Senior Assistant Secretary and Part-Time Lecturer, Makerere University
I worked at Makerere University from January 2021 to Dec 2021. During the year, I supported to Office of the University Secretary which is the accounting and main administrative office of the University to manage a $70 million operation budget. Among others, my roles included; managing liaisons with 10 secretariats of Council committees, writing council communiques, and leading research activities to support Council decisions, the central governance organ of the university. I was also the inaugural convener of the Mak@100 Project, a flagship initiative celebrating 100 years of existence, excellence, and impact. As a teacher, I lectured 2 course units (Introduction to Development Studies, Organizations, and Development) attended by 200 students.
Founder and CEO, Okere City
I founded Okere City in 2019 and I continue to act as the Sustainable development manager of an investment portfolio of $1M and a dedicated business and community development team of 50 people focused on investing and supporting social impact startups and businesses across diverse sectors, including healthcare, cosmetics (Shea butter), agriculture, and education serving 5,000 rural community members in my home village of Okere, northern Uganda.
Founder and Consultant, Refugee Innovation and Sustainable Enterprise - Urban Project (RISE-UP)
I founded RISE-UP in 2018 and worked on the project as a consultant for two years. RISE-UP, a $200,000 project supported by the French Government Innovation Fund offered a unique space and opportunities for urban refugees in Kampala to access support infrastructure to nurture and develop their entrepreneurial ambitions. Through the project, we attached 200 urban refugees to technical businesses in Kampala for them to receive hands-on and practical skills. Later, we supported the refugees to receive requisite certifications and licenses to enable them to either get a job or start their own businesses. The key outcome of the project was the establishment of the RISE-UP Fashion Hub in Kampala which continues to support urban refugees in Kampala to make and showcase African fashion clothes. The project also supported 200 refugees with food aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With urban refugees in Kampala during a fashion show
With Prof. Sylvia Tamale of Makerere University
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With Prof. M. Mamdani of Makerere University
With some of Ugandan poets and artists
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Uganda and South Sudan
In my capacity as a Program Manager at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung's Uganda and South Sudan office, my responsibilities encompassed a diverse array of tasks including partnership management, program design, conceptual development and analysis, as well as monitoring and evaluation, alongside engaging in social media outreach, among other duties.
Functioning as a political foundation, KAS plays an active role in shaping Uganda's political landscape through the design and execution of initiatives aimed at bolstering democracy, upholding the rule of law, and fostering good governance.
I was directly involved in initiatives such as training local government officials to leverage social media for enhancing accountability and service delivery in governance. Additionally, I've contributed to the empowerment of over 5,000 university students to participate constructively in political processes through a regional debate series targeting students from all public universities in Uganda.
I was also the convener of the Youth4Policy initiative that brings together young Ugandan elites interested in policy formulation and analysis. I oversee the management of the blog and online content. I coordinated research efforts at KAS working with a broad of consultants and researchers on on multiple topics around geopolitics, multiparty politics, local government, and migration, among others.
I convened international conferences, such as the Kampala Geopolitics Conference, Uganda Social Media Conference, Uganda Green Green Growth Conference, etc.
Some of my key achievements at KAS include;
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Managed a grant portfolio of $10M for 6 years, and a pool of 20 local Ugandan NGOs.
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Delivered 10 keynote addresses; moderated 50+ events; key discussant at 80+ panels on various topical development subjects.
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Online content management, attracting a combined total of 500,000 followers across Facebook and Twitter (X) in 5 years.
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Mentored 10,000 young political leaders across 5 Uganda and South Sudan universities.
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Coordinated 50 research projects and published 10 peer-reviewed articles.
Project Coordinator, War Child UK
As the Project Coordinator at War Child UK, I spearheaded the KATI entrepreneurship program, propelling it to stand out as an innovative initiative. This leadership led to its recognition by the Youth Employment Network project of the ILO and World Bank as one of the top projects supporting youth in conflict and post-conflict zones in 2013.
The KATI project equipped 100 ex-child soldiers with essential business skills and facilitated access to soft loans, enabling returnees and former child soldiers to establish their own impactful businesses. With my guidance and support, these ventures flourished, creating employment opportunities for an additional 30 youths within 12 months. Consequently, these formerly displaced youth and child soldiers were able to sustain themselves and their families.
Through training and mentoring, I transformed these individuals, many of whom had no prior business experience, into a vibrant cohort of successful entrepreneurs in Northern Uganda. Today, they regard me as their role model, acknowledging my essential role in reshaping their future.
In 2022, one of the entrepreneurs invited me to witness the tangible results of our efforts. He had built a substantial house at his trading center and established a depot for supplying local consumer products. He had emerged as the entrepreneurial magnate of their small town.
In recognition of my exceptional contributions, I received a special recognition award from War Child UK in 2013. Presently, KATI has evolved into an independent social enterprise dedicated to supporting young entrepreneurs in Northern Uganda.
Rural Research and Development Innovations (RREADI)
Farmers in Northern Uganda grapple with a myriad of challenges that perpetuate a cycle of poverty. Factors such as soil infertility, unpredictable weather patterns, limited knowledge of effective agricultural practices, and exploitation by middlemen offering low prices hinder agricultural productivity. This situation is particularly pronounced in East Africa, where the majority of the population relies on small-scale farming.
In response to these challenges, I co-founded and led Rural Research and Development Innovations (RREADI) for two years. Through this initiative, we launched a rural agricultural farming project in a village in Northern Uganda. The aim was to empower farmers not only to enhance their agricultural output but also to secure fair prices for their produce. Today, farmers in Barongin village have achieved over a 60% increase in agricultural productivity tripling their previous incomes. This was made possible by offering tailored and easily accessible agricultural extension services, facilitating access to high-quality seeds, and establishing connections with favorable markets.
Between 2012 and 2014, the project distributed over 2 metric tons of improved sorghum and soybean seeds to nearly 2,000 farmers. We provide these seeds on credit and assure farmers of a market with prices exceeding prevailing rates. Consequently, RREADI-supported farmers have supplied over 5 metric tons of sorghum to East African Breweries and 80 tons of soybeans to Uganda Oil Seed Processors.
Volunteer Efforts for Development Concern (VEDCO)
Following the conclusion of the 20-year conflict in Northern Uganda, I secured my inaugural paid position with Volunteer Effort for Development Concern (VEDCO) as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer. As a core part of the project, I played a key role in overseeing the implementation and evaluation aimed at supporting 2,000 returnees and formerly internally displaced persons.
My responsibilities encompassed various aspects, including:
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Facilitating the return of farmers to their homes from internally displaced persons (IDP) and satellite camps.
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Providing support to People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
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Spearheading the conceptualization of innovative agro-technologies to optimize agricultural productivity and minimize post-harvest losses.
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Enhancing extension service delivery through a community-based approach.
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Promoting environmental protection and conservation by training farmers on climate change adaptation and mitigation measures such as tree-planting and advocating against bush burning.
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Implementing initiatives to improve hygiene and sanitation standards by educating farmers on constructing and utilizing facilities like tippy-taps, rubbish pits, and toilets.
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Empowering women through the design and execution of specific projects aimed at promoting their economic independence.
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Providing input support to farmers, including seeds, ox-ploughs, and post-harvest materials, to bolster their agricultural endeavors and strengthen their position in the value chain.
