Our Team

Executive Director

Filippo Ferraro

Filippo is a Missionary of St.Charles. Born in Italy, he completed his Bachelor Degree at the Theological Institute of Northern Italy (Milan) and obtained a Diploma in Pastoral Theology of Migration from SIMI (Scalabrini International Migration Institute - Pontifical Urban University in Rome). He started his pastoral ministry with migrants as Chaplain of the French speaking refugees community at the Archdiocese of Cape Town in 2014. Since the end of 2017 he is the Executive Director of SIHMA and the Coordinator of social projects of the Scalabrinian Congregation in Africa.

Filippo Ferraro

Head of Research

Rachel Chinyakata

Rachel Chinyakata is the Head of Research at SIHMA working on human mobility, migration policies, migration and health, gender, migration and climate, and vulnerable minors research. She holds a PhD in Gender Studies from the University of Venda. Rachel has previously worked for mothers2mothers as a researcher responsible for conceptualising and conducting Evaluation and Operations Research and for the University of the Western Cape as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. She has led research on families, migration, gender, youth and health. Rachel has published over 15 articles in DoHET-accredited journals on the above-mentioned areas. She is passionate about conducting research that contributes to knowledge development, informed policies and programmes, and promotes the rights and well-being of individuals and vulnerable groups.

Rachel Chinyakata

Researcher

Muluh Momasoh

Born and raised in a rural community in the North West Region of Cameroon, Momasoh Cletus Muluh is a junior researcher at SIHMA. He is a holder of a Master's degree in Development Studies from the University of the Western Cape. He is currently doing his Ph.D. in the Department of Sociology at the University of Cape Town with research and teaching interest around African migration, integration, social change, and policy formation. He lectured introduction to Sociology and Development Studies at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology for first and second-year students. He is very passionate about working with migrants and understanding the survival mechanisms and or strategies they use in their integration process within their host communities. Working with SIHMA, he desires to provide insights and understanding on the challenges that confront migrants in their new spaces and make suggestions on policy options that can help bridge the gap between migrants and host community members.

Muluh Momasoh

Financial Manager

Malcolm J. Salida

Malcolm Salida is a highly skilled, trained and respected finance executive having professionally assisted many companies, organisations and international developmental projects. He has held multiple roles primarily in finance as Chief Financial Officer, Financial Director, Managing Director, Board Member, Finance Advisory and Mentor/Finance Capacity Trainer. With close to 30 years working experience, of which at least 18 have been at an executive and board level, Malcolm brings an enthusiastic leadership style to all roles he assumes. He applies his financial and business management skills with an attention to detail and a willingness to get actively involved at all levels to ensure processes and systems are aligned to achieve strategic business goals and objectives. He has a strong passion to ensure that governance, ethics, professionalism, transparency and authenticity are foremost in any business/organisation he manages.

Malcolm J. Salida

Accountant

Siphosethu Patonisi

Siphosethu was born and raised in a rural village in Eastern Cape, South Africa. She holds a BTech in Taxation and completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accountant in Practice at a medium-sized accounting firm based in Cape Town. She is a very energetic, ambitious person who has developed a mature and responsible approach to any task that she undertakes. With her 3 years’ experience as a trainee accountant combined with her personal skills allows her to be more flexible in changing situations, always pay high attention to detail. She has developed so much love working for NGO’s as she is currently working for two successful NGOs as her allocated clients and wishes to use her free time volunteering to places that assists people in need.

Siphosethu Patonisi

Research and Communications Intern

Vhuthuhawe Ramatsitsi

Vhuthuhawe studied for a National Diploma in Legal Assistance from the Vaal University of Technology and he is currently studying for a Bachelor of Law at the University of South Africa. He was involved in the Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) refugee and migrant rights program in 2019 as an intern. In 2020, he joined Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town as a remote Volunteer under the Employment Access Programme. Through his internship at the above-mentioned institutions, he gained knowledge on the evolution of global migration and migration policy, particularly in Africa, as well as a clear understanding of regulations, and all the issues concerning migrants and refugees in Africa and the rest of the world.

Vhuthuhawe Ramatsitsi