Uganda

Pearl Gahwera has over three years of experience of brand management in advertising, marketing, communication, and public relations, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce (Finance) from Makerere University Business School, Uganda. For the past 4 years, Pearl has been a full-time volunteer at 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation (4040), a youth-led non-profit organization in Uganda, which supports children in vulnerable communities to improve their learning outcomes. Through her work as the Head of Communications at 4040, she has provided strategic and implementation support towards the organization’s work like the Angaza Literacy Program, which supports 300 children annually to improve their learning outcomes, and the Angaza Learning Centre. Pearl recently transitioned into the Angaza Learning Centre Project Lead role where she oversaw the planning for the set-up of the learning centre as well as liaised with the community leaders where the centre is scheduled for set-up. Previously, Pearl worked at Scanad Uganda, an advertising agency, where she supported 3 brands to improve their products, communications as well as growth in the industry. Pearl is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community in Kampala for the outstanding work she is doing towards social impact in Uganda. From these opportunities, Pearl has developed outstanding leadership skills, project planning and implementation as well as great communications and marketing skills. She is interested in education, unemployment, gender inequality and civic education.

Host Organization: Advocates for Youth

Role at Host Organization: At Advocates for Youth, Pearl will be serving as an AMAZE Global Partnerships Fellow: Assisting in efforts to maintain, expand, and facilitate communications and partnerships associated with Advocates’AMAZE International work.

Ainemagara Isa is from Kampala, Uganda. He is a graduate of Agriculture from Makerere University and pursuing a Master’s degree in Agribusiness. He has 10 years of experience in local economic development. Ainemagara currently works with Heifer International where he provides leadership to a consortium project titled “Learn for Agribusiness Project” implemented in partnership with Edukans. Under this project, he has established farmer institutions that enable 3,200 farmers and 7200 secondary beneficiaries to receive critical services and inputs for sustainable development. He previously worked with Edukans where he led the agri-skills program, bridging employment opportunities for out-of-school youth through designing curricula and training programs. He worked with Alliance One Uganda as an Extension Technician where he led the company’s technical skilling program. Isa built the capacity of 800 farmers enabling the company to achieve its business targets. He worked with World Vision Uganda as a Market Facilitator where through his engagement skills, 4000 smallholder farmers accessed markets with Aponye (U) Ltd among other services. He worked with Excel Hort Consult as a Value Chain Specialist where he helped the organization invest in relevant value chains through conducting informative analyses and capacity building of its staff and partners in Uganda and East Africa. Ainemagara is passionate about sustainable environmental development and youth business inclusion. He is a member of several platforms such as Agri-Pro Focus, Youth and Agro-Ecology Business and Learning Track in Africa, as well as Markets in Crises under the SEEP network.

Erina Nafula has eight years of experience in the IT systems Integrator sector and two in the business sector. Erina is pursuing a Master in Business Administration from Cavendish University Uganda and earned a Bachelor’s in Engineering (Hon) Electronics majoring in Telecommunications from Multimedia University, Malaysia. She is a member of ISACA and a Certified Information Systems Auditor. Erina is the Chief Operations Officer and co-founder at JjengoTech Limited, a tech startup incorporated in Uganda. JjengoTech Limited’s primary business is a fintech and an e-commerce platform that provides merchants with a virtual address and access to a vast customer base and allows for the convenience of contactless transactions. In this role, her responsibilities have included the design and implementation of business strategies, team leadership, performance measurement and management, daily operations, and financial management. She is also currently serving as a Solution Architect-IT at The Copy Cat Limited, where, for the last eight years, she has developed mission-critical infrastructure solutions for businesses effectively addressing the IT networking, server-builds, network, and cybersecurity pain points with significant financial yields for the company. She volunteers in Rotary serving in several leadership capacities from the local Club to the District as the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Vice-chair 2019-2021. Through these experiences, she has developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills and honed her creativity and innovativeness. She is passionate about technology, adult literacy, and youth leadership.

