The ARDC Team

Yohannes Lemma Bayu, Director
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Yohannes Bayu, a recognized refugee, received his undergraudate degree in Social Sciences from the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, specializing on HIV/AIDS prevention and counseling. Before he was forced to leave Ethopia in 1997 because of political persecution and government harassment, he worked for various non-governmental organizations in HIV/AIDS counseling and prevention programs. He also worked two years for Doctors without Borders as a special advisor on a HIV/AIDS prevention project in Addis Ababa. Mr Bayu was only granted political asylum in Israel, however, some five years after his arrival following a 23-day hunger strike on the steps of the Refugee Commissioner’s office and an order of Israel’s Supreme Court. Driven by such experiences, Bayu resolved to help the thousands of other asylum seekers escaping to Israel and founded the African Refugee Development Center (ARDC) the following year in 2004.

Ilan Lonai Weiner, Organizational Development Coordinator
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Ilan Lonai Weiner received his bachelors in history summa cum laude from the Hebrew University in 2006. Prior to joining ARDC Staff he had established a student body promoting Israeli accountability, winning the Minerva human rights award for 2004. He has worked as Director of Activism and Campaigns at Amnesty International Israel for four years, and as an independent organizational consultant with a variety of Israeli NGO's. He has extensive experience in lobbying, policy and public campaigning on refugee rights and other human rights issues. Ilan's responsibilities at ARDC include financial management, budgetary management, human resources and organizational development.

Amy Stringer, Program Manager
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Amy Stringer, originally from Birmingham, England, graduated with a degree in French and German from the University of Liverpool. She has studied and worked in Austria and France, volunteered in North Africa, and worked as a journalist at Senegal's state-affiliated radio station. While in Senegal, Amy researched and wrote her dissertation on the phenomenon of street children. In 2009 Amy joined Sahir House, where she worked with individuals and families infected with and affected by HIV. Later, at the Jerusalem AIDS Project, she researched culturally relevant and sensitive HIV/AIDS prevention methods in the contexts of South and West Africa and South-East Asia. Amy joined the ARDC in November 2009, as Donation and Medical Escort Coordinator. Amy took over the position of Program Manager in July 2010.

Karen Douglas, Resource Development Coordinator
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Karen Douglas has a Master of Laws degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and focused her studies on human rights and international humanitarian law. Prior to arriving in Israel in 2008, she worked as land rights lawyer for four years for non-profit organisations representing the remote Indigenous communities on Cape York Peninsula and central Queensland in Australia. She joined the ARDC in July 2009 and became the Resource Development Coordinator in December 2009.

Hadas Yaron, Legal Aid Project Coordinator
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Hadas Yaron, social anthropologist, was awarded a PhD degree from Cambridge University in 2006 and is currently a lecturer at the Academic College Tel Aviv Yafo since 2007. Ms Yaron held the position of Refugee Coordinator for Amnesty International the Israel Section from 2007 until 2009 and continues her work today with Amnesty as part of the office's educational section.

Benjamin Hassan, Psychotherapy Project Coordinator
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Benjamin Hassan, BSC, MA, ADIP has a bachelor degree in Counselling and Therapeutic studies, a Masters degree in Psychotherapy and an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy. All of his counselling and psychotherapy training was completed in London at Regents College School of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology. He has significant clinical experience of working with a range of human difficulties with individuals and groups of all ages and diverse backgrounds. His areas of interest are surrounding issues of loss, transition, torture, disfiguration, national tragedy and trauma.

Diddy Mymin Kahn, Counselling Psychotherapy Project Clinical Coordinator
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Diddy did an undergraduate degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Education, Social Anthropology and Psychology and qualified as a Clinical Psychologist at Bar Ilan University in Israel. She has additional specialist training in the UK in systemic psychotherapy, group analysis, compassionate mind training, mindfulness training and EMDR. She is currently completing a doctorate through the Tavistock Clinic and Essex University in the UK. Diddy has 18 years clinical experience working as a therapist, supervisor, trainer and consultant. She has experience in individual, family and group therapy with people a wide range of difficulties. She has a particular interest and expertise in working with survivors of trauma in general, but particularly, in the context of rape, childhood abuse, and political violence.

Ben Chesler, Education Team Coordinator
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Ben Chesler is a graduate of the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies. Ben taught English at the University of Rouen in France for a year and a half, and most recently completed a traineeship at the Council of Europe in the division for Citizenship and Human Rights Education.

Nic Schlagman, Shelter Manager
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Nic Schlagman graduated from Sussex University with a degree in Philosophy. Since arriving in Israel in 2004, Mr Schlagman has worked in education and tour guiding. He has volunteered with the ARDC since early 2009 in various capacities including organising volunteers, planning events, supporting the humanitarian projects, running activities for the children living our hostels and fundraising.

Michal Zimry, Humanitarian Coordinator
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Michal is a social worker and a family and couple therapist. She has a degree in special education for the deaf and a second degree in educational counseling. She has additional training in Trauma therapy. Michal has a wide range of experience working with individuals with special needs, families with multiple difficulties, parental skill training, group work and professional group supervision. At the ARDC Michal is responsible for the psycho-social care of the families and children.

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