Kenyan Lucy Afandi Esipila appointed Vatican consultant by Pope Leo XIV

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan humanitarian leader Lucy Afandi Esipila has been appointed as a consultant to a key Vatican department, giving an African voice a seat in discussions on poverty, inequality, conflict and human development.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Esipila as one of 12 new consultants to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Vatican announced on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

The appointment places Esipila among a group of clergy, academics and lay experts drawn from different parts of the world to advise the dicastery on issues affecting human dignity and social development.

The Vatican said consultants are selected for their expertise, proven ability and prudence, with the Church seeking to reflect different experiences and perspectives from around the world.

Esipila was identified by the Vatican as the Regional Coordinator of Caritas Africa.

From Kenya to a global Catholic platform

The appointment is a significant new responsibility for Esipila, who has built her career around humanitarian work, social justice and advocacy for vulnerable communities.

She was elected Regional Executive Secretary of Caritas Africa in 2023, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She succeeded Congolese national Albert Mashika.

Caritas Africa brings together Catholic humanitarian and development organisations across the continent. Its work includes responding to emergencies, supporting communities affected by poverty and displacement, promoting resilience and advocating for peace and human dignity.

Before taking the regional leadership role, Esipila worked in policy and advocacy for Caritas Africa and represented the organisation in international forums.

In 2022, for example, she represented Caritas Africa at the UN climate conference COP27 in Egypt, where she spoke about the impact of climate change on African communities. Vatican News reported at the time that she described climate change as an already lived reality for millions of Africans.

Her work has also taken her into debates over Africa's debt burden.

In 2025, Esipila participated in a Vatican-linked discussion on debt, climate and development organised by Caritas Internationalis and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The discussion examined how debt pressures affect governments' ability to provide essential services and respond to poverty.

What her new Vatican role means

Esipila's appointment does not make her a Vatican official in the conventional sense.

Rather, she joins the dicastery as a consultor — an expert who provides knowledge and advice to support the work of the department.

According to the Vatican, consultants can be theologians, canon lawyers, priests, religious figures and laypeople, including women, selected for specific human, scientific, pastoral and ecclesial expertise.

The appointment therefore gives Esipila an opportunity to bring her experience from Africa's humanitarian sector into the Vatican's discussions on development and social issues.

The dicastery's mandate covers a wide range of concerns, including poverty, migration, humanitarian crises, health, peace and the promotion of human dignity.

That makes her experience in Caritas particularly relevant.

An African perspective at a time of growing global challenges

Esipila's appointment comes as the Catholic Church continues to place questions of poverty, inequality, climate change and the dignity of vulnerable people high on its international agenda.

Her previous work has placed her at the centre of some of those debates.

At a 2023 meeting of African faith leaders in Nairobi, she called for stronger cooperation among religious organisations in responding to the economic and social crises facing the continent.

She has also been involved in international discussions about debt relief and climate justice.

In a 2025 Vatican-linked discussion on the global debt crisis, Esipila joined economists, Church leaders and international policy figures to examine the impact of debt on poorer countries.

Her new assignment could therefore extend work she has already been doing, but from a broader Vatican platform.

Who else was appointed?

Esipila is among 12 people appointed by Pope Leo XIV.

The group includes academics and professionals from Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States.

Among them are Professor Emmanuel Katongole of the University of Notre Dame, economist Omer S. Combary of Burkina Faso, Peter G. Kirchschläger of the University of Lucerne, Kathryn A. Koch of the Trust Company of the West, Jacqueline Remond of the Australian Catholic University, Caren Rodrigues of the Saint Joseph's Institute of Management in India and Clemens Sedmak of the University of Notre Dame.

The Vatican said consultants are appointed for a five-year term.

Why the appointment matters for Kenya

For Kenya, Esipila's appointment is more than a personal career milestone.

It gives the country's humanitarian and development experience a direct voice within a Vatican body dealing with some of the issues that affect millions of Africans.

Those issues include climate shocks, poverty, food insecurity, displacement, debt and unequal access to basic services.

Her background also reflects the growing role of lay Catholic professionals in the Church's international work.

The Vatican's announcement specifically notes that its consultants include both men and women from different professional and cultural backgrounds.

For Esipila, the new assignment brings her experience from African communities and humanitarian work into a global forum where questions about development are increasingly being considered alongside questions of justice, dignity and human rights.

And for the Church in Africa, it represents another opportunity to ensure that policies and priorities affecting vulnerable communities are informed by people who have worked directly with them.

Pope Leo XIV's appointment was announced on August 18, 2026, and Esipila will serve among the dicastery's consultants for the next five years.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.