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Goodbye and thank you to our outgoing Board members

As we prepare to welcome our new Board to Geneva next week, the time has also come to bid a fond farewell to our dedicated outgoing members.

Reflecting on their tenure, we are reminded that the strength of the CHS Alliance lies not just in our standards, but in the diverse perspectives of those who steer our mission. Rehema Kajungu (TPO Uganda), Coleen Heemskerk (ACT Church of Sweden), and Yegana Guliyeva (Independent Consultant, with lived experience) have each served for over six years, and have demonstrated that humanitarian accountability must be driven by leadership that embeds integrity into its governance.

They each leave behind a powerful reflection on what this journey has meant:

Rehema Kajungu: “It’s been such an honour to make a contribution to the Alliance, particularly advocating for greater inclusion and membership of local and national NGOs. I am passionate about seeing more national organisations with upward, downward, and sideways accountability.”

Coleen Heemskerk: “Being a member of the CHS Alliance Board has influenced my leadership approach to be more intentional about how decisions are made and who is included in them. It has been a constant reminder to foster a culture of openness and accountability.”

Yegana Guliyeva: “I think it was all very worthwhile joining the Board of such a big Alliance as a person with lived experience of wars and conflicts. I always tried my best to be accountable to that teenage IDP girl I once was.”

To Rehema, Coleen, and Yegana: thank you for your service, your guidance and your vision. Though your terms conclude, your influence remains, as we welcome new members to Geneva to continue building a safer and more accountable aid system.

Learn more about accountability and good governance with our Governing Well report, or get in touch if the CHS Alliance can support you in this area.