Category: Notes from the Field

My three-month visit to New York University (NYU) as part of my ACHIEVE training experience was incredibly productive and transformative. It truly marked a significant milestone in my research journey, helping me grow my understanding of dissemination & implementation (D&I) science and data science methodologies in global health. One of the most enriching aspects of […]

Implementation Science (IS) is an evolving field dedicated to understanding and improving the adoption, implementation and sustainability of evidence-based interventions in real-world settings. Its core aim is to bridge the gap between research and practice by ensuring that proven interventions are effectively translated into routine healthcare, policies, and community programs to improve health outcomes. During […]

In my two previous blog posts, I have discussed the research and educational aspects of my project—A Community Engaged Approach to Investigating the Transferability of Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) for Adolescents facing Adversity in Post conflict School-Based Settings in Northern Uganda. Today, I am focusing on my professional goals and how this process has played […]

Last week, I was able to attend the Southern Africa Regional Scientific Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, where Fogarty International Center LAUNCH fellows (both current and alumni), working in various African countries, gathered to exchange research agendas and progress, discuss shared challenges, lessons-learned, and explore opportunities for future collaborations. The workshop prioritized partnerships, brainstorming […]

Conducting research in Uganda presents unique opportunities and challenges. While these settings offer critical insights into global health issues, they also require careful navigation of ethical, logistical, and cultural complexities—especially when working with vulnerable populations like newborn babies. Effective mentorship and guidance are essential to ensure that research is conducted ethically, sustainably, and with meaningful […]

It has taken 7 months for my 1-year observational pilot study – Maternal Mental Health and Early Childhood Development in Kawempe (MMH4ECD) – to get through the triple-layer ethical review gauntlet. Although most of the work of obtaining ethical clearance is done prior to and during the local review, for an American researcher anyway, unanticipated […]

My project- A Community Engaged Approach to Investigating the Transferability of Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) for Adolescents facing Adversity in Post conflict School-Based Settings in Northern Uganda- is situated in predominantly rural low resource public schools. Prior to my Fogarty year, I was working largely in school-based settings, first in Uganda and in more recently […]

For my ACHIEVE fellowship, I am exploring domestic-level barriers to individual accountability for sexual violence in low- and middle- income countries. Sexual violence is an international public health concern, given it takes place in every nation and often results in severe physical and mental health consequences for survivors and their communities1,2. Accountability is generally considered […]

In October, I embarked on an exciting journey preparing to travel to the United States as a visiting scholar and applying for my J-1 visa. While working to get my travel documents in order, I had to ensure that my ACHIEVE research project, ‘Implementation and Effectiveness of PROACT Delivered by Social Workers to Children and […]

My project seeks to test the feasibility of using social media-based edutainment videos to enhance the access and utilization of HIV/AIDS preventive services among young single mothers working in alcohol-serving venues in Rwanda. The first round of phase one of my project corrected data about the challenges young single mothers must navigate through as they […]

As I await IRB approval on my ACHIEVE Project, Improving Nutritional Status of Neonate Surgical Patients with Gastrointestinal Disorders, I have been fortunate enough to spend time the pediatric surgery ward at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, which cares for neonates with gastrointestinal disorders, and I have come to understand the various challenges […]

I was excited to begin my ACHIEVE project after a great head start with the NIH Research Orientation in July 2024. The process began with the IRB submission, which I believed would be easy, and I was expecting to get the ethical approval within 6 weeks. However, became much more challenges and complex then previously […]

My favorite part about undertaking any research endeavor is the time when I get to go to the field. I love it! During fieldwork, I lean into an old nursery school lesson that has remained with me over the years – the power of the five senses. Utilizing my visual, auditory, and olfactory cues allows […]

As of September, I’ve been setting up shop to undertake the work of my study, Adapting a nutrition intervention to address low fruits and vegetables intake, a cancer risk, among people living with HIV receiving care in HIV clinics in Uganda. I expected a very processed based, check-list type of start-up to the project similar […]

Greetings everyone! I write this update off the back of the SVRI (Sexual Violence Research Initiative) conference in Cape Town. This was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and collaborators, old and new, and to meet fellow early career researchers. It served me a reminder of the importance of community. Last summer, during my […]

It has been over a month since my last post and although a lot of work on the “Early Childhood Development for Maternal Mental Health” study –now rechristened the “Maternal Mental Health and Early Childhood Development in Kawempe” study–there is little observable progress to share. I’m stuck in IRB limbo:  I am just a few […]

Before participating in the ACHIEVE program, I held the belief that rigorous research was synonymous with adhering strictly to established scientific protocols and methodologies. However, my visits to the Greater Masaka and the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda profoundly reshaped my understanding of research practices. I gained insights through observation and was motivated by the […]

Neonates with gastrointestinal disorders often face substantial nutritional challenges. These may arise due to conditions such as congenital anomalies or postoperative complications that impair nutrient absorption or oral intake. This is what has inspired me to start my ACHIEVE study on the barriers to evaluating the nutritional status of neonates with gastrointestinal disorders in Kampala, […]

My ACHIEVE project, The Early Childhood Development for Maternal Mental Health study (ECD4MMH), will explore the potential for improving maternal mental health (MMH) during the critical “first 1,000 days” of child growth and development through a community-based early childhood development (ECD) program delivered by community workers in a peri-urban area of Kampala, Uganda. Many of […]

As explained in my earlier post, my research primarily uses internet data and advanced AI techniques to uncover the hidden concerns of teenagers and their caretakers—topics often too sensitive for open discussion. However, to truly understand the issue, I’ve found it crucial to meet those affected face-to-face. I recently visited the Nyagatare District in eastern […]

Never say never. This lesson has never been more relevant than it is this year. To fully grasp its significance, we need to journey back nearly a decade, to when I embarked on a career in medicine, with a focus on women’s health. During my formative years in medical school, what ignited a passion in […]

As I approach the end of my ACHIEVE training year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey this has been. I am so grateful for the opportunities and connections this year has afforded me, which have been pivotal in building foundational research and leadership skills for me as a young investigator. Throughout my project, […]

As my ACHIEVE fellowship year grows to a close, I want to reflect on its highlights and lessons. My visits to Uganda, Ghana, the United States, and Puerto Rico have truly enriched the “global” aspect of my Global Health program. I look back with deep gratitude on the opportunities for learning, sharing my work, networking, […]

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now” states an ancient saying, which sadly resonates with the ongoing problem of adolescent pregnancy in Rwanda. Although national-level efforts have been made to address this challenge—and tangible progress has been made— the problem persists unabated, with nearly one in […]

It is with no doubt that I can say ACHIEVE is by far the best research training program I have engaged in. With a blend of local and international research exposure, the program has enabled me to appreciate how good research practices are applied within and outside my setting. It has given me hands-on experience […]