about helping young people gain the skills to shape their own futures. At The Dariu Foundation she leads the partnerships that give young people access to future-ready education and to digital and AI skills. 

Dema holds a Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and ICT, with 14 years of teaching experience. She has led VTOB Bhutan since 2023. As Project Director, she guides the Digital Literacy Initiative and DigiGyel — Building AI-Ready Youth and Schools, both supported by the Dariu Foundation. Her working knowledge of the Bhutanese education system and her enthusiasm for the profession shape the way she leads.