Charmaine Hedding

Charmaine Hedding is the Executive Director and Founder of Shai Fund (U.S. registered non-profit). She has worked in Africa, Europe, the Middle and Far East as an international consultant in development management for the non-profit sector, with a particular focus on the protection of persecuted minorities. With over ten years of experience Hedding has served on the ground responding to foreign disasters and humanitarian aid projects. She has designed and implemented emergency relief & development programs, and built capacity-building programs for diverse groups responsible for refugee welfare. As a protection specialist for minorities she built professional training programs for refugees fleeing as part of a minority group. Ms. Hedding has trained and consulted for government agencies, local authorities, international non-governmental organizations and community based organisations. She often speaks at universities and international conferences and forums about her work and experience with religious minorities, complex emergencies and disaster relief. Ms. Charmaine Hedding has a Master of Social Science in Development Management and is a South African national.