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Hagar is an international non-governmental organisation on a mission to restore life and dignity for survivors of human trafficking, slavery and abuse. Our global programmes are led by skilled local teams and implementing partners in the Asia-Pacific region.
Communities free and healed from the trauma of human trafficking, slavery and abuse.
We walk the whole journey of restoration with each survivor, empower communities to prevent exploitation, and strengthen systems to protect the vulnerable.
Respect: We believe in the right of all people to be heard and treated with respect and dignity.
Integrity: We commit to act ethically and honestly and to always strive to do the right thing.
Compassion: We want compassion and kindness to be evident in our attitude and communication in active, practical ways.
Excellence: We hold ourselves to high standards. We listen and learn from those we support, our partners and from each other, to continuously improve all that we do.
Hagar began in 1994 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in response to severe domestic and community violence in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide.
In 2008, Hagar began operations in Afghanistan, and in 2009, opened its office in Vietnam. In 2015, Hagar launched programming in Singapore and began working in Myanmar in partnership with local organisations. In 2021, Hagar began working the Solomon Islands through local partner, HOPE Trust, and expanded into Thailand in 2023 with the integration of LIFT International.
The Hebrew name Hagar means “one who flees” or “one who seeks refuge.” The story of Hagar and her son, Ishmael, is the story of millions of exploited, abused, and trafficked women and children.
In 2000 BC, Hagar worked in a foreign land as a domestic servant for a rich man named Abraham and his wife, Sarah. Sarah was unable to bear children, and following a common practice at the time, she offered her servant to Abraham. When Hagar became pregnant, Sarah grew jealous and threw her out of their home. An angel found Hagar alone in the desert. He promised a blessing on her child, naming him Ishmael, which means, “God hears.” In response Hagar declared: “You are the God who sees me.” The story is known to many faiths including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
Hagar is committed to providing sanctuary and hope to women and children like Hagar and Ishmael, walking the whole journey with each one.
Our Impact
When you support Hagar, you join a global community committed to restoring lives and transforming the world.
By partnering with Hagar, you help survivors heal from trauma and severe abuse. Our work depends on the generosity of people like you.
Phil has a strong grounding in the financial sector, which has formed the basis of a broad commercial business career. He is currently a professional director, chairman and investor, with interests in a range of industries such as construction, wholesale and distribution, horticulture and import/export. Phil’s passion for business development, combined with extensive senior management experience, allows him to successfully tailor governance, organisational capability, and strategic management solutions for Hagar’s operations. Phil’s passion for supporting charities is demonstrated in his numerous Chairman and Board commitments to Charitable Trusts.
Dr. iur., LL.M. Until 2020, Dr. Peter Hess was a practising lawyer and partner at Reichlin Hess Ltd. in Zug, Switzerland. Dr Hess completed his postgraduate studies in law at Columbia University, New York. Dr Hess also made a significant contribution to the community through his political involvement, having served in local government, from 1983 to 2003, in the Federal Parliament, becoming Speaker of Parliament from 2000 to 2001.
Professional activities Attorney-at-law / Notary Public for the Canton of Zug / Switzerland Partner in the law offices Reichlin Hess AG, Zug / Switzerland (www.reichlinhess.ch)
Public activities – Member of the legislative of the City of Zug 1979 – 1982 – Member of the Federal Parliament (House of Representatives / Nationalrat): 1983 – 2003 – President of the Christian-Democratic-Group of the Federal Assembly 1991-1998 – Member of the finance committee of the Nationalrat 1991 – 2003 (President 1996/1997) – Speaker of the Nationalrat (2000/2001)
Jeff became Hagar USA’s Vice-Chair in 2017 and assumed the role of Board Chair in 2018. Jeff is an Account Executive at Konrad Technologies where he coordinates the account management of several strategic automotive accounts that have major operations in the Detroit area. Jeff was introduced to Hagar by Jennifer Fleming, a Hagar International board member and long-time friend from the University of Virginia. He has over 20 years of church leadership experience and has been involved with refugee resettlement in the Columbus, Ohio area. This and other experiences have helped Jeff develop an awareness for both the challenges faced by children internationally, and the tangible opportunity to love and serve them in a globally connected world.
