The work of SURF would not be possible without an incredible team of committed staff.

In Rwanda, we are thankful in particular to Gabo Wilson (National Coordinator) and Ariane Uwamahoro (Administrator). Jude Tibenmanya stepped down from his post as Programme Manager to take up a scholarship for a doctorate at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. We wish him well with his studies, and thank him for his valuable contribution to our Foundation Rwanda programme in particular. Samuel Munderere returned to SURF in January 2012 as a Programme Manager after successfully completing his postgraduate studies in international development on a scholarship at the University of Westminster in 2011.

Vincent Nyauma continues to ensure the rigorous financial management of SURF in his position as accountant, supported by our administrator Ariane Uwamahoro, who also coordinates SURF’s university sponsorship programme.

We were fortunate to have been supported this year by Catherine Russell, who has played a critical role in establishing and coordinating the income-generating activities which are the foundation of our current project funded by Comic Relief. She has been supported by Raban Havugimana, who formally joined the SURF team in January 2012.

In September, Jemma Hogwood, a clinical psychologist, joined AERG to support its One Dollar Campaign Project, developing a psychosocial programme and mental health policies for a new 200-person residence hall for young survivors at university in Kigali, as well as to support the trauma counselling work of SURF’s partner organisations. We are fortunate to have her working with us over the year ahead.

Albert Gasake ably served as Project Coordinator of EiE at AERG, and on his return from a six-month fellowship in the US with IREX, returned to SURF as our Legal Advocacy Project Coordinator. He was joined in January 2012 by Olivier Bucyana, who is working on a six-month project focused on international advocacy in Rwanda.

Lilian Murerwa joined us as Interim Project Officer in September, and has made a valuable contribution in leading the evaluation of the Ntarama Community Health Centre. Finally, we acknowledge the contribution of our support staff in Rwanda, Claudine (office assistant) and Godfrey (driver).

In the UK, we have been supported by Flavia Kirungi, our administrator, who retired from the post in January 2012 after seven years of service. The work of the SURF team is supported by a core team of dedicated, and long-term, supporters including Benon Banya (accounts), Andy Lawrence (education), Liam Dempsey of lbdesign (online) and Drew Sutton of niceimages (film and photography). We are thankful as well to Ngaire Ackerley of lbdesign for her work with us, in particular on the redesign of our website.

There have been a number of changes on the Board as well over the past year. Our former Treasurer, David Lumley, retired after fourteen years of service to the organisation. Jean Louis Mazimpaka retired from the Board to focus on his work with Hope Survivors Foundation, to support survivors of the Rwandan genocide in the UK. Both have made invaluable contributions to progress the work of SURF and advocating for survivors, and for that we are incredibly grateful.