A 41-YEAR-OLD council worker has quit her job of 20 years to help educate children in one of the poorest countries in the world.
Burton Mail - Jane Hunt Jane Hunt is swapping Branston for Malawi, an African country blighted by AIDS, to set up a children’s centre similar to Burton’s.
While working as business manager at the Waterloo Street centre, she was inspired by a presentation from third-world charity the Krizevac Project.
Now the mother-of-one is to sell all her "worldly possessions" and embark on "the adventure of a lifetime".
She said: "This opportunity has presented itself and I’ve reached a point in my life when I feel I need a change of direction.
"I’m living in rented accommodation, my 19-year-old son has grown up, my parents are in good health and I have no partner, so I feel the time is right.
"But I don’t want to be thought of as some kind of crusader trying to save the world.
"I’m doing it as much for my own life experience as I am to help the children over there."
The project hopes to halt the "vicious circle" of youngsters missing out on an education due to family deaths.
One in eight Malawian mothers die during childbirth, meaning older siblings have to quit school to support their little brothers and sisters.
The Krizevac Project is combating this problem in the town of Chilomoni, near Blantyre — a city twinned with East Staffordshire Borough Council.
Ms Hunt said: "The project thinks my experience in setting up the children’s centre in Burton and one in Tamworth will be useful to them.
"I’ll be dealing with architects and builders, then with all the local bureaucrats in the town I’m staying in to get the project off the ground.
"The team thinks my experience might help them pre-empt any problems before they encounter them."
Ms Hunt, who starts work for the voluntary project in February, needs to raise £1,500 to cover her flights, accommodation and living expenses.
She is appealing for donors or fund-raisers to get in touch by e-mailing janehunt5@hotmail.com.
Ms Hunt said: "I’d like to thank the colleagues and friends who raised almost £200 with a sponsored haircut and shoe sale and MW Cripwell and Applied Inspection, both of which have sponsored me.
"I would dearly love more corporate sponsorship. I’d rather that than individuals giving away their hard-earned cash.
"But, even if I can’t raise the money through sponsorship, I’ll find a way to fund the trip myself."
More information about the Krizevac Project is available online at www.krizevac.org.
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Country Representative, Malawi
Population Services International
Malawi
PSI seeks a seasoned leader to take charge of a top-10 producer of DALYs, PSI's primary measure of health impact. Begun in the early 1990s, PSI/Malawi has matured into a diversified social marketing organization, delivering results across our major health areas: HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria prevention and treatment, Family Planning, and the promotion of ORS, hand washing and home based water treatment for the improvement of child health.
PSI/Malawi has deep capacity in the full menu of social marketing skill-sets, including product development, distribution and promotion, evidence-based communication, (including in-house, multi-media production capability), community mobilization and behavioral research.
The incumbent will inherit a program with an annual budget of $13 million, a staff of 200 and major, multi-year funding assured. PSI/Malawi has recently received a fresh, five-year mandate from USAID for a new HIV program targeting risk groups in 'hotspot' areas around the country. PSI/Malawi was also selected recently to be one of the four countries to lead PSI's demonstration program promoting Artemesinin Combination Therapy (ACT) through the private sector. PSI is well-known as a strong partner to government, multiple donors and other NGOs.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The leadership of PSI/M strategy development and implementation
Establishment and maintenance of excellent external partnerships
Leadership of all fundraising activities, working successfully with existing and new sources of funds
Recruitment, mobilization and performance management of a senior team responsible for a total staff of 200 persons
Effective oversight of all social marketing, operational and supportive functions
Final accountability for all financial and administrative integrity
The identification and successful implementation of substantial change processes
Development and facilitation of a local Board of Directors
Delivery of annual programmatic results
Experience:
Substantial general management experience
5 years work experience in a developing country context
Master's Degree in Business, Public Health, International Affairs or related discipline
Knowledge of major issues in Global Health and fundraising in the international health field
Experience in commercial or social marketing of products, services or behaviors
Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication
Substantial representational skills and experience
The successful candidate will be a creative, innovative and strategic thinker and will have excellent communication, analytical, organizational, interpersonal and cross-cultural skills. Essential attributes include a strong interest in private sector approaches to development and proven ability to produce results. Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated fund raising ability and experience in using qualitative and quantitative research.
Reports to the Regional Director for East Africa. Based initially in Blantyre with a possible move to Lilongwe in the first 18 months. Malawi is an especially family-friendly post.
Malawi
PSI seeks a seasoned leader to take charge of a top-10 producer of DALYs, PSI's primary measure of health impact. Begun in the early 1990s, PSI/Malawi has matured into a diversified social marketing organization, delivering results across our major health areas: HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria prevention and treatment, Family Planning, and the promotion of ORS, hand washing and home based water treatment for the improvement of child health.
PSI/Malawi has deep capacity in the full menu of social marketing skill-sets, including product development, distribution and promotion, evidence-based communication, (including in-house, multi-media production capability), community mobilization and behavioral research.
The incumbent will inherit a program with an annual budget of $13 million, a staff of 200 and major, multi-year funding assured. PSI/Malawi has recently received a fresh, five-year mandate from USAID for a new HIV program targeting risk groups in 'hotspot' areas around the country. PSI/Malawi was also selected recently to be one of the four countries to lead PSI's demonstration program promoting Artemesinin Combination Therapy (ACT) through the private sector. PSI is well-known as a strong partner to government, multiple donors and other NGOs.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The leadership of PSI/M strategy development and implementation
Establishment and maintenance of excellent external partnerships
Leadership of all fundraising activities, working successfully with existing and new sources of funds
Recruitment, mobilization and performance management of a senior team responsible for a total staff of 200 persons
Effective oversight of all social marketing, operational and supportive functions
Final accountability for all financial and administrative integrity
The identification and successful implementation of substantial change processes
Development and facilitation of a local Board of Directors
Delivery of annual programmatic results
Experience:
Substantial general management experience
5 years work experience in a developing country context
Master's Degree in Business, Public Health, International Affairs or related discipline
Knowledge of major issues in Global Health and fundraising in the international health field
Experience in commercial or social marketing of products, services or behaviors
Demonstrated excellence in oral and written communication
Substantial representational skills and experience
The successful candidate will be a creative, innovative and strategic thinker and will have excellent communication, analytical, organizational, interpersonal and cross-cultural skills. Essential attributes include a strong interest in private sector approaches to development and proven ability to produce results. Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated fund raising ability and experience in using qualitative and quantitative research.
Reports to the Regional Director for East Africa. Based initially in Blantyre with a possible move to Lilongwe in the first 18 months. Malawi is an especially family-friendly post.
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