Who we are

Matrons/Patrons

	Anna Maria Miwanda Bagenda - she is from Uganda. A Mother and an exiled Journalist, she was a Refugee seeking Asylum who worked for the Salford RAPAR SRB5 PROJECT (2002-2004) as a researcher.She was rejected by the UK Asylum system and left the UK to work with orphans. She is currently in Zambia.
	Gary McIndoe - he was born in Manchester in 1966, and is married with two daughters. He returned to live in the city in 1995 after working and studying in London, then travelling and working around many countries, including Brazil, New Zealand, Indonesia, Israel, Burma and India. He holds a law degree from Westminster University, and completed his postgraduate legal studies at the College of Law in Chancery Lane. He trained as a solicitor at David Gray and Company in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, then came back to Manchester to join Thornhill Ince, where I worked until 2002. He was then appointed Director of the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, a significant not-for-profit legal advice agency. In 2004, he left to become Immigration Supervisor at Robert Lizar Solicitor in Moss Side. He left Robert Lizar in December 2007 to start his own specialist immigration practice, Latitude Law in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. They handle cases at all levels of the process – from initial application to challenges in the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, the high court and the court of appeal. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to legal aid work, and to providing quality legal advice to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. He hopes to develop my work, and his links with others in the protection field, through his involvement with RAPAR.
	Rhetta Moran - She was born in Somerset, UK in 1960. She is a Double Honours Graduand from University of Manchester, UK(1983), Rotary International Foundation Scholar, University of Dalhousie, Canada (1985-86), Economic and Social Research Council of Great Britain Scholar(1994-1996), awarded a PhD in Sociology, University of Manchester (1997) and a World Health Organisation, Geneva, Consultant (1998-2002). She was a RAPAR Co-Founder (in 2001), and am a Member of the International Sociological Association and Board Member of Research Committee 10 on Participation (current). In 2006, she co-edited the first book to be published on Doing Research with Refugees. She has worked within and across the statutory (local government, health and higher education), community and voluntary sectors for 25 years, in local national and international arenas. She is most interested in applying her communication (written, visual and verbal) skills, in good company, through the development of praxis (theory and practice) that releases human potential for constructive learning and change.
	Nicholas Sagovsky - He has been the Canon Theologian at Westminster Abbey since 2004. He is also Visiting Professor in Theology and Public Life at Liverpool Hope University. He has taught in Newcastle, Durham and Cambridge Universities. One of the main strands of his work has been the study of Justice: He is m currently engaged in a study of The Christian Tradition and the Practice of Justice. He has long been involved in support for refugees and people seeking asylum. He was Chair of the West End Refugee Service in Newcastle and for a short time helped at the Chaplaincy in (what was then) Oakington Immigration Reception Centre. He is a member of the Citizen Organising Foundation's Independent Asylum Commission. He particularly welcomes RAPAR's emphasis on empowerment for refugees and people seeking asylum, and is delighted to give what support he can to RAPAR's important work.'

