Our team is an an eclectic group of people who joined together to form the RainShine Foundation. We are a small international charity that punches well above its weight to deliver programmes that make a difference to people’s lives.
Australian Executive Team
President – Mrs Louise Marsden
On her return to Australia Louise was committed to starting RainShine Australia so that we could encourage people in this part of the world to become involved in our projects in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Louise started her involvement with RainShine Australia as a volunteer. She traveled to Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018 as part of the Turn the Lights On Project. Louise and her husband Marty were trained by Solar Now in Uganda on how to install a 500 Watt Solar System. This project was completed successfully.
Louise brings her years of experience in President roles for local clubs and associations to RainShine Australia. Currently she also holds the position of Secretary for RainShine USA.
General Secretary and Treasurer – Ms Ethel Blair
Ethel has been involved in projects in Democratic Republic of Congo since 2012. She was previously employed by ABB Enterprise Software as a Program Manager. And prior to this she worked in a private software engineering company as a project manager, and as a software engineer in Queensland Treasury.
Her responsibilities in RainShine Australia are corporate policies, contract management, and delivering our programs and projects in DRCongo. She is regularly in Uganda and DR Congo to manage our projects and liaise with our Congolese team.
She is committed to ensuring our programs deliver improved access to education and living conditions for families and children living in remote areas of DR Congo.
Ethel holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Information Technology and Marketing. She is also an ordinary director on the RainShine Foundation USA Board.
Vice-President – The Late Mr Mike Cave
Mike became involved with our work in RainShine through his ownership of the Basenji dog, which is an indigious dog living in various geographical pockets in Congo, in particular, in the northern area of Congo near the Southern Sudan border. After Louise and Ethel returned from DR Congo in 2018 he became very interested in our work and wanted to assist us to start RainShine Australia. He is committed to ensuring that RainShine can successfully deliver its mission. Mike brings his many years of experience working in the Australian Bureau of Statistics to RainShine.
Director – Mr David Havig
This eventually led to years of charity work in underdeveloped countries specialising in education, housing and community infrastructure projects. David also has broad expertise across the private corporate sector in Australia and overseas within sales, compliance, strategic planning, training and leadership roles. 
Fluent in a number of languages including French David brings this wealth of knowledge to RainShine and a desire to improve from the grass roots level up peoples lives in this underdeveloped and often forgotten region of Africa.
Democratic Republic of Congo Team
Program Administrator – Abbé Jean de Dieu Mimbugbe, Dungu
Jean de Dieu has worked in the Dungu-Doruma diocese for many years. In addition to being a priest he also holds the position of Chancelier for the Catholic diocese.
He has extensive experience working on various projects with Invisible Children, USAID and Caritas. He was also a reference facilitator for the Dungu Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC) program.
Jean has worked for RainShine since 2015 as our Administrator for our programs in DR Congo.
Project Liason – Father Robert Batikote, Dungu
Father Robert is a Project Manager for our RainShine programs and projects in DRCongo. Currently he is the Project Manager responsible for building the primary school located in Ngilima in durable materials of tin, brick, and hardwood.
Project Liason – Father Nicolas Meya TAKIS, Amadi
Father Nicolas is a Project Manager for our RainShine programs / projects in DRCongo. In Early 2021 he successfully completed our Desks for Learning project, and he is also our liaison point for our work in the Bas-Uele Province.
He is now the Project Manager for our Place to Land project, which is building an airstrip near the villages of Epi/Memil.
Swedish Team
Team Leader – Maria Löwbeer
Maria and her team in Sweden were the original supporters of the Epi Primary school for many years during the John Valk era prior to the commencement of RainShine USA/Australia. Maria works tirelessly to raise funds for Epi and Mamili primary schools. She visited Haut-Uélé in 2008.
USA Team
President and Treasurer – Robert Freedman
Rob holds a bachelor of arts degree in politics from Loyola University in Chicago and a master’s degree in teaching from National Louis University. Rob has over 15 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He was one of the co-founders of the RainShine Foundation USA. Rob is driven by his passion for social justice and the belief that access to education is fundamental to a community and for a country to develop.
Director – Marty Jensen
Marty has over 35 years of business development and management experience in the financial services industry. His expeirence covers a broad range of products and services dealing with multi-disciplinary, comprehensive wealth management programs. Marty served as a Director of Philanthropy and Development for Northern Nevada. His passions include assisting others in developing their legacy and philanthropic based ventures.