Born and bred in Uganda, Evah Namakula is the only girl out of eight siblings. Her mother struggled financially as the sole breadwinner following her father’s death. Evah confesses that her mother endured sleepless nights in order to fend for her children.
I agree with Evah that there is extreme strength that mothers possess especially in times of adversity. Evah remembers the many times they took water as their only meal. Things were got out of hand to the point of moving to the countryside. Life in the countryside was not pretty but was easier than in the rough city.
Throughout primary and secondary school, Evah exuded great leadership skills and held leadership positions. She was part of the Catholic Association and a dancing club in High school which her mother did not approve of and saw it as a waste of time. However, she held on and by the end of her studies, had gathered many awards and certificates.
With the help of a doctor friend, Evah decided to pursue a lab/nursing course at Nsambya Hospital. While at the hospital, she joined an active arts club to continue with her fun hobby and got promoted to permanent employment. She later pursued a Bachelors in Bio-Medical Lab Sciences.
While at campus, I formed a Latino dance group where students would dance the night away on Fridays. The group had great potential that I decided to register it as an organization.
That was how Public Health Ambassadors Uganda (PHAU) was formed. The organization’s aim is taking community involvement, community participation and community empowerment as the key to healthy living and improved life styles.
We got many grants in the first year including one from AWDF for World Aids day. We also staged the first ever flash mob in Uganda.
I am not sure if other people feel restless like I do when I become stagnant? It’s the worst place to be. I got to this point while in the organization amidst of all the success. (Puzzled look) I decided to apply for other different opportunities.
Early this year, I qualified for the highly competitive Aids Alliance for Southern Africa and went through the TOT (Trainers of Trainings) program under human rights for people living with HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and mental illnesses. I also won a fun award as best cultural person representing Uganda while there.
I have to say 2016 has been a great year and I thank God for it. In March, I was selected to go to Ghana and represent Uganda under sexual and reproductive health under the TOT program.
Then came an opportunity I had been waiting for, being selected as a YALI Initiative participant under the public management track. I was screaming in the house and doing my happy dance- my mother had no option but to join me.
The program was mind blowing. I got unbelievable connections and networks with tens of people from over 15 countries. I loved one of the advice session with the chief of party at YALI, Mark Mc Cord who insisted that we needed to not think out of the box but to tear and destroy it.
In August, I got selected to go to Netherlands under the UN women and teach the 7 habits of highly effective people to older women.
When I came back, I followed my instincts and quit PHAU which was hard because this was an organization that I was key in forming and building. I moved to Kenya, where I am interning at the YALI regional center. The growth is immense.
One thing I always tell the youth is to look around for opportunities and to seize them. To walk through open doors, to think synergy and big. Please disrupt the status quo, ain’t nobody got time for mediocrity in Africa anymore.
I am still pursuing advocacy and implementation of SDG’s in the medical field. I plan to build a day care center for old people in Uganda in the next 10 years. Most of them have been abandoned.
Evah enjoys soft music, good company and a plate of matoke and biyebwa (groundnut sauce) when she is not working. Keep soaring Evah, it’s the only way eagles maintain success.
