Allen Kabagenyi

by | Dec 23, 2020

Allen Kabagenyi

2017 Winner

Position: Lecturer
Organization: Makerere University
Current Location: Uganda, Africa

Ph.D Population Studies focusing on Reproductive Health from School of Statistics and Planning, Makerere University

Additional Degrees and Certifications:
• 2006 Makerere University- ISAE, Kampala (MUK) – Masters Degree in Demography
• 2003 Makerere University Kampala (MUK) – Second class Upper Bachelors of Arts degree in Education

Other certificates
– 2017 Monitoring and Evaluation Fundamentals – Global Health eLearning Center by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – Baltimore, Maryland USA, and USAID
– 2016 Designing HIV prevention programs for key populations – Global Health eLearning Center by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – Baltimore, Maryland USA, and USAID
– 2016 Sampling Program for Survey Statisticians_ Institute of Social Research, University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
– 2015 March & June Demographic and Health Survey Fellows Program; by Measure DHS program supported by USAID, training conducted in Uganda and Zambia.
– 2013/2014 Population Communications Fellowship Program; Population Reference Bureau fellowship program supported by USAID, training workshops conducted in Washington DC, and Boston, Massachusetts, USA
– 2013 Family Planning 101 – Global Health eLearning Center by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – Baltimore, Maryland US and USAID
– 2012 July 10th Annual Summer Institute for Reproductive Health and Development at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – Baltimore, Maryland USA
– 2012 October Responsible Conduct of Research- training organized by Makerere University College of Health Sciences in collaboration with MESAU
– 2011 February, Introduction to Research Methods course at National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Mwanza Tanzania

Awards Received:

Award:
Henry David 2017 Travel grant
Awarding Organization:
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
Date Awarded:
January 5, 2017

Award:
International Family Planning Travel Grant
Awarding Organization:
Travel Awards Team
Date Awarded:
August 10, 2015

Award:
Doctoral Training Award
Awarding Organization:
THRiVE/Wellcome Trust
Date Awarded:
February 1, 2011

Allen Kabagenyi is a demographer with a PhD in Population Studies and over 10 years of working experience in the field of population and reproductive health. She is lecturer, researcher, sampling statistician and trainer. Allen’s doctoral research—undertaken as part of her doctoral program at Makerere University School of Statistics and Planning in collaboration with University of Cambridge, UK—sought to understand the explanations for high fertility rates in Uganda and low use of contraception. Her focus has mainly been on maternal health with special interest in family planning, fertility, HIV/AIDS and related reproductive health issues. She is also interested in applied statistics with a focus on complexities of survey methodology and analysis of survey data. Allen is a University Lecturer at the Department of Population Studies, Makerere University, where her tasks involve research, mentoring, teaching and supervision of both undergraduates and graduate students. She is also an off-campus academic affiliate of University of Michigan, US. Her passion for reproductive health and family planning research has been demonstrated in the presentations made during national and international scientific meetings, and her publications in peer-reviewed journals. In her opinion, family planning saves lives, therefore unplanned and risky pregnancies could be averted through use of contraception. Her message is the need for combined efforts to ensure that no mother dies while giving birth, and that every birth of a baby is celebrated.

“Allen has conducted extensive research on family in Uganda and has explored a number of topics including:barriers to male involvement; modern contraceptive uptake; postpartum family planning utilization; family planning counseling among others.
“

– Nominator

Describe your contributions to and achievements in family planning.

I have been engaged in family planning research and demand creation as evidenced in the different activities, publications, and social media links. My publications have been referred to by Ministry of Health Uganda and National Population Council in my country, and scholars. Occasionally been invited and also received travel grants to scientific meetings to share Family Planing scientific findings and also provide guidance. For instance, one article on barriers to male involvement in reproductive health is one of the first few to have provided evidence for a sub-Saharan African context. I have engaged with Policymakers in dialogues discussing family planning issues for my country. In 2016, I had the honor to be part of the team for the International Family Planning Conference Evaluation.

What sparked your passion for family planning?

My relative, a mother of 12, who had lost 3 children succumbed to maternal death. I was hurt given the several discussions we had on the benefit of spacing and limiting births to no avail. This was similar to other stories I encountered all the time. I am passionate about improving the ailing situation of mothers and children as reflected in the high mortality and morbidity rates in Uganda and other low-income countries. With FP a cost-effective intervention, such deaths could be averted.

Give one or two examples of how you display leadership in your family planning work.:

I am part of the Ministry of Health Uganda, family planning working group that meets regularly to discuss, guide and track the country’s progress in achieving global goals including FP2020 and SDGs. The Steering Committee tracking the Costed Implementation Plan and budgeting. Occasionally, I have been invited to facilitate discussions on the country’s Demographic Dividend road map by National Population Council. I am engaged in discussions and mentoring the young people at the University.

If you are named a winner of 120 under 40, how will you use this new platform and the $1000 grant to advance your work?

I hope to use that money to carry out at least six (6) community engagements with (100 people minimum) in selected rural districts of Uganda particularly in areas with very high teenage pregnancies. To discuss with the community about family planning benefits and misconception, as well as girl child education even after delivery. I believe the discussions will not be in vain. The funds will be for transport, refreshments and teaching materials, as well as facilitating a health care providers.

Photos of the nominee in the field/at work

Publications/Articles

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AF2St4MAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Allen_Kabagenyi/publications
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Organizer

Sponsor

120 Under 40 is a project of the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health in the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with support from Bayer
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