who we are

The Marama Global team is coached by a great Board of Directors, each of whom has in-the-field experience. Our local and supporting partners are at the core of everything we do, and are also part of our team.

Partners | The Team | The Board of Directors

Partners

North Korea

Korea Education Fund

On the Korea Education Fund website click on the “Activities” tab and select “Cooperation with Korea Maranatha Foundation”. Marama Global has evolved from our work in North Korea, and there the lead partner was Maranatha Trust, David Bussau’s family foundation, locally known as ‘Korea Maranatha Foundation’.

Korean Federation for Protection of the Disabled

Marama Global has evolved from our work in North Korea, and there the lead partner was Maranatha Trust, David Bussau’s family foundation.

Northern Uganda

Alice Achan, Christian Counselling Fellowship and Pader Girls Academy

Read more about The Girl Mothers of Pader Girls Academy

Somalia

Nikki and Kevin Denholm

Other

DPS  Direct Payment Solutions for their prompt response to our requests and very reasonable rates for non-profit organisations, as well as their friendly and reliable ongoing support and system maintenance.

The Team

Hugh Gollan

Hugh and Sarah, his wife, stepped into full-time development work by moving to North Korea. Hugh established a development finance program for small and medium sized enterprises in 2004. Sarah developed the humanitarian partnerships and programs. They closed the local presence in 2011.

Hugh has seen the impact of motivated local people in frontier places supported by strategic partnerships. His background from engineering to Wall Street, to investment banking in Moscow…advising on transactions in Russia, Pakistan, Tanzania and various mainstream locations was interesting and helpful preparation for something more. His energy has been captured by the possibilities of serving with partners to see positive impact on the frontiers.

Sarah enjoys seeing justice in action – the type of justice that leads to a better future. Sarah is a New Zealand qualified lawyer and worked for a leading New Zealand law firm, before undertaking postgraduate studies. Her PhD in law complements her practical experience. She’s walked closely with our local partners and together designed projects that can be implemented with success. Sarah stepped out of direct involvement in 2014.

Jennifer Argue

Jennifer and her husband fulfilled a long held dream some years ago when they adopted a child from an orphanage in India. The cause of orphans, and children who are without the love of parents and family is dear to her heart. With a passion for this work, together with 30 something years of experience in children’s mental, emotional health and well-being, and having visited several orphanages in North Korea, Jennifer brings a wealth of expertise on education and children’s wellbeing. Jennifer heads the teacher exchange project and oversees the development of the teaching resource kits. For her day job, she’s a Principal of a thriving and burgeoning Primary School in Western Australia. http://www.carey.wa.edu.au/

Jasmine Barrett

Jasmine is passionate about increasing resilience and opportunities in vulnerable populations and reaching the under-served in remote areas.  She has a background in Korean studies and a masters from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, where she majored in humanitarian studies and conflict resolution. She has a love of languages and speaks Korean and Spanish.

James Howie

James is a New Zealand engineer with a heart for serving in developing countries. He manages civil engineering projects and brings a comprehensive professionalism to the Marama Global programs in which he’s involved.

John Corban

John brings to the team accounting acumen and business strategy. He is a Chartered Accountant, with a Master of Management Studies. He’s interested in business development and has particular expertise in budgeting and cashflow forecasts. He has particular experience supporting New Zealand charities operating in South East Asia.


The Board of Directors

David Bussau AO, Chairman

David has vast experience and brings considerable wisdom of all things development to the Board.  He’s been recognised by the government of Australia and other countries for his contributions. David & Hugh have together pioneered programs in East Timor and North Korea. View David’s life story here and catch some highlights of his contributions in the development sector.

Length of video: approx 11.5 minutes

Gregor Coster CNZM

Gregor has a passion for developing ‘better value health care’. He has been on the front line of Primary Health Care in New Zealand for four decades and has made many contributions to innovation within the health system. He continues to extend the envelop in the New Zealand health sector. Gregor has been involved internationally throughout his career in developed and developing countries. Gregor served as the Chair of Counties Manukau District Health Board and is a practising General Practitioner. In 2011 he retired as professor and Dean of Graduate Studies at The University of Auckland. Gregor is Chair of Worksafe New Zealand and is on the board of the Accident Compensation Commission in New Zealand, and has a particular interest in governance being an Accredited Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Bruce Gollan

Bruce is one of those octogenarians who likes to spend time with people in East Timor, Northern Uganda, North Korea and Cambodia. Bruce has been active in a number of New Zealand charities since his retirement from executive work. His executive career was in management and he had significant exposure to international business development. Bruce is a qualified accountant and has an expansive worldview.

Hugh Gollan

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