Friends Of Aliguma USA | FRIENDS OF ALIGUMA

FOAF (USA) is a 501(c)(3)/ tax exempt organization

Friends of The Aliguma Foundation (FOAF-USA) is a U.S. based 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in Boston, Massachusetts. Its purpose and mission is to support the work of The Aliguma Foundation in Uganda and overseas (primarily in the USA).

About The Aliguma Foundation:

The Aliguma Foundation is a charitable organization in Kampala, Uganda, which was set up to help marginalized communities access basic life needs through sports and enterprise. The organization whose activities are aimed at lifting the standards of living of the slum residents, especially mothers and children, currently operates in Acholi Quarters, a community of mostly refugees from northern Uganda living in Kireka, Banda one of the most remote slums areas on the outskirts of Kampala.

VISION:

To have a self-sustaining community as a strong pillow for holistic success that will last for generations.

MISSION STATEMENT:

To empower the vulnerable Community especially mothers and children to live better lives through education Sports and self-help programs.

PHILOSOPHY:

"A smile is a sacred human birth right therefore we should give everyone a reason to smile."

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

"Our ultimate goal is to promote holistic human development with specific emphasis on sports among children, to pursue career goals, and to socio-economically empower their mothers with solid social support for the children."

Website: https://www.aligumafoundation.org/aligumafoundation

THE FOAF-USA TEAM

KAREN JACOBSEN, Ph.D (EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER)

Prof. Karen Jacobsen Ph. D is the Associate Academic Dean, Research Director, Refugees in Towns at the Leir Institute for Migration and Human Security. More recently she was the Henry J. Leir Professor in Global Migration at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University whilst directing Refugees in Towns Projects at the Leir Institute.

Jacobsen’s current research explores urban displacement and global migration, with a focus on the livelihoods and financial resilience of migrants and refugees, and on climate- and environment-related mobility.

In 2013-2014, she was on leave from Tufts, leading the Joint IDP Profiling Service (JIPS) at the United Nations in Geneva. From 2000-2005, she directed the Alchemy Project, which explored the use of micro-finance to support people in refugee camps and other displacement settings.
Prof. Jacobsen’s Ph.D. in Political Science is from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her areas of expertise include refugee and migration issues, humanitarian assistance in developing countries, urban impact, and climate change and migration. She is currently at work on a book that examines the impact of displacement on cities.
Her previous books include; A View from Below: Conducting Research in Conflict Zones (with Mazurana and Gale, Cambridge UP 2013 ); and The Economic Life of Refugees (Lynne Rienner, 2005), which is widely used in courses on forced migration.

She consults and works closely with UNHCR and other UN agencies and international NGOs. She is a citizen of both South Africa and the U.S.
(more about Karen: https://facultyprofiles.tufts.edu/karen-jacobsen)

Why be a part of FOAF:
Aliguma Foundation's CEO, Ritah Aliguma, was first introduced to Karen by the former UNHCR Country Representative in Uganda, Joel Boutroue. Karen was doing research on climate change in slums, so she visited the slums of Acholi Quarters with The Aliguma Foundation officials and volunteers twice, where she met with the women and children and also donated basic need items to the residents of the Acholi Quarters.

MOROCCO OMARI (EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER)

Morocco Omari’s directing credits include: (Mis)Leading Man, Good intentions, Mission Mom Possible, Make A Name and the music videos Big City, and Kanyama.

In addition, Mr. Omari is the Executive Producer and writer of The Male Groupie which aired on HBO. Mr. Omari also produced two television pilots in Uganda: The Reporter, and Cultural Creations; and he’s also the Executive Producer of the Ugandan film, The Girl in The Yellow Jumper streaming on Netflix Africa.

Acting TV/Film credits include; Wendy Williams The Movie, 21 Bridges with Chadwick Boseman. Series regular roles include: P- Valley, and Empire. Recurring roles on 61st Street, Homeland, Chicago Fire, NCIS, and Joan of Arcadia. Guest star roles on FBI, Blue Bloods, Person of interest, The Good Wife, Prison Break, and 24.

Theater credits include; A Streetcar Named Desire, and A Time To Kill on Broadway, as well as performances at notable theaters such as Lincoln Center, Huntington, Steppenwolf, Goodman, Geffen, Denver Theatre Center, Congo Square, Pittsburgh Public, St. Louis Rep, Looking glass, and Virginia Stage.

Mr. Omari has taught acting in LA, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis (USA), Gaborone (Botswana), Kigali (Rwanda), Nairobi (Kenya), Kampala (Uganda), Lagos (Nigeria), and Buea (Cameroon).

Why be a part of FOAF:
"I got involved with Friends of The Aliguma Foundation after meeting Rita Aliguma. She invited me to Acholi Quarters where I received a warm welcome. After Ritah telling me about her initiatives and how she was helping the people I was honored to come on-board to help out where needed.”

