Aaron Kirunda

Last updated

Aaron Kirunda
Born (1985-06-16) 16 June 1985 (age 39)
Jinja, Uganda
NationalityUgandan
Citizenship Uganda
Alma mater Makerere University , London School of Economics
OccupationSocial Entrepreneur
Years active2004–present
Known forempowering people

Aaron Kirunda (born 16 June 1985) is a Ugandan social entrepreneur and public figure. He is the chairperson of the African Spelling Bee and he is the co-founder and Chief Executive of enjuba [1] [2] where he dedicates his work to empowering people to reach their full potential through education. enjuba runs the National Spelling Bee [3] in Uganda, a catalytic program that reaches millions of pupils in primary schools, helping them improve their literacy, develop 21st century skills. enjuba also publishes children's books and conducts teacher training programs.

Contents

Background and education

Aaron was born in Jinja District and he attended Katira Primary School and Kasokoso Trading Centre Primary School before joining Kakira High School, for his O-Levels and Muljibhai Madhvani College, Wairaka for his A-Levels where he emerged the best student in Jinja District. In 2004, he got a government scholarship to Makerere University to study a Bachelor of Mass Communication. He graduated in 2008 with Honors. [2] He spent most of his after school time engaging with youths on leadership, community activism, especially for the Children in Northern Uganda during the LRA War, mostly through GuluWalk [4] and others, empowering entrepreneurs to produce quality products and designing communication materials for the Ugandan Government, Rwandan Government and World Bank funded projects. In 2009, he worked with others to develop radio programs for a university radio station to enable university students to make the most important decisions of their lives. He later moved to Kiwoko - Nakaseke District to start and manage Musana Fm, [5] a community Radio station aimed at creating community transformation. While here, he designed radio programs that gave people hope and inspired several to start income generating activities, to go back to school, and take practical steps towards living better lives. [6] He spearheaded planting of over 20,000 trees in the community as well as using the radio as a platform to engage and educate people on financial inclusion, helping people learn to use of their mobile phones as a tool for not just money transfers but also savings. He later launched enjuba Credit, [7] a financial service company that helps individuals access emergency funding and for high growth entrepreneurs to get funding and business growth support for their businesses. In 2013, he was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship [8] to study social policy and business model innovation at the base of the pyramid at the London School of Economics.

He also runs the enjuba National Spelling Bee in Uganda and is the Chairperson of the African Spelling Bee, [9] a continent-wide annual spelling competition for children with the aim of improving literacy, unlocking children's imagination and developing key life skills such as confidence, teamwork, critical thinking and presentation. [10] Aaron is a receiver of a Positive Inspiration Award from YALDA (Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa). He was recognized as one of the 101 Young African Leaders at the 5th African Business Leaders Forum. He is a winner of the Global Young Social Entrepreneurs Competition, 2007 and a finalist for Young Achievers Award, 2010. Aaron is also an MIT GSW Fellow, an LSE Programme for African Leadership Fellow, an Acumen East African Fellow for 2016 and was recently nominated for the New Vision 40 under 40 awards.

Community activism

Aaron has served in the following positions: [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in Uganda</span>

The system of education in Uganda has a structure of 7 years of primary education, 6 years of secondary education, and 3 to 5 years of post-secondary education. Education in Uganda is administered in English. All throughout the levels in the education structure, modules are taught and assessed in English. The government of Uganda recognizes education as a basic human right and continues to strive to provide free primary education to all children in the country. However, issues with funding, teacher training, rural populations, and inadequate facilities continue to hinder the progress of educational development in Uganda. Girls in Uganda are disproportionately discriminated against in terms of education; they face harsher barriers when trying to gain an education and it has left the female population disenfranchised, despite government efforts to close the gap.

YMCA in Uganda was founded in 1959. It has six main branches, including Kampala YMCA. Other branches are in Jinja, Mukono, Mbale, Mbarara, Kasese.

Articles related to Uganda include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norbert Mao</span> Minister of Justice, Ugandan lawyer and politician

Norbert Mao is a Ugandan political activist and lawyer. He has been president of the Democratic Party since 2010, three time presidential candidate and served as the Local Council 5 chairman for Gulu District. He is the current minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs in the Ugandan government, an office he assumed on 21 July 2022. He was appointed to this position by Yoweri Museveni, the president of the Republic of Uganda. The appointment drew immense criticism from the Democratic Party, an opposition party he is currently serving as president. It was seen as a move by President Museveni to tame the Party and clip its wings to criticize his government.

Kampala University (KU) is a private, chartered, recognized and accredited university in Uganda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited</span> Commercial bank in Uganda

Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited (SBU) is a commercial bank in Uganda and is licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator.

