Leveraging and Enhancing the Voices of the Indigenous Peoples of Uganda and Combating Child Trafficking in Karamoja, Uganda

By Betty Bugusu, PhD., Technical Director, LASER PULSE, Purdue University, and Harriet Adong, Director of Communications and Knowledge Management, Makerere University - RAN On August 31, 2023, Makerere University, School of Public Health, ResilientAfrica Network (RAN), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Gulu University Constituent College (GUCC) in Moroto, and Purdue University brought together 89...

Uganda Indigenous People’s Project Featured by Uganda’s NBS TV Station

https://youtu.be/m-JN3hp733Q?si=hfuaxhefhqJPLgEG LASER’s Uganda Indigenous People’s Project has worked for several years to aid Ugandan communities in fighting human trafficking and establishing brighter futures for youth, women, and men. Now, one of the project’s efforts has been recognized by Uganda’s NBS TV station, which attended an event celebrating the 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The event...

The 2nd Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Kimeza

Voices of the Indigenous Peoples in Uganda at the USAID Mission On January 30th, 2022, representatives of the Ik and Tepeth communities, together with a team from Makerere University – ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) and Gulu University Constituent College (GUCC), engaged with 23 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Uganda Mission staff. This engagement took place...

Data-Driven Decision Support for Improved Water Security in East Africa

Margaret W. Gitau, Victoria M. Garibay, Nicholas S. Kiggundu, James S. Kisekka, Victor Kongo, Bancy M. Mati, Daniel N. Moriasi, and Subira E. Munishi Photo: Nairobi River Pollution Credit: khyk54, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Wait! Yes, you. Stop for one moment and work with us on this one. Imagine a world without fresh water. Now...

LASER PULSE Conducts University Research Engagement and Capacity Strengthening Workshop in Kampala, Uganda

On April 12-13, LASER PULSE convened university leaders and researchers from around sub-Saharan Africa in Kampala, Uganda, to continue their efforts towards strengthening capacity in research leadership and project management at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The workshop was attended by 11 sub-Saharan African countries, including DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan,...

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Promoting Teacher and Student Social-Emotional Well Being in Uganda

Uganda is known for its cultural distinctiveness, strong traditions and hospitality. Children in Uganda comprise 55% of the total population, making it the country with the youngest population on the continent, with massive potential for growth. However, mental health needs are high in some Ugandan school communities. An estimated 45% of Ugandan primary school learners...

A group of Indigenous people in Uganda working on community development with a USAID-supported researcher. / Makerere University-ResilientAfrica Network

The Power of Inclusion in Uganda

Around the world, USAID incorporates practices and policies into our programs to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ rights are upheld and their voices heard. Uganda is home to a rich diversity of Indigenous peoples — including the Benet, the Tepeth, the Batwa, the Ik, and the Basongora — and it is critically important to include their perspectives when...

Gulu Dance

The Voices of the Indigenous People of Uganda

Uganda language policy requires rural schools to choose a dominant local language to use as the language of learning and teaching for the first three years of primary school, while English is taught as a subject. The Tepeth and Ik people face the worst case scenario with only a few elders still able to speak...

USAID visit (photo 2)

USAID Mission Uganda team visit to Mbarara University of Science and Technology

On 15th December 2022, teams from the USAID Uganda Economic Growth and Partnership Office visited Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). The presence of the USAID Uganda Economic Growth and Partnership Offices at the meeting provided an opportunity to track the progress of project implementation and provide feedback on areas of emphasis and improvement....

The Indigenous Peoples of Uganda: Moving from Research Priorities to Implementing Development Solutions

Uganda is home to a number of Indigenous peoples, including the Benet (Northeastern Uganda), Batwa (Southwestern), Basongora (Western) and the Tepeth, Ik, Kadama, and Nyangia (Karamoja region). The indigenous groups in Karamoja are also referred to as “the mountain tribes of Karamoja'' because each group uniquely occupies a mountainous terrain including Mt. Morungole by the...