Biography
Life, Education, and Career
Early Life
I was born in Mulago Hospital in the late 1970s and raised with the belief that embracing diversity is a beautiful way to live. I was taught from an early age that being different is a gift, and that our uniqueness is what paves the way to greatness.
My father’s work as a diplomat took our family to England, where I grew up alongside my two brothers and a mother who had a deep love for landscaping. As a tomboy, I found joy in reading adventure stories and boarding school tales, climbing trees, and exploring the world around me. Words sparked my imagination, making learning come naturally.
Education and Work
Athletics played a major role in my life, and I thrived in both sports and dance while living in England. Upon returning to Uganda, I continued my primary education at Kampala Parents Primary School, where I was appointed head girl. For my O-levels, I moved to Gayaza High School and was elected House Leader of Sherborne House, working alongside Dorothy Nabirye to lead our house to success in both sports and cleanliness. For my A-levels, I attended Makerere College School (Macos) and was elected head girl by a large margin. This phase of my life was transformative – I grew spiritually, embraced my identity as a deep thinker, and immersed myself in the arts while staying committed to my studies.
When it was time to transition to university, I pursued my undergraduate studies at Makerere University, Kampala, earning a degree in Education with a specialization in Literature and English. University life offered me the freedom to explore my passions, from dancing in church to building diverse friendships and dreaming of travel and writing. Before I even graduated, I was offered a teaching position at Rainbow International School Kampala (now Rainbow International School Uganda) in 2001. As the youngest secondary school teacher on staff, I taught English and History in the secondary section. Without smartphones or social media at the time, teaching demanded creativity and resilience, using television, newspapers, textbooks, and face-to-face interactions. I also led the dancing club and had the privilege of traveling with 18 students and a fellow teacher to South Africa, visiting places like Sun City and Pretoria.
After university, I discovered a gem that transformed my life: the Uganda Women Writers’ Association (Femrite). Before then, I had never met Ugandan authors in person. In 2000, I walked into Femrite and met the Goretti Kyomuhendo, then the Director, and my journey took a profound turn. I had found a home for my creativity, eccentricity, love for words, and endless imagination. Femrite played a pivotal role in shaping my early writing career. I volunteered there from 2000 to 2002.
Because of the foundation that Femrite laid, the Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award was launched in August 2009 in Kampala on a windy magnificent evening, with the stars smiling down. The inaugural winner, the highly gifted Lillian Aujo Akampurira, marked the beginning of a platform dedicated to supporting Ugandan female poets and showcasing their talent. Over time, the award gained both local and international recognition, with winners participating in literary festivals, masterclasses, and publishing opportunities. In 2015, it transformed into the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation, broadening its scope to celebrate African poets through annual poetry and haiku contests, anthologies, and dynamic festivals.
Between 2002 and 2003, I worked on short-term contracts with the British Council Uganda, managing the Management Forum and the British East Africa Education Fairs. In 2003, I joined Power FM radio, where I spent a few years connecting with diverse audiences. As the host of the morning weekday show from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM, I experienced the life-changing joy of waking up early to share news, job opportunities, inspiration, and endless energy with listeners.
From 2007 to 2009, I worked at the Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) as the Program’s Officer for Communication and Networking. I also led the Young Women’s Leadership Program in Eastern Africa. This role equipped me with invaluable professional skills and deepened my understanding of the regional challenges affecting women.
Driven by a desire to elevate my academic qualifications, I returned to school to pursue my graduate studies at Lancaster University in England from 2010 to 2012, where I graduated with a Master’s in Creative Writing with Distinction.
Armed with this qualification, I ventured into public speaking, seeking an environment that valued time management, respect for diverse viewpoints, and professionalism. Through an invitation from Dr. Connie Nshemereirwe (PhD), I discovered Toastmasters, a life-changing experience. In 2018, I chartered the Bukoto Toastmasters Club and became the first Ugandan to serve on the East Africa Committee. I also founded the Sauti ya Toastmasters newsletter for the District.
As a member of the Kampala Toastmasters Club, I found a community that shared my passion for timekeeping, professionalism, and constructive feedback. This experience fueled my growth as a professional speaker and led me to take on leadership roles in Uganda and East Africa, eventually founding my own public speaking company, Rich Diction Enterprises Ltd.
Founded in 2019 in Uganda, Rich Diction is a public speaking training company dedicated to empowering professionals, teenagers, and organizations. Its mission is to foster mindset shifts and cultivate authentic communication, enabling lasting impact through meaningful connections.
A part of me missed teaching so in 2019 I returned to the profession at Acacia International School. There, I coordinated the Model United Nations Program in Uganda and East Africa, developed new syllabi for A-level English, and introduced innovative methods for teaching literature to O-level students. Much of my work at Acacia transitioned online during the Covid-19 pandemic, which deepened my appreciation for diverse approaches to education.
The Covid-19 lockdown also marked a period of deep personal transformation. I began waking up at 3:00 AM each day to pray, reflect, and seek deeper truths, gaining a renewed understanding of life and my relationship with God. I came to realize that God calls us to pursue greatness and excellence, and anyone standing in the way of that is an obstacle to our purpose. This spiritual reawakening inspired me to make significant career and personal decisions, leading me to leave my position at Acacia in 2019 and fully dedicate my energy and skills to expanding the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation and Rich Diction Enterprises Ltd. initiatives that align with my mission to make a meaningful impact.
Writing Journey
Selected Poetry Performances:
- Wait! – Performed at the Phenomenal Women Global Networking Event, Kampala, 2024
- Did You See What Was Underneath? – Performed at the 28th edition of the Poetry Africa Festival, Durban, 2024
- Two Africas – Performed at the launch of the Interior Designers Association of Uganda, 2024
- Searching for the Moon – Recited at the Toastmasters East Africa meeting, 2024
- Sseebo Gwe Wange – Performed at Toastmasters East Africa, Nairobi, 2023
- Unjumping – Performed at the second African Women Writers’ Symposium, Johannesburg, 2011
Selected Poems:
- I Baptize You with My Child’s Blood – In A Thousand Voices Rising: An Anthology of Contemporary African Poetry, BN Poetry Foundation, ISBN 978-9970-9234-0-3
- Microwave and I Will Never Be You – In Reflections: An Anthology of New Work by African Women Poets, Lynne Rienner Publications, ISBN 978-1-58826-868-6
- Bujumbura – In Wasafiri, 2015
- Lake Nalubaale. Lake she Uganda – Uganda poem for the Commonwealth Games 2014
Short Stories:
- Looking – In Feast, Famine and Potluck, Shortstory Day Africa, ISBN 9780620588867
- Miss Nandutu – In Words from a Granary, Femrite Publications, ISBN 9789970700011
- The Best Non-crier on Purley Avenue – In Postcolonial Journal, Vol. 8, no. 1 (2013)
Together with a dedicated team, I have explored ways of sharing the legacies of iconic Africans by writing biographies that honor the transformative contributions of Ugandans and Africans who have shaped the world and made a significant impact. I remain committed to inspiring others through my contributions to literature, education, and community engagement.