Book on the life of Zena Daysh Published!

CHEC is proud to announce the publication of Zena Daysh: An Extraordinary Woman, a biography celebrating the life, work, and enduring legacy of CHEC's visionary founder. Written by HEF Trustee Margaret Evans and CHEC Honorary Patron and HEF Trustee Ian Douglas, the book is available here on the CHEC website at with an eBook edition available on both Kindle Unlimited and Kindle for a small fee. All proceeds from the book will go toward future CHEC projects! A paperback copy will also be available later this summer.

Born in New Zealand in 1914 and active on the world stage until her passing in 2011, Dr. Zena Daysh was a pioneering force in the field of Human Ecology whose contribution to the Commonwealth and the global community was widely recognised as outstanding. A passionate advocate for the relationship between people and their environments, she dedicated her life to building bridges between governments, civil society, and communities across the Commonwealth — championing sustainable development decades before it entered the mainstream conversation. Her founding of CHEC in 1969 created an organisation that continues to this day to advance the principles she held dear.

This book offers an intimate portrait of a remarkable life — from her early years in New Zealand to her decades of influence at international conferences, the United Nations, and within the Commonwealth family. For those who knew Zena, and for those discovering her legacy for the first time, this biography is both a tribute and an inspiration.