our mission
We aim to encourage community wholeness, well-being and transformation through sustainable development projects.
Board of Directors
Dr. Rob Kilpatrick - Board Chair
Rob originally taught maths, physics chemistry as a secondary school teacher. He studied theology at Carey Baptist College and UNISA, social anthropology at University of Auckland and completed his PhD in Business and Law on the topic “The business of peace-building: Redeeming the entrepreneurial spirit for reconciliation” from AUT in 2016. He has authored and co-authored journal articles and a book chapter. He is presently co-editing a book on “Re-imagining Faith and Work”.
Rob spent over 40 years in the leadership of community engagement & transformation organizations, NGOs, NFPs and for-profit businesses. Working with government bodies, academic institutions and multiple community organizations, he has developed teams with approaches ranging from hands on action to research to policy-making to advocacy. Recently he co-chaired the Joint Learning Initiative – Local Faith Communities, a multi-faith global study. The initiative aims to document the effectiveness of faith-based communities in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He helped start businesses in Papua New Guinea, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and China, with many still active.
Rob has been a Sustain board member since 2012.
Jeffrey Fullelove - Board Vice Chair
Jeff (Masters of Transformational Development) has long history of working in Myanmar. Since 2006 he’s headed Pink Jade Educational Fund building schools and supporting students in Myanmar’s remote communities.
Jeff is also actively involved with supporting the Myanmar ethnic refugee communities in Perth. Jeff has a lovely wife Margie, two sons and three grandsons. He works across eight Catholic and independent schools in the northern suburbs of Perth managing a careers program. He is also actively involved in the Joondalup Christmas Lunch and his church community.
Jeff has been a Sustain board member since 2011.
Brian Patchett - Treasurer
Brian, equipped with the spiritual gift of administration and years of experience, keeps Sustain running as our treasurer and financial specialist. He’s always happy to help problem-solve any tricky situation. He has a booming laugh for any cheeky joke that might come his way. Brian advises and does the finances for multiple non-profits
Brian has been a Sustain board member since 2012.
Eric Holmes
Eric has over four decades of experience in the development of business with an international base, many of those years spent actively mentoring individuals and organisations in a variety of locations. He has senior management experience in a variety of cultural environments and scales of operation. He is an active board member on a variety of local and international boards. He consults in the areas of compliance, policy, risk management and funding. Eric is actively involved in the development of resource material that encourages ethics and quality in all aspects of business.
Eric has been a Sustain board member since 2015.
Daffodil Sawmei - Secretary
Daffodil was born in Thay Kah Yat Village, Hlaing Bwe Township Karen State, Burma and went to Mae La Refugee Camp on the Thai Burma border as a one month old. She received her education at Mae La up to the Associate Diploma in Art and then served in the community as a teacher for two years before resettling in Australia in 2008 on a refugee visa.
After arriving in Australia, she attended AMEP and completed the Cert IV in Spoken & Written English, followed by a Cert IV in Education Support at Central TAFE.
She held several short term jobs until she found full time employment with the Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre as an Office Receptionist to Administration Support Officer in December 2011 Employment at the MMRC allowed her to expand her knowledge and experience in administration area, and gave her a greater insight into the issues faced by migrants to this great country.
While working full time, Daffodil has actively been involved in the wider community and served for 7 years as Secretary of the Australian Karen Organisation WA. She looks forward to participating in enhancing the quality of life for the children of Burma.
Daffodil joined the Sustain Board in 2017.
Nathan Willis - Public Officer
Nathan is the founder of the Australian entity which has now become Sustain Projects Myanmar. He has been involved with Myanmar since 1996. He is a former Registered Nurse with a specialisation in International Health and Development and also a current Lawyer of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and a Solicitor and Barrister of the High Court of Australia.
Nathan completed the Juris Doctor (Law) degree at the University of Southern Queensland and was awarded the Dean's Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. Nathan further completed a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Australian National University. He has been published in numerous academic journals and recently submitted his PhD thesis in relation to the rule of law in Myanmar for examination.
Nathan works in the area of Australian immigration law and represents a number of clients who have fled Myanmar due to the current situation following the military coup in 2021. His dreams for Myanmar have always reflected the dreams of the communities of Myanmar who he has had the privilege to know and work with: a country which allows the people to live free, productive and peaceful lives, now and into the future.
Nathan rejoined the Sustain Board in October 2022.
Dr Jane Edwards
Dr Jane Edwards completed her medical studies at the University of Tasmania, graduating in 1998. She completed her intern and residency years in Launceston. Following this, Jane undertook General Practice training, completing her fellowship with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2005 whilst practising in Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory.
Jane has attained a number of postgraduate qualifications, including a Diploma of Rural Medicine and a Masters of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She has spent a significant period of time living in Thailand, and has also done extensive locum and humanitarian aid work. This includes disaster relief in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, Cyclone Nargis, the Nepalese earthquake in 2015, and others. She has also taken an active role in teaching disaster response skills. As well as disaster response work, she has travelled and worked extensively through many developing countries in Asia and Africa, working in remote clinics and slums to provide both aid and health education.
Jane is a born and bred Tasmanian, and is currently living there with her adopted son and working in General Practice.
Jane joined the Sustain Board in June 2023.
STAFF
Joy Dyer - National Administrator
Joy returned to Australia in 2013 after living for almost three years in Yangon, Myanmar and nine years in the Solomon Islands. During those 12 years, Joy and her husband Colin were involved in community development. Joy specialised in health promotion. She also studied extramurally and obtained a Bachelor’s in Health Promotion and a Graduate Certificate in International Public Health.
Joy began working for Sustain in December 2014 and works from her home office. Her duties include administration, compliance, donor relations, project design and reporting. Joy and Colin have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Monica Parker - Maternal Health Coordinator
Monica Parker is from New South Wales and is a registered nurse and midwife. In 2009, she began working with Partners Relief & Development (now Sustain) in the jungles of Karen State, Myanmar as a Maternal Health Coordinator. It is Monica’s dream to train a strong core of professional midwives to serve the Karen people in the remote areas of the state. She also wants to help set professional standards in maternal health care. This includes identification and appropriate management of high-risk pregnancy and birth.
Mon is married to Saw Eh Hsu and, they have two precious twin boys. The family are currently living in NSW waiting to return to Myanmar, and Mon is supporting the program and the team of midwives remotely.