About us
Why do we uplift and inspire?
Oyana is an impact-driven skincare brand with a mission to empower women in the local communities of Exeter and Kenya. We are committed to providing resources and education to these women and hand-crafting our products to facilitate this goal.
Read our story below to find out more.
Our Story
Oyana was created with the support of Enactus Exeter in 2019 by Natalia Lemańska and her team. Their goal to help alleviate the poverty and lack of welfare of women within the Kwa Murugi slum in Kenya lead them to start a social enterprise to understand their needs, support these women and provide them oppurtunity to grow and uplift others in turn.
Hundreds of hours of research, case studies and product development have culminated into the production of hand-made, all-natural ingredient soaps which have been tested and proven to be safe, good for the skin and the environment. Many teams have been involved in Oyana since then, developing the brand and the cause to where it is today.
Today, we work in partnership with a NGO called The Doxa Project, who represent Oyana in the Kenyan site and assist with outreach and training of these women with the knowledge and resources generated by selling soaps so that they may be able learn the same skills and facilitate a stable form of employment. The soaps which these women make are sold to local businesses and hotels in the area.
Oyana’s soaps have been sold to the Exeter community, within the University of Exeter and in partnership with other organisations. The profits made from soap-making continue to be used to train and provide resources to the women in Kenya today. We hope to carry this social enterprise further with your help and make a greater impact for the women in the Kenyan community so that our cause is embodied through the meaning of Oyana:
In partnership with:
Meet the Oyana Team
Co-Leaders
Meina Sumida
Co-Leader
Marketing Supervisor / Training Team Lead / Instagram Manager
Second Year studying in the Liberal Arts, majoring in Art History and Visual Culture. Oyana Kenya has been making a great impact on Kenyan Women, but we keep thinking of developing the Kwa Murugi community by developing our project 🙂 I love our soaps because their scent is wonderful!
Rhea Vergeer Hopley
Co-Leader
Kenyan Operations Supervisor
English, Dutch and French national. BSc Geography, second year and Co-leading Oyana Kenya. I am passionate about empowering girls and women, from donating my hair to those affected by cancer, to supporting opportunities for personal growth and financial independence. Side note: bungee jumping, caving, sky-diving.... any other crazy side quests? Count me in!
Sales Team
William Creese
Sales Manager
I am the sales manager for Oyana Kenya. I am a second year student studying Biology at the university of Exeter. I started with Oyana originally as part of the Exeter award, but fell in love with it so much that I have stayed ever since. Through Oyana I was able to go on a trip to Berlin to present at an Enactus competition where we won €10,000 for the charity. The opportunities and core mission of Oyana make a great project to be part of.
Ava Ford
Retail Manager
Aneesh Thayyur
Retail Assistant
HR Manager (Admin)
Hey, I am Aneesh. I lived in Dubai for a majority of my life, then did my Sixth-Form in the Lake District in the UK, I am originally from India and am a First Year doing Bsc Marketing and Management with Industrial Experience.
Chi Hei
Retail Assistant
Luciana Auty
Pop-up Stall Representative
Hi, my name is Luciana Auty, and I'm in my first year of uni. I enjoy playing football and I am currently studying mathematics with finance.
Yan Wa Chen (Hazel)
Pop-up Stall Researcher
Second-year Psychology student with a strong interest in exploring new ideas, solving real-life challenges, and bringing this project to the next level through evidence-based insight 🙂
Wynsome Law
Pop-up Stall Researcher
Hi I’m Wynsome! A first year business analytics student who enjoys exploring new things and learning through experience.
Marketing Team
Elene Geladze
TikTok Manager
Hi! I'm Ele, i'm from Tbilisi, Georgia and i'm 19:) I'm a third year, studying BSc Business Economics with proficiency in Spanish. Fun fact, whenever people ask if I'm a cat or a dog person, I always say a bird person because I love parrots! I'm a Georgian national dancer of 9 years and currently love playing tennis in my free time...
Isaac
TikTok Content Creator
Maximilian Koelbl
LinkedIn Manager
First year Marketing and Management students, who is as international as it gets, and I am honoured to have a great team around me to execute and bring this project to another level.
Priyanka
LinkedIn Content Creator
Sophie Reason
Design Director
I’m a first-year Anthropology student with particular interest in how interpersonal dynamics shape sustainable business, and the potential for digital ideas, aesthetics, and design to influence perspectives and cause tangible, lasting change. I joined the project to gain practical experience, support cross-cultural collaboration, and better understand how locally driven approaches can shape meaningful international work.
Harriet
Assistant Design Director
Adam George
Website Manager
Hi, I'm a fourth-year Computer Science student. I joined Oyana in 2023/24 in the early-stages of the social enterprise. I am mostly involved with website design, photography and some pitch deck creation. I went away for an academic year to do a placement and I wanted to re-join this wonderful project for another year. I am immensely proud of all the members of Oyana for their dedication and talent and I cannot wait to see their future success as well!
Jack Darley
Website Developer
I'm a first year computer science student
Manufacturing Team
Long Vu Dang
Soap-making Supervisor
Im in my 3rd year of Business Analytics. I love talking to people, understand them, and build connections.
Rachel Westwood
Supply Order Manager
I'm from France, Portugal, and England. I'm in accounting and finance. I'm a First Year. I have a blue russian cat.
Anita Pizzocchero
Stock Manager
Saffron Elliott-Zabotti
Soap-making Lead
Soap Certification Team (Kenyan Operations)
First year studying English and Italian
Jenny Virgo
Soap-making Lead
I study BA French and German and I’m in my first year. I enjoy developing new ideas to expand our soap variety.
Carla
Soap-making Lead
Soap Certification Team (Kenyan Operations)
Hii my name is Carla, I'm a first year studying English Law and French Law! I'm french and brazilian and I have been living in the UK for the past 7 years. One day, I would like to work in the Conseil Constitutionnel (France).
Kenyan Operations Team
Roma Burmaan
Kenyan Operations Manager (Communication Lead)
Hi! I’m Roma — a second-year Biosciences student at the University of Exeter. This is my second year with Oyana Kenya, and I’m super excited to be back, this time as the Manager of the Kenyan Operations Department! One of my favourite parts of being involved in this project is seeing the real, positive impact our work has on our beneficiaries — it’s honestly so rewarding. And of course, working alongside such a passionate, hardworking team makes it even better. Everyone brings so much energy and heart, and it’s a joy to be part of it!
Kulrisa Woradejmongkol
Training Team
I’m a second year student studying Bsc Business Analytics
Juliet Wu
Soap Certification Team Lead
I'm a Y3 Law (LLB) student, doing a bit of dancing on the side! My current aspiration is to work in the Human Rights field!
Huong Bui
Retail Researcher
Hudiba
Equipment Manager
Finance Team
Anna Nguyen
Finance Manager
Hi, I’m Anna. I’m in my second year doing Accounting and Finance. I joined Oyana because I find it’d be meaningful that I can help to building human connection and develop skills and confidence.
Astrid Harper
Assistant Finance Manager
1st year, studying economics and finance