Currently the Director of Financial Services with Great Eastern life, Paul is also the Chairman of the International Certification & Standards Board of Asia Pacific Financial Services Association (APFinSA) and a Past President of the Insurance and Financial
Practitioners Association of Singapore (IFPAS). Aside from his professional achievements, Paul serves on the Board of Trustees of World Revival Prayer Fellowship, and has been actively serving in various ministries of the church including preaching, supervising cell groups and mission work including the church involvement in supporting Hagar’s work. Paul holds an MBA, the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation, Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP) and the Chartered Wealth Manager (CWM) qualification. He has also co-authored two books with Dr B C Ghosh, Strategic Planning for SMEs in Singapore & Malaysia, and Smart Retirement Planning.
Nikki Denholm, MNZM, is a co-founder of Exposure International and has worked across 40 countries documenting stories of orphans, children in prison, famines and human trafficking. She has a health background, specializing in gender issues and founded the national New Zealand FGM and African Refugee HIV/AIDS Education Programs. She is currently Director of The Light Project – a service providing training and support with navigating the new online pornography landscape. Nikki has published a photographic book on prisons, serves on the boards of LIFT International and Tearfund New Zealand, and was recently made a member of the NZ order of merit for her humanitarian advocacy and photography.
Connie Ridley has a background in banking, finance and securitization and has worked in Australia, the US and several Pacific Island nations. She is passionate about social justice and committed to bringing change to vulnerable people and communities in Australia and overseas.
For the past 30 years Connie has used her experience in finance to serve non-profit organisations in roles such as Board Member of Library for All. She recently concluded 15 years as a Board member of Opportunity International and previously served for 22 years as a Board member of Emerge Women’s and Children’s Network including serving as Chair for 8 years. She has been awarded Honorary Life Governor of the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
Amanda Tay is an experienced banking executive. She has over 20 years of experience in the finance sector where she has led teams through restructuring and dynamic economic conditions. Her career spans finance, banking, and technology in Australia and New Zealand, coupled with extensive experience in strategic leadership and operational management
Melisa is a Human Resources Leader with extensive experience operating locally and globally across five international locations. With a diverse work history across Australia, India, Hong Kong, New York and Paris, Melisa’s expertise combines HR business partnering with transformation and change. She has led teams working on culture, talent development, leadership, enterprise learning and, diversity equity and inclusion.
With a background in the financial and energy sectors, she is passionate about creating a culture of inclusion and belonging and leveraging people and leadership to drive better business performance, customer satisfaction and employee experience.
As an HR Business Partner, she has advised leaders to lead with behaviours that positively influence the employee experience. This results in individuals, teams and businesses thriving.
Melisa has a Business degree from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Melbourne Australia.
Lee Na is currently the Corporate Secretary and General Counsel with the Malaysia Deposit Insurance Corporation. She has over 30 years of combined experience, mainly in the banking industry and legal practice, having worked in banks, law firms, and as a legal publisher. Lee Na holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Australian National University and was called to the Malaysian Bar in 1991. She is also a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.
Fiona is an experienced professional non-executive director, with extensive commercial, financial and risk expertise. Her commercial/finance career spanned almost two decades at leading ASX-listed global companies BHP Billiton and BlueScope Steel.
Fiona has served as a non-executive director on a range of listed, private, government and not-for-profit boards, including World Vision Australia, Smart Parking (ASX:SPZ), Scotch College, U Ethical (fund manager), First Samuel (wealth manager), City West Water, and Monash Health. In addition to chairing many Audit and Risk Committees on these boards, she is also an independent member of the Victorian Parliament Audit Committee.
She holds a Senior Executive MBA from the University of Melbourne, and is a Fellow of CPA Australia, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Fiona is passionate to see a world free and healed from slavery, trafficking and abuse. She considers it a privilege to serve as an adviser to Hagar’s Board and Finance, Risk and Audit Committee.
