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/ About Ecobridge

We are six founders, dozens of fellows, and a city full of collaborators.

Ecobridge began at a kitchen table in Kampala in 2022, three weeks after the worst flooding in a decade. We have grown since — but our orientation has not changed.

We work in the messy, hopeful space between climate science and community organizing. We are skeptical of solutions imposed from outside, and we are equally skeptical of pure grassroots work that ignores the data. The bridge is the point.

We do not work alone. Our co-design partners include universities, councils, schools, peer NGOs, and — most importantly — the residents of the neighborhoods where our programs live.

We are also young. The median age on our team is 26. The median age across our fellowship cohorts is 22. We believe that climate change is the inheritance of our generation, and we should be resourced to lead the response.

Founded

2022

Based in

Kampala, Uganda

Districts served

9

Team

14 full-time

Fellows

92 alumni · 30 active

Legal

Registered Ugandan NPO

/ What we stand for

Four commitments we test every program against.

Vision

A generation of African youth equipped to lead the climate solutions their communities need.

Mission

Bridge research, community, and youth leadership to build practical, durable responses to the climate crisis across Uganda.

Rooted in community

Every program starts and ends with the people most affected. We listen first.

Science you can trust

Open data, peer-reviewed methods, and honest reporting — including what does not work.

Youth at the center

The generation that inherits this climate writes the strategy. We resource them to lead.

Built to last

We design programs and partnerships that outlive their grants. Resilience is the work.

/ Three years in

A timeline of where we have been.

  1. 2022

    Ecobridge is founded

    Started by six Makerere students after the 2022 Kampala floods. First cleanup: 200 volunteers in one weekend.

  2. 2023

    First Youth Leadership cohort

    Thirty fellows from across Uganda. Twenty-eight still working in environment and climate today.

  3. 2023

    Kampala Waste Loop launches

    Our first cooperative sorting hub opens in Bwaise. By year-end: 47 tonnes of plastic diverted.

  4. 2024

    Climate AI & Mapping released

    First open dataset published. Heat-island map cited in two KCCA planning briefs.

  5. 2024

    50+ schools reached

    Our awareness curriculum is now active in 38 schools and 14 solar installations are live.

  6. 2025

    A national footprint

    Programs now run across 9 districts. Three policy submissions accepted by Parliament committee.

/ Team & leadership

The people doing the work.

A small team — and a growing community of fellows, volunteers, and partners who make Ecobridge run.

Full team & board
Amara Nantongo

Amara Nantongo

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Environmental scientist turned community organizer. Leads strategy and partnerships across Ecobridge.

David Okello

David Okello

Co-Founder & Head of Programs

Designs and runs our field programs. Eight years working with youth-led environmental groups in East Africa.

Rebecca Aceng

Rebecca Aceng

Director of Research & Innovation

ML engineer and geographer. Leads our Climate AI & Mapping work and open-data programs.

Samuel Kato

Samuel Kato

Community Outreach Lead

Runs our sanitation, health, and clean-up programs. Trusted across Kampala council wards.

Grace Namuli

Grace Namuli

Youth Leadership Programs

Designs and facilitates our six-month Leadership Academy. Former fellow herself.

Isaac Mugisha

Isaac Mugisha

Operations & Partnerships

Keeps the wheels turning. Builds our partnerships with universities, councils, and funders.