Yaina Samuels

With a 25-year career working with diverse, marginalised communities facing multiple barriers in Wales and Sierra Leone, Yaina’s passion for social justice and equity burns bright.

Lived experience fuels innovation

Yaina's own lived experience of addiction and recovery serves as a powerful motivator. It shaped her into the changemaker she is today, one who relentlessly explores, creates, and develops new opportunities for others.

This dedication manifested in her founding of NuHi Training, a social enterprise that empowered individuals with lived experience to design and deliver substance misuse training.

This innovative approach not only fostered empathy but also led to more effective programmes. NuHi Training, which ran from 2010 to 2022, received recognition for its leadership in tackling social challenges in Wales.

Yaina's commitment to global impact was evident when she delivered a presentation on ‘Recovery through Entrepreneurship’ on a global stage in New Delhi, India, winning the esteemed ‘Innovative Trailblazer of the Year’ award.

Building bridges and empowering communities

Yaina possesses a unique talent for cultivating collaboration. She excels at developing co-productive networks of communities, agencies, stakeholders, and businesses. Her unwavering purpose is to promote and bring about social change for those most in need.

This passion extends to her role on Cardiff Council’s Race Equality Task Force, where she provides critical guidance to address racial disparities across all sectors.

Now at Perennial.org.uk as the Services Development Manager - Wales, Yaina is realising her dream job and her love of gardening. She is perfectly positioned to connect the horticulture industry and well-being, especially the self-employed who are often hidden.

This aligns perfectly with her mission to empower marginalised communities and create a more equitable future. Her recognition includes the Wales Social Entrepreneur Award, the Innovative Trailblazer Award, and the prestigious St. David Award for her work with people in recovery.

Her dedication to public value and her passion for building bridges empower others to thrive.

Activities with Cardiff Business School

Yaina has guest lectured on social enterprise for the Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship (MSc) programme and mentored students in both this programme and the MBA. She has also mentored students in the Hodge Foundation Responsible Social Enterprise Programme.

Yaina was nominated by Dr Shumaila Yousafzai.