Sylivia Karungi spent her Professional Fellowship at the University of Vermont Center on Disability and Community Inclusion.

“Not only thinking about […] the blind, the deaf, and the physically impaired, but to have an open mind and think about other types of disabilities, especially people with intellectual disabilities, to advocate for them to have a right to education and employment.”

Sylivia Karungi is a strong female role model for disability rights in Uganda. She works as an advocacy and learning officer at the Centre for Visually Impaired Children Uganda. This engages her in a variety of roles, including organizing workshops, advocating for equal rights, and providing trainings for children with disabilities on day-to-day tasks.

Sylivia holds a bachelor’s degree in mental health and community psychology, and thus is well equipped with the skills to work with inclusive employment on both the macro and micro level. She has worked for the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Uganda and the National Union of Women with Disabilities Uganda.

Sylivia is principally concerned with the sustainability of a project related to empowering persons with disabilities regarding their employment qualifications. She intends to use her Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment experience to institute such a program in Uganda. She plans to explore employment opportunities in both the formal and informal realms.