Networks for Change – Joel Ankunda

Upon completing the Young Leaders Forum training, I made a commitment to be a part of the change in the Criminal Justice System in Uganda to bridge access to Justice.

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung through the Young Leaders Forum brought me close to likeminded young people who are similarly zealous for community transformation. Through this I teamed up with Michael Ntambi Blair an alumnus of the YLF and started a non Profit Justice Behind Bars, which is an initiative to help inmates who can’t afford Lawyers access Justice.

Using our Law qualifications, we have offered legal aid and advice to these inmates on a periodic basis. On the 18^th of July 2018, Nelson Mandela made 100 years. In celebration of his legacy, we brought together zealous young people who are alumni of different leadership trainings like The Young Leaders Forum, Young African Leaders Initiative, the Makerere Law School and several other alumni organizations and partnered in an outreach to Luzira Upper Prisons. We held sessions ranging from Legal Aid, Mental Health, Counseling and also sessions on Adult education and issues affecting women inmates.

We divided alumni participants to lead these sessions based on their professional skills and experience. The event targeted both women and men inmates in Luzira Upper Prison currently enrolled in the formal education system with a total of 327 inmates benefiting from the sessions held that day.

These Young Leaders through a fundraising drive were able to raise enough resources to support the Schools in Prisons with all scholastic materials to last at least one year.

We look forward to being a part of the inmates’ rehabilitation journey and access to Justice for those without Lawyers. 

Joel Ankunda was part of the YLF VI class of 2016