THE BOARD

Janet Zhou

Board Secretary

Janet is a human rights defender with a strong commitment to citizen-led initiatives that reclaim community power and agency. As Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development, and as General Secretary of the Southern African Peoples’ Solidarity Network, Janet is deeply involved with social movements and community-driven work on economic justice. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations.

Tafadzwa Muropa

Tafadzwa has 20 years of experience working with international, regional and national non-profit organisations in East and Southern Africa as an NGO Programming Specialist. With a deep commitment to human rights, she has a particular interest in aligning gender and youth discourse in the pursuit of economic justice in the global south. Tafadzwa has served as a board member for the Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network, and holds a BA degree in Economic History and Philosophy. She is currently an Advisor to Action Aid in the region.

Paul Tyler

Paul’s roots are in financial management and governance in the social justice space, having been employed for 8 years at Christian Aid and then working for over 27 years with non-profit organisations and their funders across Southern Africa. He is a Chartered Accountant with a passion for empowering civil society organisations/movements with the financial management skills and good practice that will enable them to attract and multiply financial and other resources.

Mziwandile (Mzi) Nkutha

Mzi is the Director of Iziko Lamaqabane, a faith-based organisation that collaborates with churches, community organisations, and individuals interested in advancing justice and peace in South Africa. His upbringing in Soweto and postgraduate theological studies have deepened his interest in exploring modes of being-in-the-world that disavow colonial influences and help in making and reshaping the world.

Laurel Oettlé

Laurel has a particular passion for gender justice, human rights advocacy, education, and supporting others to grow and explore new perspectives She has worked predominantly with the fields of land rights, food and nutrition security, community and economic development and HIV/AIDS, and is currently the Director of the Association for Rural Advancement. Laurel has an Honours Degree in Gender Studies.

Yasmin (Jessie) Turton

Chairperson

Since the early 1970’s, Jessie’s commitment to human rights and social justice has been rooted in activism. From mobilising against apartheid to fighting corruption, she has agitated for community agency and action against gender-based violence, youth unemployment and for the rights of migrants and refugees. Jessie is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg and has a Doctorate in Social Work.

Barbara Kalima-Phiri

Barbara is a passionate gender equality and child’s rights champion and experienced leader in the international non-profit sector. She has worked in various contexts in Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, South Asia and the Pacific, and is a Goodwill Ambassador for PUSH Women Network in Zambia. She holds a Master’s Degree in Economics, and is presently the Global Head of Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for Amnesty International.

Sofia Svarvfar

Sofia has vast experience in organisational development, policy work and advocacy. She started at Act Church of Sweden in 2004 and has lived and worked in Sweden, South Africa, and New York.  Between 2016-2021 Sofia coordinated civil society’s work with the 2030 Agenda in Sweden. Aside from her current role as Programme Manager for Southern Africa at Act Church of Sweden, she volunteers as a national board member for the Swedish Still Birth Association.

Ashley Green-Thompson

Ashley has extensive experience in the region doing work in the non-profit sector that is rooted in a commitment to social justice activism. He has worked across sectors, from the nascent electoral processes of 1994 through formal Church structures and in philanthropy. Ashley is the Director of ACT Ubumbano, and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in African Politics and Law.