Wakibu Bunnya
Uganda

Wakibu Bunnya has more than 10 years of experience in youth development programs, debate, fundraising, community organizing, and non-profit start-ups. Wakibu is the Founder and current Team Leader at Open Space Centre, which creates dynamic spaces and opportunities for youth to fulfill their potential. Wakibu received the Youth Action Fund Award from the Open Society Institute Youth Initiative in 2008. Wakibu holds a bachelor’s degree in Land Surveying and Geomatics from Makerere University and is pursuing a master’s degree in Research and Public Policy at Uganda Martyrs University through a scholarship from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Wakibu believes that no child should go through the challenges of growing up in a slum, as he did in Kampala, and has dedicated his time and abilities to becoming a model for leadership and a changemaker for youth. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Wakibu plans to continue pursuing his passion for social change by expanding the work of Open Space Centre to new parts of Uganda and by creating more platforms for youth empowerment. He also plans to kickstart an ambitious project to build a new city from scratch that will increase access to jobs for youth.