10. Emily Nabakooza
Host Club: 9211
Host Club: Rotary club of Logan, District 9630.
Born and raised in Uganda, Emily is a passionate professional with a strong desire to do social good. Before her early career life experiences in humanitarian work with IRC in Northern Uganda during the civil war, and at
L’Arche Camphill Trust in Scotland-UK, Emily earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from Makerere University – Uganda in 2001, and years later, a master’s degree in Public and Community Service from University of East London –UK. Soon after her new educational experience overseas, she had an opportunity to coordinate development projects with World Vision – Uganda for three years, (Education, HIV/AIDS, Water and Sanitation) that meaningfully improved the wellbeing of children and communities. While in this role, her awareness about youth violence, and the desire to engage in social actions that provide non-violent pathways for young people to realize their aspirations repeatedly surfaced. She soon found a new role in peace and conflict resolution work with John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre Uganda, where she has worked in the last six years as Head of department – Training, overseeing interventions that foster and consolidate peace building initiatives in secondary schools and communities, and animating structures that empower young people with civic skills, and abilities to adopt policies that help them to critically examine violence and to develop perspectives that allow them to analyze and resolve problems and tensions in a more integrated way. Her commitment to this work has considerably contributed to an atmosphere of dialogue rather than violent strikes, a frequent occurrence in many Ugandan schools.
Emily is very passionate about creating peace through education, and is convinced that young people are the greatest resource we have in creating peace-led communities and therefore, their voices and solutions to problems affecting our shared world must be amplified, and fully utilized in peace building processes. Her Rotary Peace Fellowship at University of Queensland is an exceptional opportunity that offers a mixture of scholarship and service, to a cause that is greater than her. Emily intends to integrate the advanced knowledge and skills absorbed during her master’s degree, into her already developed theory and practice framework, to contribute to service activities that inspire peace building vocations among young people.