Upskilling Young Africans to Make Positive Change

Promise, an Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) Graduate from Uganda, completed her Global Business degree at Akita International University in Japan in 2026. She is committed to helping young people in Uganda access health information and support. 

Growing up in rural Wakiso District, Promise lost her father before she started school. After his death, the family lost their home, property, and support from his relatives, leaving her mother to provide for seven children by working at a small food stall. Her mother’s determination encouraged Promise to work hard at school, where her strong academic performance earned fee reductions that helped her continue her education. Her experiences have helped shape Health at All Times (HAT), the initiative she is developing to connect young people with reliable health information and support services. 

In 2015, Promise and her family began receiving support from Ashinaga Uganda, including school supplies that helped reduce her mother’s expenses. Ashinaga later made it possible for Promise to attend high school in Japan, and she subsequently received an AAI scholarship to pursue her university education there. Adjusting to life in Japan wasn't always easy, but teachers, counselors, and Ashinaga staff helped her overcome language barriers and loneliness. Over time, she built friendships and took on leadership responsibilities, including serving as lead editor of her university’s student journal.  

That desire led Promise to develop Health at All Times (HAT), a platform that connects young people in Uganda, including through basic phones without internet access, with reliable health information, counseling, and practical skills development. HAT is her Ashinaga Proposal, a concrete action plan that all AAI Scholars develop to address a challenge in their home country or community. It is a step toward realizing their Kokorozashi, their long-term commitment to contribute to society through their education, experiences, and future work.  

While volunteering with Health for Youth with Parents Involved (HEYPI), a Ugandan NGO focused on health rights and youth development, Promise met young women who needed support but did not know where to find it. She is developing HAT with input from HEYPI and plans to connect people with reliable information, remote counseling, and practical skills development.  

Promise hopes to pursue graduate study and use her Global Business education to build connections between Japan and Uganda. “Through my connections with Ashinaga, my family, teachers, and friends, I was able to expand my possibilities,” she says. “Now I want to connect people and countries so that I can expand the possibilities of others.”  

Your generosity helps make education and ongoing support possible through the AAI, enabling Scholars like Promise to develop their skills and begin contributing to the lives of others. Thank you. 

Links:

• Learn More about the Ashinaga Africa Initiative
• Read More Ashinaga stories