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speakers
Academy | Plenary |
Going Deeper | Practices for Learning
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Dr Judith Ennew has been an activist
and researcher in children's rights since 1979, specialising
in issues concerning child workers, 'street children' and
child sexual exploitation, with respect to both research and
programme planning and working with international agencies
in the field, such as UNICEF, WHO and ILO. She has worked
in Latin America, Africa, South and South-East Asia and
Eastern Europe on children's rights issues, and is currently largely-based in
Bangkok working in Southeast and East Asian countries.
Judith holds a Bachelor degree in education and a PhD in
social anthropology. |
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Aneeta Kulasegaran is a child-rights
activist and former practising lawyer from Malaysia. She
worked alongside NGOs focusing on child rights and
protection in and around SE Asia. During this time, she
completed her Masters in Law focussing on safeguarding the
rights of child witnesses in court. An opportunity arose to
complete a MA in Child Studies with Kings College London in
2003 focussing on child advocacy. Since being in the UK, she
has worked in various capacities with the private and public
sector in the field of social care for children. She joined Tearfund UK (a relief and development Christian NGO) in July
this year as their Child Development Adviser. She is finding
her role of advising on all issues concerning their work
with children around the UK and internationally challenging
and rewarding! |
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Adrienne Blomberg originally comes
from Holland where she trained as a nurse. In 1984 she came
to work in Thailand along the Thai Cambodian border in the
refugee camps and hasn’t left Thailand since. In 1991,
Adrienne and her family moved to Bangkok where she was part
of the team that started work among HIV/AIDS affected
families. This work eventually grew out to the present day
Siam-Care Foundation which Adrienne now directs. Having been
involved with HIV/AIDS almost from the very beginning of the
epidemic in Thailand, she has a passion to share with others
the devastating effects this virus has on individual lives,
on women and children. Although Adrienne enjoys traveling
she loves being home with her 2 teenage children who keep
her very much alert and humbly make her realize that there
is no such thing as a perfect parent: just one who in love
and respect for the children, works towards a family where
everyone can develop to their full of their potential. |
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A pioneer in establishing children's homes
for prisoners' children in India, Dr B.V.R. Rao has
worked with families, children, and the criminal justice
system for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing
children's home and prison ministry in Vijayawada, he is
also the Executive Director of Prison Fellowship India and
Prison Fellowship Asia Caucus Chair-person. Dr Rao holds a
degree from North Eastern Hill University. |
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DG Jebaraj is presently the
Country Director of Compassion East India working with
over 100 denominations and overseeing over 150 Child
Development projects. Previously, he has worked with World
Vision in various managerial roles and development projects,
such as DFID-funded Urban Child Survival Project, USAID
Integrated Child Survival Project in Maharashtra, AUSAID
Women and AIDS Project in Mumbai and Child Labour
Eradication Project. Jebaraj holds a Master’s degree in
Social Work and is well versed in rapid rural appraisals,
KABP surveys, Water shed, education, agriculture and micro
credit. He has written several spiritual cum developmental
articles and has edited three books cum manuals on writing
funding proposals, Tuberculosis and role of Church in
HIV/AIDS. The latest book he edited is titled, YOU CAN
published by the Indian Society for Promoting Christian
Knowledge (ISPCK) to inspire children to dream big. |
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Janette Pepall has qualifications in
Social Welfare and Anthropology. Since 1987 she has worked
as a social worker and educator in local and international
adoptions, foster care, counselling and child protection. In
the 1970’s she and her husband, Dean, adopted 5 children
cross culturally, to join a birth son. In 1997, they founded
Children With Hope, a training organization based in
Australia. Janette is currently their Director of Training.
Janette has traveled and lectured extensively, and is
passionate about training those who work or wish to work
with children at risk. |
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Paul Joshua Bhakiaraj, a commended
worker from the Brethren Assemblies, serves as the Director
of the Mylapore Institute for Indigenous Studies, India.
After working in the business world, he pursued theological
education (B.D. MTheo and PhD). He is an Associate Editor of
Dharma Deepika, a South Asian journal of missiological
research, has been the co-editor of Missiology for the 21st
Century: South Asian Perspectives (Delhi, MIIS/ISPCK, 2004)
and the author of a number of articles in academic journals.
He travels widely speaking at churches and mission events
and also teaches regularly at seminaries. Paul lives in
Bangalore with his wife Sumitha and three children Sithara,
Tharika and Pratheek. |
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Wasan Saenwian is the Executive
Director of the Christian Care Foundation for Children with
Disabilities (CCD) and has worked with disabled children in
Pakkred, Nonthaburi, Thailand for 21 years. Between 1972-82
he served in Asian Christian Service in Laos, then in a
Christian clinic in a refugee camp in Nan Province Thailand.
