Mariam graduated with a double Bachelors’ Degree from American University in International Relations and Spanish Studies; she also holds a Masters Degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from the same institution. Born in Pakistan, Mariam has studied and lived in Madrid, Spain and Nairobi, Kenya where she created and implemented an HIV/AIDS survey in Kawangware – one of the city’s largest slums. Prior to joining the UVP team, Mariam worked at the US Office on Colombia – an NGO striving to make human rights the central core of US foreign policy towards Colombia.

Leah graduated from Middlebury College with a major in Geography, and a minor in Economics.  Raised in Hawaii, she has lived, worked and studied in Switzerland, England, Barcelona, Malawi and Uganda.  She first volunteered in Uganda in 2006, conducting writing workshops with vulnerable youth.  She returned to Uganda, on a Project for Peace grant from the Katherine Wasserman Davis Foundation, to work on an ethnographic radio story-telling project with youth.  Leah also interned with the New Sudan Education Initiative in the U.S., but was glad to return to the ground in 2009 with Uganda Village Project!  Leah plans to pursue a PhD in Economic Development in future.

Patrick has a diploma in social administration and project planning from the Institute of Business and Language Studies. He is currently studying towards a degree in mass communication at Busoga University. He has held a number of diverse jobs including manager of a radio station and secondary school teacher. Patrick has been responsible for coordination of all our shallow wells since 2008. He works with the community, the mason, the district water office and its engineers, the local government officials for the village, and our intern teams to ensure the success of each well construction project we undertake.

Julius has worked with Uganda Village Project as a volunteer for several years, particularly specializing in our programs on obstetric fistula. He has done all our radio announcements for raising awareness of fistula. He joined our staff in 2009, assisting with planning, administration, and follow up of our Healthy Villages program.