meet the team

Debra is our spirited CEO based in Durban, South Africa. Passionate about building meaningful connections and empowering deaf children to live wholeheartedly, her wish is for DeafKidz to remain fully authentic as we scale our work in depth and breadth. In her spare time, you’ll find Debra at the beach, in the warm Indian Ocean.

Steve heads up the finance function here at DeafKidz, although he gets involved in a lot more than just that! Based in the UK, he particularly enjoys working across many different countries and cultures and interacting with a wonderful range of people. Steve’s other passion is playing jazz saxophone all around the Sussex area.

Yvonne oversees DeafKidz programmes in Southern Africa. Her passion is giving deaf kids opportunities to learn about abuse and equipping them with skills to flourish in life. She is excellent at creating an environment where children and young people can express themselves freely. When not at work, you’ll find Yvonne studying towards her MBA.

Megan is passionate about building new connections and seeing the impact of funds raised, making a real difference in the lives of deaf children. In her spare time, you’ll find her hiking across the Sussex countryside or sea swimming.

Dex is our Fundraising Manager, scouting for funding prospects and helping the team put together exciting new proposals to expand our work. Most of his career has been spent as a sector generalist working abroad in low-resource settings. In his spare time, he writes novels and spends time in nature.

Althea organises the team’s administration and assists in ad hoc projects within the organisation. Althea resides in sunny Durban, South Africa. She loves interacting with people and learning from their life experiences. Being a mom to two young adults has helped develop her multitasking skills. Her passions include reading, dancing and cooking.

Based in Durban on South Africa’s east coast, Peta is involved in existing partnerships within Asia, coordinating regional projects, and grant writing. Peta also researches advocacy at a community level. In her spare time, you will find Peta mosaicking and thinking of ideas to create awareness of social injustice issues using mosaic artwork!

Agness is based in Zambia, where she manages the DeafKidz Defenders Zambia program. She is passionate about collaborating with the team, teachers, parents, and other key stakeholders. In her spare time, she visits vulnerable deaf youth and actively plans initiatives to help them live independently after leaving school.

Pheko is our Training and Community Lead. Based in South Africa, he is passionate about making a difference. He is committed to creating impactful training materials and building strong community connections. In his spare time, you will find him visualising the next best program idea or having some sort of adventure, soaking in the present moment.

Elizabeth is known for her passion for education and empowering deaf youth and children. A tireless and diligent worker, Elizabeth approaches every challenge with optimism and a ‘failure is not an option’ mindset.

Hlengiwe is a dedicated DeafKidz Defenders Facilitator, bringing the DeafKidz Defenders program to children across South Africa. With a deep commitment to enhancing the lives of deaf children, Hlengiwe plays a pivotal role in delivering crucial educational and protective program throughout the region.

Bhavisha is a practicing paediatric audiologist and works in the public and private sector. She also teaches Audiology and Research skills at Anglia Ruskin University and UCL and she is a Trustee of the British Society of Audiology.

Bhavisha volunteered with Sound Seekers in 2017 and spent one year in Zambia, developing the first paediatric audiology clinic in the country. Shortly after returning to the UK, Bhavisha became Sound Seeker’s special adviser in Audiology and her role included providing clinical advice, remote training, presenting at international conferences and visiting project countries to assess progress & identify areas of improvement. She is able to continue this work within her role as Audiology Technical Adviser for DeafKidz International.