Join Tearfund's Mary Gaitho and ActionAid's Michelle Higelin to hear how their organisations are responding to the cuts in international aid by the US, UK and Europe.

About our expert speakers:

Mary Gaitho - International Program Director – Tearfund Australia

Mary brings a wealth of experience to Tearfund. Born and raised in Kenya, where she experienced first-hand the work of INGOs in community development, Mary went on to study and work within the international aid and development sector and has been working in the space for almost two decades. This includes work within the Tearfund family of agencies (Tearfund UK, Kenya) and with several partner organisations of Tearfund Australia to oversee international program work. Mary leads the International Program Team to enable communities to overcome the injustice of poverty by focusing on strengthening capacity, tracking program effectiveness, encouraging innovation, collaboration and research, and partnering with communities to deliver transformational outcomes. The Team also works in partnership with global alliances including the Integral Alliance and Micah Global.

Michelle Higelin, Executive Director, ActionAid Australia

Michelle Higelin is the Executive Director of ActionAid Australia, which works to advance women's rights and end poverty and injustice in over 70 countries globally. Michelle has nearly three decades of experience working in the area of gender equality and human rights in Australia and internationally, including as the Deputy General Secretary of one of the largest women’s rights movements globally, the World YWCA. Michelle has served on global advisory groups to the United Nations Population Fund and the World Food Programme and convened the NGO Working Group on Peace at the United Nations in Geneva. Michelle is the Vice President of the Australian Council for International Development and is a Co-Chair of the Australian Civil Society Coalition on Women, Peace and Security. She has a Masters in International Relations and a BA in Communications.

The event will be hosted online by Blair Palese, Director of Philanthropy at Ethinvest. After our experts' presentations, there will be time for questions and a discussion with our online attendees.