Kevin is a former pastor with a passionate yet down-to-earth life message. 'I have had the privilege of visiting some of the world’s poorest nations, inspiring me to alleviate hardship where I can, and share my experiences to motivate others to do the same,' he explains. His captivating communication style reflects Kevin’s 15 years’ experience as a senior pastor. His heartbeat is to see Christ’s mission outworked through his people, and to inspire them to reflect God’s love reaching into the most vulnerable communities. Kevin is completing a Bachelor’s in Theology majoring in missions and brings this thoughtful lens to his sermons and talks.

Wayne has been with Tearfund since early 2022 having come from many years working in Pastoral Ministry and Christian Events within the Baptist Churches. A passionate speaker, popular wedding celebrant and with a heart to reach the poor, Wayne has developed personal networks in South East Asia and has travelled up there many times to offer support to the people on the ground helping underprivileged children, mainly in Vietnam. Wayne loves bringing the reality of how each one of us can make a small difference to a child’s life and in return know God’s blessing on us as we follow Jesus’ directive to reach out to the poor.

Waweru is a former sponsored child from Kenya who is passionate about child sponsorship and eager to share his personal journey. At the age of seven, he joined the child sponsorship program at his local church in Kenya, facilitated by Tearfund’s partner, Compassion International. This support was life-changing for Waweru, as it provided him with the school uniform and fees he needed to attend school—resources his family could not afford on their own. Through Compassion’s Saturday project meetings, he also acquired essential faith knowledge and life skills that paved the way for him to build a different future.Today, Waweru resides in New Zealand, where he works as a Youth Pastor in Auckland. He is happily married to Sally, and together they are raising a young daughter.

Maya is a member of Tearfund's advocacy team. She's passionate about driving transformational change for people and planet, particularly in the fashion industry. It was this passion that led her to first knock on Tearfund's door. Maya now coordinates Tearfund's advocacy campaigns and empowers our supporters, churches, and everyday Kiwis to join us in making lasting, systemic change. With a Masters degree in Geography focusing on sustainability and clothing, and experience in local community development and youthwork, she's a passionate and knowledgeable speaker on much of Tearfund's advocacy work. This includes addressing modern slavery, working for climate justice, and promoting sustainable consumption.

Tim Manson is the International Programmes Director at Tearfund New Zealand. His team is responsible for delivering NZ$18 million in aid through innovative programs all over the world. Originally from New Zealand, he grew up in Cote D’Ivoire, West Africa until the age of 14. Tim has a Masters in International Development with First Class Honours that has seen him lead a large team in Uganda providing trauma rehabilitation services for refugees and survivors of war. Before moving into the development field, he worked as a secondary school teacher, specializing in History and Classical Studies. He’s lived in both the United Arab Emirates and Uganda for a total of 8 years and has visited over 35 countries including Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon and Ethiopia as an aid worker. Tim is married to Helen, a humanitarian photojournalist, and together with their four young kids they hail from Pakuranga, Auckland.

Gertjan is a dedicated humanitarian with over 15 years of experience in the aid and development sector. Originally from the Netherlands, Gertjan's work has taken him to challenging places like South Sudan, Somaliland, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and DR Congo. His experiences have given him a profound understanding of the realities faced by the most vulnerable on earth. His commitment to making a positive impact is deeply personal and a response to Jesus' call to serve and uplift those in need. Gertjan is a storyteller with a powerful testimony. Whether in churches, at events or in smaller group settings, he shares his heart for those challenged by poverty and conflict in a humble and relatable manner, offering a genuine glimpse into the transformative potential of compassionate action.

Claire is a mum to four-year-old Adeline and is deeply passionate about seeing the world become a more just place. Claire has been with Tearfund for nearly a decade and is Head of Advocacy and Church Engagement. With a Masters in International Development, experience leading NGOs and governance roles, Claire's work covers issues of biblical justice, advocacy, poverty, modern slavery, worker exploitation, ethical fashion, sustainable consumption, and climate justice. Over her time at Tearfund, Claire has led work to create systemic change in the way the fashion industry approaches human rights and environmental management in supply chains. Claire’s motivation for the work she does comes from her Christian faith and from the stories of real people facing situations of exploitation, poverty, and injustice that she comes across in her work.

As CEO of Tearfund, Ian believes it is an immense privilege to connect people to the issues of global poverty and its solutions. Ian has 16 years of experience in international aid and development, and prior to his present role, ran the operations of aid agencies in disaster relief around the world. Ian is now a go-to commentator on aid and development for New Zealand’s media and will bring this life experience to the fore, sharing personal stories from the front lines of humanitarian responses in an authentic way.