DFCU Bank, registered as the Development Finance Company of Uganda Bank Limited, is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is licensed by the Bank of Uganda (BoU), Uganda's central bank and national banking regulator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absa Bank Uganda Limited</span> Commercial bank in Uganda

Absa Bank Uganda Limited, formerly known as Barclays Bank of Uganda Limited, is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator. The bank is a subsidiary of Absa Group Limited, a financial services conglomerate, based in South Africa, with banking subsidiaries in 12 African countries and representative offices in two other African countries. Absa Bank Group, whose shares trade on the JSE Limited, was reported to have total assets in excess of US$91 billion, as of October 2019. 

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Sekitoleko</span> Ugandan politician

Victoria Sekitoleko is a former Minister of Agriculture in the Ugandan government, a post she held from 1986 to 1995. She was a representative for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in China, Mongolia, and South Korea She previously served as the FAO's representative in Ethiopia to the African Union (AU), and to the Economic Community for Africa (ECA) (2005–2006). She was FAO Sub Regional Representative to Eastern and Southern Africa, based at Harare, Zimbabwe.(1995–2004). Recently appointed to the Biyinzika Poultry International Limited (BPIL) Board in June 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amina Moghe Hersi</span> Somali entrepreneur (born 1964)

Amina Hersi Moghe is a Somali entrepreneur. She has launched several multimillion-dollar projects in Kampala, Uganda. Her investments include Oasis Shopping Mall in Kampala's central business district and the Laburnam Courts Apartments, on Nakasero Hill adjacent to State House Kampala. She in the process of launching the first sugar factory in Northern Uganda. Atiak sugar factory will not only bring revenue and development for the region but is championed as the first large scale industrial project for Northern Uganda. She is also one of the city's largest distributors of cement and other hardware materials. With successful business ventures throughout Uganda she has become a beacon of hope and a motivating role model for young African girls.

Pride Microfinance Limited (PMFL), is a microfinance deposit-taking institution (MDI) in Uganda. It is licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator.

Standard Chartered Uganda, whose official name is Standard Chartered Bank Uganda Limited but is often referred to as Stanchart Uganda, is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the banks licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator.

FINCA Uganda Limited, also known as FINCA Uganda, is a microfinance deposit-accepting institution (MDI) in Uganda. It is licensed and regulated by the Bank of Uganda, the central bank and national banking regulator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uganda Law Society</span>

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) is an association of lawyers charged with ensuring professionalism among lawyers in Uganda.

Assumpta Nnaggenda-Musana, also Assumpta Nnaggenda Musana, is a Ugandan architect, urban planner and academic, who serves as a lecturer in the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning, in the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, at Makerere University, the oldest and largest public university in Uganda. She was the first woman in Uganda to obtain a doctorate degree in architecture, and as of February 2019, the only one.

Nataliey Bitature is a Ugandan entrepreneur and executive currently serving as Chief of Staff at The Simba Group. Bitature was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2015 and is the daughter of Patrick Bitature, one of the richest people in Uganda.

George Ladaah Openjuru, also George Ladaah Openjuru, is a Ugandan educator, academic and academic administrator, who serves as the Vice Chancellor of Gulu University, a public university in the Northern Region of Uganda, since 13 January 2018.

Ssendi Mosh Afrikan, popularly known by his stage name Mr Mosh Live, is a Ugandan radio and television personality, events MC, media coach, social activist and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African Spelling Bee</span>

The African Spelling Bee is an academic spelling competition and consortium held annually across the African continent. Modeled after traditional spelling bees, this event serves as a platform for students to demonstrate their mastery of language and spelling skills. Organized at both national and continental levels, the competition begins with preliminary rounds in participating countries, culminating in a grand finale where finalists from various nations compete for the championship title. The 2023 edition of the contest was held in Kampala, Uganda. The 2024 edition is set to be held in December at Abuja, Nigeria.

References

  1. ↑ "enjuba". enjuba. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Odongo, Jacobs (27 July 2008). "The young global leader who is going places". New Vision . Kampala. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "enjuba Spelling Bee". enjuba. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "The Power Of The GuluWalk". HuffPost. 4 November 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "Musana FM". newhopeuganda.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "107.8 Musana Fm". New Hope Uganda. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "enjuba Credit". enjuba Credit. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK". cscuk.dfid.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "African Spelling Bee". 27 October 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  10. ↑ "African Spelling Bee", Wikipedia, 17 June 2024, retrieved 17 June 2024
  11. ↑ ENJ (10 February 2016). "Enjuba: Our Story". Kampala: Enjuba.com (ENJ). Retrieved 10 February 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.