The Adventist Development and Relief Agency celebrated the opening of its regional office in Africa on September 3. Located in Randburg, near Johannesburg, South Africa, the office will build the capacity of ADRA’s country offices in Africa through a variety of services, say ADRA officials. The office will provide technical assistance in projects such as health and economic development. It will also provide financial oversight of country offices in Africa, and encourage these offices in strategic planning for both daily operations and preparation for disaster response.

“This regional office will be able to provide specialized technical assistance for ADRA’s programs in Africa,” said Charles Sandefur, president of ADRA International during opening ceremonies. “This is especially important as increasingly more complex issues, such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic, affect large numbers of people in many countries.”

Staff for the new office includes Göran Hansen, ADRA’s regional vice president for Africa; Milton McHenry, associate regional vice president for programs and planning; Chantal Ikito, associate regional vice president for finance; Mike Negeri, technical advisor for health; Joseph Hayuni, technical advisor for evaluation; and Marlon Butler, technical advisor for economic development.