Meet the Team

The Team in the UK: Walezi-caregivers Kenya

Karen Bunning

Chair

Karen is Professor of Language, Communication and Developmental Disabilities at the University of East Anglia. A qualified speech and language therapist, she has worked in higher education since 1994. She has managed a series of research projects both in the UK and Kenya that reflect her interest in the lives of children with learning and developmental disabilities, and her commitment to human rights and community inclusion.

Kanchan Kapoor

Trustee

Kanchan Kapoor is an ACCA-qualified finance professional with 20 years of leadership experience in NGO financial management across South-East Asia, Europe, and Africa. She has dedicated her career to social protection and human rights, with a particular focus on child protection, youth, and caregiver empowerment.


A British national based in Paris, Kanchan previously lived in Cambodia and Thailand, where she served as CFO and Deputy Executive Director for 18 years for a high-impact INGO. She specialises in financial management, strategic oversight, financial sustainability, budgeting, reporting, and presenting complex financial data in an accessible way.


Kanchan has successfully managed funding from major donors, including UNICEF, USAID, GFATM, ADB, and the EU. She is skilled at designing financial systems that balance compliance with operational realities, strengthening financial governance, mitigating risks, and embedding safeguarding into financial frameworks to ensure impact without exploitation.


With a human-centred approach, Kanchan values humility and continuous learning. She believes that financial systems should serve the people and communities at the heart of an organisation’s mission, ensuring accountability, adaptability, and long-term sustainability.

Joe Waring

Secretary

Joe worked as a qualified social worker and managed day care and residential establishments for adults with learning disabilities in London and Norfolk. During his managerial career, Joe steered the services for which he was responsible to success in Chartermark Awards for Excellence. Now retired, Joe continues to offer holidays for adults with learning disabilities at home in Norfolk. Joe has enjoyed travelling to Kenya and countries in South America.

Lizi Hartley

Trustee

Lizi was born in Kenya and then lived in Lesotho and Nigeria during her childhood. She trained as a teacher in the UK and has taught in America, UK and Australia. She has developed many skills in supporting and teaching children with special needs but her passion lies with promoting and utilizing art experiences to inform the development and improve the quality of life of children as they grow up in this uncertain world. Lizi has also been involved in community development projects in Sri Lanka with disabled children. She has also worked in Fiji with women’s craft groups, helping to identify their strengths and utilize them to make a living.

Tribute to Sally Diane Hartley

24th July 1946-5th December 2025

Person in a pink floral dress standing on stone steps in a lush garden.

Sally Diane Hartley was a founder member of Walezi-caregivers Kenya. A qualified speech and language therapist and audiologist, Sally spent most of her adult career engaged in research and development in low-income communities of the world. She co-founded the pan-African organisation Community-based rehabilitation Africa Network (CAN) in 2021 and served as one of the editors and authors of the Community-based rehabilitation and inclusive development guidelines (World Health Organisation, 2010) and the very first World report on disability (WHO, 2011). Sally lost her battle with cancer on 5th December 2025. She possessed a spirit of kindness and generosity that will be missed by all those who had the pleasure of working with her. 

THE TEAM IN KENYA: WALEZI FOUNDATION

Joseph Karisa Gona

Joseph Karisa Gona is Executive Director of Walezi Foundation Kenya, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) providing services to caregivers of children and adults with disabilities. He has lived and worked in Kilifi County Kenya and is familiar with the local culture and languages. He has coordinated and supported community-based self-help groups for caregivers of children with disabilities since 2015. Joseph Gona has a background in teaching and assessment of children with special educational needs. He has a Master’s degree in international development and completed his PhD by publication in 2016 at the University of Tilburg, Netherlands. Dr Gona set up Walezi Foundation Kenya NGO in 2022.

Michael Kahindi Kashuru

Michael Kahindi Kashuru is a Pastor of an evangelical church. He has facilitated the bringing together of caregivers through his church.

Eddah Sauti

Eddah Sauti is a graduate teacher. She teaches in a secondary school. She has a  passion for serving the community. She is also versed in basic accounting skills.

Alfred Jira

Alfred Jira is a retired civil servant who formerly worked in the department of criminal investigation within the government police force. He is now involved in community development agendas.

Stellah Miki Ziro

Stellah Miki Ziro is a community health promoter with the Ministry of Health. In her work she supported many children with disabilities by referring them for intervention. She has also been involved in the creation of self-help groups for caregivers.