Hellen Grace Akwii-Wangusa, Trustee, Oxfam GB

Hellen Grace Akwii-Wangusa is a Ugandan, a mother and grandmother of 4. She was born to a teacher who was later ordained into Priesthood, and a Mother who did development work as the Mothers Unions (MU) Worker. Hellen was awarded a University Women’s Scholarship, a Fulbright Scholarship and in 2001, a Commonwealth Research Grant.

Hellen’s career path started as a Lecturer at Makerere University in the Department of Literature, as well as working part-time with the Mothers Union (MU), and as a Women’s Provincial worker. After a short training at Manchester University, she was appointed to coordinate the African Women’s Economic Policy Network (AWEPON), which had chapters in 20 African countries. The focus of AWEPON was Economic policy analysis and gender-based research and advocacy. In that position, Hellen trained and secured funding for a minimum of 34 African women annually, to participate in influencing decisions and advocate for pro-poor and gender sensitive economic policies at the United Nations, The World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings and the World Economic and Social Fora.

In 2004, she was appointed by UNDP to coordinate Africa Civil Society Organisations implementing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programmes in 16 African countries. Next, Hellen served as the Personal Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion Observer at the United Nations (UN).

Hellen serves as the Chair of the Action Aid International Board, as an advisory member of Christian Aid International and the KARIBU Foundation-Norway, she is also a member of the Technical Task Force of the African Union.

Hellen holds a BA/DipEduc from Makerere University, an MA in Modern Letters and Women’s Studies from Tulsa University, USA, an Hon. PhD in International Relations and a second Hon. PhD in Civic Law.