Empower Women with Possibilities

Communities free & healed

Who We Are

We exist to see communities free and healed from the trauma of human trafficking, slavery and abuse.

Hagar is an international not-for-profit organisation on a mission to restore life and dignity for survivors of modern slavery and to prevent exploitation and abuse.

Our global programmes are led by skilled local teams and deliver holistic survivor care and trafficking prevention efforts across the Asia Pacific region.

Hagar NZ is registered with NZ Charities Services (CC50258) to raise awareness and support for Hagar’s programmes around the world.

Our Impact in 2023

Survivor Care Icon

2,859

survivors received holistic care including safe shelter, counselling, education, job training and reintegration support.

Preventing Exploitation Icon

777,363

people-at-risk for trafficking were reached with prevention education through TV and social media campaigns

Survivor Care Icon

6,359

professional counselling sessions helped survivors process trauma and grow in confidence and resilience

Influencing Change Icon

2,400

NGO staff, law enforcement officers and judges equipped to identify human trafficking victims, support survivors, and uphold policies

Hagar in New Zealand

Since 2009, Hagar NZ has been raising awareness of the global challenge of human trafficking and raising funds to support our transformative work.

Many Kiwis have no idea that slavery remains deeply ingrained within the world we live in. We’re here to highlight these issues around the country and share how each of us can be part of the solution.

Together with our donors, we aim to transform the lives of as many survivors as possible and see whole communities free from the trauma of slavery and abuse.

The Story of Hagar

Christian, Jewish and Islamic Scriptures all feature the story of Hagar, perhaps the first slave named in written history. Cast from her home because of her jealous owner, she was sent to wander the desert with her young son. Yet she encounters God in that place of death, which becomes for them a place of new life. In that encounter she declares that God is “the God who sees me.”

The story of Hagar and her son, Ishmael, is the story of millions of exploited and trafficked people today. Our organisation seeks to see and provide a kind hand of support to those struggling now just as God did for Hagar. 

Our Team

Kate Russell

Executive Director
(ONZM, FFINZ)

Kylie Malin

National Fundraising Manager

Joanne Hand

Northern Relationships Manager

Dr Andrea Herbert

Project Coordinator

Meet Our Board

Phil Badger

Chair

Phil has a strong background in the financial sector and is currently a professional director, chairman, and investor in diverse industries such as construction, horticulture, and import/export. His extensive senior management experience allows him to provide strategic governance solutions for Hagar’s operations.

Ken Lord

Board Member

Ken was a partner at Parry Field Lawyers for nearly 40 years, specialising in property, personal law, and the charitable sector. A keen musician and cyclist, Ken has served on many charity boards and is a Notary Public with a deep interest in legal language and New Zealand law.

Susan Maiava

Board Member

Susan Maiava’s career in International Development began as a VSA volunteer in Samoa, and she holds a PhD from Massey University. She co-founded the ethical directory “Fair&Good” in 2020 and has served in governance roles with the Leprosy Mission NZ and Hagar New Zealand.

Cora Granger

Board Member

Cora is a commercial lawyer at Parry Field Lawyers, specialising in property matters for charitable organisations. She joined the Hagar board in 2022, inspired by her family’s connection to the organisation’s work in Cambodia, Vietnam, and its Youth Abolition Programme.

Hannah Anderson

Board Member

With over twenty years of experience in sponsorship and fundraising, Hannah has worked with organisations like World Vision, Barnardos NZ, and the NZSO. Her passion for advocacy, combined with her expertise in strategy and financial performance, brings valuable insight to Hagar’s board.

Simon Stokes

Board Member

After retiring from an executive role in the telecommunications company he co-founded in 2002, Simon now combines his commercial experience with volunteer and governance roles. He enjoys working on his lifestyle block and running local roads and trails.

Adam Broadway

Board Member

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