From social work in 1970s Britain to community projects in Uganda, Jay Greene reflects on a lifetime spent challenging injustice, supporting vulnerable communities and why she believes partnership, not charity, is the key to lasting change.
Some people dedicate their careers to success. Others dedicate their lives to service.
For decades, she has quietly worked to improve the lives of others, as a social worker, community leader, environmental campaigner and advocate for social justice. Whether supporting vulnerable families in Britain or visiting development projects in Uganda, one principle has remained constant: everyone has a responsibility to help make the world a better place.
That belief began at home.
Watching her mother serve as a district nurse and midwife, she witnessed first-hand the realities of poverty and inequality. Rather than simply treating illness, her mother sought to improve lives, leaving a lasting impression that would shape her daughter’s future.
Her years as a social worker during the 1970s and 1980s exposed her to the harsh realities of injustice. One experience from her very first day has never left her, a Pakistani father and son appearing in court without an interpreter, unable to understand what was happening around them. It was a moment that reinforced how easily systems can fail those who need support the most.
Later, while raising her own children, she volunteered to teach English to Pakistani women in their homes. Through families such as Naseem’s and Farmina’s, she experienced the discrimination many communities faced, including frightening encounters with members of the National Front. Those experiences strengthened her lifelong commitment to equality and inclusion.
Her understanding of development expanded further in 1999 when she travelled to Uganda on a Millennium Award.
Among the many projects she visited, one stood out. Six elderly women had used a small microloan to buy piglets, raise them and work together to transport them to a better market across the border, dramatically increasing their income. For her, it demonstrated the power of enterprise supported by opportunity rather than dependency.
Another unforgettable memory came from a farm school for children orphaned by AIDS. A thirteen-year-old boy proudly showed her the maize he had grown. When asked what he would do with the profits, he simply pointed to his younger brothers and sisters and explained that he used the money to pay for their education. It was a powerful reminder that investment in one person can transform an entire family.
Reflecting on today’s challenges, she believes one of the greatest threats facing young people is hopelessness. Whether in Britain or Bangladesh, too many feel the barriers before them are impossible to overcome. This often forces young people away from their communities in search of opportunity elsewhere, leaving rural areas weaker and exposing many to exploitation.
It is this challenge that makes the Futuredesh model resonate with her.
Rather than relying on traditional charity, she sees Futuredesh’s approach as one that combines investment, enterprise and community ownership in a way that allows everyone to benefit. Investors receive returns, local organisers build opportunities, and farming families gain sustainable livelihoods. More importantly, communities develop skills and confidence that remain long after the initial investment.
Throughout her life, her Christian faith has been the guiding force behind her work. The principles of compassion, service and stewardship have shaped both her professional career and voluntary service. She believes we are not owners of the world but caretakers, with a duty to leave it in a better condition for future generations.
Yet perhaps her proudest achievement came not through her own work, but through the next generation. When her eldest son spoke at an International Women’s Day conference about the people who had inspired him, he chose his mother as his greatest influence. For her, that represented the true meaning of success—not only changing lives directly, but inspiring others to continue the work.
Her message to future leaders is both simple and powerful:
“The future belongs to you. You cannot leave change to someone else. Every one of us must play our part. But remember, you are never alone. Lasting change happens when we work together, and partnership is the key.”
