Geth Semani Akhenra Maiga

Geth Semani Akhenra Maiga is a bilingual program leader who combines rigorous project management with a deep commitment to equitable access to a better quality of life for communities. Based in Abidjan, he currently serves as the Program Manager for Francophone West Africa 1 at Smile Train, where he advances high-quality, comprehensive cleft care across Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Togo. In this role, he leads regional strategy, oversees partner hospitals, and manages budgets and grants to ensure that every child affected by a cleft lip or palate receives safe, timely surgery and follow-up treatment.

Before joining Smile Train, Geth managed the $3 million USAID-funded DigiFemmes program, empowering more than 12,000 women entrepreneurs through digital and business analytics training. He also coordinated the Skills for Tomorrow initiative, funded by the French Development Agency, which created employment pathways for over 1,000 youth and established 15 strategic partnerships across West Africa.

Earlier in his career, as an international trade advisor, he facilitated market entry for French, American, and Asian companies in the health-tech and life sciences sectors, deepening his expertise in due diligence and cross-border compliance.

A Chevening Scholar and member of the European Commission’s Youth Sounding Board, Geth holds an MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Swansea University (UK) and an MSc in Logistics & Transport from INPHB (Côte d’Ivoire). Across all his endeavors, he integrates data-driven project management with a passionate commitment to equity, championing sustainable solutions that transform lives, one smile at a time.