Kajsa Johansson SCA’s new chairman
Kajsa Johansson, 41, was elected as the SCA’s new chairman at the annual meeting on May 30. She wants to develop the advocacy work in Sweden for a better aid and sees the challenges in Afghanistan as greater than before.
Why did you want to become a chairman?
– I felt it was an opportunity to further influence and contribute to the organization. I have both worked for SCA in Afghanistan and had assignments here at home but also been involved in developing the member movement and increasing commitment. I see this as an opportunity to continue working, not least with the member movement. The role of the board is important in the difficult time Afghanistan is facing.
– SCA is an organization that I know a lot about and I am proud and happy to be able to contribute to the work both in Sweden and Afghanistan.
How did you get involved in SCA?
– I worked for SCA as a civil society coordinator in Afghanistan in 2013 and then I gave a lot of lectures. It became natural to continue that commitment.
What challenges do you see ahead?
– In Afghanistan, the situation is uncertain and unpredictable. So it has been such for a long time, but it feels even more unpredictable now than before. That is the biggest challenge: how do we navigate, how do we continue to be relevant, how can we continue to do our job and at the same time ensure the safety of our staff?
– We cannot take the one-percent target of the Gross National Income in Sweden for aid for granted. Therefore, we must work with SCA’s role and visibility in the political debate in Sweden. There I can contribute with my experience. We have gained momentum with the member engagement issue, it is extremely important that the board sees it as a strategic issue. The project “Member movement 2021” has not been finalized, it is now the time to act. If we do not have the public support in Sweden for our work, then our work in Afghanistan will fail.
What’s the best thing about SCA?
– We have been on the side of the Afghan people for so long time and have not given up but really continued to work. It is admirable to stick to an idea.