Jacy’s visit followed a successful collaboration with Denis Ouma, head of the training programs at United Persons with Disabilities (UPDS) which led to them winning the Outbound Fellowship as part of the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement (PFP). This program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and implemented by the Institute of Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in partnership with Humanities and Inclusion.

Earlier in May 2024, Denis traveled to the United States as a professional fellow and worked closely with Jacy at the University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities. Together, they developed a blueprint for a disability mentorship program for higher education in Uganda. With Jacy’s visit to Uganda, she aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the local context, offer additional technical assistance in developing a mentorship program, and explore potential opportunities for future collaborations with universities in Uganda.

Jacy’s visit was a moment we had only dreamed of, and it arrived on a beautiful November evening—a day we had eagerly awaited.

During her stay in Uganda, Jacy had the opportunity to meet with key stakeholders at Kyambogo University, Makerere University, and key government officials, as well as representatives from organizations such as the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda. The goal was to uncover the challenges and opportunities in advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities in Uganda’s higher education institutions.

Dr. Paul Emong is one of the key stakeholders working closely with Jacy to assist Denis in developing a disability mentorship program for Ugandan Universities. Dr. Emong is a person with a disability who defied all odds to achieve higher academic qualifications and a respected position in society. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Rights from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, a Master of Arts in Human Rights from Makerere University, Uganda, a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from the Uganda Management Institute, and a Bachelor of Statistics from Makerere University. Dr. Emong also holds an International Postgraduate Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. He leads the Kyambogo University Disability Support Services Centre and has been a lecturer at the institution for nearly 10 years, teaching in the Department of Community and Disability Studies.

Dr. Paul Emong, Denis, and Jacy collaborated to develop a Handbook to guide Disability Mentorship in Higher Education. This handbook sets the standards for mentorship and advancing disability inclusion in higher education in Uganda.

The disability mentorship program has since been launched with a select group of students from Kyambogo University who 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.

“This is my first time to be here in Uganda, and overall in Africa. It’s wonderful to see so many of you, engineers, doctors, teachers, and so many others. I am truly inspired by your passion and drive. I was pleased to hear in yesterday’s meeting, which Dr. Paul invited us to, the rallying cry of the disability rights movement: ‘Nothing about us, without us.’ We really try to make sure that this principle is front and center in all the work we do.” — Jacy Farkas.

The highlight of her visit was a stop at the Ndere Cultural Centre in Kampala, where she got to see an amazing performance of traditional dances. The lively shows, with both men and women dancing, were a colorful celebration of Uganda’s rich culture, filled with passion and emotion that’s been shared through generations. She also enjoyed tasting Uganda’s local cuisine, adding another special experience to her trip.

As she prepared to leave for Entebbe, she sent a message expressing her gratitude: “I send my warmest good wishes to you all. I sincerely thank everyone for the wonderful welcome and am deeply grateful to those who worked hard to make my visit so pleasant and successful. You’re the most gracious host!”— Jacy Farkas.

A complete memoir of Jacy Farkas’ visit to Uganda will be published and posted on this site soon. Stay tuned for an in-depth look at her visit and its impact on our disability advocacy efforts.

The post UPDS Welcomes Jacy Farkas from the United States appeared first on UPDS News.

The Professional Fellows Congress program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by World Learning and the Global Leaders Division in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State. World Learning, a nonprofit organization founded in 1932 and headquartered in Washington, DC and Brattleboro, Vermont, is the grantee organization for this program.

With over 2,000 fellows, World Learning has awarded approximately 40 Professional Fellows Program Alumni Impact Award (AIA) winners since its establishment. AIA winners are selected based on who best demonstrates their experience as a professional fellow, contributed to their efforts in making a positive impact in their home community, and exemplify outstanding leadership qualities.

This recognition comes at a time when Harunah and his mentor, Dr. Wendy Parent-Johnson, are leading efforts towards fostering inclusive employment as a national movement in Uganda. They have launched a professional course on Employment-First Policy and Practice, a collaboration between Virginia Commonwealth univeristy Rehabilitation Research and Training Centre (VCURRTC), United Persons with Disabilities and Kyambogo University Faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation (FSNR). Harunah acts as a collaborative liaison, facilitating quality partnerships between these great institutions.

Harunah’s prior engagements with his mentor, Dr. Parent-Johnson, include winning the Professional Fellows Program Outbound Award. This award supported Dr. Parent-Johnson in delivering training on best practices in self-employment for disability leaders in Uganda. Harunah has also worked with Dr. Parent-Johnson to organize the ‘Journeys to Inclusion’ series, an innovative campaign strategy focusing on disability inclusion with lessons from the U.S. In this series, disability subject matter experts, professionals and individuals with lived experiences shared insights on proactive disability advicacy with Ugandan disability leaders. The series attracted professionals from topnotch institutions in the U.S, including the University of Arizona, Harvard University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the World Institute on Disability.

Harunah and his team have harnessed lessons from these engagements into a national movement building strategy to inspire widespread advocacy and policy changes to foster greater inclusivity for persons with disabilities in Uganda. Harunah’s role as a facilitator has been particularly instrumental in bridging the gap between local initiatives and global expertise, ensuring that best practices are shared and implemented effectively to create lasting impact.

To that end, the U.S. Department of State has awarded Harunah the prestigious Professional Fellows Program Alumni Impact Award in recognition of his noble work uplifting people with disabilities in our setting, a group he identifies with.

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