OP-ED | Kampala, Uganda: A few months ago, I joined the Board of Nyaka Global, an organization dedicated to supporting grandparents and orphaned children affected by HIV/AIDS in Uganda. It is among the top five decisions I have made this year, and a direct reflection of my resolution to support community-driven work.
This year, and to be precise, this Friday, August 7, Nyaka will be celebrating 25 years of existence. This is no small feat, especially considering the high mortality rate of NGOs worldwide. As we celebrate a thriving and impactful institution, it is important to pause and reflect on the story behind it. That story is of Jackson Kaguri.
As the engine that powers Nyaka, supported by an incredible team, Jackson offers all of us a masterclass in how to give birth to an idea, incubate it, sustain it, and witness it grow through leaps and bounds into something that transforms communities.
Nyaka’s story sounds almost like a script. I had the chance to see its very first office in a picture and was struck by its humble beginning. That is why it is important to celebrate vision bearers like Jackson, because very few live long enough to witness their dream fully realized. I am grateful that he has. He is now able to see what his “baby” has become. His sleepless nights, filled with self-doubt and the conviction to sustain Nyaka from day one, have been partially rewarded, although the journey continues.
Every dream requires sacrifice, and for Nyaka, that sacrifice was Jackson. Inspired by the circumstances around him and the desire to transform his village, Nyaka was brought to life in 2001. While leadership is often perceived as lonely, he defied the odds. He witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly of present-day Nyaka.
He stood firm in situations that are difficult to explain so that the people of his community could thrive. Many doers like him weather storms to build a blueprint without the luxury of lowering their guard. They must turn every obstacle into an opportunity. Today, he has a story that can inspire many of us to start, to stay and to serve.
Under Jackson’s stewardship, Nyaka has impacted more than 300,000 community members through the provision of free healthcare services and medical treatment. The organization has offered financial training, microloans and housing to more than 23,000 grandmothers, supported over 2,000 students to attain an education, and assisted more than 1,400 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
These are not merely impact statistics but evidence of socio-economic transformation. It is community-driven change. Nyaka’s work bears a human face clothed in improved livelihoods. Nothing is as satisfying as serving humanity, the very reason Nyaka exists.
Nyaka’s impact is deeply felt by the grandmother whose longevity is rooted in the housing and financial support she received. It is the student who has completed university because of Nyaka’s assistance. It is the survivor of SGBV who is able to receive rehabilitation and legal services because of Nyaka’s intervention. It is the household that has survived destitution because of Nyaka’s help. Having worked in the NGO sector for quite some time, I know how difficult it is to turn vulnerability into victory. Nyaka has proven that this is not only possible but practical.
From Jackson, we draw lessons of resilience, intentionality and thought leadership. He has demonstrated that community transformation can be indigenous. In fact, the Nyaka model should be considered by institutions of learning as a case study for rural development and transformation.
Jackson’s story cannot be complete without Nyakagezi, the village that raised him and has become the centre of attention on the global map. Shortened to “Nyaka,” Nyakagezi is located in Kanungu District in southwestern Uganda. Twenty-five years later, what started as one man’s vision for his village has become a model for community transformation.
He chronicles his village and journey in several books, including Victory for My Village, and will soon launch another titled Legacy for My Village. I can only imagine how powerful a read that will be, a story capable of inspiring many of us to act.
Here’s to 25 years of Nyaka. And here’s to Jackson Kaguri, the unsung visionary who proved that one person, with conviction and community, can change a generation.
The author is a Socio-Political Analyst and Board Member of Nyaka Global.
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