Two new women hired in senior positions at All We Can and Y Care International

‘Doing development differently’ partner charities, All We Can and Y Care International, strengthen their skill-base with the appointment of two senior female leaders.

As the world celebrated International Women’s Day and as part of a strategy to strengthen capacity and bolster locally-led projects in the world’s most vulnerable communities, All We Can and Y Care International have hired two women to senior roles.

The partner charities are delighted to announce the appointment of Begay Jabang as the new Director of Finance and Resources and Malusa Kilonda as Head of Communications and Advocacy.

Begay joins the charities this month, providing senior financial leadership, governance and operations oversight ensuring the effective management of the organisation’s financial, people, physical and information resources.

Begay joins with a plethora of experience as a qualified accountant with over 25 years of accounting knowledge and over 20 years in the charity sector. Begay has occupied various leadership roles in international development and UK charities working at the nexus of transforming lives – namely at SOS Children’s Villages UK, WaterAid, Shelter, The Brooke, and Oxfam. She has demonstrated a commitment to managing business performance, finances and risk in the charity and aid sector. A native of The Gambia, Begay continues to hold several Board member positions to further her support of organisations assisting the most vulnerable communities.

All We Can and Y Care International have created a streamlined operation known colloquially as ‘two brands, one kitchen’: A single staff team with dual operations, which respects two distinct and institutionally separate networks of international humanitarian partners. All We Can is an international development and relief organisation, working to see every person’s potential fulfilled and Y Care International is the humanitarian aid movement of the YMCA that works with global YMCA partners to push poverty back, and young people’s potential forward. The two brands remain two separate registered charities.

Commenting on her appointment, Begay said:

“I am thrilled to join two partner charities that are committed to transforming lives by fulfilling potential and putting communities in the driving seat. I look forward to bringing my skills and knowledge to continuing the amazing work of David Fletcher alongside my colleagues and our partners to ensure our finances continue to be managed with integrity, transparency and through respectful relationships. Genuine Partnership is a key step to decolonising the aid practices that preceded us and moves us towards doing development that not only rethinks poverty but, acknowledges that the communities we work with are the ones that know best. Our role is to activate and accompany them to maximise their potential.”

All We Can also recently welcomed Malusa Kilonda as the new Head of Communications and Advocacy. Malusa joins with extensive experience in strategic communications, advocacy, development, and media relations. Malusa will oversee the charity’s communications and advocacy strategy, and continue to collaboratively manage, co-ordinate and develop effective cross-channel communications with partners.

Prior to joining the charity, Malusa worked as a consultant for strategic advisory firm Africa Practice on African development communications and advocacy for clients including British International Investment, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation and Mastercard Foundation. She brings a wealth of experience from the UK charity sector having worked as a Campaign Manager for Seven Hills, advising on advocacy and media relations for organisations including Mckinsey’s Generation and youth charity Young Enterprise. Malusa also worked as a parliamentary assistant. Malusa moved to the UK as a young girl from DRC as a result of the war and is passionate about development – aside from English, she is fluent in French, Swahili and Lingala.

Malusa said:

“I am honoured to be joining such a dynamic and agile development charity, that at its core is devoted to doing development differently. As a part of All We Can‘s one kitchen with Y Care International, I look forward to promoting, amplifying and telling the stories of the most vulnerable communities around the world that we work in partnership with.”

Graeme Hodge, CEO of All We Can, commented:

“We are excited to welcome Begay and Malusa who join us at a time where we seek to implement and innovate within our work and aspiration to do development differently. These two phenomenal leaders bring a wealth of experience and expertise, as well as a whole lot of heart and passion for our work and will be leading from two vital and senior roles within our organisation. What they will add to us, our team culture and global work will have an exponential impact on achieving our mission & the vision we have for the world. Their input will continue to help us learn and shape the work we do, as we seek to serve and be led by our partners and engage & raise awareness amongst our supporters as part of this global and inclusive movement for change.

Begay and Malusa’s appointments follow the announcement that the strategic partnership between All We Can and Y Care International has been listed by the Good Merger Index as among the Top 20 mergers of 2022-23. The partnership has facilitated mutual learning and experience sharing amongst organisations that have chosen to partner with All We Can and Y Care International.