Innovation
JNLC and UNDP Host Two-Day Community Innovation Showcase Featuring Impactful Alumni Projects
The Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) at Makerere University, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), opened a two-day Community Innovation Showcase and Alumni Workshop on 17th November 2025—an event dedicated to strengthening alumni-led community transformation across Uganda.
Held under the theme “Empowering Alumni for Transformative Community Impact,” the workshop is part of the ongoing JNLC–UNDP Alumni Follow-Up Programme, a long-term initiative designed to track, support, and amplify the work of alumni implementing community-based innovations.
Showcasing Youth-Led Innovations
Day one saw ten alumni presenters demonstrate their community innovation projects before a panel of adjudicators. Hosted at Fairway Hotel in Kampala, the session provided a valuable platform for alumni to highlight their progress, key milestones, and emerging impact within their communities.
According to Dr. Nansozi K. Muwanga, Executive Director of JNLC, the selected alumni have demonstrated remarkable courage and creativity by implementing initiatives that address some of Uganda’s most pressing challenges—climate change, gender inequality, economic exclusion, and digital gaps. Their work, she noted, exemplifies what becomes possible when young leaders are empowered and supported.
Dr. Muwanga emphasized that since 2021, over 600 youth have been trained through the JNLC leadership programmes, cultivating a growing network of ethical, visionary, and community-driven young leaders. However, she also highlighted a persistent gap between leadership training and visible community impact. “Only a limited number of alumni have successfully transitioned from learning to implementation,” she observed, citing challenges related to limited visibility, inadequate mentorship, resource constraints, and weak strategic partnerships.
Introducing the Alumni Impact Activation Strategy
To address these gaps, Dr. Muwanga unveiled the JNLC–UNDP Impact Activation Strategy—a deliberate effort to strengthen post-training engagement, systematically track alumni initiatives, and provide targeted support. She explained that while all alumni would benefit from mentorship and capacity strengthening, three outstanding initiatives would receive seed funding from UNDP based on the assessment of the expert panel. She thanked UNDP, facilitators, and partners for their continued commitment, reaffirming that leadership training must go beyond certificates and translate into real community impact.
A Keynote Rooted in Experience and Inspiration
In a moving keynote address, Mrs. Irene Mutumba—a long-standing advocate for education, social entrepreneurship, and youth-led innovation—reflected on leadership, empathy, and the power of small beginnings.
She shared a personal childhood story of teaching neighbourhood children basic English phrases, which later inspired the creation of a community learning centre on her family’s veranda.
“I realized that small actions could make a difference in people’s lives,” she recalled. “If you make a difference, you can make a difference in other people’s lives.”
Mrs. Mutumba encouraged alumni to see themselves as catalysts for social transformation, reminding them that community innovation presents limitless opportunities to create value and lasting change. She underscored the importance of:
- strategic networking and stakeholder mapping
- collaboration and co-creation
- entrepreneurial and life skills (planning, risk-taking, communication)
- continuous learning, monitoring, and reflection
She urged participants to remain resilient, consistent, and intentional, emphasizing that meaningful impact requires both action and exposure.
Guidance, Acknowledgments, and Key Lessons
Moderating the discussion, Dr. Gardner Herbert Rwakiseta, JNLC Programme Coordinator, acknowledged Ms. Annet Mpabulungi Wakabi, UNDP Team Leader for Governance and Peace, for the strong partnership and sustained support. He noted that effective community impact rests on three pillars: innovation, connection, and nurturing leadership. Using a powerful metaphor, he reminded alumni:
“Think of yourselves as farmers. Each of you has a seed. Our role, together with UNDP and the panel of judges, is to water and nurture these seeds until they bear the impact we envision.”
Reflecting on regional follow-ups across Uganda, Dr. Gardner commended the dedication shown by alumni whose work has transformed communities and whose innovation earned them a place in this showcase. He reiterated Nelson Mandela’s timeless message: “It is in your hands to create a better world,” urging participants to take full responsibility for the change they want to see.
Pitching Sessions and Feedback
During the workshop, each alumnus had ten minutes to pitch their innovation project. The presentations spanned diverse categories including:
- community engagement
- climate change and justice
- gender and economic empowerment
- youth skilling
- urban farming
- political and civic leadership
The ten presenters were:
Mr. Obete Andrew Obonyo, Mr. Simoni Ichumar, Mr. Wetaka Jude, Mr. Moro Boniface, Ms. Itungo Joan, Ms. Khaitsa Allen, Ms. Auma Olivia, Ms. Nadongo Mary, Mr. Onek Charles, and Mr. Bwayo Emma.