Peter has over 20 years of international development experience across Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia working with World Vision, Concern Worldwide, Tearfund, Engineers without Borders and most recently the Brotherhood of St Laurence. As Asia Regional Director of Concern Peter managed country programs, across South and South East Asia, in livelihood security, HIV/AIDS, education, governance and advocacy. At World Vision Australia Peter led technical specialist teams in economic development, WASH, health, food security, gender and child protection, as well as the research and evaluation
unit. Recently Peter has focused on the employment and community services sector in Australia, in the context of COVID-19 impact. His journey has also included work as an NGO strategy consultant, leading a technology start-up in developing an innovative solution to better safeguarding compliance and a social enterprise enabling refugees and asylum seekers to pursue professional careers in Australia. Peter has been a Board Member for Habitat for Humanity Australia and a lecturer of International Development Masters programs.
Anne is a Chartered Accountant with more than 20 years experience in sectors including aviation, telecommunications, media and not for profit. She has a diverse range of skills and experience having led finance functions for large established organisations as well as having set up governance, commercial and finance processes from the ground up. Anne’s career in the commercial sector included senior roles with Ernst and Young, Air New Zealand, Telecom New Zealand and Dentsu Aegis. Since transitioning to the not for profit section she has held senior roles with the Community Broadcasting Foundation (financing community media) and ygap (supporting underestimated entrepreneurs). She is currently the Treasurer and a Committee Member of the International Detention Coalition (advocating to eliminate detention of refugees).
Sreyna Sam has 18 years working in international organizations in Cambodia, as well as 9 years teaching in Christian ministries and Bible Schools. For 17 years, she worked with Hagar International in Cambodia in the areas of aftercare program services, institutional and community recovery for the survivors of human trafficking, slavery, and abuse, and supporting program teams to ensure that high-quality services are provided to survivors.
Since beginning her journey in Hagar as a counselor, she has advanced to roles in management and senior leadership. Sreyna’s skills have been honed over the years through working within government ministries and organizational partners, assisting and building their capacity.
Sreyna holds two Masters degrees, in Business Administration and Social Work. Sreyna’s own personal experience with trauma from war, discrimination, and the hardship that comes with deep poverty has deeply affected her outlook on life and has greatly influenced her approach to the care of survivors. Her belief in the fundamental value of love and hope guides how she lives her life. Sreyna’s joy comes from seeing the broken lives of survivors restored so they can achieve their dreams, just like she is doing right now.
Rohullah Ahmadi has over eight years of experience working with various civil society organizations and different governmental, national, and international not-for-profit organizations in 17 provinces of Afghanistan. He has been on the team at Hagar International Afghanistan since October 2016, first as a training coordinator on the counter-trafficking project and then as Project Manager for the Combating Human Trafficking in Afghanistan, Support to Shelter, and Boy’s Protection Center (FNM) projects.
Rohullah Ahmadi worked with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and conducted a short-term assessment of the counter-trafficking project in Afghanistan.
He is currently Acting Country Director at Hagar Afghanistan. His primary responsibility is contributing to and developing quality grant applications, supporting and giving guidance to project managers for quality services, and strengthening relationships with relevant stakeholders. Besides this, Rohullah Ahmadi has extensive teaching experience in private and governmental universities.
Rohullah Ahmadi completed his master’s degree in Economics from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, in 2016 and studied B. Commerce from Nangarhar University, Afghanistan in 2013.
Viet Anh is driven by a passion to improve the lives of people in the the most vulnerable communities.
She has 17+ years of experience in the development sector, including seven specializing in anti-human trafficking.
Throughout her career, Viet Anh has worked for many NGOs and UN agencies. These include World Vision, Save the Children, Orbis, UNESCO, and most recently, the British Embassy in Hanoi.
Viet Anh is a proven leader. She is skilled in project and human resource management, organizational development, partnership building, and fundraising.
She holds an Executive Master’s degree in Development Policies and Practices from the Graduate Institute (Geneva, Switzerland) and a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Management.