PETER SSERWANGA (DIRECTOR)

Peter Sserwanga has 15 years of media experience as a trained journalist. Peter is the founder of Metashield Technologies and Bearlynz Inc.
“I grew up in Mengo-Kisenyi, one of the ghetto (slum) suburbs of Kampala District. During our childhood days, we used to participate in boxing and soccer as a tool to bring about a change to our lives.
“Living in a slum comes with all negative influences such as drug abuse, anti-social activities, poverty, social alienation, and personal struggles. We believe engaging in any sport inherently offers a transferrable set of skills for social development through team building, acceptance and discipline. Hence reducing social transformation.”

Why be a part of FOAF:
"We rise by lifting others. When God lifts you up, don’t forget those you have left behind always find means and ways to help them out. When I read and saw what the Aliguma Foundation did in the slums of Kampala, I was inspired to contact them in order to add ‘a brick’ to whatever their goals were."

FLORENCE MUGENYI (PRESIDENT/CEO & FOUNDER )

Florence, the founder of Friends of The Aliguma Foundation (FOAF) has held administrative roles as Board Member of multiple organisations over a period of at least 12 years. She has a great passion for sports, sports business, but also believes in the power of sports and their ability to intersect with other socio-economic elements of communities and economies to create irreversible micro or macro development in many anticipated and unanticipated ways.
Why be a part of FOAF:
“I did it solely to ‘make peace’, haha! My former secondary school (Mengo Senior School) and Ritah Aliguma’s (Lubiri Secondary School) had a deep-rooted sports rivalry, back in the day. I am way older than Ritah, but to me she still represents the “rival”. I’m, however, living up to my former school’s motto, “Akwana Akira Ayomba” (“Make Friends and Never Foes”). So Ritah, I come in peace!
On a serious note, the first time Ritah Aliguma and I met was in 2019 via an introduction by a mutual friend. I didn’t know much about what she did, but something made me feel the prospect of meeting her worthwhile. The rest is history. Ritah is easy to work with because of her great work ethic, follow through, transparency and her obvious passion for the work she does with the Aliguma Foundation.”

JACOB 'JAKE' SOTTAK (EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER)

Jacob is an international development professional based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. His passion for humanitarian aid and climate justice has guided his work for the United Nations Human Security Unit, as well as the Clean Cooking Alliance, where he works to improve global access to energy-efficient and health-forward cookstoves.

Why be a part of FOAF:
He decided to get involved with FOAF after a research trip to Kampala, where he was able to observe the tremendous impact that the foundation has had on some of the city’s most vulnerable populations.

DAVID-ROSS WILLIAMSON, ESQ. (ETHICS & INTEGRITY OFFICER/ CONSULTANT)

David-Ross Williamson is a Attorney at Law (since 1085) and a licensed soccer agent (since 1986) and is based in Boston, Massachusetts - USA. He is a founding partner of Williamson and Melendez, Attorneys At Law, and a founding partner of Wilmelsport, a Boston based sports agency. Wilmelsport has continuously grown to where professional players, male and female, are represented both domestically and internationally. David has traveled in his soccer-agent work to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Europe with a particular focus in the UK and Scandinavia.

He has represented National Team players in the U.S. and abroad, along with MLS first round draft picks! Throughout the year, David is active in the placement of players at combines, trials, and scouting professional players.

David has the good fortune to have grown up playing soccer throughout high school which led him to his collegiate playing days which included three (3) NCAA appearances, including one final four appearance. Thereafter, he enjoyed playing professionally in the LASA league.

He currently is in his 10th year as an Adjunct Professor at Suffolk University, where he has taught: “Business Ethics and Law”, “Business Ethics in the Sports Industry”, “Intro to Business Law and Ethics”. He has also lectured throughout the United States at many State Law Associations, Law and Undergraduate Universities, NCAA/MLS Coaches Conference-- all with a focus on Ethics in Sports. (more: https://www.wilmelsport.com/wilmelsportcom-bio)

Education background: Westfield State College (B.S. 1978) Alpha Pi Sigma; University of Salamanca, Spain (1977); UNAM / Mexico City, Univ. of San Diego Law School (1984). David is a 1985 graduate (cum laude) from Suffolk Law School in Boston, MA. David speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese. He is proud father of three (adult) children.

Why be a part of FOAF:
David has had a wide exposure to different cultures and countries especially through his involvement with soccer/football and also through his line of work as an attorney, which makes him more aware of the socio- economic challenges faced by less privileged communities on a worldwide basis, and the impact of sports on these communities.
This aligns with Aliguma Foundation’s line of work and its vision, hence David's willingness to support it via serving on Friends of The Aliguma Foundation (FOAF) Board of Directors. David serves both as a 'consultant' to the Board and as the 'Ethics and Integrity' Officer.

SOLOMON S. BYARUHANGA (EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER)

Solomon has worked as a project coordinator in support of several projects fighting HIV AIDS in Uganda. He is an author and a public speaker based in Maryland, USA.

Why be a part of FOAF:
"I decided to get involved with Aliguma Foundation because I saw the passion, dedication and the integrity in delivering services to the people and the purpose of what it represents, which is to support those that needed help in many communities . There’s no greater purpose than to serve those that need you and it’s exactly what the Aliguma Foundation represents. Service to its communities and align with that."

Jessica Lake

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Rick Landry

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THE FOAF-USA TEAM

Jessica Lake

Rick Landry

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