Quenelda debuts as Director of Programmes
Quenelda Clegg has been part of the ChildFund New Zealand programmes team for nearly four years and now she is stepping up to lead it.
As Director of Programmes, Quenelda will oversee ChildFund New Zealand’s Road Map programme, which includes projects in Emal in Kenya, Luangwa in Zambia, Cao Bang in Vietnam and Batticaloa in Sri Lanka, and also the IMPACT programme which includes projects in Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Kiribati. A busy but fulfilling job key to the development, implementation and monitoring of projects (alongside local partners and community members) that will enable these communities to provide the basics their children need to thrive.
"I love working for ChildFund, I have been able to form wonderful working relationships with our local partners who work with the communities to deliver projects aimed at improving the wellbeing of children. Likewise, at ChildFund, I have been able learn about and engage with the Kiwi supporters that make these projects possible."
Quenelda’s passion to help children runs deep and she believes every young person deserves the opportunity to make a life for themselves. Ensuring that children are nourished, are protected from harm and that they have access to education and healthcare is therefore imperative.
"With this foundation the next generation will have a chance to thrive, support their own children, and strengthen their communities so that they no longer need outside assistance."
Quenelda has completed a Master of International and Community Development and is currently doing a Post-Graduate Diploma in Emergency Management (a course about ways to support communities that are affected by disasters, such as flooding, earthquakes, and droughts, as well as conflicts). Prior to joining ChildFund, Quenelda has worked for the United Nations and the World Bank and at schools in Timor-Leste and in indigenous communities in Australia.
She feels a strong moral obligation to support communities that live in poverty or that are affected by disasters or are vulnerable due to factors including unfair global economic systems, wars, and rising global temperatures caused by industrial pollution by other countries.
When Quenelda is not working, studying or doing chores, she is reading, reading, reading.
We will leave you with five quick facts about Quenelda:
- Quenelda speaks basic Tetun (the Timorese language)
- She has had first-hand experience living in severe drought conditions. As a child she lived in a town called Marnoo (in Victoria, Australia).
- Over the past 10 year Quenelda has lived in Nepal, Tiwi Islands (a remote indigenous community in the Northern Territory of Australia) Timor-Leste, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland
- Quenelda has been a student at six different universities
- She loves ballet and until she was thirteen she could stand on pointe.
If you have any questions you would like to ask Quenelda or would like to know more about the work ChildFund is doing to help children, email info@childfund.org.nz with Attention: Quenelda in the subject line.