Leadership Group / Management Committee for 2008-2009

	Chair:Zeinab Mohamed : She was born in Somalia and came to the UK in 1991. She is a qualified nurse midwife and clinical instructor, and worked as the Head of Mogadishu Nursing School. Since being in the UK, she has worked for the WHO and Manchester University, Manchester Education Authority and Manchester Social Services, as a community activist and volunteer for a range of organisations, and as a consultant for the Somali Community. She was a co-founder of RAPAR in 2001 and wants to see RAPAR continuing to advocate for displaced people, to use action learning and research to highlight their needs and support them in the process of their settlement and integration with local people.
	Vice Chair : Jethro Nyanjowa. He was born in Zimbabwe in 1965. I came to the UK in 2005. He speaks three languages (English, Shona and Sindebele). He is currently studying Information Technology at Mancat Openshaw Campus. He is an energetic community activist on socio-political issues and also do voluntary work with various organisations. Through RAPAR, he would like to work with displaced people to ensure that their needs are catered for and are supported by the organisation as much as possible.
	Secretary: Kathleen Grant -A freelance journalist from England, with many years experience, Kath also volunteers at the School Governor level within a secondary education setting in Manchester and is very skilled in her capacities to outreach on behalf of RAPAR and to help people to understand why RAPAR is the way it is and what it wants to achieve in the future.
	Treasurer : John Ashkaba - Arrived in the UK from Ethiopia just over a year ago, John is highly educated and experienced as a linguist, accountant and curriculum developer within the higher education sector at home. John is now the treasurer for RAPAR.
	Abdul Jabbar Qasim-Uhan - Born in the UK, of Kashmiri background. Abdul is a full time child protection officer in the Secondary Education system and deeply rooted in and across a range of groups organised along faith, and/or age themes. He is very experienced in community development at the grass roots.
	Fuad Ahmad - A natural leader and helper, who is well known throughout the Iraqi-Kurdish communities for his patience, preparedness to help and in-depth knowledge about what is happening at home, what is happening here, and how people can help each other to help themselves. Fuad is currently inside the asylum system.
	Ben Hickman - Born in the UK, Ben graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA in Social Sciences. As part of his degree Ben developed an interest in asylum policy and the suffering that people seeking asylum endure here in the UK. He now works for a Manchester based social research company and brings his research and administrative skills to RAPAR.
	Frankie Mullen - Born in Glasgow, Scotland, and resident of Manchester for many years, Frankie understands the challenge of multiple agency working, being deeply experienced in developing initiatives across the sectors and currently specialising in economic regeneration activities. Frankie is leading on the future development of RAPAR’s media and communications strategy.
	Gladys Murenga - Born in Zimbabwe, Gladys worked in the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporations as an editor. She came to the UK in 2004 and is currently in the asylum system. Gladys is politically active here in the UK, especially around issues relating to Zimbabwe. She is hoping to continue her career in media bringing these skills to RAPAR. Gladys is currently involved in the development of ZAP, the Zimbabwe Alliance Project.
	Liban Ahmad - Originally a refugee from Somalia. He has worked in the education system in the UK supporting young people who are children of people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants. He is also a freelance journalist.
	Steve Ndungu - From Kenya, Steve is deeply networked into communities of people that have found themselves at a great distance from systems and even pathways into infrastructure, communication and support. Steve is very experienced in community development relating to NGOs in Africa and is a very gifted public speaker.
	Sylvia Lawal - With a Nigerian/Irish background, Sylvia is a dual practitioner who is qualified as a social worker and nurse. Sylvia has led on the management of RAPAR’S casework, bringing her considerable knowledge and experience to the challenge of multiple agency casework that involves people in some very vulnerable positions.
	Karel Kesel - He is from the Romani Community of the Republic of Czechoslovakia and currently living in Salford. There are many needs – and skills and abilities – in her community and there is a lot to do to ensure that they become equally participants in this country
	Rachel Broady - she was born in Manchester but grew up in London and have since lived all over the country, and in Australia. She now lives in Manchester, where she is a freelance journalist. She graduated from Univeristy of Central Lancashire with a BA in Journalism and have an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University. She is a member of the National Union of Journalists. She uses her media, creative and research skills to help RAPAR make a difference to the lives of refugees and asylum seekers, who are among the most vulnerable and attacked people in this country and are people, who are entitled to respect and support.

Volunteers

	Shaista Iqbal - She was born in London. I have A levels in English Literature, Law and Psychology. She has a LLB (Honours) Graduand from the University of East London. She came across RAPAR in July 2007 and has been intrigued to use her knowledge and skills to help and to work through RAPAR alongside displaced people.
	Anastasia is a Masters student in Community Psychology at Mancheter Metropolitan University and is doing her placment with us at RAPAR. She is from Greece and has a background in community development from below. It is great to have her around.
	RAPAR is delighted and proud to announce that its volunteer, Sylvester Thomas, has been certificated by the Independent Asylum Commisssion for his completion of the Campaigner and Community Leadership Training. In Sierra Leone, after the end of the war during 2002, Sylvester was involved in the Child Soldier Campaign where children who had become soldiers were supported by Sylvester and other peers to give their guns in to the disarmamant units and begin to transform themselves from being warriors in the bush into young citizens. In this way, it became possible for their local communities to accept the young people back: not as threats but as the future. Sylvester had to leave Sierra Leone because of religious persecution and, with his family, is currently seeking sanctuary here: Sierra Leone's loss is the UK's gain...
	Mohamed Star Saeed - born in Iraq 1985, is single and homeless. He came to the UK in November 2007. He was a university student back home studying bradcasting, journalism and working in TV for 4 years. He hopes to become a perfect english speaker and to go into higher education. He is currently on an access inot media course at Bury College. He misses the sunshine. In the UK almost every day - raining. He really doesn't understand the way home office is actioning the asylum process. It is shocking. He is volunteering with RAPAR in order to help himself and others; to make friends and to acquire experience.
	Ibrahim Tukue
	Amir Kooshna
	Daniel Harrison
	Julie Kelly
	Alison Short
	Khadem Noori
	Ali Shaho
	Ostap Korol
	Guy Lancaster - developed and is currently maintaining the RAPAR website. He studied Computing at Manchester University and the Open University and followed this by working in Manchester with War on Want and the NHS among others. He now works as a web systems developer for Manchester Metropolitan University and has created websites for NGOs such as: CMMC Bike Users' Group Community Development Initiative David Anderson Africa Trust GM Union Learning Clubs Manmetriders Bike Users' Group Socialist Health Association Web Angels Zomi Mothers Association Manchester Youth Ambassador and also small businesses such as: the Bicycle Doctor Co-op in Rusholme (and its blog)

If you would like to volunteer with RAPAR, please let us know (0161-834-8221 or admin@rapar.org.uk) and we will arrange to meet with you and talk it through.