From Adversity to Advocacy; Sabiiti Fenekansi’s Enduring Impact on Uganda’s Education, Health and Development

Sabiiti Fenekansi’s journey is a compelling narrative of resilience, a deep-seated commitment to community empowerment, and a lifelong pursuit of knowledge that has significantly shaped his impactful role in Uganda’s education, health and development landscape. His story, rooted in a challenging childhood, underscores the transformative power of education and the profound influence of early experiences on an individual’s trajectory.

Born into a large family in the Isingiro district of Ankole, Western Uganda, Sabiiti’s early years were marked by the realities of poverty that afflicted many migrant communities. At the tender age of nine, his family relocated to Kitagwenda in the Tooro region, where they faced significant hardships. Childhood development during this period was largely shaped by traditional practices and the sheer struggle for survival. Access to essential healthcare for mothers and children was non-existent; antenatal care, hospital deliveries, and immunizations were unheard of, leaving growth and well-being to the mercies of nature and traditional remedies. This context highlights the stark disparities in early childhood development opportunities that Sabiiti and many others faced, underscoring the urgent need for improved healthcare access and awareness.

Sabiiti’s early education was a testament to his perseverance against formidable odds. The lack of school fees created significant barriers, leading to him repeating primary seven for several years. This experience underscores the critical role of accessible and affordable education in a child’s development and future prospects. The transition to secondary school brought its own set of challenges. With schools located far from home, his father rented a room nearby, requiring Sabiiti to make weekly journeys home to secure food. His secondary education was financed through the sale of family assets and his own strenuous labor alongside his father, selling agricultural produce at the Mahyoro fishing site on Lake George. This period vividly illustrates the immense sacrifices families and children often make to pursue education, highlighting its perceived value even amidst poverty. A brief bursary in senior three offered a glimpse of relief, but he ultimately completed his O’ level through a credit agreement with the headmaster, a testament to his determination and the headmaster’s belief in his potential.

The pursuit of A’ level education demanded even greater sacrifice. Sabiiti had to leave home and travel to the Buganda region, in Mityana district, to work as a laborer to earn the necessary funds to clear his O’ level debts and save for further studies. This arduous journey underscores the lengths to which individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds must go to access higher education. A poignant detail of his journey is that he wore shoes for the first time when he left Buganda to join A’ level, having navigated his entire primary and O’ level education barefoot. His resourcefulness extended to his basic needs; his father crafted a mattress for him out of a sack filled with dry coach grass, which served him throughout his O’ level years, with the grass being replaced annually. These personal anecdotes poignantly illustrate the material hardships that shaped his early life and his unwavering commitment to education as a pathway to a better future.

Sabiiti’s aspiration to pursue a medical career was thwarted by financial constraints after secondary school. Instead, after several years of volunteering as a teacher, he pursued a degree in Education at Makerere University. This pivot highlights the influence of socio-economic factors on career choices and the adaptability required to navigate unforeseen circumstances. His initial foray into the professional world was as a secondary school teacher, a role that provided him with firsthand experience in the education system he would later influence on a broader scale.

A significant turning point in Sabiiti’s career trajectory occurred in his first year of teaching when he encountered an NGO that ignited his passion for social work and community development. This encounter sparked a profound shift in his professional aspirations, leading him to volunteer with the organization, eventually serving on its Board representing young people. This early involvement provided him with invaluable exposure to the workings of civil society and the potential for grassroots impact. Driven by a desire to contribute more directly to community well-being, he made the pivotal decision to resign from his teaching position to dedicate himself fully to community and social development.

Despite graduating as a biology teacher in 2003, Sabiiti recognized the burgeoning importance of computer literacy in the modern world. Embarking on a self-driven learning journey, he progressed from using an old typewriter to borrowing computer time, and ultimately acquiring his own machine. Through relentless self-training and peer consultation, he achieved proficiency, now utilizing computers extensively for project design, research, and international report writing. This proactive embrace of new skills exemplifies his adaptability and commitment to continuous learning.

His transition from teaching to social work was fueled by a deep-seated passion to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Initially volunteering with limited responsibilities at the NGO that inspired him, he seized every opportunity to learn, despite lacking formal training in areas like project management, research, and advanced report writing. His dedication led him to invest his own resources to establish the NGO’s presence in a new district, where he proactively took ownership of reporting and cultivated relationships with local authorities.

A critical moment that underscored Sabiiti’s initiative and competence occurred during a donor evaluation. His proactive efforts and well-organized information in a remote office impressed the visitor more than the resources at the head office. This led to his inclusion in the final evaluation, where, as a volunteer, he successfully advocated for the NGO’s continued funding. While immediate employment didn’t follow, he was recognized with a position on the NGO’s Board, fulfilling a donor requirement for youth representation.

Sabiiti’s proactive approach and skills also garnered the attention of district officials, leading to invitations to meetings and field assignments, initially with just allowances. When a major AIDS commission project was introduced, his ability to mobilize significantly more fundable community projects than others earned him facilitation fees, demonstrating his capacity to drive community-led initiatives. His focus on learning over immediate financial gain proved to be a key factor in his professional growth.

