HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS ASIA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Global Communication Specialist
For Elisabeth, the opportunity to contribute to a greater cause by nurturing emerging leaders to become Compassionate Global Citizens, is meaningful work.
The journey with HA started when she was a delegate at the 9 th University Scholars Leadership Symposium 2018. Already an UN SDG Advocate through her volunteering work with the Young Professionals Committee of the UN Association of Australia in Melbourne, the USLS reaffirmed in her that your biggest responsibility to the world is to reach your potential.
Eager to advocate for the UN SDGs at a more international level and to a more global community, she joined the team as Global Partnerships Associate in 2020.
She was then invited to pursue HA's mission as part of the Management Trainee Program, specialising in writing content and implementing the Lead the Change newsletters and other initiatives to achieve more to empower more young people to have the confidence, knowledge and skills to effect positive change.
Elisabeth is passionate about grassroots diplomacy, global cooperation and creating bridges across peoples and cultures.
This 20-year-old university student was on the plane home from Papua New Guinea when he saw his name in its national newspapers with the headline; "Aussie student promises 12 laptops to school". Getting donations for the laptops, covering travelling costs and navigating cultural dynamics, legalities and customs - this seemed like an impossible task. Jack did not quit. He rolled up his sleeves, raised $7,000 and returned to Papua New Guinea to fulfil his promise, establishing the first computer lab in a Papua New Guinean primary school. His insatiable energy and determination fueled the founding of LiteHaus International, a fully-fledged multinational development agency. The agency has assisted over 2,000 young people from three countries in their educational pursuits. Jack supports Humanitarian Affairs Asia in mentoring young people who are willing to take on the challenge of making a difference in the world.
Janice has tried it all and is looking for her next big challenge. She always gives her best and has a strong will to succeed.
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
When you commit to a role that you love and that gives meaning, you never have to work a day in your life. For Kimberley, the opportunity to support her Humanitarian Affairs Asia family as a Communications Specialist, has given her more meaning than she could have possibly imagined. The journey with HA started for Kimberley when she was a delegate of the inaugural Peace Summit of Emerging Leaders 2018. Feeling inspired, she joined the team for the 2nd edition of the Peace Summit where she was recognised for her contribution. Kimberley is passionate about mental health and is currently planning on conducting an exploratory narrative that highlights the positive contributions made to domestic violence prevention in a cross-cultural context and turning it into a short documentary feature. Kimberley continues to serve and empower young people as she soon hopes to lead a team of bright young people to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals by establishing projects that will make a positive social impact through a Millennium Fellowship. For Kimberley, she believes that we all must "Be Kind, Have Courage and Never Stop Learning.
Job Titles:
- Program Specialist
- Program Advisor
For Natasha Godsiff, a final-year Law student at the University of Cambridge, her determination to make a positive impact alongside her studies is driven by her passion for human rights.
In the past, she has led a university society dedicated to improving education in Nepal, served as a voluntary adviser for her local community through Citizens Advice, and mentored students from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain places at top universities.
Natasha's journey with Humanitarian Affairs Asia began at the 10th University Scholars Leadership Symposium (USLS) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The program was an unforgettable week of learning, sharing, and forming global networks with young leaders from across the globe. Natasha left the symposium empowered to leave a purposeful life and motivated to start her own social project.
Inspired by the following quote delivered by Katie Couric at the 10th USLS: "Changing the world doesn't happen all at once. It isn't a big bang. It's an evolution, the sum of a billion tiny sparks. And some of those sparks will have to come from you," Natasha is elated to join Humanitarian Affairs Asia as a Program Specialist.
An opportunity she says will allow her to become part of the evolution and create sparks that will make a real change in the world.
Connection thrives, diversity is celebrated, and peace enjoyed in communities where empathy is fostered through shared stories. Sometimes, hearing someone's story of triumph and action is just what is needed for others to make moves towards their worthwhile causes. Her story is one of oppression of the Afghani people by the Taliban, which limited access to education for girls. Eventually, her family managed to triumph and find freedom on shores thousands of miles away from home. It gave her the courage to be a voice for the voiceless and a catalyst for female economic empowerment. She had a story that a community of young leaders needed to hear. Rahila has become an outstanding young leader who has generously shared her own story and used her rich intellectual capital to promote understanding of the refugee experience, strengthen cross-cultural empathy, and advocate for gender equality and human rights. She has launched Afsana, a social enterprise that economically empowers women in Afghanistan and other developing countries by giving them opportunities and hope. She also simultaneously launched Youth-Led Inc, an innovative NGO that offers support and funding to young Australians wanting to initiate their own good causes. Rahilia is not only an advocate for education and female economic empowerment, but an inspiring storyteller of remarkable calibre. She has benefited from the Humanitarian Affairs programs and has now stepped forward to be counted.