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The Team
Oswald Bwechwa Jr - Founder & Director
Oswald Bwechwa Jr. is the Founder and Director of the Global Youth Support Center (GYSC). Oswald has always had a passion for positively shaping the future generations. From an early age Oswald employed his love for helping children through volunteering at bible schools, participating in international mission trips, working as a camp counselor working as a coach and much more. All of these experiences inspired Oswald to create GYSC.
Oswald is a first-generation American and is proud of his Tanzanian heritage. He was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin before spending 11-years of his childhood in Tanzania and returning to the United States at age 13. Growing up in Tanzania proved to be an invaluable experience as it exposed him to unique experiences such as different cultures, languages, human values and family and social dynamics. Oswald’s experiences and background gives him the ability to interact with people of all backgrounds regardless of ethnicity, color, creed, social economics, or gender.
Oswald graduated from Marquette University earning a Bachelor's Degree in International Affairs with a focus on Economic Relations. He went on to launch his professional career with the Boys and Girls Club as a Program Coordinator for Brighter Futures. On nights and weekends, you can find Oswald passing along his love of soccer as he coaches Varsity Soccer at Milwaukee Lutheran High School.
Oswald greatly enjoys watching all sports and his favorite teams are the Packers, Bucks, Real Madrid, and the Brewers. When he is not coaching soccer or watching sports you can find Oswald spending time with loved ones, traveling and working towards his goal of exploring all 50 states.
Anina M Mbilinyi- Assistant Director
Anina is a licensed architect - second black woman in Wisconsin - with 25+ years of industry experience. Anina has devoted her career as an architect to working on award-winning complex buildings that serve to improve health and save lives across the world. Her expertise includes hospitals, research labs, medical manufacturing facilities, and higher education facilities focused on health sciences, engineering, chemistry, and energy research. As a Lead Project Architect, she takes pride in leading and collaborating with internal and external teammates to meet the client's vision. Anina is a champion of sustainability, and she is passionate about environmental justice and social justice.
Anina is currently focused on giving back to her community by co-chairing the Wisconsin Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Challenge with Wisconsin NOMA – a collaboration with AIA Wisconsin based on Wisconsin’s culture. The Challenge is focused on finding “real” changes by examining everyday issues that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the WI design industry are facing. Wisconsin architecture firms serve as allies in identifying solutions to achieve DEI in the everyday work experience. The Challenge plays a role in leaving behind a “Legacy of Humanity” for future generations of humankind.
Ashley Platow - Communications Manager
Ashley Platow is a University of Wisconsin - Whitewater graduate with a BBA focused in International Business, French and Dance. She has experience working in a corporate setting as a Reporting Analyst since 2016. As a Reporting Analyst she demonstrated effective communication, exceptional work, and quality leadership skills.
She is also a respected dance instructor in the Milwaukee area. Her areas of focus in dance are Jazz, Tap, and Ballet. She has had the pleasure of teaching youth as young as 18 months to 18 years old. She has experience building a community based performance company for a local dance studio. She hopes to inspire students to love dance as much as she does and to find a safe haven in dance.
Elizabeth Muwonge - Director of Academics
Elizabeth Bakwana Nnayiga Luswata-Muwonge is a Marquette University graduate from the class of 2019. She majored in Psychology and received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in the subject with a minor of Africana Studies. Elizabeth has also participated in Sociology, Philosophy, and Social Welfare & Justice courses that have helped shape her world view and urge to help society in holistic and culturally competent ways. This urge has been nurtured and fostered in Elizabeth since an early age; she has always been surrounded by examples of professionals using their position and education for the betterment of the world around them. Elizabeth is a first-generation Ugandan born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She takes in everything around her and looks at it through a culturally collectivistic lens. This view was fostered by her parents and elders through cultural traditions and collectivistic social structure. The example allotted to her, showing her through one’s own hard work, professional or not, that being understanding, empathetic, and compassionate to others is the best way to go about life. No matter who or what someone is or what they do or don’t have, Elizabeth has built the instinct of helping anyone in need.