Romain Ngouabeu - Chair of Management Committee
Romain, originally from Cameroon and now based in London, is a hardworking and self motivated individual who is very passionate about human rights issues and equal opportunities. Romain speaks English, French and a number of African dialects. He has long term experience working and advocating for vulnerable people in prisons and detention centres.
Francis Ngale - Secretary
Francis was involved in setting up the Cameroon Community Welfare & Development Association (CACOWEDA), and was a trustee of the Notre Dame Refugee Centre from 2003 to 2010. He coordinated the activity of the Cameroon Support Network until 2011, and was very involved with the Strangers Into Citizens Campaigns both in 2007 and 2009. He has also been a Trade Union Rep, and worked as an advisor in welfare rights and health and social care.
Robert Swinfen - Treasurer
Robert works in a management capacity at The Iona Community and formerly worked for SACRO, Richmond Fellowship, NACRO and Oxfam and served on the Boards of Stepping Stones for Families and also the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations as well as Survivors Poetry Scotland and many other community bodies. He is a professional qualified accountant.
Panyika Anselm Karimanzira
Panyika is the Secretary for Information and Publicity for the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe. He has been involved with human rights and anti-deportation campaigning in Manchester and Liverpool, and has participated in the Zimbabwe Vigil demonstrations in London. He is a political activist (in the Zimbabwean context) and Vice Chairperson of Europe Province of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU).
Bill MacKeith
Bill is a freelance book and magazine editor, member of the National Union of Journalists and for over 25 years an officer of Oxford Trades Union Council. Active in anti privatisation campaigns he is also a founder member of the Campaign to Close Campsfield and the Barbed Wire Britain anti-detention network.
Alison Phipps
Alison is co-convener of Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration network at the University of Glasgow She is a Professor of languages and intercultural studies and has long convening and board membership experience with The British Council, The Iona Community and the World Council of Churches as well as volunteering with several asylum organisations in Glasgow for many years.
Irfan Syed
Irfan is co-chair of the Salford Refugee Forum, helped to establish the Salford Forum for Refugees and Asylum Seekers and is a steering group member of Link In Salford (Health Watch). He has worked extensively on community research, interfaith relations and representing BME communities in Salford and Rochdale.
Jessica Wheeler
Jessica is a final year PhD student, based at the Cambridge Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research Group. Outside of her research, she is involved in a number of campaigns and projects, which investigate and take action on a number of immigrant rights issues including Cambridge Migrant Solidarity, of which she is an active member, and the Young People Seeking Safety Campaign.
Hafiz Mustafaey
Originally from Afghanistan, Hafiz has been an active member of the Brighter Futures group (a self-advocacy group of young asylum seekers, refugees and migrants) since 2008. Hafiz has been involved in supporting and campaigning for friends who have been detained and have faced deportation. He is currently study Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Queen Mary University of London.