Pearl Gahwera has over three years of experience in account and brand management in advertising, marketing, communication, and public relations. Pearl earned a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Makerere University Business School in Uganda. For over two years, Pearl volunteered part-time with 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Uganda committed to supporting vulnerable children and enabling youth to be the change they want to see. In October 2017, she joined the organization as a full-time volunteer and has led the Communications Department since then. Pearl provides great support through creating the foundation’s communication strategy and plans, as well as overseeing foundation projects and programs. She is a Global Shaper and is currently the Impact Officer of the Kampala Hub. Pearl is also a feminist who is interested in women’s rights, youth employment, and youth participation in leadership.

Leon Nsiku is a Congolese civil society activist with over 10 years of experience in journalism, refugee protection, and human rights promotion. Leon is highly experienced in proposal writing for funding, advocacy, capacity building, and programming in political ecology. He founded the online newsletter www.deboutRDC.net and Partenariat pour la Protection Integree (PPI), one of the prominent human rights organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He conducted over 100 trainings for African human rights defenders and contributed to over five research papers on the protection of human rights defenders in Africa. He has also written opinion pieces on regional politics and human security. He is passionate about child protection and childhood development. He is an enthusiastic, flexible, and result-driven team player in the design and implementation of social ventures. Leon is a PhD Student of Unicaf University Zambia, where he specializes in gendered adaptation to climate change.

Aaron possesses about four years of progressive experience in developing data infrastructure software solutions. He has hands-on experience overseeing the design, development and maintenance of various database systems. He supports War Child Holland in Uganda as the IT Supervisor. In October 2017 he joined PATH, an international organization for global health innovation, as a Software Engineer Research Fellow on Health Systems under the USAID Advocacy for Health Fellowship. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and is also pursuing his Postgraduate degree online in Data Science. His professional history also includes positions such as M&E Database Engineer Research Fellow, Oxfam Database Developer, and Software Engineer. He supported a civil society organization locally known as Jinja Area Communities Federation to develop digital web monitoring and evaluation systems, plus a child participation database, during the twelve month placement period. The monitoring and evaluation systems supported collaboration of regional actors together with data and operations units from all projects. The effective new approach and channel of strengthening and tracking health units performance was linked to the organization performance data in thematic areas of HIV/AIDS and maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). He enjoys solving large, complex data problems in the process of building and determining a solution.

Host Organization: American Red Cross

Role at American Red Cross: At The American Red Cross, Aaron will serve as a Disaster Preparedness ICTs Fellow: supporting coordination and dissemination of innovative programs of the Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) and contributing to the GDPC’s knowledge management efforts.

Carolyne has over eight years of experience in the nonprofit sector and earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Sports and Leisure Management from Kyambogo University Uganda as well as a Post Graduate degree in Monitoring and Evaluation from the Uganda Management Institute. While working as a Senior Program Manager at STiR Education, an education-focused nonprofit in Uganda, she participated in the Uganda National Teachers’ Union, Government and District Education Leadership to create teacher networks for both primary and secondary schools aimed to improve learning outcomes within the Central, Northern, and West Nile regions of Uganda. Previously, Carolyne worked with a health insurance company where she contributed to the research and development of a more affordable medical insurance package targeting low-income families and communities. She is passionate about education, economic development, and youth and gender empowerment.

Host Org: Spark Microgrants

Fellow role at  Spark Microgrants

Carolyne will serve as a Partnerships Fellow and support in partnership development through prospecting new funding opportunities, grant writing and managing external communications.

Joshua has four years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration majoring in Nongovernmental Organizations Management at Kampala International University and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. In 2014 he co-founded Youth for Reconciliation and Leadership, a community based organization in rural Serere promoting peace and digital skills. Acting as Head of Communications and Partnerships he is responsible for acquiring partners, finding new local and international partners within his first six month. Joshua works part-time as a digital skills trainer, helping over five thousand young people with the Google Digital Skills for Africa project under the Ujamaa Tribe. Previously he worked as the IT Support Staff and Google Suite Administrator at Kampala International University. Joshua is an alumni of the Young African Leaders Initiative, a flagship program of President Obama. Over time he has developed skills in grassroots mobilization and improved his cultural intelligence. As he continues to work within the nonprofit sector, Joshua desires to learn new skills in managing growth, volunteers, stakeholder expectations and managing conflicts.

Host Org: Center for Technology & Workforce

Fellow role at Center for Technology & Workforce

Joshua will serve as a Program Manager, working to create events, resources and studies that will help get more people into and retained in tech and tech-enabled careers, preparing them for future employment.