In her reflections, Prof. Josephine Ahikire, JNLC Board Member, urged participants to prioritize clarity, simplicity, and audience-awareness in their communication. She emphasized the importance of sequencing ideas effectively and managing time, applauding the JNLC team for steadily nurturing young leaders.
A Platform for Growth and Future Opportunities
The adjudication panel evaluated projects based on impact, sustainability, clarity of vision, and potential for scale-up. The session was rich with feedback, peer learning, and networking opportunities. The atmosphere was filled with enthusiasm and a shared determination to scale up the social innovations already taking root in different communities.
As participants exchanged experiences and stories of change, the two-day workshop affirmed a central message: when young people are encouraged, guided, and supported, they can transform their communities in profound and lasting ways.
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Running a side business alongside full-time employment has become an increasingly popular venture among staff. For many, it is a way to supplement income and build financial resilience. For Ms. Rebecca Talikaza, a 48-year-old custodian, it has become a pathway to transformation. Talikaza successfully balances her office responsibilities with her growing enterprise, Beckiz Bathing Sponge.
“For the years I have been running Beckiz Bathing Sponge, my side business has not affected my work. I have a support system at home, and I have learnt how to utilize my time well,” she explains.
Turning Necessity into Opportunity
Talikaza’s entrepreneurial journey began during the COVID-19 period, when schools reopened. While preparing to take her first-born son back to school, she realized he did not have a bathing sponge. A search in nearby supermarkets in Nakwero proved futile.
“When I failed to get a bathing sponge, I went back home and looked for some material I had bought earlier. I became creative and decided to knit one using skills I had acquired in primary school,” she recalls.
As she worked, a neighbor noticed her and expressed interest. “When I told her I was knitting a sponge, she asked me to make four for her,” Talikaza says. After completing the order, her neighbor paid her UGX 20,000.
That same day, a boda boda rider she had sent on an errand also requested one. “He told me instead of giving him money, I should give him a sponge. That is when it hit me—I could actually make money from this. Every home needs two or three sponges,” she says.
From Small Orders to Supermarket Shelves
Encouraged by the demand, Talikaza approached Babis Supermarket in Nakwero with her sample. She requested to supply her products after noticing the gap in the market. The manager agreed and asked her to produce two dozen sponges for distribution across five branches.
She also secured a similar opportunity with Shop Wise Supermarket in Manyangwa Village. “Both supermarkets accepted, but it took me three weeks to deliver. I had to sacrifice my sleep, sometimes working until 2:00 a.m. to meet the demand,” she says.
Her first delivery earned her UGX 54,000 per dozen, with each sponge retailing at UGX 5,000. Drawing on knowledge from her Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration at Makerere University Business School, Talikaza realized the importance of branding and packaging. “I knew I had to register my business and package my products well because my target customers value quality,” she explains.
Improved packaging doubled the price of her sponges from UGX 5,000 to UGX 10,000. Since then, the business has steadily grown, enabling her to pay school fees and purchase land.
Challenges Along the Way
Despite her success, Talikaza faces challenges, particularly with delayed payments from supermarkets.
“Some supermarkets take long to pay, yet I need money to buy materials, so I end up using funds from other sources,” she says.
She also points to the difficulty small businesses face in meeting formal requirements. “Some supermarkets require invoices, which is challenging for small businesses like mine. Without them, we are taxed heavily,” she adds.
Advice on Managing a Side Hustle
Talikaza emphasizes discipline, sacrifice, and humility as key ingredients for success. “Never despise humble beginnings. Side businesses do not accommodate laziness. If it means working late, do so to ensure growth and profit,” she advises.
She also stresses the importance of fairness and teamwork, noting that she employs her children and a maid to help with production—and pays them weekly. To maintain professionalism, Talikaza draws a clear boundary between her job and her business.
“Your office work should not suffer because of your side hustle. I do not sell my products at the University. Those who need them can find them in supermarkets,” she says. She recommends careful time management, dedicating working hours to official duties and reserving evenings or weekends for business.
Efficiency, she adds, is critical. “I do not leave work to buy materials. I send a boda boda rider who delivers on time. He even helps monitor stock in supermarkets,” she explains. Above all, Talikaza encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to build businesses around passion and knowledge.
“Understand your business—its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Also know your target market to avoid being cheated,” she says.
At a Glance
Born to Mr. Nathan Magoola and the late Gladys Magoola, Talikaza hails from Iganga District. She attended Iganga Municipal Council Primary School before joining St. Peter’s Secondary School, Naalya, for both O-Level and A-Level.
She later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from Makerere University, followed by a Master’s degree in Gender and Women Studies and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration.
The 10th born in a family of 14, Talikaza is a mother of six children.
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