I am pleased to introduce myself as the newest intern at the Anglican Alliance. My name is Ayla Mackrory-Jamieson, and I join the team having completed my first year of studies in Politics and International Relations at the London School of Economics.
Growing up hearing about the incredible work of the faith-based sector around the world, I became drawn to the work of organisations who refuse to leave the world as they find it. Therefore, in my studies, my interests lie around humanitarian response, migration, and international cooperation. Yet the most valuable thing I have learnt is that these efforts are most effective when coordinated with stakeholders at every level – solutions become sustainable when they are globally driven, yet locally implemented.
Looking to gain a greater understanding of this area of work, therefore, I sought out an organisation which centred on this bottom-up approach to change. I am so grateful to have found the Anglican Alliance – an organisation which exists to respond to humanitarian and development challenges by coordinating with global partners in order to empower local communities. This internship will allow me to experience the Anglican Alliance’s approach firsthand, working with an international team focused on meeting local need.
My interest in the Anglican Alliance stems from a passion for a broken world, and the hope Jesus and his people bring into it – I deeply admire the organisation’s mission to connect, equip, and inspire the worldwide Anglican family to work for a world free of poverty and injustice and to safeguard creation. In this role, I will be supporting the People on the Move programme, as well as communications and fundraising. I am especially eager to help amplify the stories and impact of the vital work already happening across the Communion.
What struck me most, even before arriving, was the wide scope of the Anglican Alliance’s reach – bringing together Anglican churches, agencies, and networks across more than 160 countries to address some of the world’s most pressing humanitarian and development challenges. The Anglican Alliance occupies a unique position in the global faith-based development sector: by connecting the resources, expertise, and local knowledge of the worldwide Anglican Communion, it is able to support communities in ways that are both globally connected, and deeply local in its impact.
The Anglican Alliance’s impact is difficult to measure – how can you quantify the crisis that didn’t happen because a partnership was in place, or capture the number of people who benefited from a resource which guided the response? Yet its value in uniting the Church to live out faith through action is undeniable. Whether through disaster response, advocacy for the most vulnerable, or long-term development partnerships, the Anglican Alliance demonstrates what is possible when the Church acts together with purpose and conviction.
In an increasingly divided and unstable world, there has never been a more crucial time for this kind of coordinated, values-driven action on the global stage. I feel privileged to play a small part in it, and look forward to connecting with partners, colleagues, and members of this community in the weeks and months ahead.
