https://grain.org/e/6801

Transition time in GRAIN

by GRAIN | 18 Feb 2022

In April 2023, Henk Hobbelink, co-founder and coordinator of GRAIN, will retire and hand over his responsibilities to the next generation. For more than 30 years, Henk has uniquely and passionately marked the direction of the organisation, so it will be a big change! But we are ready for it. GRAIN staff and board spent much of 2021 discussing and reflecting upon the options. We decided that rather than hire a new external coordinator, GRAIN will strengthen its internal collective coordination. This is a system we built more than 20 years ago and it functions well. Nominally, the new Coordinator will be Kartini Samon, our long time programme staffer in Indonesia. Kartini will lead a coordination team, made up of herself plus two other veteran staffers, that is responsible for the overall coordination and management of the organisation. We are very confident that this team will be able to keep GRAIN on the right track. In addition, Alexandra Toledo will take responsibility for GRAIN’s fundraising. Other staff will take on new roles to mutually support each other and ensure that we continue to function as a coherent, horizontal and strong collective.

While we are sad that Henk is leaving, everybody in GRAIN is confident and prepared to move into this new phase. The coming year will be one of transition, experimentation and learning while we continue to produce new research and support movements fighting for food sovereignty as ever. We are fully aware that none of this would be possible without our colleagues, partners, allies and friends across the world. Thank you for being there and for your continued support!


Author: GRAIN