Skip to main content

Professional Fellows - Spring 2024 Cohort

Meet our Spring 2024 Cohort of Professional Fellows! This group of 10 accomplished disability rights leaders from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda completed an intensive five-week Fellowship Program between May and June 2024 in the US.

Learn more about our Fellows, their follow-on projects, and Fellowship experiences.

  • Caroline Kanana Makena

    An African woman with long, black hair is wearing dark-rimmed glasses and a navy-blue dress.

    Head of Partnerships and Fundraising, Link 4 Change

    Caroline serves as the Head of Partnerships and Fundraising at Link 4 Change, a social enterprise in Kenya. Caroline's follow-on project aims to address workplace inclusivity and diversity challenges by collaborating with employers and providing them with practical tools to assess and improve the accessibility of their recruitment and hiring processes. She will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at the University of Southern Mississippi, Institute for Disability Studies (IDS).

  • Vera Robi Machera

    An African woman with black hair is wearing black earrings and a colorful black-brown flower print blouse as she poses for a photo against a blue background.

    Program Officer, Women Challenged to Challenge (WCC)

    Vera serves as a Program Officer at Women Challenged to Challenge (WCC), a nonprofit organization in Nairobi, Kenya, dedicated to empowering women and girls with disabilities. Vera’s follow on project will center on preventing and addressing violence against girls and women with disabilities in Migori County, Kenya. She will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at Temple University, Institute on Disabilities.

  • Ombati Elizabeth Nyabiage

    An African woman with short, dreaded hair is wearing a yellow and red scarf, a black top, and a flower print skirt. She is sitting on the sofa with large potted plants behind her.

    Program Assistant, Kenya Network of Women and Girls with Disabilities

    Elizabeth serves as a Program Assistant at the Kenya Network of Women and Girls with Disabilities, leading a project to increase the engagement of women with disabilities in community activities and leadership roles. Her follow-on project aims to empower women with disabilities to participate in local governance to advocate for the rights of girls and women with disabilities. Elizabeth will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD).

  • Josephine Namirimu

    An African woman with short hair is wearing an African print blouse, taking a selfie while sitting in the office.

    Communications and Advocacy Officer, Cheshire Services Uganda

    Josephine is the Communications and Advocacy Officer at Cheshire Services Uganda, where she leads the organization's advocacy strategy development and implementation. Her follow-on project will empower youths with disabilities to advocate for inclusive education through tailored informational and training materials, storytelling, and policy engagement. Josephine will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at the Disability Policy Consortium (DPC) in Boston, Massachusetts. 

  • Denis Ouma

    An African man with a beard is wearing a white shirt and black trousers. He is sitting in a wheelchair in a lounge area.

    Chief Executive Officer, Embellish Consults Limited

    Denis serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Embellish Consults Limited in Kampala, Uganda. Leading a team of disability inclusion experts, he focuses on delivering disability inclusion as a business development opportunity. His follow-on project aims to enhance disability support in higher education by recruiting students and mentors, providing customized training, and improving policies. Denis will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at the University of Arizona, Sonoran Center for Excellence on Disabilities.

  • Erick Elizeus Mukiza 

    An African man with short hair and stubble is wearing a white shirt, a black suit, and a dark purple tie.

    Executive Director, ESS Creative and Legal Foundation, and Permanent Court Certified Mediator

    Erick, a passionate disability inclusion Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) professional dedicated to advancing inclusive justice, currently serves as the Founder and Executive Director at ESS Creative and Legal Foundation. He is also a Certified Court Mediator. Erick's follow-on project aims to promote ADR as a more efficient and cost-effective way for people with disabilities to access legal justice. Erick will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).

  • Clara Peter Maliwa

    An African woman with strawberry blond hair is wearing dark-rimmed glasses and a dark turquoise blouse. She poses sideways with her hands crossed, looking at the camera with a smile.

    Project Officer, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Lead, Young & Alive Initiative 

    Clara is a Project Officer and the DEI Lead at Young & Alive Initiative, a non-profit organization in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, focused on sexual and reproductive health. Clara’s follow-on project "My Story, My Life," aims to empower women with disabilities to realize their rights and make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive well-being. She will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at Disability Rights California (DRC), Sacramento Office.

  • Eva Ephrem Chuwa  

    An African woman with short hair is wearing glasses and a navy-blue top, with her hands crossed.

    Special Needs Education Teacher,  Al Muntazir Special Education Needs

    Eva is a Special Needs Education Teacher at Al Muntazir Special Education Needs, specializing in educating children (ages 4–7) with autism to prepare them for inclusive settings. Her follow-on project aims to enhance in-service teacher training to promote autism inclusion, drawing on best practices from the US, and engage parents effectively in Tanzania's cultural and academic context. Eva will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at the University of Oklahoma, Health Science Center (HSC).

  • Shadrack Thomson Manyogote

    An African man with short black hair and facial hair. He is wearing a blue shirt and smiling.

    Director, Child in Protection and Disabilities Foundation

    Shadrack directs the Child in Protection and Disabilities Foundation, a Tanzanian non-profit organization focused on children’s rights. With an education background and a strong commitment to disability rights, he aims to reduce dropout rates among children with disabilities in primary schools for his follow-on project. His plan involves training teachers and providing resources to promote inclusion in classrooms, using an in-service teacher training manual developed by his organization. Shadrack will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at Ohio State University, Nisonger Center.

  • Moses Serwadda

    An African man with short black hair wearing a white jacket and smiling at the camera

    Program Manager, Uganda Federation for the Hard of Hearing (UFHOH)

    Moses serves as the Program Manager at the Uganda Federation for the Hard of Hearing (UFHOH), an umbrella advocacy organization for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in Uganda. His follow-on project aims to train youth with disabilities in Uganda to advocate for political participation and inclusion. Together with the Uganda Electoral Commission, he will develop and implement a training to address the specific needs of this group. Moses will pursue a four-week Fellowship placement at the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).