This dedication paved the way to a Project Supervisor role with a large international NGO, a turning point that provided invaluable learning opportunities and propelled his career forward. Since then, Sabiiti has taken on diverse and increasingly responsible roles, consistently demonstrating his capacity for self-directed learning and leadership, even in positions with minimal supervision. His extensive experience leading numerous research projects across the country stands as a testament to his self-driven growth and expertise.

Sabiiti Fenekansi’s career is marked by over 20 years of experience in program implementation and administration across national and international CSOs and development organizations, primarily in education, health, research, and policy. His diverse background encompasses roles as a Community Development worker, Trainer of Trainers, Researcher, Programs Manager and Company Managing Director.

His direct involvement in education includes serving as a School Teacher and Diocesan Education Coordinator for the Church of Uganda, where he oversaw and supervised all primary and secondary schools founded by the Church in the East Ruwenzori Diocese. Furthermore, his contributions to education research and assessment with Uwezo at Twaweza and UWEZO Uganda (both in Annual Learning Assessments and ALiVE) highlight his commitment to improving learning outcomes and educational quality at a national level. He also coordinated a UNESCO study on foundational learning in districts of Uganda and led a study on pupil absenteeism, demonstrating his engagement with critical issues affecting the education system. His work facilitating the assessment of a community-led learning initiative further underscores his focus on participatory approaches to education development.

In the realm of humanitarian services, Sabiiti has served as a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Coordinator and Trainer, showcasing his expertise in addressing the impact of crises on communities, including the education sector. His skills encompass training in DRR, emergency response, project monitoring and assessment, community mobilization, and project management, all of which are crucial for ensuring the resilience and continuity of education in challenging circumstances.

Sabiiti’s influence extends to education policy. He has participated in education policy reviews, leveraging his grassroots experience to inform national-level discussions. His ability to articulate community-level issues in national policy discussions is a significant asset in shaping more equitable and effective education policies. He has also led community engagements and developed tools for tracking education service delivery, contributing to improved accountability and efficiency within the education system.

His qualifications are underpinned by certifications in research methodologies, strategic planning, community participation, and project management. He possesses proficiency in community engagement, CSO collaboration, poverty resource monitoring, and Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS), a methodology he gained through training by John Hopkins University and the World Bank, which he has applied to assess community health and development programs. His training background also includes national-level expertise in assessing life skills, values, and basic learning outcomes through Uwezo Uganda and the Luigi Giussan Institute of Education, as well as training with the Presidential Initiative on AIDS Strategy for Communication to the Youth (PIASCY). Furthermore, he is trained in Results Based Management and the supervision of community-led development initiatives. His capacities in strategic planning and management, including development and facilitation, have been strengthened through Pathfinder International. He is also equipped in areas such as applying human rights to governance and corruption reduction, character formation and life skills development for youth, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and a human rights-based approach to management and development. Crucially, his training includes the skills and aptitudes necessary for conducting and analyzing both qualitative (e.g., Focus Group Discussions) and quantitative (e.g., Lot Quality Assurance Sampling) research methods, coupled with direct experience in planning and conducting community-based and household-based research programs.

Sabiiti’s work experience reflects his progressive leadership and expanding influence. He worked as the Programs Manager at Maranatha Health Uganda before being promoted to Director of Programs and Strategy and later to Managing Director of Maranatha Health Uganda, demonstrating his leadership capabilities within the health and development sector.

He also founded Kitara Foundation in 2023, where he served as the Team Lead of Evidence and Action Programming in Tourism Development, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to initiate development in new sectors.

His extensive involvement with Uwezo Uganda as a National Trainer for Annual Learning Assessments and as a National Trainer and Consultant in the Assessment of Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) underscores his deep expertise in educational assessment and his contribution to understanding learning outcomes across the region. His coordination of a UNESCO study on foundational learning further highlights his engagement with international efforts to improve education.

His roles as Diocesan Planning and Development Coordinator and Diocesan Health Coordinator for the East Ruwenzori Diocese of the Church of Uganda illustrate his capacity to manage and oversee development initiatives across various sectors within a significant institution.

His experience as a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Coordinator and Program Officer for a Village Savings and Loaning Association (VSLA) program under CARE International further demonstrates his diverse skill set and his commitment to holistic community development.

His early roles as a Program Supervisor for a behavior change program at Samaritan’s Purse International Relief and as a District Community Facilitator for the Community HIV/AIDS Initiatives (CHAI) Project of the Uganda AIDS Commission highlight his long-standing dedication to addressing critical social issues at the grassroots level. His initial experience as a volunteer Peer educator at Parents Concern for Young People laid the foundation for his career in community development, underscoring the importance of early engagement and passion in shaping one’s professional path.

In conclusion, Sabiiti Fenekansi’s life journey, from a challenging childhood marked by poverty and limited access to basic necessities and education, to his current influential role in Uganda’s education, health and development sectors, is a testament to his resilience, unwavering commitment to learning, and deep-seated passion for community empowerment. His diverse experiences, coupled with his extensive training and qualifications, have equipped him with a unique perspective and a comprehensive skill set to address complex development challenges. His contributions to education policy, research, and implementation, driven by his firsthand understanding of the barriers faced by marginalized communities, underscore his significant impact on shaping a more equitable and effective education system in Uganda. Sabiiti’s story serves as an inspiring example of how personal challenges can fuel a lifelong dedication to creating positive change and highlights the transformative power of education in breaking cycles of poverty and fostering sustainable development.