Meet Our Program Manager, Hayley Saxby

February 02, 2026 | News

Hayley joined the Give Freedom International team in March 2025 in the newly expanded role of Program Manager, bringing a wealth of expertise, passion, and vision to the team.

Hayley lives in Northern Queensland with her husband and three children, and when she’s not passionately working with the team you can find her cheering on her children at sports events, or training for running events alongside her husband.

Can you share a little about your professional background and the experiences that have shaped your journey to this role?

In 2010 I came across an article about human trafficking and was astonished that something so horrific was happening while so few people in Australia knew about it. Eventually the knowledge became too much, and my husband and I left our jobs to volunteer with an anti-trafficking organisation in Cambodia for two months, which turned into almost 10 years. I worked with two incredible organisations: one providing aftercare to rescued and at-risk children, and the other offering vocational training and employment to women survivors.

Living in Cambodia opened my eyes to how complex trafficking is, and I realised that without strong program design there was a real risk of unintentionally causing harm. This led me to complete a master’s degree in International and Community Development.

Since then, I’ve worked with organisations across Asia and the Pacific supporting vulnerable communities.

Give Freedom International is committed to locally-led partnerships, why do you believe this approach is important for creating sustainable impact?

I learnt both through my time living in Cambodia and working with Indonesian organisations that those on the front lines fighting for change are the experts. They know the context, the culture, the difficulties, and will know what works best for the communities that are involved. It is not the role of a development worker or development organisations to come in and make changes based on their own understanding and experience because this just wouldn’t be effective.

Development organisations need to approach any field partner relationship by first listening and learning, then working collaboratively to ensure context-specific solutions are delivered and the best possible outcome for all involved is achieved. Not only does it result in better outcomes, it also means field partners are more invested in and have more ownership over the work, leading to better longevity and sustainability of projects.

What excites you most about joining Give Freedom International at this time in its journey?

I feel incredibly privileged to be joining Give Freedom International at this exciting time. Over the years the team at Give Freedom International has done an amazing job at laying the foundations not only in getting the Pokhara Project to a place where we are ready to break ground, but also in establishing a truly collaborative relationship between Give Freedom International and 3 Angels Nepal. I am now in a position where I am seeing the fruit of all their efforts and am able to continue to build upon the work they have done.

Why is Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) so important in international development programs and projects?

Without a strong MEL plan you have no way of knowing if the work you are doing is actually making a positive difference in the lives of those people and communities you’re trying to support. It’s essential across all stages of the project lifecycle from planning to project completion. It also allows projects to respond and adjust to unexpected findings to increase the effectiveness while protecting the overall vision and goals of the project. Most importantly, good MEL will always put the individual at the centre of what they are doing, ensuring program participants are receiving the support they need in a way that is most impactful for them.

How do you see strong measurement and evaluation practices helping Give Freedom International and our partners achieve greater impact?

Strong measurement and evaluation practices at Give Freedom creates transparency and builds trust with our stakeholders as we work to create change in Pokhara, Nepal. Donors and Foundation members can see how we responsibly steward their contributions and the impact they are having on The Pokhara Project and 3 Angels Nepal’s program participants. Our field partners can trust that our approach is evidence-based and adaptable, while our governing bodies in Australia can be confident we comply with all regulations. Most importantly the program participants at 3 Angels Nepal know that the approach taken in program delivery is based on strong and current evidence creating effective and sustainable support and outcomes in their lives.

What are you most looking forward to as you begin working with our partner 3 Angels Nepal and The Pokhara Project?

To have this role working alongside 3 Angels Nepal is a dream come true. The extent of the work they do in Nepal is nothing short of remarkable. I am very excited to continue to build relationships with 3 Angels Nepal and learn from their experiences over the years. To hear of their challenges and successes and work together to ensure ongoing success and impact of their programs for years to come. To be entering this role as we are about to break ground on the Pokhara Project is such a privilege, it’s been a vision of 3 Angels Nepal for so long, and I’m thrilled to see the vision come to life, and witness the impact it will have on so many lives.