Management Committee
As a refugee community organisation we are governed by our trustees and accountable to them for the efficient running of the forum
Mr Vejdan Efravi (Chair)
Vejdan is the co-ordinator of Ahwazi Cultural Centre in the UK. He has been working in the voluntary sector supporting people from refugee background for the last 15 years.
Vejdan has served into several management committees in the past including SRCF’s management committee. He has a lot of experience and knowledge around governance, immigration, and community needs.
Pauline Nandoo (Secretary)
Pauline is the co-ordinator of Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers.
She has been working for over 20 years to help relieve poverty and distress and promote health and further education for asylum seekers and refugees in Southwark.
Pauline is one of the founders of Southwark Refugee Communities Forum and she has been playing an active role in the development of the organisation since 2003.
Pauline has received an OBE in recognition of her support to refugees and asylum seekers in Southwark
Manuel Monade (Treasurer)
Manuel has been involved with the Voluntary Sector in Southwark for the past 20 years working with refugees and asylum seekers.
He is the current Chair for Southwark Refugee and Migrant Project, an organisation which offers ESOL classes and social activities for our clients boroughwide.
Manuel joined SRCF in 2019 because he considers this organisation as playing a central role in supporting other groups and giving a voice to refugees locally.
Yohannes Sibhatu (Director)
Yohannes is the coordinator of the Eritrean Community Centre.
He has in-depth experience and knowledge in running refugee community organisations and providing spiritual advice and guidance to people from the Eritrean community.
The Eritrean Community Centre provides mother tongue education and supplementary education to young Eritreans and anyone in Southwark wishing to access the services. Subjects offered are: Tigrinya, English, Mathematics, IT
Mr Faisal Maramazi (Director)
Faisal has been the chair of the Ahwazi Community Association (ACA) since 2011. He has a master in Computer System and Networking from South Bank University and is currently working as a personal assistant.
Faisal is a supporter of the rights of Ahwazi Arabs and he has been the Executive Director of the Ahwazi Centre for Human Rights since 2013.
Faisal is currently working towards his PhD degree at Brunel University
Nihaya Al-Othmani (Director)
Nihaya works as a personal tutor for ESOL and Arabic language. She has worked as employment consultant for Southwark Works and Southwark Refugee Project for 11 years. She has also worked as a teacher and headteacher for Arabic Language school at Arab Cultural Association/ Southwark for 6 years.
Nihaya has been awarded The London Borough of Southwark CIVIC award because of her contribution in support of refugees and asylum seekers, especially women.
She has a master’s degree in management and leadership coupled with a bachelor in modern languages .
Nihaya enjoys getting involved in community and cultural activities.