Willing Hearts International Society – Canada

· WHISCA Board of Directors elected at the June AGM

KHAYANGA JENIPHER WASIKE
PRESIDENT,
FOUNDER OF LCRC

Khayanga Jenipher Wasike was born and raised in Musembe village, Lugari district, Western Province, Kenya, Khayanga holds a B. Ed. from Nairobi University, Teaching Certificates from Kenyatta University and Kericho Teachers College, a Masters of Social Work (MSW) and a Diploma in counselling from the University of British Columbia.

Ms Wasike has worked in various capacities in the field of education: teacher and administrator, at both elementary and high school, and in many countries: Kenya, China, Japan, and Canada. She has extensive experience in Program development, training, facilitation and outreach; vast knowledge in community health and development. She is the founder of the Lugari Community Resource Centre (LCRC) in her native village.

Ms Wasike currently works as a Cross-Cultural Health Promoter for a Community Health Centre in Vancouver. She provides medical support, legal advocacy, counselling, crisis intervention, program development and implementation.

---

ALISON WARD
VICE-PRESIDENT,
FOUNDING MEMBER OF LCRC

Alison Ward holds a BA in economics from McGill University, with specialization in development economics; a law degree from the University of Toronto; has TESOL training; has served on numerous boards in various capacities, and is a founding member of LCRC, Musembe, Kenya.

Ms Ward has extensive international work experience in Togo, India, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Guatemala, and Kenya. In addition, she has undertaken independent travel to Haiti, Bolivia, Peru, Nepal, Morocco, Thailand, and Europe. Ms Ward is fluent in French, Spanish, some Mandarin, and is learning Swahili.

As a staff lawyer with BC's legal aid plan for the past 15 years, Ms Ward, has practised poverty and family law. She currently runs a Community Advocate Support Line project.

---

KRISTI YURIS
Secretary

Kristi Yuris holds degrees in political Science and Law, graduating from the University of British Columbia Law Faculty in 2002. Her studies focused significantly on human rights, administrative law, and social justice issues in both the national and international arenas. She has also served as President and Secretary on two different boards.

Ms Yuris has worked in the non-profit community, providing legal advocacy services to low-income and disabled individuals. She is currently Manager of Advocacy Services in Vancouver and has developed extensive skills in the areas of human resource and personnel management, financial and contract operations, community relations, and client case management services.

---

AGNES NKUNDABAGENZI
Treasurer

Agnes Nkundabagenzi is a Certified Management Accountant and holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the Université du Québec á Montréal.

Ms Nkundabegenzi, a native of Rwanda, was Director of Finance and Administration of the Treatment and Research Centre (TRAC) on a one-year contract to guide the institution through partnerships with Centre for Disease Control (CDC), World Bank, and the Global Monetary Fund. Agnes has also been a controller for several companies before moving into consulting where she is currently the Controller for ProActive ReSolutions Inc (PRI) in Yaletown Vancouver , BC.

---

DINNY CORNWALL
Director

Dinny Cornwall is a native of Trinidad Tobago and has recently trained as an Information Technology Specialist with 15 years of experience in retail sales. She is an active member of the Vancouver Community College Student Leadership Group.

Volunteer work has been a passion for Ms Cornwall, and during the past four years, she has worked with Frontier College as a tutor in the Fresh Start Program, helping teenage high school dropouts to complete grade 12 diploma requirements; assisted seniors in the literacy program at the Lotus Light Chinese Community Centre; and currently assists clients at the African Immigrant and Refugee Women's Society to integrate into the Canadian society by improving their written and spoken communication skills.

---

CARRIE-JANE WILLIAMS
Director

Carrie-Jane Williams, holds BEd and BA degrees from Memorial University of Newfoundland and is currently completing a Master's of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language at UBC. Her thesis research focuses on the digital literacy practices and identities of young Ugandans learning to use the dGranary Digital Library. In 2008, Ms Williams spent time in rural Uganda conducting this research and establishing Afripads, a local business to provide girls with washable sanitary napkins , thus preventing absences from school. Ms Williams volunteered with Frontier College African Women's Support Group and Nfdld Association for New Canadians. Ms Williams currently works part-time as teacher-on-call with the Vancouver School Board.

---

GERALDINE GRABER
Director,
Founder of WHISCA

Geraldine Graber holds a Ph D degree from Oregon State University. Graduate studies at UBC and OSU centered on education, speech communication with a specialization in multicultural education, and a minor in English as an Additional Language. Under-graduate work included a major in English in addition to professional teaching certificates in three provinces. Teaching experience ranged from primary to graduate education students at Eastern Washington University.

Upon retirement, Ms Graber began training English teachers in Chad and Cameroon. She founded Willing Hearts International Society-Canada (WHISCA) in 2004 to provide for AIDS orphans, to support education, and to foster independent living through employment training in Chad and, currently, in Kenya.

---