THE TEAM BEHIND KAWI
The Kenya AIDS Watch Institute is the brainchild of a group of
professionals drawn from various fields of expertise. They
came together to formulate a way of effectively countering the threat to Kenya
posed by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and, as a result, KAWI was formed
to harmonize the activities of Kenya's more than a thousand organizations
that deal with HIV/AIDS and related issues.
DIRECTORS
Francis Kajumo:
A molecular virologist based in New
York who, for the last two years, has been working as a research
scientist for Progenics Pharmaceuticals at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He was involved in several
projects for five years at the Aaron
Diamond Aids Research Centre in New York researching the mechanisms of HIV's entry
and vaccine design. He is involved in several projects concerning HIV and
Hepatitis C drug design and development. Francis did his graduate work at
New York University.
Dr William Kiarie:
. A graduate of
the University of Nairobi, where he studied pharmacy, Dr Kiarie also holds
an MBA from the United States International University. For many years, he has worked in the pharmaceutical industry in various capacities,
including managerial roles. He has done extensive research in HIV/AIDS,
focusing mainly on its social and economic impacts. With Dr William Muraah,
he has co-authored the book
HIV/AIDS - Facts that could change your life.
Prof Kihumbu Thairu: A don at the University of Nairobi,
where he was once Dean of the Faculty of Medicine as well
as the founding chairman of the Kenya Medical Research Institute, KEMRI,
has also headed the Commonwealth Secretariat's Health Department in London
for 10 years and been instrumental to raising HIV/AIDS awareness in East
Africa. Prof Thairu studied at Uganda's Makerere University, and in
Britain.
Prof Edward Karanja: Prof Karanja is a lecturer at the
City University of New York, in New York City, USA. He studied at New York's New
School of Social Research, as well as at Columbia
University.
Dr William M. Muraah: Studied Pharmacy at the University of Nairobi,
where he also holds an MBA in Startegic Management. He has worked in the
Pharmaceutical Industry for over ten years, six of them managing an HIV
franchise. He is also co-author with Dr. William Kiarie of the much
acclaimed book; “HIV and AIDS: Facts that
could change your LIFE”.
Dr Sobbie Mulindi:
A lecturer at the University of Nairobi Medical School, and a staff member
of Nairobi's Kenyatta National Hospital, where he chairs the HIV/AIDS Committee. He
has written extensively on HIV/AIDS related issues and participated in
many local and international conferences on HIV/AIDS.
Dr Amu Anzala: A virologist attached to the
University of Nairobi Medical School, where he heads the Kenya AIDS Vaccine
Initiative (KAVI).Dr Anzala is one of Kenya's
leading pioneers in HIV/AIDS research, with extensive publications.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS
Dr Peter Arimi: Currently working in Botswana, Dr Arimi is the
Study Physician of the Botswana-Harvard University Partnership. A graduate
of the University of Nairobi Medical School, he has participated in many
HIV/AIDS seminars and conferences in Kenya and abroad.
Dr Ann Pertet: The CEO/Coordinator of the Social Science and Medicines in
Africa Network (SOMANET), which is based in Nairobi.
Dr Pertet was educated at the University of Nairobi where she specialised in
Child-Health and Nutrition. She is extensively published in these areas
and is presently researching into the role of nutrition in the management
of HIV/AIDS.
Dr Kang'ethe Gitu:: A former Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of Labour and a former Director of Economic Planning, Dr Gitu is also widely known among the donor community,
where he has worked or rendered consultancy services to such organizations
as CIDA, UNAID and the World Bank, among others. He has written
extensively and provocatively on issues relating to poverty as well as the
implications of HIV/AIDS on Kenya's socio-economic scene. Dr Gitu was
educated at the University of California in the US.
Dr Jedidah Danson: Dr Danson is a microbiologist at New York's Cornell
University, now doing research in Kenya under a
grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. She studied at the University
of Nairobi and in Japan.
Dr Patrick Monyenye: A lecturer at the University of Nairobi, where he is
Chairman of the Philosophy Department and Deputy Dean of the Faculty
of Arts. Dr Monyenye is an active participant in KAWI's HIV/AIDS
seminars and conferences, where he has presented provocative papers on
moral/cultural issues relating to HIV/AIDS.
Mr Amboka Andere: A well-known Kenyan journalist, currently the managing editor of
The Kenya Times, and a former editor of
The Weekly Review. Mr Andere was educated at the University of Nairobi
Dr Surendra Patel: The physician in charge of the HIV/Clinical Research
Programme at Nairobi's M.P. Shah Hospital,he has participated
extensively in HIV/AIDS seminars and conferences in Kenya as well as
abroad.
Dr J. Amolo Aluoch: A leading Nairobi physician
now in private practice, he is a keen participant and contributor to HIV/AIDS
seminars and conferences. He is also a
distinguished leader of the Kenya Medical Association (KMA).
Wanjiru Waweru: A senior occupational therapist at Washington D.C's Children’s National
Medical Centre, she is a former Head of the Pedriatic
Department at Nairobi's Kenya Medical Training College.
She is also a trained counsellor and has been working closely with the
HIV/AIDS infected and affected at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Mrs Ann Njeri Mbugua: A well-known Kenyan lawyer educated at the
University of Nairobi, Ms Mbugua focuses on legal issues
relating to HIV/AIDS.
Mr` Bedan Mbugua: A
pharmacist by training from the University of California at Berkeley, he is
also a well-recognized journalist and newspaper publisher, who has
dedicated part of his publications to sensitizing Kenyans about the
HIV/AIDS pandemic. Additionally, Mr Mbugua has introduced the idea of organic
farming to rural Kenyans and combines this novel but popular idea with
dissemination of information on HIV/AIDS.
Prof Kinuthia Macharia: A Kenyan lecturer in sociology and
economics at the American University in Washington D.C, he is extensively
published in these fields.
Peter A. Andere: Chairman/CEO, Amuron Kenya Ltd he is a well-known
insurance and finance consultant in Nairobi.
Ms Carole Argwings-Kodhek: Well known in Kenya's publication
industry where she has written for such renowned magazines as The Weekly
Review, Peter Moll Publications and VIVA among others. Ms
Argwings-Kodhek has also worked for the banking and hotel industries,
including Barclays Bank and Nairobi's Grand Regency Hotel..
CONSULTANTS
Prof. Martin Markowitz:
Clinical Director, Staff Investigator at New York's Aaron Diamond AIDS Research
Centre is also associate professor at the Rockefeller
University.
Prof. Josh Ruxin:
Director, Harvard Institute of
Global Development, Harvard University.
AFFILIATES
The Co-operative Bank
of Kenya Ltd.
Aaron Diamond AIDS
Research Centre, New York City.
Amuron Kenya Ltd.
GlaxoSmithKline of
Kenya Ltd.
Intraafrica Insursnce.
St. Christophers'
Schools.
Family Finance.
Kenya School of
Professional Studies, Nairobi.
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