Caroline Kiconco reflects on the first cohort of the Inclusive Internship Programme in Uganda and Sudan, and on the practical work of turning good intentions into genuine opportunity for young people with disabilities. She explains why inclusion demands far more than recruitment, and what her team learned along the way.
A milestone worth marking
There are moments in an organisation's life that mark more than an ending. The recent farewell celebration for Huzaifa Bukenya and Catherine Nabawanuka, marking the completion of their internships with British Council Uganda and Sudan, was one of those moments.
It was a celebration, certainly. But it was also a moment of reflection on a six-month journey that changed not only the lives of our interns, but our workplace, our partnerships, and our understanding of what meaningful inclusion actually requires.
The journey began with a goal that was simple to state but far harder to deliver: create real opportunities for talented young people with disabilities to gain meaningful professional experience, while helping us build a genuinely more inclusive workplace.
Meet the cohort
In February 2026, we welcomed Huzaifa Bukenya, who is totally blind, and Catherine Nabawanuka, who has albinism, as Programme Interns supporting our Uganda and Sudan portfolios. In April, Tracy Sibihwana, a wheelchair user, joined as a Marketing and Communications Intern supporting both countries.
Each of them quickly became an integral part of the team, bringing skills, experience and perspective that shaped the work in ways we hadn't anticipated.
Preparation before recruitment
From the outset, we knew that inclusion would need to be built, not assumed. It would demand preparation, partnership, continuous learning, and a genuine willingness to question our own assumptions.
Working closely with our disability inclusion partners, Light for the World, Albinism Umbrella, and Deaf Sign Alliance, we gained invaluable guidance on the adjustments needed to make our workplace truly accessible and welcoming.
Alongside the British High Commission Estates Team, we commissioned an accessibility audit of the High Commission compound. The result was tangible improvements: better ramp access, strengthened Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans, and dedicated training for G4S security personnel on supporting people with disabilities.
For Huzaifa, this included dedicated support during his first weeks and assistive technology that let him work independently and effectively from day one.
The lesson in convenience
Perhaps the most important lesson we learned was this: inclusion cannot be shaped by what is convenient for the organisation. Through honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations with our partners, we learned to move beyond assumptions and focus instead on removing the barriers that stop people from participating fully. That principle became the foundation for everything that followed.
Inclusion in the everyday
As the months went on, we discovered that inclusion is often found in small, everyday actions. Introducing ourselves at the start of meetings. Describing visual information aloud. Sharing materials in advance. Keeping walkways clear. Designing workplace activities so that everyone, without exception, can take part.
These small changes benefited far more than our three interns. They lifted awareness and practice across the whole team.
The learning reached well beyond the British Council itself. Our interns took part in programme activities, meetings, field visits, training and wider engagements across the British High Commission community. Huzaifa and Catherine completed a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) public speaking course, and all three interns took full part in an FCDO Staff Away Day thanks to adjustments that made equal participation possible.
Colleagues found their own learning curve too. Conversations that started as practical questions about supporting the interns grew into broader discussions about accessibility and inclusion across the shared working environment. As one colleague put it, the programme gave the team an invaluable opportunity to understand what it really means to "walk the talk" on inclusion.
A celebration, and a recognition of collective effort
The programme’s impact was most apparent at the farewell celebration itself. Colleagues, disability partners, representatives of the British High Commission, and the Hon. Robert Ssewagudde MP, Uganda's Member of Parliament representing Persons with Disabilities, gathered to mark what Huzaifa and Catherine had achieved, and to recognise the collective effort that had made it possible.
Reflecting on their experience, the interns spoke candidly about the confidence they had gained, the skills they had built, and what it meant to be trusted with meaningful, substantive work. Catherine said the internship had significantly boosted her confidence and strengthened her ability to speak publicly and express herself professionally.
Huzaifa was equally clear about the impact of the support he received:
"I am now ready to become a Project Manager with the skills and experience I have gained during my internship."
Robert Ssewagudde offered his own verdict on what the programme had shown was possible:
"Too often, organisations talk about inclusion as an aspiration, but British Council has demonstrated what inclusion looks like in practice. By creating opportunities, making reasonable adjustments, and investing in the potential of young persons with disabilities, the organisation has shown what is possible when commitment is matched by action."
Thanks where it's due
This success belongs to many people. Our partners, Light for the World, Albinism Umbrella and Deaf Sign Alliance. The British High Commission Estates Team. G4S security personnel. FCDO leadership and staff. The managers, mentors and colleagues who embraced the chance to learn, adapt and support our interns.
Most of all, we owe thanks to Huzaifa, Catherine and Tracy, for teaching us what true inclusion means. As the inaugural cohort of our inclusive internship programme, they have helped shape the future of inclusion at British Council Uganda and British Council Sudan through their professionalism, resilience and contribution.
What comes next
At the farewell celebration I put the scale of demand into perspective: "Having received more than 2,500 applications, we know there is significant demand for opportunities such as these. We remain committed to building on what we have learned and creating pathways for more young persons with disabilities to access meaningful professional experiences."
Marianne Kiggundu, Acting Country Director for Sudan, offered a reminder that this work is never finished: "Inclusion is not a destination. It is a continuous process of listening, learning, adapting, and improving."
And Millicent Mugabi, Country Director Uganda, in her closing remarks, set out the ambition that will carry this work forward: "We remain committed to building a workplace and culture where everyone, regardless of ability, feels welcomed, respected, valued, and empowered to contribute."
Belonging, not room-making
What began as an internship programme has become something more: a catalyst for change. It has shown that inclusion is not about making room for people at the margins. It is about recognising that they have always belonged at the centre, of our workplaces, our communities, and our future.