Skip to main content

The journey to unleash Africa’s tech talent

This is how it all began—our story, our journey of taking bold steps and creating opportunities for African tech talent. Take a moment to experience our adventure and uncover our destination.

African Tech Talent
Our dream is to create equal opportunities for all youths

Our dream is to create equal opportunities for all youths

Tunga was founded in 2015. It would be great to say that back then, we already saw what was coming—that demographically, Africa would likely become the cornerstone of the world's labor pool by 2030. Therefore, it made a lot of sense to start laying the groundwork for that. But the truth is more simple.

In the fall of 2014, Tunga founder Ernesto Spruyt was in a failing tech startup and was looking to start a new project. During his years in tech, Ernesto saw that many companies were struggling to find and keep software talent. As a social entrepreneur with extensive experience with Fair Trade, he figured that this talent shortage posed a major opportunity to create prosperity for young Africans.

We would like for everyone, especially the youth that holds the world’s future, to be free and able to take control of their own destiny.

Tunga CEO, Ernesto Spruyt

10 years on, Tunga remains a pioneering force in the African talent space

Today, Tunga is still dedicated to bridging the gap between young, talented Africans who want to enter the global job market and international companies looking to expand their tech teams. Tunga unleashes Africa’s tech talent through personal, competent, and intelligent matching, as well as dedicated coaching and guidance for our clients and our developers.

African Tech Talent

We believe in the power of sports and the development and mastery of soft skills to activate the potential in people so that they can be the best version of themselves. For talent who are not there yet, we have set up the Tunga Academy and are involved in several sports and educational projects throughout Africa.

Our mission

21st century jobs for African Youths

In 2015, we teamed up with Butterfly Works (now part of DIG), and together, we embarked on a mission to create 21st-century jobs for African youths. With the support of institutions like Dioraphte, Oxfam, the DOEN Foundation, Edukans, and Triodos Bank, we started Tunga. Our goal is to help talented African youths get access to cool tech jobs so that they can take their destiny into their own hands.

logo logo logo logo logo logo

Meet The Team

Ernesto Spruyt

Chief Executive Officer

Ernesto
Spruyt

I am the proud founder of Tunga. Please reach out to me for partnerships, strategic projects or any other thing out of the ordinary. For all the rest, we have a great team that I'm happy to refer you to.

Cate Aziku

Head of Delivery

Cate
Aziku

Hi, I’m Cate. I ensure our partnerships with clients and developers are successful and mutually beneficial. I am your go-to for discussing projects, placements, and progress, ensuring smooth collaboration and satisfaction for all.

Bart Leijssenaar

Chief Commercial Officer

Bart
Leijssenaar

I am passionate about fostering partnerships and exploring opportunities to help you achieve your goals. My mission is to propel Tunga to great heights by connecting businesses with top-tier developers. Let's discuss how Tunga can support your business!

Manuel Inyang

Head of Talent Sourcing

Manuel
Inyang

I have a keen eye for identifying top skills and a deep understanding of the tech landscape. I ensure that our clients have access to the vetted IT professionals they need to drive their projects forward through our talent pools. How can I help you?

Angellah Ayesiga

Client Success Manager

Angellah
Ayesiga

At Tunga, I focus on creating an environment where projects thrive and clients and developers feel valued and understood. I strive to make every project successful by managing expectations, addressing concerns promptly, and facilitating effective teamwork. I believe that strong relationships are the foundation of successful projects.

Reinier van Scherpenzeel

Chief Operations Officer

Reinier
van Scherpenzeel

I make sure we are all working in the same direction, each day and everyday: making our clients and developers happy. Living and working in Africa has deeply influenced my commitment to connecting skilled developers with global opportunities. Now it's up to us to grow the African tech scene!

Ayomide Ogunsiakan

Marketing Support Officer

Ayomide
Ogunsiakan

I am passionate about using compelling storytelling to influence user behavior and drive product adoption. My role at Tunga allows me to do this for a meaningful cause – connecting youths to international opportunities and equipping them with resources to thrive on a global scale. My goal is to make sure Tunga is positioned to effectively solve the problems of those who need our services.

Carlton Sserunkuma

Head of IT

Carlton
Sserunkuma

As the IT Lead at Tunga, I ensure our technology empowers everyone to excel in their roles. I take pride in designing solutions that make a real difference to our team's work, enabling them to achieve their goals with confidence.

