Start Network is pleased to announce Muhammad Amad and Oenone Chadburn as our two newest member trustees!
Amad and Oenone were elected by the Assembly last month and are joining the Start Network Board at a pivotal time in which the network is refreshing its three-year strategy. We are also in the process of recruiting for a new Board Chair.
Amad is the Executive Director of Initiative for Development and Empowerment Axis (IDEA), one of our newest national members in Pakistan that joined the network in 2019. Amad was a long-standing supporter of Start Network’s vision, having been part of the DEPP’s Shifting the Power project, serving on our Membership Committee, and one of the founding leaders of the Pakistan Hub.
“I am honored to be joining the Start Network Board as a member trustee, and contribute to our shared vision and transformative agenda. I believe that together we can promote Start as a decentralized network and achieve critical milestones, such as expanding membership, customizing the due diligence system so it can better service smaller local organisations, and expanding our donor base from the Global North to the Global South. I have already learned a lot from working with Start’s diverse, ambitious and committed professionals/members over the past few years, and look forward to continuing in the future”
Muhammad Amad
Oenone is Head of Humanitarian & Resilience Team at Tearfund, one of the founding members of the Start Network. She has a long career in the aid and development sector, and a vision for systemic change through early action and the decolonisation of aid.
"I am really delighted to be part of the Start Network Board. Having been involved with Start since its inception, I have hugely valued the opportunities it has opened up, not just for Tearfund as a member, but more importantly for the communities we serve. The humanitarian system is not fit for purpose, heavily weighted for when a crisis or emergency occurs. This causes disruption, losses and heartache for communities, especially those already marginalised and excluded. Start Network's innovation and risk financing approaches, combined with a value based agenda of locally led response, gives a new vision. Ultimately, we want to see local communities to self determine their own risk management and decision making in emergencies, reducing transactions, middle traders, and giving power and control down to those without a voice. Who wouldn't want to be part of that!"
Oenone Chadburn
This month we will also be saying goodbye to Bob Ruxton, one of our longstanding member trustees who has provided unwavering support to the Board and Start team since 2014. Bob, who is Head of International Support at Concern Worldwide (UK), has served as Vice-Chair on the Board, Vice-Chair and interim Chair of the Membership Committee, and trustee representative on the Start Fund Committee. His second trustee term ended last October but the Board asked him to remain until the two member trustee vacancies were filled, to ensure stability and continuity during this period of change. He will hand over the Chairing of the Membership Committee to Amad, but intends to remain as a regular member of the committee, which also oversees and supports our hub development work.
You can see who is on the Start Network Board here.