Ep 29. Shirah Mansaray, Founder & CEO I Am Somebody's Child Soldier: Being part of the solution

The Charity CEO Podcast

“Technology has an incredible role to play in helping us deal with the challenges of children not being able to access education … but its (impact) is only in how we harness that technology and ensure that it’s grounded in local contexts and local needs.”
Shirah Mansaray is the Founder and CEO of the charity, I Am Somebody’s Child Soldier.
Having recently joined the Board of Amnesty International UK, Shirah talks about how from a young age she has felt compelled to address human rights issues and give children a voice.
I Am Somebody’s Child Soldier is dedicated to empowering and supporting former child soldiers and victims of war in Uganda, through education, rehabilitation and mental health initiatives.
Shirah also shares her experiences on often being the only black female leader in a boardroom; and provides practical advice on what organisations can do to genuinely embed change and champion true Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Recorded December 2021.
Guest Biography
Shirah Mansaray is the CEO and founding trustee of the international charity, I Am Somebody’s Child Soldier, which provides mental health support to former child victims of war in Uganda. Shirah has over 15 years’ experience working in the humanitarian field, with organisations ranging from the United Nations and the Human Rights and Economic Affairs Department at the Council of Europe, Strasbourg. Shirah is a Non-Executive Director and Trustee of Amnesty International UK.
Shirah is passionate about advocating for mental health as a fundamental human right for populations in the Global South and worldwide.
Shirah is currently a PhD scholar at University College London (UCL) conducting academic and industry research on healthcare policies and architectures that promote mental health through design responsibility and sustainable environmental design. She has a Master’s degree in Development, Technology and Innovation Policy from UCL, where her thesis interrogated the efficacy of the World Food Program’s Blockchain based digital identification system and the data privacy rights of refugees.
Shirah is a trained lawyer and is currently seconded to Bates Wells LLP where she advises charities, non-profits and civil society organisations in the UK and internationally on governance matters, commercial agreements, charity law and human rights law.
Links https://www.iamsomebodyschildsoldier.org/
This episode was sponsored by EdenTree Investment Management.
https://www.edentreeim.com/insights/edentree-sponsor-the-charity-ceo-podcast-season-3