About Kora

I'm Ima Raza, and I founded Kora Advisory after more than 15 years working across grassroots organisations, international NGOs and humanitarian programmes in the UK and around the world. My academic background comprises of Master's degrees in Human Rights (Global South focus) and International Law (specialism in International Environmental Law), postgraduate study in African History and in Peace and Reconciliation, and ongoing learning with United Nations bodies and leading universities.

Why I started Kora: I kept seeing the same thing, brilliant, locally rooted organisations doing vital work often in the hardest places, held to the same regulatory and programmatic demands as large, well-resourced NGOs but without the systems or support to match. That gap is not about ability. It is about time, tools and guidance, that is where Kora comes in.

My experience spans leading and overseeing multi-country programmes, supporting trustees and boards, strengthening governance and safeguarding and helping teams design, deliver and reflect on their work. I have worked alongside local partners, senior leadership teams and frontline staff, and I understand the pressure of trying to balance accountability and delivery while the ground keeps shifting beneath you. Much of my career has been spent helping organisations through transitions and growth, where systems are stretched and decisions matter deeply for people's lives.

The way I work is shaped by practice, not just theory, and by years of navigating power, ethics and responsibility in this sector. It can be hard to hold on to your original values under the weight of compliance, funding demands and rapid changes. But it is possible and that is the work I love.

Kora is here to help you build clarity and better systems, so you can meet your responsibilities without losing the purpose and the connection to the communities you serve.