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Engagement & Disability Discourse in the Pearl of Africa

Published: May 29, 2025

Country: Uganda

Dr. Jacy Farkas’ Outbound Fellowship Experience

Dr. Jacy Farkas is a US Outbound Fellow in the FY2023 Professional Fellows Program (PFP) on Inclusive Civic Engagement. This program is sponsored by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is administered by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston in partnership with Humanity and Inclusion (HI). The following blog post was contributed by guest author Dr. Jacy Farkas.

As the director of the University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, I had the pleasure of participating in the FY 2022 Professional Fellows Program (PFP) on Inclusive Civic Engagement – Outbound Program. In November 2024, I traveled to Kampala, Uganda, to support the follow-on project of my PFP Fellow mentee, Denis Ouma. Denis is a certified business coach and the CEO of Embellish Consults Limited, a corporate disability consultancy based in Kampala. Our team at the Sonoran Center was thrilled to host Denis for four weeks in Arizona during May and June 2024 for knowledge and cultural exchange in preparation for his follow-on project to develop a disability mentorship program for Ugandan universities that would improve the quality of higher education for all.

In collaboration with the Sonoran Center and Kyambogo University in Uganda, Denis launched the pilot mentorship program with 70 students with disabilities at Kyambogo at the start of the fall 2024 semester. Kyambogo University Special Needs & Rehabilitation faculty and I provided input and feedback on the development of a disability mentorship handbook and modules prior to and throughout the pilot. Thanks to the PFP Outbound Award, I was able to join Denis and the program as it wrapped up the first pilot semester.

My outbound experience aimed to deepen my understanding of the social, cultural, and political context of disability in Uganda and support the program’s goal of having the handbook and modules adopted by institutes of higher learning across the country. To that end, I engaged in numerous events to meet with various partners from educational, governmental, and disability spaces (Figure 1). I met with administrators and students at Kyambogo University and Makerere University as well as political leaders and disability advocacy organizations such as the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) (Figure 2) to understand what is needed to promote education of people with disabilities in Ugandan institutes of higher learning. This also included a Meet & Greet event at the American Center with over 60 attendees from universities and disability organizations as well as young professionals. Importantly, I had the opportunity to hear from people with lived experiences as they shared the issues most important to them and their communities and engage in dialogue about opportunities for advocacy to address challenges.

A group of people, including two women (one American and one Ugandan) and three men (both Ugandan), are meeting in an office space. One of the men is seated in a wheelchair. 
Figure 1: Denis (second from left) and Jacy (second from right) meeting with the Education Assistant Commissioner Sarah Ayesiga and Jackson Sanya at the Ministry of Education and Sports. They extended an open invitation for us to present the final draft of our disability mentorship handbook to the entire department of education and special needs.
Three people, including two Ugandans (one man and one woman) and one American woman, meeting in an office space. The man is seated in a wheelchair. 
Figure 2: Denis (left) and Jacy (center) meeting with Esther Kyozira (right), Chief Executive Officer of NUDIPU, the national umbrella organization that brings all organizations of persons with disabilities.

The mentorship program aims to empower students with disabilities to become self-advocates. It offers structured guidance to help students advocate for policy changes while navigating their academic and career paths. Students benefit from personalized mentorship, career guidance, and resource assistance. The program also includes training for mentors, instructors, and disability support specialists to ensure sustainable support for students with disabilities. Nearly 50 mentors, including professionals and self-advocates from the US and Uganda, have contributed their time and expertise. In the fall semester, Denis and mentors held Saturday learning and networking sessions on the Kyambogo campus. I was able to attend the last in-person session of the semester and discuss neurodiversity, the importance of ongoing mentorship, and advocacy (Figures 3 and 4). We explored non-apparent or invisible disabilities and neurodivergence—issues that carry significant stigma are often not discussed in Uganda.

