About us Our team Our team Team GAGA The Board of Trustees Shirley Whiting, Chair Shirley Whiting joined the Board as Chair in May 2024. She brings experience in governance and communications and a keen interest in education as a means to provide young people with opportunities to support themselves. She hopes her corporate and commercial background can also provide GAGA with a strong strategic way forward as it develops. She recognises and is keen to support the important work GAGA does with some of the most vulnerable groups in South African and Tanzania. Charlie Homer, Vice Chair Charlie is Vice-Chairman of our Board of Trustees. He's been involved in GAGA since the very early days and was, in fact, our first Director. Charlie has lived and worked in South Africa and he knows the area we operate in very well. He has travelled extensively through Eastern and Southern Africa on sabbatical in 2019 and currently holds the post of Head of Fundraising and Communications at a hospice in Worcestershire. Sarah Hodgson, Secretary Sarah Hodgson joined the Board of Trustees following a period of nearly four years as the Director of GAGA and she now holds the office of Secretary. A First Class honours graduate in International Relations, Sarah has travelled extensively in the southern hemisphere and worked as a monitoring and evaluating coordinator for over two years in an Early Childhood development project in Kwa Zulu Natal. We are delighted to retain Sarah's knowledge and experience in GAGA in her role as trustee. Claire Henley, Treasurer Claire served as GAGA UK's Director from 2019 - 2023 having first fundraised and volunteered with GAGA for a couple of years. She is a qualified accountant and had a career in financial services before moving to consultancy. Having grown up in Botswana and Zimbabwe, Claire has a strong affinity with southern Africa and is delighted to put her skills and experience to good use on the Board of Trustees. Richard Lucas Richard Lucas is a management consultant specialising in organisational development and business transformation. Joining the GAGA Board of Trustees in 2019 his particular focus is to help us develop our proposal to Corporate donors. He worked extensively on a volunteer basis with the leadership team of one of the Prince’s charities, Youth Business International, helping them to develop from a small team, to launching as an independent charity and onwards to a team of over 30 at the centre of a network of youth entrepreneurship programmes across the world. Nommiselo Nene Nommiselo (Nommi) is a South African qualified accountant living in London. She works as an independent consultant in the financial services industry and loves travelling as well as going on trekking adventures. Her relationship with GAGA started in 2016 when she fundraised for GAGA in one of her adventures. Nommi grew up in rural KwaZulu Natal, South Africa and she was drawn to GAGA's mission of supporting young people from infancy to independence. Nommi is passionate about education related initiatives as a long-term tool for addressing poverty and supports other education related initiatives in Africa where possible. GAGA Employees Olivia Van Rensburg, Director Olivia has worked in the charity sector for nearly a decade, during which time she has accrued extensive experience in all facets of fundraising. She has experience working in a range of organisations across the charity sector, UK-wide charities such as Crisis to smaller startup organisations. Olivia is passionate about international development and giving those in marginalised communities the tools they need to create brighter futures. Debbie Young, Project Co-ordinator Debbie Young lives in KwaZulu Natal and has been associated with GAGA since the early days. Debbie is the eyes and ears on the ground for us, she can react quickly if needed and she provides valuable insight into new project opportunities. She manages our Sangobeg Scholarship programme and is the first point of contact for all of our students in South Africa. Ann Smith, Ambassador Ann Smith is the matriarch of GAGA UK and has been involved since its inception. After her granddaughter spent time volunteering in South Africa, Ann went for a visit and was inspired to set up a UK fundraising arm to support a project in South Africa. Thus GAGA UK was born around Ann’s kitchen table. Eventually this grew from supporting one project in South Africa to several projects and now spans two countries. Ann has provided and continues to provide immeasurable support to GAGA UK with administration, networks and contacts, donor care, fundraising and much more. Manage Cookie Preferences