Thelma has an educational and professional background in Human Resources (HR) Management, Organizational Development, Leadership & Management, and Business Entrepreneurship. Most recently, she has been a freelance HR & support services consultant, supporting various non-government organizations (NGOs) and private companies in the Solomon Islands. Thelma also has more than 10 years of experience working with international non-government organizations (INGOs) and the private sector, successfully implementing a variety of donor-funded programs. Thelma has held senior leadership roles for more than 10 years, providing technical support to senior management teams, Pacific leadership teams, and partners in-country and across the Pacific region, including providing support for strategy development and execution. Her last role was as Director of HR & Organizational Development at Oxfam Pacific, which included a strong focus on investing in Pacific leadership to enable local leaders to have a strong voice within the region. This was a very rewarding role for both Thelma and the wider Oxfam team.
Thelma is excited to join the diverse and skilled team at Hagar International and HOPE Trust in the Solomon Islands and to contribute to our important shared mission to help combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children in the Solomon Islands.
Michael joined Hagar Singapore as Executive Director in 2013, after spending more than 14 years serving in the international humanitarian sector. No stranger to global poverty issues and social injustice in the developing world, Michael brings extensive programme and executive experience having provided direct oversight to numerous global development projects in about 25 countries worldwide.
Kate has enjoyed a 30 year-long career in the not for profit sector, as a fundraiser and marketer, CEO and independent consultant as well as spending several years working for local government. With specific skills in all forms of fundraising, governance and change management, Kate has advised hundreds of charities during her career and has career fundraising to date of more than $15 million. Kate was recognised for her contributions to health and governance in New Zealand, in the 2016 New Year’s Honours, being awarded as an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit. Kate has sat on numerous Boards and Chaired several, as well as sitting on a number of government advisory committees and acting as a business mentor through Mentors NZ. Kate is a licensed celebrant, published author, mother to three grown children and grandmother to four active boys.
Catherine has extensive experience in fundraising and communications in the not-for-profit sector, both internationally and within the USA. She has held a range of roles with specifically, the past 7 years in management. She brings with her 14 years of experience in nonprofit and NGO development and is deeply passionate about the work of Hagar to see communities free and healed from the trauma of slavery, human trafficking, and abuse. Catherine is coming from an executive role in another international nonprofit, and brings a track record of exceptional fundraising. Catherine also previously worked for Hagar both in the USA and Cambodia offices. Catherine was our Relationship Manager for Hagar International, based in Cambodia, and when she returned to the USA, continued working with Hagar before taking on the Hagar USA Development Director position.
Paul comes to Hagar with 20 years’ experience in the not-for-profit sector including 10 years in senior leadership within a highly respected INGO in Melbourne. At Tearfund Australia, Paul was responsible for all supporter engagement including fundraising, advocacy, education, communications and church and community engagement. Paul is the Founder of The Justice Conference in Australia and the Director of The Justice Conference Global. He has also sat on the board of a number of advocacy coalitions including Micah Australia. Paul is passionate about challenging people to move beyond charity to engage with the systems of oppression that perpetuate injustice. His broad experience across these various portfolios positions him well for the next season of Hagar’s growth and influence.
Patrick has been working part-time for Hagar since January 2023. He is also part-time employed by the Denk an mich Foundation as Deputy Executive Director and Head of Fundraising. Patrick has been involved in various associations and organizations for many years, always taking on the role of Head of Marketing, Communication, and Fundraising.
Patrick studied political science, constitutional law, and Swiss history and completed a postgraduate degree in fundraising management in 2018. He acquired his passion for politics and social aspects during his studies and has not lost it since. Thus, he was a local councillor in the parliament of the city of Zurich from 2011–2022, ran for the National Council in 2019, and continues to be politically involved in his municipality as an electoral office president.
The population and institutions in Switzerland have a great deal of awareness when it comes to combating human trafficking and slavery. This is exactly where Patrick wants to bring his years of experience in public and institutional fundraising to raise resources for Hagar International’s projects.
