‘As a child, my dream was to become a veterinary doctor. It’s a dream that I have attained, with many other accolades.’ These were the words of Dr Gladys Kalema Zikusoka when she received the Young Alumnus Award at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Uganda recently.

The Young Alumnus Award is a collaboration between the British Council and the Uganda British Alumni Association, which is a network of Ugandans who studied in the UK and UK students who studied in Uganda. This association was established in 2001 with the aim of maintaining personal, professional and cultural relations.

This year’s award winner, Dr Zikusoka (38), obtained a Bachelors Degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of London and that was the beginning of her many achievements.

‘I’m really excited about winning the award. It’s encouraging to know that my efforts are being recognised,’ she says. She is the founder of Conservation Through Public Health, an NGO that benefits both humans and animals by working to prevent the transmission of diseases and to create livelihoods.

Asked why she chose this career path, she replies: ‘I’ve loved animals ever since I was a young girl.’

Dr Zikusoka says studying in the UK opened a lot of doors for her and exposed her to many things she wouldn’t have known about had she studied in Africa. ‘I enjoyed studying in the UK even though I never got used to the cold weather. People there are very dedicated and friendly. I learnt a lot from them and I made good friends. I learnt how to be independent, because in Africa you have family to support you if anything happens and there I was on my own.’

Her NGO gives people a source of income through selling food to tourists who come to see wildlife in Uganda’s national parks. In doing so, it also educates people about hygiene and disease transmission and creates the perception that wildlife has a value.

According to Dr Zikusoka, the main threat to wildlife in Uganda is population growth. This puts pressure on resources like trees and grazing land, and the close proximity of domesticated and wild animals and people can allow diseases to spread.  

‘We must involve communities in wildlife conservation because they are the main stakeholders and they stand to benefit a lot from this. We are training volunteers and we have set up a tele-centre to teach them more about wildlife. We are giving them a medium to improve public health and create a positive attitude towards the park.’

To find out more about Dr Gladys Kalema Zikusoka and the work that she does, take a look at the CTPH website. To see what else has been happening in Africa, visit our News in Africa page and read our latest stories. For more information on upcoming events visit our events calendar.