Uganda: Students Leading Societal Change
Gerald Ahimbisibwe, President and CEO of the Ability Youth Initiative Uganda (TAYINU)
Work with a youth-led non-profit organization based in Kampala, Uganda, to build a cohort of young leaders contributing to the growth of the African continent through community engagement, entrepreneurship, innovation and technology.
Project description
The Ability Youth Initiative Uganda (TAYINU) is a youth led non-profit organization based at Kyambogo University in Kampala, Uganda, and envisions building a cohort of self-reliant young leaders to contribute to the growth of the African continent. Our sole target is to ensure that young people are engaged, involved and are implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa and contributing towards the growth of the continent. We do this through empowering them socially and economically while giving them space to participate in the leadership of their communities.
Our basic community solutions are to ensure that youth contribute to ending poverty (SDG1), which we believe is the global challenge limiting the achievements of the remaining 16 goals. We do this through financial inclusion and youth economic empowerment programs that enable young people to access finances, innovate and enterprise without limitations in gender (SDG5). We also empower the education of young people (SDG4) through career guidance, mentorship and resource mobilization of academically talented but economically disadvantaged students. We envision a world where a quality education is affordable, equitable, accessible, while matching the job market demands and offering young people dignified and fulfilling work (SDG8).
We welcome University at Buffalo students to work with TAYINU on projects related to the following areas of focus. Upon indicating interest, students will be asked to complete a survey of associated experience, interest and competencies. Individual projects will be identified upon consultation and discussion to ensure mutual benefit.
- Computer science and technology: focus on software, apps and website for the organization's projects and programs
- Youth and public engagement: build programs and ideas for youth advocacy focused on building resilience of the vulnerable among youth in post-COVID environment; refugees living in Uganda; career guidance and mentorship toward STEM careers
- Communication: promoting social media; developing organizational communication strategies; empowering youth in Uganda to use media and internet to tell Africa's story and develop content for blogs, video, film, graphics and animation
- Project planning: management and resource mobilization towards executing designed projects; pitching ideas to potential funders; running campaigns and skills resourcing from experts; developing fundraising campaigns to support scholarships
- Research and innovation: focus on increasing healthcare services for remote vulnerable poor and agritech innovation and entrepreneurship; market solutions and decent employment for young people in the rural areas while improving nutrition; removing wastage and eradicating diseases affecting agriculture; sustainable domestic animal rearing
Project outcome
The specific outcomes of this project will be identified by the faculty mentor at the beginning of your collaboration.
Project details
| Length of commitment | Variable |
| Start time | Any time |
| Level of collaboration | Variable |
| Benefits | Earn an ELN Digital Badge |
| Who is eligible | All undergraduate students |
Core partners
- Gerald Ahimbisibwe, CEO, The Ability Youth Initiative, Uganda
Project mentor
Mara Huber
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning; Director, Experiential Learning Network
Start the project
To apply for one of the limited spaces, send an interest email to ubeln@buffalo.edu with the following information and one of our staff will respond with more information via email :
- Share relevant background information about yourself and why you are interested in a global project.
- Review the list of current global partnerships, list the three you are most interested in working with and explain why for each.
- Explain what you hope to contribute to and gain from a global project.
Note that global partners rely on the contributions associated with ELN student projects and commit their limited time and resources to working with students. Accordingly, different projects will require varying amounts of time and strong commitment and follow through.
Preparation activities
Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase.
- Examine the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the history of the framework. Then select one SDG to focus on as you work through your project.
- Download and complete this PowerPoint template.