Cirrus Kabaale

Tell us about yourself: My name is Cirrus Kabaale and I am the Chief Executive Office of Strategic Response on Environmental Conservation (STREC), a youth led community-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the sustainable management of the environment and respect for human rights in Uganda. I am pursuing a Masters of Arts in Development Studies from Nkumba University and also hold a certificate in Environmental Management from Kampala University. I am assisting communities to assert their rights and have their voices heard in oil and gas development projects coming to their doorsteps. I am knowledgeable about energy, climate change, and environmental laws and have dedicated my career to supporting marginalized communities to safeguard and enforce their rights. Before joining STREC, I worked with Africa Institute for Energy Governance as project Assistant. I am also directly affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP)

What did you do with the JWH grant? The grant from JWH initiative enabled me to enroll for my Maters of Arts in Development Studies at Nkumba University, Certificate in Environmental Management from Kampala University. I managed to successfully register non-governmental organisation named Strategic Response on Environmental Conservation (STREC) a youth led community-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the sustainable management of the environment and respect for human rights in Uganda. See below for the website.

What has the leadership development plan brought you? The knowledge and skills gained from enrolling for Masters of Arts in Development Studies at Nkumba University and Certificate in Environmental Management at Kampala University has enabled me to look at development from other stakeholders’ point of view and to have alternatives in case our advocacy goals fail among others. This enabled me to approach oil companies and government with a more open mind that creates trust and builds chances of success. Foretance, on 12 November, 2021, I was part of the team from coalition from civil society organisation who interfaced with the parliamentary committee on Natural resources to submit comments on the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Bill which was before parliament.

What is your dream? My dream is to build a strong environment NGO that can advocate for sustainable management of the environment and respect for human rights in Uganda