He became a Christian in 1978. During 1982-88 he lived in
London and for some of the time attended Redcliffe
Theological College. In 1986, Wasan began to work in the
Pakkred Government Home for disabled children for Christian
Outreach Relief and Development (CORD) UK as Project
Manager. In 1992 he studied at the Perkins School for the
Blind, specializing in working with people with multiple
disabilities. Wasan is married to Chariya. Together, they
built the Rainbow House Residential Rehabilitation in 2003
and take in children with disabilities to live with them. |
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Aimyleen Velicaria-Gabriel or Aimy,
currently works with World Vision International – Asia
Pacific Region as Regional Coordinator for Children in
Development. Previously served World Vision Philippines
ministry for 7 years in various capacities – as
Communications Specialist for USAID funded Initiative on
Enhancing Children’s Participation in Social Reform
(1999-2000); Project Coordinator for another USAID funded
project on Child Labor (2000-2002); Child Protection and
Development Coordinator (2002-2007) where she strategically
positioned WV Philippines as a leading agency in child
protection and participation and was recognized for
excellence in performance and contribution to child
protection and facilitating child participation in
development. In May 2007, she received a World Vision
International Advocacy Award for facilitating innovations in
doing advocacy for, with and by children. She has a
background in Mass Communication and recently completed her
Masters in Organizational Leadership at the Eastern
University of Pennsylvania, USA. Aimy is married to Bernard
B. Gabriel and they are blessed with two daughters, Mizhi
(5) and Lia (1). |
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Rev Azucena “Ceny” Hirahara is a
Filipina married to a Japanese (Tomoyuki). She and her
husband are missionaries in Thailand/Southeast Asia Field
since 1999 and presently live in the tsunami-hit area in
Phang-Nga province (South Thailand). Ceny is the Co-ordinator
of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Thailand/Southeast
Asia. She is presently involved in the Thailand District New
Life for Thai (NLFT) HIV and AIDS project. She graduated
with Master of Divinity degree at Asia-Pacific Nazarene
Theological Seminary (APNTS) in the Philippines. Presently,
she is taking the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Nazarene
Theological Seminary (NTS) in Kansas City while she
continues to serve as missionary in Thailand. She is
currently working on her research with topic “A Study of
Christian Response and Remedy to HIV and AIDS in Thailand
and Japan Church of the Nazarene.” |
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Dinesh Neupane is a founding member
and current Executive Director of Prison Fellowship Nepal. A
lawyer by profession, Dinesh works diligently to meet the
daily needs of prisoner’s children. He currently oversees
the operation of a boy’s home in Kathmandu, a girl’s
facility in Pohkara as well as a foster home programme and
various training programmes. Dinesh resides in Kathmandu
with his wife and four children. |
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Saw Nee Doh Chit, also known as
Andy, was born in Burma and currently works as a researcher
at Knowing Children in Bangkok. At the age of 14, Andy left
his country and has since never return home to his village.
While in Thailand, Andy had the opportunity to work with BBC
World Service Trust as a sound engineer and took part in its
Health Education Radio Drama which was broadcasted in
Burmese language and based in Chiang Mai. In 2006, he worked
as part-time interpreter (English, Karen and Burmese
languages) with Oversea Processing Entity (OPE) Thailand. On
his present work at Knowing Children, he says, “I am excited
and really satisfied with my role of serving communities.” |
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Shortly before joining the Philippine
Children Ministries Network (PCMN) in May 2006, Fe
Foronda carried with her 21 years of experience working
with NGOs. Originally an agriculturist for an Integrated
Development Project of the Philippine Agriculture
Department, Fe found her calling when she joined World
Vision as a Project Coordinator for a child participation
project. From then on she has never looked back, pursuing
her love of ministries to children. Currently, she is the
Project Coordinator of PCMN’s Holistic Multi-sectoral
Response to Children at Risk which includes an anti-child
trafficking program in 3 areas and Project Rhoda, a ministry
for children domestic worker. Fe is happily married to Abel
and they have two teenage boys, Jedidiah and Abishai. |
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Rev Dr Jesudasan Baskar Jeyaraj is
the Dean of Students as well as Professor and Head of
Department of Old Testament at the Bangalore-based South
Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS), an
institute for post-graduate theological studies and
research. An honorary Presbyter of the Church of South India
(CSI) Diocese of Madurai and Ramnad, Dr Jeyaraj joined
SAIACS with 25 years of teaching experience. He is married
to Nirmala and they have a daughter and a son, Tephillah and
Paul. He has published several articles and books over the
years. |
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