Staff Spotlight: Racheal Kisiangani

Racheal Kisiangani is Landesa’s Senior Land Tenure Specialist based in Nairobi, Kenya. Racheal started working for Landesa in 2023.

What brought you to Landesa?

All along I have worked in the public and private sectors; I joined Landesa to apply my experience in land governance across public and private sectors to a mission-driven organization. I was looking for a space where I could contribute to real policy and institutional change while strengthening land rights for communities. Landesa’s work at the intersection of law, practice, and community empowerment aligned quite well with my goals. More specifically, the opportunity to influence corporate behavior while advancing community land rights, especially for women and youth, made this a natural next step in my journey and I am glad I took it.

What are your core responsibilities in your role?

I work on the Corporate Engagement team, where I work with companies to ensure that land-based investments are done responsibly. This involves co-developing land governance tools and strategies that companies can use to improve how they engage with land rights issues, supporting policy and institutional reforms, building the capacity of companies and communities, and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues. My work spans from shaping internal safeguards for companies to supporting village land use planning processes in places like Tanzania’s Kilombero Valley. I also help build partnerships across Africa to influence how land governance is shaped at a regional scale.

What is the most rewarding part of your work at Landesa?

Oh my, that’s the best part! The most rewarding part is seeing companies shift and adopt more responsible practices that recognize and respect community land rights. It’s especially fulfilling when our work leads to clearer policies, stronger safeguards, or when a community secures formal recognition of its land after years of uncertainty—that’s real impact. I also love being part of a global team that values learning. Through our Corporate Engagement team’s Resource and Technical Exchanges with other organizations, I get to stay curious, challenged, and constantly growing.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working?

I love being a mum, so most of my time outside work is with my three daughters who are also my best friends. You’ll often find us cooking, cleaning, catching a movie, or dancing together. It’s loud, fun, and grounding. I also write articles to break down land issues for broader audiences (check my LinkedIn page). And hey, I am a big fan of healthy living, so you’ll catch me researching food, wellness, or taking a new short course on the side.

Describe your vision for a better world.

To me, a better world is one where land is a source of security, not struggle. Where land investments are not a source of exclusion, displacement, or conflict, but where investments are made in ways that strengthen land rights for communities, especially women, youth, and other historically excluded groups. A world where land rights are not only written into law but lived, protected, and passed on.