Dorcas Olawale

Client/Talent Relationship Manager

Dorcas
Olawale

My specialty lies in fostering strong relationships with developers and ensuring they thrive in their assignments. I have a deep passion for empowering Africa’s talent to reach their full potential. When I am not championing developer success, I love surfing the net, spending time with family and friends, and jotting down my thoughts and ideas.

Douwe Versfeld

Unit Manager

Douwe
Versfeld

I have been with Tunga since 2017. Based in beautiful Scotland, I am dedicated to creating impactful job opportunities for African youth, helping them excel in remote tech roles. As a Unit Manager at Tunga, I collaborate with our managers and developers, ensuring high-quality services for clients and empowering African youth through technology.

Atuhaire Marilyn

Finance Officer

Atuhaire
Marilyn

I manage invoicing, handle all things finance, and I'm the go-to person for financial inquiries. With a passion for numbers and administrative tasks, I ensure smooth financial operations. I love what I do and strive to make finance both efficient and enjoyable!

Sietske Meerloo

Business Development Manager

Sietske
Meerloo

With Tunga’s unique people-focused and result-driven approach I consult new and existing clients on how to tackle challenges they face in their tech teams. Together we find unique tailor-made solutions resulting in a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Bart Peters

Sales Manager

Bart
Peters

I am in direct telephone contact with potential leads and I make sure that if they need more detailed information, I will get them in contact with our sales team

Temidayo Salako

Head of Marketing

Temidayo
Salako

If you're ready to embark on an adventurous journey toward providing equal opportunities for all youths, I’m your guide! I can offer you a glimpse of the thrilling experiences you'll encounter working with us. Whether it’s discovering our incredible achievements or exploring the benefits we offer, I’m just an email away!

Obia Williams

Software Engineer

Obia
Williams

I'm proud to be part of Tunga Internal staff after being on the platform since 2017, as the Tech Lead i dabble with DevOps, backend and FE. However my most joy comes from supporting my team with all that they need for a smooth ride.

Vladmir Markovski

Sales Assistant

Vladmir
Markovski

I provide vital support by managing client communications, preparing sales materials, and coordinating schedules. This collaboration ensures that the account executive can focus on strategic tasks and client relationships, leading to more effective and efficient sales processes.

Vanessa Tigaikara

Lead Generation and Data Analysis Specialist

Vanessa
Tigaikara

The work I do starts the Tunga process for creating dot com jobs for Africa's tech talent. I curate information on organizations with the potential of working with our developers. I also analyse the data so we can track market trends and make decisions.

Isaac Owomugisha

Software Engineer

Isaac
Owomugisha

As a software engineer at Tunga, I focus on developing new features and maintaining our technology platforms, ensuring they meet the highest standards of performance and reliability.

Paul Taiwo

Software Engineer

Paul
Taiwo

Hi I am Paul, I oversee all visual elements and ensure our user interface remains current and engaging. I develop new features aligned with our product goals, enhance user experience through thoughtful design, and collaborate with the teams to deliver high-quality software solutions.

Jori Gerritsen

Program Manager, Tunga Academy

Jori
Gerritsen

Together with Pearl and support of the Tunga team, I run the Tunga Academy. Our mission is to help talented junior developers advance in their career and create job opportunities for them in the African or international market.

Pearl Angela Gabriella

Assistant Project Manager, Tunga Academy

Pearl
Angela Gabriella

I support the growth of our students and African startups by managing relationships and coordinating activities. I am your contact for student progress and I facilitate connections with startups, ensuring a thriving environment for all.

Borislav Baros

Sales Assistant

Borislav
Baros

Supporting our operations, I manage client communications, prepare sales materials, and coordinate schedules. This teamwork allows the account executive to concentrate on strategic tasks and building client relationships, resulting in more effective and efficient sales processes.

Virtuous Fanny

Talent Manager

Virtuous
Fanny

Everything Developer at Tunga, that’s me! From sourcing and recommending developers for Clients to managing developer-client collaboration, I do it all.I love to be known as the #TechBroBestie, because I am passionate about helping African developers secure and succeed in international opportunities, ensuring their growth and success.

Christie

Operations

Christie