JAMES S. KATUMBA
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

SOLOMON KAYIWA MUGAMBE
CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Co-founders’ Story.

Solomon and James met in 2008, working as mentors for young leaders and entrepreneurs in secondary schools. In due course of our work, we noticed that our local communities had an under-addressed problem. Every time we walked around our childhood villages, we were struck by the high school dropout rates, the unemployment and the meagre incomes of youth. This was the life their parents had lived, and if nothing changed, it is the life their children will most likely live. Thousands of youth drop out of the formal school system annually and we could have been one of them.

Less than 12% of youth complete secondary school countrywide. In addition, most youth who drop out of school tend to enroll into formal or non-formal vocational training with a belief that they can easily create their own job.

Unfortunately, this is a false promise given the lack of practical entrepreneurship and workplace readiness experience in the national curriculum.

Our dedication to youth empowerment is strongly inspired by the immense possibilities that are open to youth if they receive the right support. What every youth needs is the support to explore their potential, to create solutions and build the confidence needed to take action. We decided to form Wezesha Impact to empower underserved youth through a practical experience that builds their entrepreneurship, employability and leadership skills to enable them to thrive in the labour market.

 

100% indigenous team from all regions of Uganda

53% Female staff

 

Meet the Team.

Barbara Atukunda
Head of Partnerships & Fundraising

John Otima
Finance & Internal Audit Associate

Christine Nantongo kIREMBEKA
Head of Programs

Martin Bakama
Finance Manager

Chris Dan Okello
Project Accountant

Winny Awor
Project Admin. Assistant

Dinah Kyakunzire
Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator

Gilbert Opyene Egwel
Project Officer

Patience E. Nuwamanya
Accounts Assistant

Josephine Nabulya
Administration Officer

MARIA NAKYANZI
Monitoring and Evaluation ASSISTANT

Daniel Okabo
Project Officer

Ian JETHRO Okot
Accounts AssistanT

Godfrey Ntege
Driver

Kogan Awio
Program Facilitator

Diana Nabulya
Program Facilitator

Ritah Nabalamba
Finance coordinator

Paul Selah
COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATE

Janet Bagadira
Program Facilitator

Chloe Namwase
Communication Executive

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Board

MRS. DORIS MITTI

A Communication and Fundraising specialist whose passion is to serve humanity and make a positive difference in the world around her. She is currently a communications consultant with CELA Consult. CELA Consult is a communication and public relations firm dedicated to helping its clients achieve a voice in the global marketplace while catering to the dynamics and challenges of communications in emerging market economies.

MRS. IRENE MUTUMBA

Executive Director at The Private Education Dev. Network, an Ashoka Fellow and social entrepreneur whose passion is to overcome the high rate of rote learning in Uganda’s education system and financial literacy among the youth.

MR. WILLIAM MATOVU

Country Director at Heifer International Uganda, an organization that has empowered millions to go from poverty to self-reliance via livestock, seeds, trees & training.

MR. MATHEW FRENCH

Executive Director of Komo Learning Centres, Uganda where he empowers young people to take control of their own lives and will strive to increase meaningful youth participation in KLC programming. He has continued his work on youth issues, leading youth engagement research for USAID’s Office of Education, working with The MasterCard Foundation and USAID to establish the Mobiles for Youth Workforce Development Working Group, and, most recently, helping CARE International in Burundi identify key elements of their new youth strategy.

 
 

Advisory Board

Mr. DERICK Nkajja

 Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU).

Mr. Bernard Akol Otemor

Current Assistant Curriculum Specialist for BTVET at National Curriculum Development center Kyambogo and Director at Delite Basic School Lira, 2012 to date.

Mr. Antoine Chiquet

Co-founder Komo Learning Centres. Global citizen.

Mr. Joseph Quaderer

First Vice President and Private Banker – Morgan Stanley Private Bank New York. Formerly Business Director at Educate!

Ms. Jacqueline Rotman

Founder/Board Chair at Everybody Dance Now. Formerly Executive Director at SparkSF and Associate Consultant at Bridgespan New York.

Ms. Alice Ndagire

Co-founder Alibeth Consults. Passionate about women's affairs and enriching the girl child. Formerly served as a Youth Ambassador for Uganda to the African Union and secretary for the African Union Youth Entrepreneurship Network.

Mr. Samuel James Kibanga

Formerly Executive Director of Katalemwa Cheshire Home for rehabilitation services and Executive Director National Forum of People Living with HIV/AIDS networks in Uganda (NAFOPHANU. Currently a private development consultant.