Achen Stella

Association for Professional Adult Educators in Uganda (APAEU)

Undergraduate :

• • • Youth and Health Education
    • Adult Education for Community Health
    • Population and Development
    • Behavior Change Communication
    • Project Planning and Management

Postgraduate :

• • • Youth and Health Education
    • Gender issues in Adult & Community Education
    • Distance & Open Learning in Adult & Community Education
    • Socioeconomic Development,
    • Policy and Contemporary Issues in Adult Learning and Education

Journal Articles:

1. Ahimbisibwe, K. F., Aganyira, K., Nampijja, D., Mudondo, C., & Achen, S. (2025). Rhythms of Learning in NGO-Supported Village Associations in Western Uganda. Global Society, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13600826.2025.2464580
2. Achen, S. Atekyereza, P. & Rwabukwali, B.C. (2021). The role of culture in influencing sexual and reproductive health of pastoral adolescent girls in Karamoja sub-region in Uganda. Journal of Pastoralism (11:25). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00188-9
3. Achen, S., Rwabukwali, B.C. & Atekyereza P. (2021). Socio-cultural perceptions of sexuality influencing the sexual and reproductive health of pastoral adolescent girls in Karamoja sub-region in Uganda. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Open (4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2021.100191
4. Achen, S., Rwabukwali, B.C. & Atekyereza P. (2020). Contraceptive use among young women of pastoral communities of Karamoja sub-region in Uganda. Journal of Culture, Health & Sexuality. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2020.182348
5. Openjuru G., & Achen S. (2014). Shack Video Halls in Uganda as Youth Community/Literacy Learning and Cultural Interaction Sites. In: Sanford K., Rogers T., Kendrick M. (eds) Everyday Youth Literacies. Cultural Studies and Transdisciplinarity in Education, vol 1. Springer, Singapore. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4451-03-1_10

Working Papers:

1. Intergenerational Transmission of Sexual and Reproductive Health Education and Knowledge among Pastoralist Women in Karamoja, Uganda
2. Navigating Early and Forced Marriages in Karamoja: The Role of Social Learning Among Indigenous Adolescent Girls
3. Professionalisation of Adult Learning and Education in Uganda: The Case of Curriculum globALE

Book Chapters:

1. In Press

In Progress

•  Mutegule Shafic
• Bawkowa Muhamudu

1. Freedom Fund Grant, titled “Participatory Intervention Development Research for a Program to address Child Exploitation in Karamoja, Uganda. Role: Principal Investigator (PI). Collaborating Organization: AfriChild Centre. Project Duration: August 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2025. Funder: Freedom Fund.

2. Spencer Foundation Grant, titled “Harnessing Ugandan Universities’ Role in the Education-to-Work Transition of Students.” Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Project duration: January 2025 to December 2027. Funder: Spencer Foundation

3. Google Inclusion Research Award, titled “Collaborative Development of AI Solution for Scaling Up Adolescents’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education and Services in Uganda.” Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Awarded 2023, Funder: Google Atlanta

1. Staff Mobility for Training, Erasmus+ Programme (2021-2027) to the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, University of Groningen, Netherlands, from 3rd – 16th May 2025. The purpose was for mentorship for career growth, research collaborations and building partnerships with the faculty at the University of Groningen.
2. Erasmus Global Mobility Grant to the Department of Global Development and Planning, University of Agder, Norway, from September 22nd – September 29th 2024. The purpose was to share knowledge with staff and students of the department.
3. Policy Communications award. Policy Communications Fellow 2019-2020 by Population Reference Bureau and African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP).
4. Statistics South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. Travel award to present a paper at the 2nd ISIBALO Young African Statisticians conference in Pretoria, South Africa, July 2009.

1. Freedom Fund Grant, titled “Participatory Intervention Development Research for a Program to address Child Exploitation in Karamoja, Uganda. Role: Principal Investigator (PI). Collaborating Organization: AfriChild Centre. Project Duration: August 1st, 2024, to June 30th, 2025. Funder: Freedom Fund.
2. Spencer Foundation Grant, titled “Harnessing Ugandan Universities’ Role in the Education-to-Work Transition of Students.” Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Project duration: January 2025 to December 2027. Funder: Spencer Foundation
3. Google Inclusion Research Award, titled “Collaborative Development of AI Solution for Scaling Up Adolescents’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education and Services in Uganda.” Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Awarded 2023, Funder: Google Atlanta
4. “Labour Externalization Pathways to the Gulf Cooperating Countries (gccs) and Development Implications For Uganda”. Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (RIF) 2020. Round 2.
5. “Developing an integrated framework for addressing Population, Health and Environment for Uganda’s refugee and host communities. Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (RIF) 2019. Round 1

1. From the Inclusion Research Project by Google titled “Collaborative Development of AI Solution for Scaling Up Adolescents’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education and Services in Uganda, the team was able to collaboratively with the community develop an app to empower adolescents with AI-driven sexual health education.

   https://www.airshe.org/

1. International Forum of UNESCO Chairs and Partners convened by the African Union Commission and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under the patronage of H.E. Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. From 30th September – 2nd October at the African Union Headquarters. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
2. “The role of culture in influencing sexual and reproductive health of pastoral adolescent girls in Karamoja sub-region in Uganda.” Presented at the International Research & Innovation Dissemination Conference, May 9th-10th, 2022 at Munyonyo Speke Resort and Conference in Kampala, Uganda. Themed “Two Decades of Swedish Support to Societal transformation through research, innovations and partnerships”
3. “Socio-Cultural Perceptions of Sexuality and Sexual and Reproductive Health of Karamojong Adolescent Girls in Uganda”. Presented at the international conference of Gender and Women Studies in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 17-18th June 2019.
4. “Challenges of Contraceptive Use among Pastoral Adolescent Girls in Karamoja in Uganda”. Presented at the 8th International African Population Conference held on 18th – 22nd November 2019 Kampala Uganda. Themed “Harnessing Africa’s Population Dynamics for Sustainable Development: 25 Years after Cairo and Beyond “.

1. The Jason Initiative (TJI)
   Transforming Lives: Advancing Awareness & Support for Sickle Cell and Inherited Genetic Disorders.
   Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-jason-initiative/about/?viewAsMember=true
2. Karamoja Christian Ethnoveterinary Programme (KACHEP), Empowering the indigenous people of Karamoja to utilise their resources for community development.

          Website: https://www.kachep.org/history

A collaboration between Makerere University and the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences, University of Groningen, Netherlands to co-supervise and teach graduate students.

Curriculum globALE Master trainer, March 2023 – December 2023