Doreen Gift Bujjingo, the daughter of Pastor Aloysius Bugingo and his estranged wife Teddy Naluswa, has been awarded a prestigious scholarship to further her studies in the United States.
Doreen, who currently works as an ICT Infrastructure Engineer at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in Kampala, was selected for the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. This fellowship is part of the U.S. government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which supports exceptional young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa who are making meaningful contributions to their communities.
As a Mandela Fellow, Doreen will be studying at Arizona State University, focusing on leadership in public management.
According to a statement from the fellowship program, “Doreen is passionate about driving Uganda’s digital transformation through projects that improve broadband access, promote digital skills training, and enhance the delivery of e-government services.”
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering from Makerere University, where she is also pursuing her Master’s in the same field. At the same time, Doreen serves as the Coordinator of the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Hub at Makerere, where she advocates for educational empowerment as a tool for addressing social and economic issues.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, established in 2014, is YALI’s flagship program. It offers young African leaders opportunities for academic learning, leadership development, and professional networking.
In addition to this academic milestone, reports also indicate that Doreen Gift Bujjingo is preparing for her upcoming wedding.
