Upon selection by Kulika Uganda in 2008, I was awarded a scholarship by Common Wealth to pursue my master’s degree, Msc. Global Development Management, from the open University, UK. That time then, I was working with NatureUganda as a project officer but little did I know that I was heading for life transformation.
The first chapter of the course (Development context and Practice module) was the immediate opener of the development dynamics at the global level and how they affect the world especially developing countries. This was coupled with a number of courses related war, conflict, environment, institutional management all with techniques and design required in today’s development world.
As opposed to imparting only knowledge and career, the time of my engagement with the Open University was an award of a tool box to fix and solve development problems with multidimensional approaches. This has made me cross over to many professions I had never dreamt of before. I have managed to consult in a number of areas ranging from gender, adolescent sexual reproductive health, environment, culture, health, agriculture among others. These engagements have earned me good rapport with the consultants I have worked with. I have consulted with a number of organizations which include UNESCO in Uganda, Forum for African Women Educationalists, Fauna and Flora International, Solidaridad among others. Through these engagements and others, I have been co-opted on teams to conduct a number of researches ranging from baselines to tailored studies.
It is from these engagements that I was identified by Fauna and Flora international to kick start the cultural values and conservation project in Semliki National Park and Musambwa islands. During this engagement, I designed a number of training manuals and the Musambwa Islands General Management plan. My experiences from Fauna and Flora International coupled with the techniques and tools acquired from the Open University, help me achieve an award from Rufford Foundation to engage with communities in Rakai on growing the Ficus tree to promote forest conservation, culture of the Baganda people and the ecological services like firewood, soil fertility derived from the tree.
My engagement with the conservation and development arena has further earned me an opportunity to work with the oil industry as a biodiversity officer. This opportunity has further enhanced my conservation skills especially in biodiversity research but the most interesting bit of it is myself as a brand with the spice added from Open University engagements.
As a development and environment manager, I look forward to continuous growth into more management positions using the foundation I acquired from Open University and hopefully one time head a UN agency but most of all create impact from the very community and country I come. I envisage to do this through improved access to quality education, improved livelihoods and environmental conservation. The spirit inculcated in me by Kulika and Common wealth has granted me to extend a similar hand to others by educating one girl through University and also assisting one bright needy girl to achieve her education goals. I believe that if each one of us continues emulating and supporting Kulika Uganda, change can be realized right from the grassroots to International levels.
For God and My Country. Long Live Kulika, Long Live Open University, Long Live Common Wealth.
Seguya Henry Kizito.
Open University graduate, Msc Development Management, 2011