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The International Working Committee was a transitional leadership Committee that contributed by building and strengthening HomeNet International from the launching virtual Congress in February 2021 — when they were approved by HNI delegates — until the 2nd Congress that took place in Kathmandu, Nepal, in April 2023.
Betty Lunkuse is the founder of Envirojewels and the Uganda representative on the Africa Regional Platform. She received the award for most women-led innovative solution for food sustainability in Africa 2020.
Edwin Bett has experience working with women in economic empowerment and advocacy. He’s been working as the coordinator of Kenya Federation for Alternative Trade, affiliated to the World Fair Trade Organization and has served as board director of the World Fair Trade Organization.
Jemimah Nyakongo is a hands on home-based worker that has experience working with women in the community, mobilising and organising. She is the organizing secretary to Rachuonyo Women Group affiliated to HomeNet Kenya and is the current Chairperson to HomeNet Kenya.
Edileuza Guimarães is the president of Atemdo - Associação de Trabalhadores em Domicílio da Economia Solidária in Brazil. She is also a member of the Interim Committee of COTRADO ALAC and has been strongly engaged in the Solidarity Economy movement since 2005 and is active in the causes that support workers from all segments of the informal economy.
Patricia Coñoman is currently the Councilwoman for the El Bosque commune in Chile. She is also the coordinator of Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores en Domicilio Chile (CONATRADO) and member of the Interim Committee of COTRADO ALAC. She was president of the union CONTEXTIL (1975-2015) and was part of the leadership of the Central Unitaria de los Trabajadores (CUT) in Chile (1988-2017).
Veronica Lopez is the secretary of youth and representative responsible to support the organization of HBWs in the Confederacion de Trabajadores por Cuenta Propia Nicaragua (CTCP). She is also the representative of CTCP for StreetNet International, a member of the Interim Committee of COTRADO ALAC and member of the Committee of Youth from the Trade Union Confederation of Workers of the Americas (TUCA).
Firoza Mehrotra is a member of HomeNet South Asia's Advisory Board. HNSA is a network of HBWs’ organizations collectively representing over one million HBWs. She retired from the Indian Administrative Service and has over 46 years of experience of working both at the policy and field levels.
Manali Shah is the national secretary of SEWA, a national trade union representing 1.7 million informal economy women workers of India. She has worked with SEWA for over 31 years.
Saira Feroze is the finance secretary of HBWWF, it's a first ever trade union of women HBWs in Pakistan. She is also general secretary of Unite HB Workers Union. She is a HBW herself and has worked with HBWWF for over 15 years.
Lourdes A. Gula is the national president of PATAMABA, National Network of Informal Workers in the Philippines, executive committee member of HNSEA and has 46 years experience in community organizing.
Poonsap S. Tulaphan is a board member of HomeNet Thailand Association and the director of the Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion (FLEP).
Suntaree Saeng-ging started working with informal workers, including HBWs, 30 years ago during the establishment of HomeNet Thailand, where she is currently a board member. She is also the regional coordinator of HomeNet South East Asia
Chris Bonner is the former director of the WIEGO Organization and Representation Programme. In 2018, she was asked to support the HNI Working Group in their efforts to build a global network of HBWs’ organizations and now sits as an ex-officio member of the HNI Working Committee.
Laura Morillo works as WIEGO’s Officer of the Organization and Representation Programme in Latin America. She has been supporting global networking among home-based workers organizations, and also collaborating with organizations of workers in the informal economy to organize for the improvement of their working and living conditions.
Janhavi Dave is the first International Coordinator of HomeNet International and was formerly the Coordinator of HomeNet South Asia. She previously worked with the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO). She has over 15 years of work experience of organising and building membership-based organisations of informal economy women workers.
Vanessa Pillay is WIEGO's coordinator of the Organization and Representation Programme in Africa. She provides support to membership-based organizations of workers in the informal economy to build and strengthen their organizations for greater visibility and a strong collective voice to advocate for their worker rights. Her background revolves around doing workers' education in the trade union movement.
