This past summer, with support from the CAE Travel Grant and Carmela and Marie F. Volpe Fellowship, I worked as a Research Assistant for the AfriChild Research Centre at Makerere University in Kampala. My time with the AfriChild Center was an invaluable opportunity to engage directly with local researchers and practitioners while also delving into participatory community-based methodologies.
I was connected with the AfriChild Research Centre through my work as a Graduate Research Assistant on the Ubumwe: Exploring Arts for Education and Psychosocial Support with Refugee Children and Youth Project. The Ubumwe project, which means “unity” in Kinyabwisha, is a multi-partner and interdisciplinary project that exposed me to the power and importance of co-developing projects with local community members with whom and where my research takes place. One of the components of this pilot project was a one-week teacher professional development workshop in Hoima, Uganda, with thirteen teachers and three school leaders from a local school. During this workshop, I facilitated curriculum workshops in which teachers engaged in a collaborative review process of the Arts curriculum that was co-developed by students at Teachers College, project partners, and teachers during the Spring 2023 semester. Teachers assessed the curriculum’s feasibility and cultural responsiveness and discussed modifications and adaptations necessary to contextualize it for their school environment and meet the needs of their students. After concluding this one-week workshop, I returned to Kampala and began working directly with the AfriChild Research Centre.
About this photo. Teachers shared their feedback of the Arts curriculum that was co-developed by Teachers College students, project partners, and teachers during the Spring 2023 semester.
About this photo. Project team members, teachers, and school leaders celebrated the conclusion of the 7-day teacher professional development workshop in Uganda.
As a Research Assistant for the AfriChild team, I contributed to multiple research projects, attended workshops, engaged in discussions with AfriChild Research Associates, who are scholars from various universities in Uganda, and supported the team with the development of data collection tools and data analysis. Additionally, I had the privilege of joining the team for field visits to refugee and host communities in Uganda. I observed the ways in which the local research team collaborates with and prioritizes the knowledge and expertise of the community in all stages of their research, from design to implementation and analysis.
About this photo. The AfriChild office, tucked away from the busyness of the city of Kampala, at Makerere University in Kampala.
My summer at AfriChild was instrumental in my growth as an emerging scholar. I developed my technical research and grant writing skills and built relationships with scholars from multiple universities in Uganda. Moreover, I gained a more robust understanding of iterative participatory methodologies that emphasize mutual learning and the co-creation of knowledge. As I reflect on my experience this summer, I am continuing to think critically about the barriers in academia that inhibit the full participation of scholars from countries in the Global South as well as the practices and systems within international organizations that reinforce hierarchical and patriarchal structures that prioritize Western epistemologies.
For those who share my interest in conducting research or working within the African context, I encourage you to reach out to fellow TC students and alumni with experience in the region. Seek their insights, perspectives, and potential connections with local researchers and practitioners. The relationships I have cultivated with the AfriChild team and other scholars this past summer will undoubtedly shape my journey as an emerging scholar, ensuring my research prioritizes and upholds the knowledge systems of the communities in which it takes place.
My summer at the AfriChild Research Centre was a truly transformative experience that has enriched my academic journey at Teachers College. This opportunity will have a lasting impact on both my academic and personal growth, and I encourage all students with education-related interests in Africa and the Diaspora to consider applying for the CAE Travel Grant to support their research or internship endeavors.
About this photo. The sun setting over Murchison National Park. This photo was taken on a drive home from a team-building excursion with the Ubumwe Project team.
Contact Details
If you would like to learn more about this grant opportunity, please contact the George Clement Bond Center for African Education (cae@tc.columbia.edu). To stay updated on CAE events and grant opportunities, please follow us on social media:
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