Born in Uganda, she has lived and worked in England since the late 1960s, trained as a teacher, married with children (and grandchildren) and supported her family business. As a Human Rights Activist, for the past 25 years she has been volunteering for Anti Slavery International and other NGOs working to eradicate modern slavery in the role of raising awareness and a fundraising champion. Her key skill in events management has been the ability to source most fundraising components free of charge, or at highly reduced costs, and to persuade people to give their products, services and time freely, to a cause which depends heavily on philanthropy and good will. She strongly believes that as responsible educators we know that raising awareness is a powerful tool in affecting mainstream perceptions which can bring about positive changes in the lives of people stranded in the misery of slavery and poverty.

She has extensive networking experience in both the private, public and third sectors, utilising excellent interpersonal and communication skills and has the ability to liaise effectively with people from varying backgrounds and cultures whilst having the ability to enable, challenge and ensure credibility for those around her while improving the perception of the movement for anti-slavery internally and externally.

Vanita is a natural networker and communicator. She enjoys forging links and connections with people from all walks of life and gets great satisfaction from raising awareness, as the path to ending modern slavery involves building broad public support for legal, corporate and social policy change and enforcement. Through awareness raising and building an active citizen-advocacy movement, Vanita believes that we can demand and secure a dramatic scaling-up of funds needed to eradicate modern slavery and hopes to make it possible that ours is the generation to end slavery once and for all.

She has been a Board member of Anti Slavery International from 1996 – 2015 and now a Patron of Anti Slavery International, Vanita has raised substantial funds for numerous charitable projects which have been endorsed by Spiritual Leaders, Royalty, past presidents, prime ministers, entrepreneurs and high profile celebrities. She was awarded and M.B.E. in the Queen’s Honours List for charitable services to Human Rights, Anti-Slavery Ambassador for the worldwide eradication of slavery. Shortlisted for the 2017 British Asian Achievers Awards.

She has been advising other charities and NGOs on fundraising she is proud to become one of the Commissioners for the International Tribunal for Natural Justice and is currently engaged in a project which aims to erect a permanent memorial in London to commemorate the African Slaves.   

Vanita is a Founder and Chair of One Voice for Freedom a charity set up to support Slavery and humanitarian issues. She continues her work in the eradication of modern slavery as a Patron of Anti Slavery International.

She strives to raise awareness of The Modern Slavery Act (2015) and encourage companies in the supply chain to include it in their Corporate Social Responsibility principles and practical actions

*During the COVIID-19 pandemic she has been a part of a team to raise funds for the procurement of emergency equipment for the vulnerable and at-risk including victims of slavery, ensuring that this equipment if ethically produced free from slavery and forced labour. 

She has supported the Empowerment of Women project (India) on behalf of Life Global UK of which she is a Global Ambassador.  

Vanita’s most cherished role is of a daughter, mother and grandmother who divides time balancing family life with her husband, children, grandchildren, caring for older relatives as well supporting her two charities.