Welcome, Professional Fellows

The Sonoran Center is proud to once again welcome participants in the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement. This year, Mai Nambooze from Uganda and Kelvin Mkude from Tanzania will be participating in the program. The Professional Fellows Program On Inclusive Civic Engagement is an opportunity for disability professionals from Africa to exchange experience and best practices with organizations in the US. Like previous participants, including Harunah Damba and Denis Ouma, Nambooze and Mkude will be visiting Southern Arizona from September through early October. During their stay, they will experience the Sonoran Center’s work firsthand and discuss the ways to best serve the people they work with. Their visit will conclude with a presentation on October 6, open to the public to attend in person or on Zoom, that will cover what they’ve learned and how they will implement it into their own projects..   

Mai Nambooze is a founding member and the National Coordinator of the Association of Care Leavers Uganda (ACLU), an organization that supports children, youth, and adults who have spent their childhood in institutional care, such as residential facilities, childcare facilities, and orphanages.

Kelvin Mkude is the Founder and Executive Director of Winning Nature in Charisma, a Tanzanian nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the potential and abilities of individuals with disabilities, helping them build their professions and pursue their passions. He creates platforms where individuals with disabilities can showcase their skills and contributions in professional and creative fields.

All of us at the Sonoran Center are looking forward to hosting these dedicated professionals.