Meet our Team

Maputo

Jonny has many years experience living and working in Maputo with child protection organisations. He and Becky launched Tutela Africa together in 2015 and Jonny led the way to establish a fostercare network in Maputo, building a team of committed carers and support staff. Jonny has also formed trusting partnerships with local agencies in Maputo to enable Tutela to succeed. Jonny and Becky relocated back to the UK in 2021 where Jonny divides his time between there and Maputo, overseeing Tutela’s direction and growth. His passion to transform the lives of disadvantaged children continues to drive his daily energy and focus.

Dulcia has worked with Tutela since 2019, initially employed as a finance administrator before becoming team leader in 2021. As team leader she oversees the day to day activities in Maputo whilst Jonny is in the UK, coordinating the support to the foster families as well as leading Tutela’s community care work. Dulcia has a degree in Theology, is married to husband Jorge and they have two teenage children. She has embraced the Tutela vision with conviction and is a strong team player, encouraging her colleagues to give their best to improve the lives of neglected children.

Celestina qualified as a Social Worker in 2018 and volunteered at a number of Maputo organisations in the field of childcare. She became a fulltime teacher at a private school in Maputo before transitioning to work for Tutela in 2021. Celestina’s combined skills in social care and teaching are an asset for Tutela as we support both the development and the education of the children in our foster families. She has a strong belief that children can overcome their challenges when given the right kind of care and support.

Seb and Rida have been with Tutela since 2018 becoming our first employees and foster carers. They have two grown up children of their own. Rida is a passionate foster-mum who forms strong bonds with the children in her care. Seb is a gentle and firm backbone to the foster family and is a handyman by trade - currently building and selling sofa stools. Both he and Rida have grown in confidence during their time with Tutela, offering a stable, peaceful home for their foster children to live in.

Fabio and Isabel started their foster care journey in 2021, having already raised their own children. Fabio has worked for over 30 years procuring and selling African craftwork for Maputo tourists and he is a mature and active presence in the foster home. Isabel is practical and hands on with the children, attentive to their daily needs and resourceful in providing a secure family life.

These two wonderful women provide much needed support to both foster families, lending a hand with care for the children and being available for respite weekends to give the Family Carers a break! Ilda and Victoria are both dedicated and attentive in their roles.

Jonny and Becky have lived in Mozambique since 2005, where they originally worked for a child protection organisation called Iris Ministries. They launched Tutela Africa together in 2015 with a firm conviction that family-based care is really needed in Mozambique. Having established a grassroots fostercare network in Maputo, they relocated back to the UK in 2021 in order to strengthen Tutela’s approach to alternative care for the most vulnerable children. Jonny is Tutela’s Director, while Becky is completing her Masters in Special Educational Needs. They also have three children of their own.

Mark Barrell is Head of Advocacy for UK charity CBM, who transform lives for the disabled in developing countries. He previously spent three years living in Maputo as a mission worker with BMS World Mission. A qualified solicitor, he was involved in the practice of family law for twelve years and for eight years was the Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship in the UK. Between 2001 and 2006 he helped develop access to justice programmes in Uganda and from 2018 to 2021 was supporting similar projects in Mozambique. He is married to Susanna and they have three children.

Ruth Martin is a qualified social worker. She has recently retired after working for a Local Authority in the south west area of the UK for 27 years; the last 15 years were spent in a fostering team where her priority was to recruit and train new foster carers. As a result, she brings a depth of professional experience to Tutela and opportunities to network in the fostering world. She is married to Phil; they have 4 adult children and 10 delightful grandchildren.

Martin has lived in Bath since he moved to the city for his first job with the NHS after graduating with a business degree. He is married to Lisa and they have two adult children.
He retired in 2025 after 28 years with KCM Europe where he was the Executive Director, leading this international Christian charity that does teaching and mission work in the UK, Europe and around the world.
His professional experience is in finance and management and he is a qualified CPFA accountant. Martin brings his experience of running a successful charity, along with strategic and creative problem solving, to the Board of Tutela.