wfn.org | [ENS] Government Relations chief praises Chifamba appointment to

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Government Relations chief praises Chifamba appointment to Washington
Office
on Africa

ENS 080905-2

[Episcopal News Service] "With the appointment of Mhizha Edmund Chifamba
as
Executive Director of the Washington Office on Africa (WOA), Africa will
have a strong new voice in Washington and the Episcopal Church a
much-needed
partner in its work," said Maureen Shea, a member of the board of WOA
and
director of government relations for the Episcopal Church.

Chifamba began work on August 1 and replaces the Rev. Leon Spencer, who
left
WOA to become the first dean of the School of Ministry in the Diocese of
North Carolina.

The Washington Office on Africa is a church-sponsored not-for-profit
advocacy organization seeking to articulate and promote a just	American
policy toward Africa. WOA - which was founded in 1972 in response to the
movement for freedom from white-minority rule in  southern Africa -
today
monitors and advocates on congressional legislation and executive policy
touching a host of issues crucial to Africa.

Chifamba comes to Washington with a powerful combination of life and
work
experience in his homeland, Zimbabwe, and study and professional work in
North America.	He combines a rural background with training as a social
worker at the University of Zimbabwe and postgraduate degrees as a
Bachelor
of Science in Human Services from Springfield College, Mass. and a
Master of
Arts in International Development Studies, Saint Mary's University,
Halifax,
Canada.

As Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe National Council of YMCAs,
Chifamba brought into play skills which will be immensely useful in his
work
in Washington - building networks, advocacy teams and partnerships
between
grassroots organizations, the private sector, churches and faith-based
organizations.

"Our work on the many issues of importance to our African sisters and
brothers, and the Millennium Development Goals in particular, will be
greatly enhanced with Mhizah's expertise and commitment," Shea added.
She
also expressed gratitude to Jennifer Davis, who ably managed the office
during the search and selection process.

Chifamba joins the Washington Office on Africa and WOA-PRI from Chicago,
where he held senior positions at the Abraham Lincoln Center and the
Westside Association for Community Action.

The Rev. Canon Benjamin Musoke-Lubega, who for the past five years has
served as staff officer for Africa at the Episcopal Church Center in New
York and is now with Trinity Wall Street, is also a WOA board member and
served on the search committee for the new executive director.