On 30th September, CARE International, with immense gratitude, said goodbye to Sofía Sprechmann Sineiro, who served as our Secretary General for four years. Sofía departs after a journey that started thirty years ago in CARE Cambodia and leaves behind an invaluable legacy to our Confederation.
Leading with her values and following her deep beliefs and passion, she listened to marginalized communities most impacted by poverty and injustices and collaborated with local partners. Over the years, she has used her positions, and the spaces afforded to her, both within CARE and on national and international platforms, to speak truth to power and how CARE, its partners, the wider sector, donors and governments, must all stand alongside marginalized communities and fight inequalities for a more just world.
Sofía has also been key in helping steer the international aid sector towards decolonising its practices. She co-founded the Pledge for Change, which aims to help re-imagine the role of INGOs in the global humanitarian and development aid system. She also participated at the highest level of humanitarian coordination as a Principal of the Inter Agency Standing Committee , chaired the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response, was frequently called upon to speak at high level events around the world, and in 2023 was recognized with the Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award.
We thank Sofia for her extensive contributions and know that she will always be a friend of CARE that carries with her an extraordinary voice around the mission and vision that we all share. We look forward to her realizing the next phase in her life’s journey leading with her profound convictions.
While CARE International begins the search for its next leader, we are pleased that Reintje van Haeringen will lead the CARE International Secretariat during this interim period. Reintje has been CEO for CARE Nederland since 2018 and was recently elected as Executive Committee Chair of CARE International. She has extensive experience in leading international development organizations and in programs throughout Africa, South-East Asia, and particularly in Latin America, where she lived and worked for 25 years.