Pheonah is a journalist with over seven years experience in media development programs. She earned a bachelor’s degree of Arts in Languages with a major in Communication from Uganda Christian University. As the Program Assistant for Center for Media Literacy and Community Development (CEMCOD), Pheonah is a key player in the implementation of the Community Media Project in Uganda, a project that amplifies youth voices in the development agenda of their communities. Working directly with young people she mentors, monitors and trains them in community media strategies. In February 2018, she led a team of selected Community Reporters to a three month exchange program to Zimbabwe, where she oversaw reporters as they shared community initiative practices. Pheonah recently worked on a project that documented the life stories of girls who dropped out of school due to pregnancy, advocating for the retainment and reeducation of these teen mothers. In 2016, she participated in the US Department of State funded Community Solutions Fellowship program, where she demonstrated outstanding leadership in the field of transparency and accountability, earning a Learning Solutions Award from George Mason University. While at her host organization Voice of America (VOA) in Washington, she coordinated the Social Media department for the Swahili division, where she helped to improve two News programs (KwaUndani, VOA Express), to appeal to the younger social media consumers.

Host Organization: Voice of America

Role at Host Organization: Pheonah will conduct research and embark upon independent news reporting assignments. This will include script writing, video editing, and multimedia report and programming

Rehema is currently a public policy advocate and social change trainer with global-level expertise and experience leading and supporting policy advocacy and communication efforts on a wide range of issues that include; women’s rights, youth leadership and empowerment, and social justice and accountability in different parts of the world. She has worked in various capacities with organizations such as Women Deliver, White Ribbon Alliance, World Learning, and – most recently -Oxfam America at the international level.

Rehema is the Founder of Re!gnite Africa, youth-led and youth-focused nonprofit that has directly worked with over 200 young leaders in Uganda and beyond to enable them to achieve their career development, leadership, and advocacy potential. She has an MA in Sustainable Development from SIT Graduate Institute and a Bachelor in Mass Communication from Makerere University.

During her time as an Atlas Corps Fellow, Rehema served as a Communications Associate with Women Deliver in New York City and supported the organization with online communications and social media management.

Host Organization: Women Deliver

Becky has seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, along with professional certificates in HIV/AIDS, Reproductive Health Rights, and Child Sexual Abuse. She is in the process of completing an online course in Human Development and Social Therapy from the East Side Institute in New York. As a project officer for the African Medical and Research Foundation, she coordinated and executed projects to train local communities on HIV/AIDS and SRH. Becky worked with youth, women, and sex workers to pioneer a community advocacy group for people infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Becky has also worked with GOAL Uganda as a program assistant. In this capacity, she trained youth in reproductive health and educated communities on child sexual abuse. Additionally, Becky volunteered as a National Focal Person with UNICEF/Rural Voices of Youth, where she trained youth in Uganda on leadership skills and sexual health rights. Through these experiences, Becky has gained in-depth knowledge on HIV/AIDS advocacy and the development, implementation, and evaluation of health and development projects.

Host Organization: CORE Group

Tom Balemesa has more than eight years experience in Uganda in training, research, evaluation, teaching, consultancy and peace building. After graduating from Makerere University with a B.A in Education, he worked as a teacher and departmental head. Since 2005, he engaged in research, project planning, evaluation and consulting with non-profit organizations like Plan International, where he served as a research assistant and consultant during the mid-term review and provided expertise for a household survey. In 2007, he volunteered with the Commonwealth Foundation and Single Parents Association in 2007. In 2008, World Vision International involved him in training their staff on conflict tools. Tom conducted independent seminal investigations on oil and land in Uganda for his M.A thesis. He promoted energy security and sustainable development through policy research and advocacy with the Africa Institute of Energy Governance. Tom graduated with an M.A in Peace and Conflict studies from Makerere University in 2010. In early 2010, Tom became the first junior fellow at the Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) in South Africa. At ACCORD, he developed a peace and development foundation to assist in linking peace to development in Uganda. Tom is an active member of the peace and collaborative development network (www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org). Recently, with the East African Institute of Governance and Conflict Management (EAIGCM), Tom trained journalists in Uganda about Peace Journalism.

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Host Organization: U.S. Peace Corps