Meet Anjanette, Our New Development Coordinator

Meet Anjanette, Our New Development Coordinator

Jun 24, 2022 | Staff Introduction

You all will probably remember Anjanette Wilson as Graduate Fellow for Global Seed Savers. She joined us in that capacity last June 2021.

After completing her Masters in Environmental Management from the Western Colorado University in May 2022, she has now joined GSS as Development Coordinator! As Development Coordinator, Anjanette will work with the GSS Team, donors, and board members to provide logistical coordination and administrative support to implement Global Seed Savers’ donor engagement and fundraising strategies.

Welcome to the team Anjanette! 

Here is Anjanette’s introduction:

“I am THRILLED to share that I’m starting a new position as the Development Coordinator at Global SeedSavers (GSS)! I am feeling both excited and grateful to be able to continue working collaboratively alongside cutting edge nonprofits and community led organizations to address climate justice by supporting on-the-ground food and seed sovereignty operations.

I am also extremely excited to continue strengthening my relationship with the GSS team as I have been with GSS since the spring of 2021 as their Graduate Fellow. My fellowship, a position in joint collaboration between GSS and Western Colorado University’s Master in Environmental Management (MEM) Program, helped me develope my MEM project “Growing Communities, Saving Seeds: Nonprofit Operations and Storytelling of Seed Sovereignty Movements in the Philippines.” I focused on the operational and technical support for GSS as an international organization. A few highlights from my fellowship include the implementation of a donor CRM tool (for a better donor management system), environmental storytelling, and creating impact reports.

 

I’m truly looking forward to contributing to the global movement of seed saving as a practice for climate resiliency, securing Indigenous rights, and preserving our Filipino culture!

HUGE thanks to Sherry Manning for giving me the opportunity to grow and the courage to break into new roles that shape me into a better environmental activist and professional. And more HUGE thanks to the GSS team for fostering a work culture that cultivates a positive mindset, authentic relationships, and sustainable growth.

Here’s your friendly reminder that when leaders invest in you, your dreams become goals!”

Hello GSSP Community, I am Sarah

Jun 16, 2021 | Staff Introduction

Hello everyone, I am Sarah Mae Sabado, and I am honored to become a part of Global Seed Savers Philippines (GSSP). I am behind most of the social media posts you have been receiving in the past few weeks and this newsletter! 

I write this post today to help you learn a little bit about me.

When I was young, I told myself that I would never work in an office, that I would always have control over my time, and that I would find work that served a greater good. I remember my mother saying that I would be so lucky if indeed, I find work like that.

Decades have passed since then, and I can say with confidence that I have achieved my childhood dream. Aside from a short stint as a coach at a call center, I have spent most of my life working in organizations dedicated to societal transformation. I am blessed to have found jobs that have helped expand my understanding of what it means to live and to be human. I am grateful to have met inspiring people who taught me that every single day we wake up is a new opportunity to make life better for future generations.

Today, I sound like an idealist, but I wasn’t always like this. There was a time when I was a pessimist when I thought everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. In recent years, I have considered myself a realist – things will happen as they will, and we simply have to deal with them. But I also learned that everything that happens, happens for a reason. I have learned that every challenge is a message, an opportunity to pay attention. And I have found that when I pay attention, I will always discover new things I never thought possible.

But these days, I think that how we deal with “stuff” is even more important than the outcome of our actions. “Am I doing this out of obligation? Or out of hope? Am I doing this because I believe that this makes a difference? Or because it simply needs to be completed? Can I make things better today?” These are questions I have to ask myself every day, to check where I am at and to align my daily intentions. Some days do not go well as planned, but I let it go. I have learned that the good and the bad days go hand-in-hand and that I derive great enjoyment from the good days because I had bad days to contrast it to.

I say this because it’s been a difficult year for everyone. And these days, when I work for GSSP, I always ask myself how the farmers are. Do they still have enough food on the table? Are they still able to provide for their basic needs? How are their children coping up with school? How can I use my platforms to speak for their plight? How can I make things better for them?

So yes, this is me, albeit just a small part. And these are the questions that I bring with me.