Name: John Ddembe

Nationality: Ugandan

Countries where you have worked or studied:
Ethiopia and Kenya

Universities and qualifications before ADVANCES:

  • Uganda Martyrs’ University – Bachelors of Arts with Education
  • Kampala International University – Masters of Arts in Development Studies

Previous professional experience/Fields of social work practice:
I previously worked as a community development consultant in Somalia and Ethiopia. This entailed inter alia; community mapping, conducting baseline surveys, needs assessment, psycho-socio support, protection and livelihood programming, monitoring and evaluation.

Three things that you most value about the ADVANCES programme:

  1. Diversity of the Programme
  2. International perspectives to social work
  3. The networking possibilities that it creates – Awesome!

Message for other social workers thinking about applying for a place on ADVANCES:
With the ADVANCES programme, social work comes to life again as one is challenged to reflect and rethink social work strategy.

Topic of research project:

An analysis of older people's experiences and conceptualizations of community to promote well-being in Warsaw, Poland

Where were you based for Semester 4?
Warsaw

Current position and place of work:

  • Social Research Consultant – Great lakes Centre for Research, Kampala, Uganda.
  • Private Business manager, Kampala, Uganda.

Any other jobs since graduating ADVANCES:

  • Smart Vision Consultancy – Programme Consultant, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Medicines du Monde, Programme manager,  Nairobi, Kenya