About us Meet the team UK UK Christopher Queree Chairman of the Board Christopher is an Investment Director and Head of Charities at Ruffer LLP. He has been a partner in the firm since 2004 and has over thirty years investment experience. Christopher’s knowledge and interest of Africa stems from having travelled extensively across the continent to countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Kenya and Sudan. Subsequently, Christopher has been a keen supporter of practical and tangible development projects that make a real and long-lasting difference to African communities-and as a result has led him to join the Bread and Water for Africa UK board of trustees. He has subsequently visited our projects in Zimbabwe and as a keen cyclist organised our first cycle in Tanzania. Alexandra Buist Trustee Alex is a linguist and translator currently working in Germany. Over the years she has travelled in a number of countries in Africa. She has been on the board of Bread and Water for Africa UK almost from the very beginning in 2005. She is passionate about the cause of helping communities break out of the cycle of poverty through sustainable long-term solutions. Siobhan Franklin Trustee Siobhan has over 16 years’ experience in economic development, financial inclusion and impact investing in Sub Saharan Africa. Having lived and worked extensively in the region, she is passionate about development and improving livelihoods. After learning about the work of BWAUK through meetings with CEO Sylvia Costantini and later Volunteer Spokesperson Phyllis Keino, Siobhan joined the Board of Trustees in 2018. She was inspired to do so following conversations with Phyllis Keino about the work she does at Lewa Children’s Home; taking care of orphans, providing them with a loving caring family environment, food and education, and giving the children a chance to flourish. Emily Robinson Trustee Emily has over 13 years of experience in investment banking and financial services. Originally from Buffalo, NY, she has lived and worked in the US, Germany, Portugal, and has resided in the UK since 2011. Having previously worked in the not-for-profit sector, she has always been passionate about charitable causes and started fundraising for Bread and Water for Africa UK in 2014. Inspired by her travels around Africa, Emily was keen to be able to do more and is excited to join the board of trustees this year. Sylvia Costantini Chief Executive Officer On our small team of committed and passionate individuals, Sylvia is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the charity. She is the go-to person for any general or programme-related questions you might have. Sylvia has over 15 years experience in international development, with a focus on nutrition and agriculture policy in Africa. She has been collaborating with Bread and Water for Africa UK since 2008 and is a strong advocate for our amazing African partner organisations. She firmly believes that every child deserves not only basic access to food, shelter, healthcare and education, but also the right to play and grow in a safe and loving environment. Ruby Glasspool Operations Manager Ruby has ten years' experience within the not-for-profit sector in charity management and communications and joined BWAUK in 2020. She is passionate about using powerful communications and effective management to achieve the best possible outcomes for everyone and believes in the power of teamwork. Ruby has travelled extensively throughout the world but feels strongly connected to Africa from her trips to Tanzania, South Africa and Zanzibar. She believes everyone should have the same opportunities for a fulfilling life and is committed to supporting this through humanitarian work. Justine Simonin Community Manager Justine is originally from France and has joined BWAUK in 2019. She is in charge on our social media presence. An experienced community manager, Justine has been involved with nonprofit digital marketing since 2014. She has previously worked with development and peace-building organisations, helping them to spread their message across social media channels. She is passionate about using digital tools to make a difference in the world. Daphne Davies Volunteer Journalist Daphne has done media and project management work for a number of national and international organisations and NGOs, including Amnesty International, WWF, International Trade Union Confederation, the UN, the European Commission, the European Policy Centre, the Club of Rome and Devex. She is particularly concerned about the position of the world’s 47 poorest countries, designated the Least Developed Countries, 32 of which are in Africa, and supports two NGOs in this area: LDC Watch and the LDC News Service. She is committed to volunteering with BWAUK, because of its focus on working directly with NGOs on the ground in African LDCs. Ilze Schoeman Volunteer Ilze works as a volunteer with Bread and Water for Africa UK, focusing on securing partnerships. With several years of experience in IT – particularly in project management and support – she is also helping with other IT related processes and tasks. Ilze is originally from South Africa and has always had a passion for helping people and would like to do anything she can to help grow Bread and Water for Africa UK, supporting our project partners in Africa.