This July, we brought on our first-ever local leader, a phenomenal woman named Mumtaz, who is truly equipped to take Emerge to the next level. Mumtaz has over 15 years of experience in both the private sector and development field. Prior to joining Emerge, Mumtaz worked at Plan Sri Lanka where she managed the country sponsorship caseload of 26,000 children, overseeing 25 staff in three districts. She introduced several key child protection mechanisms into its operations and developed its first resource mobilization strategy. After Plan, Mumtaz served as a Project Facilitator for a pilot project on City Cluster Economic Development, funded by the Asian Development Bank. She has brought a new level of professionalism, energy, and strategic thinking for local sustainability to our team. We are lucky to have her!
When Mumtaz Faleel first met the girls, she knew she was a part of something special. “It was as if being a part of Emerge enabled me to become this special passport to get close to their hearts, that includes the blind faith that we are their family. Not for a moment did they treat me as a stranger; they only wanted to become my friend. I became very emotional, as I realized that by meeting them, by being welcomed with open arms, my life would change for ever. I instantly wanted to be a part of these wonderful girls’ lives, who do not think twice about sharing their love and affection,” she wrote in her very first blog.
You can read about her first day meeting the girls here as well as her holiday message here.