BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Andrea Charbonneau: Co-Founder and CEO
Andrea is a co-founder and Director of Project Shelter Wakadogo. Andrea graduated from McGill University with a BA in Political Science and Sociology. She is currently completing her field research component of her Masters degree at the University of Guelph. Her research has brought her back to northern Uganda as she is studying the role that education plays in post-conflict reconstruction.
In 2007, Andrea spent four months teaching in the Eastern Cape of South Africa at the Get Ahead Project as well as observing the impact of education on youth empowerment in the region. She has coordinated the GuluWalk in Montreal in both 2005 and 2006. She has recently been asked to assist in the coordination a nation-wide monthly interactive newsletter called Peace Talk that is designed to empower the youth in northern Uganda to become involved about issues surrounding education and peace to the region. In June 2008, McGill University awarded Andrea the James Wright Award in recognition of her efforts to help the people of northern Uganda. Andrea is currently in northern Uganda supervising the construction of the Project Shelter Wakadogo nursery school.
Nilmin Williamson: Co-founder and CFO
Nilmin is a co-founder and Treasurer of Project Shelter Wakadogo. Her expertise is in setting up and running businesses in East Africa. She lived in Uganda during the 1990s and was involved in the start-up of a meat-processing plant, a ceramic tile factory and a fast-food restaurant. Between 2001 and 2004, she worked for an advocacy group in London, England as the Treasurer in a voluntary capacity. From 2001 to 2004 she upgraded her education in London, England at an adult education college.
She completed first level courses of CIMA in Financial Accounting; Management Accounting; Business Law and Business Math. She attended a marketing and management course at the School of Business at Imperial College in London, England. She was most recently in the field in Uganda for five months and procured the land and buildings on behalf of Project Shelter Wakadogo. In addition, she was responsible for registering Project Shelter Wakadogo as a non-governmental organization with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uganda. She also oversaw all financial and organisational contractual agreements for Project Shelter Wakadogo.
Farah Williamson: Co-founder and Chairman
Farah is a co-founder and Chairman of Project Shelter Wakadogo. She also works as a Major Relationships Manager in the Trusts and Major Gifts team at Cancer Research UK. With an income exceeding £400m, 2100 staff, 45,000 volunteers and 6 million registered supporters; the portfolio is the largest and most successful in the UK charity sector. She has worked with the Executive Director of Fundraising and Supporter Marketing on strategic projects and has inputted into the strategic thinking and priorities of the organisations' fundraising arm. She hopes to bring the insight and knowledge gained from working for such a large charity to Project Shelter Wakadogo as it grows.
The northern Ugandan cause has always been very close to her, having spent nearly 11 years of her life in Kampala. After co-founding Project Shelter Wakadogo whilst on a year abroad at McGill University, she focussed her efforts on fundraising and raising awareness for the northern Ugandan cause. The efforts of the team at McGill led to Project Shelter Wakadogo being awarded the prestigious James Wright award. Farah is also co-ordinator of GuluWalk (an awareness raising walk for the cause) in central London and the University of Warwick.
Catherine Nadeau (Vice-President McGill/Trustee)
As the daughter of Rosaline Murray, former Canadian Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, has lived abroad for most of her life. She has worked in orphanages in Haiti and Ethiopia and has always been dedicated to helping the younger generation. She is currently majoring in Political Science and International Development Studies at the University of McGill and intends on following in the steps of her well-respected mother.
Zayna Aston (Secretary/Trustee)
Zayna Aston is currently working in entertainment in Los Angeles. She recently graduated from a joint double masters (MSc/MA) program from the London School of Economics and University of Southern California in Global Media and Communications. Interspersed throughout her education were travels abroad during which time she experienced first hand the challenges faced by developing countries. Such experiences motivated Zayna to produce and direct documentaries. One of which, The Modern Warrior, focused on the development of the Masai culture in Kenya.