PRESS RELEASE

Monday, 13th February 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Appointment of the new Board Chair & Deputy Chair – ChangeMakers Refugee Forum

Wellington - ChangeMakers Refugee Forum is pleased to announce the appointment of Ibrahim Omer as our new Board Chair. Ibrahim takes over from Mozhdeh Wafa, who has now stepped down as Chair to take on the role of Operations Manager for the organisation.

Mr Omer, of Eritrean origin has been living in Wellington, New Zealand for eight years. After graduating from Victoria University with a triple major degree in Development Studies, International Relation and Political Sciences Ibrahim now works as an Organiser for E Tu. He is also an interpreter for Interpreting New Zealand and works with Living Wage Wellington. Mr Omer says, “I am looking forward to giving back to an organisation that once supported me. The board’s new direction is to drive the organisation towards dialogue with tangata whenua, as well as continuing our ongoing work around the sense of belonging for former refugees”.

Alongside Ibrahim the board appointed Pakeeza Rasheed as the Deputy Chair. Of Fijian Indian origin Pakeeza migrated to New Zealand from Malaysia as a teenager. A graduate of Auckland University Law School she is now working with the Overseas Investment Office. Ms Rasheed says, “I heard about the organisation when I first moved to Wellington 3 years ago. It is a privilege to be contributing to a rights-based not-for-profit organisation with a vision to support people to fully participate”.

ChangeMakers Refugee Forum was officially incorporated in 2006. It is a Wellington based organisation with a vision to see people of refugee-background fully participating in New Zealand life. ChangeMakers achieves this through three core areas of business; community development, research and advocacy.

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