Dr Melody Kuziwa Jombe
B-HUGs Co-Founder
Melody is a mature talented and independent individual aspiring to push accessibility of tertiary education to all (UN SDG#4) She completed a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), BCOM (hons) (cum laude) degree from the University of South Africa, Master of Philosophy degree (MPhil) in Strategic Management and PhD in Business Management at the University of Pretoria researching on Turnaround Management and Business Rescue. Melody is Deputy Program Director for With Year Abroad (WYA) and a Strategic Management Lecturer at the University of Exeter. Melody is passionate about advancing tertiary education to all marginalised and under resourced groups, ensuring easy access to education regardless of ones background.
 
Dr Safi Darden
B-HUGs Co-Founder
Safi is a researcher in animal behavior, with experience working across various vertebrate and invertebrate species. Her research focuses on how individual behaviors influence population-level processes and patterns. A primary area of interest is understanding how inter-individual interactions drive social evolution. Using the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) as a model, Safi has developed a unique framework to investigate the selection of social traits in the context of sexual conflict and cooperation. Her work seeks to uncover the mechanisms that shape changes in social behavior.

Ruvimbo Joy Chauruka
B-HUGs Research Intern and Youth Mentor

Joy is an intern on the project and a penultimate-year BSc Economics student at the University of Exeter. Passionate about understanding the impact of mentorship and role models, she brings insights from both her academic studies and prior internship experiences. Her work focuses on exploring how role models can positively influence student outcomes in higher education.

Fatou is a second-year BSc Economics student with a strong belief in the power of representation. She joined BHUGs to help create a space where young Black students feel seen, heard, and inspired to imagine more for themselves. Passionate about equity and empowerment, Fatou brings fresh perspective and dedication to the team, drawing from both her academic background and lived experiences.

Ria Brown-Aryee 
B-HUGs Research Intern and Youth mentor

Ria is a second-year BSc Politics and International Relations student at the University of Exeter, and Research Intern and Youth Mentor at B-HUGs. Her Ghanaian heritage and passion for mentoring are key aspects of her role at B-HUGs. She hopes to leverage her degree and experience to pursue a career in diplomacy, fostering social change.  

Pierre-Angela Laubhouet 
B-HUGs Research Intern and Youth mentor

Pierre-Angela is a third-year university student in English Law and French Law. She is from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and she wants to be a solicitor. As a Youth Mentor and Research Assistant, she gets to work closely with Black heritage high school students and help them foster their identity and sense of belonging. She supports those young people through engaging workshops, to empower them and positively influence their personal development. 

Ana Bath
B-HUGs Research Intern and Youth mentor 

Ana is a fourth-year LLB Law student at the University of Exeter and operates as co-chair of the Youth Advisory Board and is a Research Assistant and Youth Mentor. Her Angolan background means that she is incredibly passionate about working closely with Black heritage students to help them gain a sense of belonging and to provide them with more opportunities. She aims to use her degree to go into consulting or diplomacy and hopes to be able to become a change maker in social mobility.