Constellation welcomes new board members
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The Constellation is happy to welcome its new board. April Foster (Kenya), Sirinate Piyajitpirat (Thailand), Phil Forth (UK), Louis Marie Butoyi (Burundi/Belgium) and Sanghamitra Iyengar (India) are joining Jean-Louis Lamboray who will continue his service as Constellation chair and MariJo Vazquez.
With hundred percent of ‘yes’ votes to the nominations, the Constellations Membership assembly choose its new board in a meeting that ended on August 1. After three years of service the term for of the former board had come to an end. With a resignation of Marie Chorr earlier this year, now also Ian Campbell, Usa Duongsaa and John Rwomushana had stepped back as board members to "make space for so much fresh energy among other members".
Early 2011 the board had tasked a 'Rejuvenation Committee' of four Constellation members: M.L Prabakar, Meble Birengo, MariJo Vazquez and Marlou de Rouw to facilitate the process for new board nominations. The committee interviewed a representation of Constellation members which led to a description of a ‘Dream profile for the Constellation board Board.’
“The Board members are the parents in the Constellation. They are the grey hairs who keep the inspiration flow”. Many want to see board members connected to local responses, so that together they have a set of stories that inspire all members. Board members basic statement is ‘I support’. But they are also critical friends who agree to disagree if needed.
Together, they take responsibility for the Constellation. One respondent describes it as follows: if the Constellation would be a country, the Board would be the Government, the Membership Assembly would be the parliament and the Support Team the Administration. The board embraces diversity for gender, age, region and experience”.
The nomination of the new board members was measured against this dream and was the outcome of suggestions done by the Constellation members that were interviewed. The inspiring motivation letters of the new board members are available here.
Bookmarks from Kithutuni
A women’s group from Kithutuni, a community in Kenya, has sent beautiful bookmarks made with recycled paper beads to all old and new board members. With this touching gesture they expressed their gratefulness for the contribution and commitment of those individuals to the Constellation.
