Sanku, a social enterprise working to end hidden hunger in Africa, has announced the appointment of Mark Ocitti Ongom as its new President, effective October 1, 2025. The leadership transition signals a new era for Sanku as it scales its technology, partnerships, and impact across the continent.
A Mission Rooted in Humanity
Sanku’s vision is simple yet transformative: to end hidden hunger in Africa by ensuring that every meal consumed by every mother and child contains life-saving essential nutrients.
Over two billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies—the leading cause of preventable blindness, impaired cognitive development, and maternal deaths. In Africa, the crisis is acute: thousands of children die every day due to malnutrition, and over 200 million experience mental impairment in early childhood because their diets lack essential vitamins and minerals.
Sanku’s model targets the root of the problem by fortifying staple foods like maize flour through a scalable, market-driven approach. Its patented dosifier technology—developed in partnership with Vodafone—automatically adds vital nutrients during milling and is connected to a cloud-based system that monitors every machine in real time. This innovation bridges a critical gap in food fortification, reaching thousands of small-scale mills that produce most of the flour consumed in rural Africa.
By 2026, Sanku expects to reach 30 million people daily, with a bold goal of serving 100 million by 2030.
A Leader with Purpose and Proven Impact
In its official announcement, Sanku said it was “thrilled to welcome Mark Ocitti Ongom as Sanku’s new President,” describing him as a leader “known for growing businesses, strengthening systems, and leading with purpose.” The organisation emphasised that its people-first approach will be invaluable as it scales across the region, “strengthening systems, safeguarding culture, and advancing our mission to ensure every family has access to nutritious, fortified food.”
Mark joins Sanku after an 11-year journey at East African Breweries Limited (EABL), a subsidiary of Diageo plc, where he served as Managing Director across Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. His leadership tenure included transformative roles at Kenya Breweries Limited, Serengeti Breweries, and Uganda Breweries Limited, where he built high-performance teams, expanded market share, and anchored brands that became household names.
A graduate of Makerere University with an MBA from Heriot-Watt University and an Executive MBA from London Business School, Mark is widely regarded for his calm yet firm leadership style—anchored in strategy, empathy, and execution excellence.
Ugandan enterprises urged to explore regional oil and gas opportunities“Mark embodies the spirit of Sanku—practical, people-focused, and driven to make lasting impact,” the organisation noted in its announcement.
Technology, Equity, and Partnership: The Sanku Advantage
Sanku’s story is one of technology-driven compassion. With support from partners such as Vodafone, GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition), GiveWell, The Life You Can Save, Ashoka, and Eurofins Foundation, Sanku has established itself as a global leader in micronutrient fortification.
At just 25 cents per person per year, its intervention is one of the most cost-effective public health solutions in the world, recognized by leading institutions as a model for sustainable development.
The organization’s impact has been especially visible in Tanzania, where its Smart Dosifier Network remotely tracks thousands of mills, sending real-time alerts when machines need service or restocking. This connectivity has dramatically improved operational efficiency and reduced service costs—proof that digital innovation can deliver human transformation at scale.
A Turning Point for Africa’s Nutrition Movement
Mark Ocitti’s appointment comes at a pivotal time. As climate change, population growth, and economic inequality deepen Africa’s nutrition challenges, the need for scalable, sustainable solutions has never been greater.
Under his leadership, Sanku is expected to accelerate regional expansion into Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi, deepen engagement with national governments, and integrate public-private partnerships that make nutrition a central pillar of development policy.
