THE TEAM | Create Uganda

MEET THE TEAM

Jennifer Olwenyi

Founder & Executive Director

Derrick Olwenyi

Associate Director

Professor Patrick Sevume

Board Member & Advisor

Mike DiGiacinto

Collaborator & Volunteer

Jennifer Olwenyi has over 10 years experience in non-profit leadership, both in the U.S. and abroad. Specifically, spearheading and carrying out successful programs in Uganda. She has been traveling back and forth to Uganda since 2012, and eventually moved there in 2016 where she worked as a volunteer teacher full-time at a Secondary School in Mpigi. She founded and launched “Filmanthropy” a program which introduced the creative arts to Secondary School-aged children in Uganda. She was responsible for developing, organizing and executing the program, which allowed children the opportunity to express themselves creatively, gain critical communicative and interpersonal skills, and build confidence. The program was introduced to over 300 children from all over the country of Uganda, and run successfully from 2015-2019. She also launched initiatives to raise funds for children who have dropped out of school due to poverty, and placed over 50 children in schools throughout Uganda, as well as sponsorship programs to connect people in the United States who desired to help sponsor a child’s education in Uganda while developing a meaningful relationship with their sponsor.

Derrick Olwenyi is our Associate Director and serves as our Outreach Coordinator on the ground in Nakasajja. Derrick's family is Acholi, from Northern Uganda (Kitgum) and he was born and raised in Kampala. After completing his studies, he went on to study marketing and entrepreneurship. He has been instrumental in communicating with local community leaders, developing relationships with the village elders, and has been the facilitator in acquiring and purchasing the land where Create Academy will be built. Derrick also also has experience in youth leadership and often serves as a motivational speaker.

Professor Patrick Sevume has over 30 years experience in school administration & leadership. He was born in Najjera, Wakiso District, Uganda and was passionate from an early age about education and helping his Nation to progress. He holds a Masters Degree from Moscow Institute of Physics & Engineering, and has also received degrees from studying abroad in the Netherlands and Japan. Professor Sevume is currently a Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kyamobogo University in Kampala. He brings to Create years of experience in Education and School Administration, and is looking forward to creating a better tomorrow for children in Uganda with Create Foundation.

In January of 2016, Mike was invited by his close friend, Jennifer, to help co-teach an acting & film class to a select group of Ugandan students at the school they both planned to volunteer at. The class would last three weeks and during that time Jennifer and Mike would also film the experience as a documentary to share with the world someday. Not knowing what to expect, his initial hope was that he would be able to reach these children through art and help them become more expressive, confident, creative, better at public speaking, and most importantly, help them find their “inner voice” and spark the magic that is inside all of us, through imagination and art... (read more)

Rukobe James

Local Staff

Rukobe is also known as Salongo, which means "father of twins". He lives in Madu, the local village, with his wife and young twins - a boy and a girl. Rukobe was the very first worker we ever employed at Create! We hired him back in 2019 when we purchased our first plot of land for our school. Rukobe was a farmer and would often be found doing odd jobs around the local village - caring for people's goats, planting, etc. When we first hired Rukobe, we was responsible for clearing the land, and then eventually our road when it was constructed. When things got very difficult over here to due Covid lockdowns, jobs were very scarce. We made sure to give Rukobe permanent work by hiring him as a laborer with our construction team building the classrooms. The work was very vital to ensuring Rukobe could care for his family at a very difficult time.

Rukobe has grown to be a trusted member of the Create team, and we wouldn't be where we are today without his hard work and genuine care for the project.

Yiga Kitende

Chief Engineer

Yiga Kitende is our Chief Engineer. Yiga has been an engineer for close to two decades! He studied at Kyambogo University, and actually was mentored by one of our Board Members, Professor Patrick Sevume. Yiga has served as one of the head engineers on some very notable projects and structures in Kampala, including the new hotel at Kabira Country Club, Bukoto Living Apartments and the stunning pool at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort. In his down time, he has also been teaching construction and providing mentorship to some men of the local village here at Create.

We certainly wouldn't be where we are without Yiga's expertise and vision. Thank you Yiga for your tireless work and always pleasant and calming presence!