A group of people, mostly Ugandan men and one American woman, seated in a classroom. There is a blackboard in the background.
Figure 3: Denis and Jacy speaking with students at the last Saturday session of the mentorship pilot program.
A group of people, mostly Ugandan women and men, one American woman, and a few children, posing for a group photo in a classroom.
Figure 4: Group photo of students, mentors, and faculty at the mentorship program session.

Fall 2022 PFP alumnus Harunah Damba whom the Sonoran Center also hosted, is a collaborator and mentor for Denis’ project. It was fantastic to get to work and spend time with Harunah in Uganda. In addition to organizing the event at the American Center, Harunah facilitated key meetings and networking opportunities. We met with the Disability Support Services Director Dr. Elizabeth Rwabu and Dean of Students Dr. Winifred Kambubuli at his alma mater, Makerere University, to gain insight into the institution's efforts in promoting disability access and to explore potential areas for future collaboration, including the expansion of the mentorship program.

Additionally, I was able to meet other PFP alumni and US Department of State Exchange Program participants through various activities and events. Several of us had the opportunity to meet with the former US Ambassador to Uganda H.E. William W. Popp and staff at the US Embassy in Kampala (Figure 5). We shared our experiences engaging with various partners, discussed lessons learned, and offered thoughts on future initiatives. Spring 2024 PFP alumnus Moses Serwadda shared,

“It's empowering to be at the same table with high- ranking individuals like the US Ambassador and his Team. We can continue empowering more people to promote disability social development initiatives and contribute to other critical advocacy priorities.”

Our meeting with the Ambassador and staff was productive and established opportunities for continued engagement with mentors and expanding our impact, specifically, through the US Exchange Alumni Network Uganda.

A group of 12 people, consisting of 9 Ugandans (3 women and 6 men) and 3 Americans (2 women and 1 man), posing for a group photo.
Figure 5: US State Department Exchange Program alumni, Ambassador Popp, and US Embassy staff.

In the midst of the professional and educational engagements, Denis, Harunah, and the team made sure I experienced Uganda’s rich culture through its cuisine, artistic expression, and natural wonders. Highlights include an evening at the Ndere Cultural Centre in Kampala, where I saw performances of traditional dances from various regions and tribes, followed by a feast of traditional dishes. We also traveled to Jinga, where we explored the source of the Nile River (Figure 6). Although physical access was a bit of a challenge, the staff member communicated using Ugandan Sign Language, which made the tour accessible for our crew.

Three people, two Ugandan men and one American woman, on a boat on the river.
Figure 6: Denis (left), Denis' friend (center), and Jacy (right) on a boat cruising on the Nile River.

While in Jinga, we also visited Sikia Café, Uganda’s first sign language café. Sikia (Swahili for “Hear”) is a social enterprise that employs people with disabilities, primarily individuals who are Deaf or have a hearing impairment. The café’s menu also provides patrons with opportunities to learn sign language (Figure 7). The food and service were fantastic! In my attempt to use some American Sign Language, I learned that in Ugandan Sign Language, the sign for “water” means “wine” in Ugandan – which led to a fun comparison of sign meanings between the two languages.

A poster featuring four pictures of a woman making signs in Ugandan Sign Language.
Figure 7: Poster of Sikia Café with four pictures showing a woman making signs in Ugandan Sign Language. 

I was incredibly fortunate to collaborate with Denis, Harunah, and their networks, which ensured a full and enriching outbound experience. Their support with planning and leveraging their networks made the experience manageable and provided great company. The cultural and knowledge exchange refreshed my thinking about disability and deepened my commitment to my field. I was inspired by the creativity and drive of Uganda’s disability community and took home ideas to share with my team to support our efforts with rural and indigenous communities in Arizona. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with Denis, Harunah, and colleagues to finalize the disability mentorship handbook and promote its adoption in other institutes of higher learning across Uganda. I also look forward to exploring opportunities for ongoing engagement, such as staff, student, and community member exchanges; networking; professional development courses; and resource-sharing.