Zeedah Meierhofer-Mangeli

Zeedah Meierhofer-Mangeli (born October 1957) is a Kenyan-Swiss social anthropologist, educator, social justice, and feminist activist. She is the co-founder of the Zurich Meeting Point for Black Women (Treffpunkt Schwarze Frauen), and established the Resource Center for Women and Girls Trust, Kenya. In 2023, the City of Zurich awarded her the Züri Taler (Stadttaler) in recognition of her work on anti-racism, gender equality, and social justice through Meeting Point for Black Women.

Background Meierhofer-Mangeli was born in Kenya in 1957 and moved to Zurich, Switzerland, in 1979 as a student.

Education Meierhofer-Mangeli holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and pedagogy, and a Master of Arts in conflict resolution and management.

Activism and career Meierhofer-Mangeli co-founded the Meeting Point for Black Women (Treffpunkt Schwarze Frauen) in Zurich in 1993, and led the centre till 2010, supporting Black women to collectively navigate racial discrimination, social exclusion, and migration-related challenges in Switzerland. She joined the Social Party of Switzerland and contested Parliament. In 2007, she founded the Resource Center for Women and Girls Trust, an organisation focused on leadership development, education, and support for adolescent girls and young women from rural and marginalised communities in Machakos, Kenya.

Meierhofer-Mangeli is a trustee of the African Leadership Centre (ALC). She participated in the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, joining the landmark event to contribute to global efforts for gender equality. Photography is one of her hobbies and has been instrumental in documenting the lives and profiles of African women. Her photographs have been exhibited in Switzerland, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and at the United Nations in New York City.

Awards and recognition In 1997, the Meeting Point for Black Women received the Municipal Equality Award in Zurich. In 2019, the Resource Center for Women and Girls Trust received the With and For Girls Award for its grassroots programmes on mentorship, education, and leadership development for girls and young women in Kenya. In 2023, the City of Zurich awarded Meierhofer-Mangeli the Züri Taler in recognition of her pioneering work and collaborations promoting inclusion, diversity, and social justice.

Personal life Meierhofer-Mangeli holds dual Kenyan and Swiss citizenship and divides her time between London, Zurich, and Nairobi. Meierhofer-Mangeli is married to a Swiss national, with whom she has two daughters.