My career began at Uganda Breweries, where I found myself inspired by how budgeting, financial reports and analysis improved the profitability of the company. I then moved into the public sector as the senior accountant at the National Social Security Fund, but after a year had a career-changing move when I joined the NGO sector as finance director for ActionAid Uganda.
After several promotions in Uganda and then Kenya, I took a global role as the international head of finance, based in London and later in Johannesburg. I then became director of finance and administration at the World Wide Fund for Nature in Nairobi, Kenya before taking a global role as director of finance for country offices. My passion for development, social justice and environmental sustainability drives me on in my career, so I recently moved to Heifer International.
Unlike the private sector, NGOs are driven by the transformation of communities
What inspired me to work in finance was I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives by contributing to development and environmental sustainability for future generations. I get to apply my accounting skills and experience to deliver value for money and financial stewardship to the organisation.
The advantage of building a career in the NGO sector is seeing the impact of the work that is being delivered to communities. Unlike the private sector, where the bottom line is the primary consideration, NGOs are driven by the transformation of communities after their programmes are implemented. Each NGO is unique, so it challenges you to design specific KPIs to align financial planning, budgeting and performance measurement to the organisation’s strategy.
I have stepped out of my comfort zone throughout my career, having worked across different countries. However, moving to London was a major step for me. I had to learn new ways of working and adapt to a different culture, while leading transformative change in a diverse environment.
The funding landscape for the NGO sector is challenging on multiple fronts. There have been significant cutbacks in institutional funding by major donors and governments, which has adversely impacted programmes and the financial sustainability of many NGOs. Thankfully, Heifer International is funded by a dedicated donor base that is continuing to passionately support our mission during these challenging times.
I led a major project to relocate the finance function from London to Johannesburg
My favourite quote comes from Sir Winston Churchill: ‘A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’
If I had law-making powers, I would make sustainability and environmental protection legally binding across all nations because we only have one planet. Environmental sustainability and caring for the earth is symbiotic as the nations of the world are all interdependent.
My biggest achievement came when I was ensuring business continuity at ActionAid International. I led a major project to relocate the finance function from London to Johannesburg, which tested my accounting and financial management abilities. I had to show strong leadership and efficient decision-making alongside effective communication and change-management skills.
If I didn’t have a career in finance, I would have been interested in advocacy for social justice and human rights.
In my own time, I like travelling. My favourite trips have included game drives in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya and the beaches of Mombasa and Malindi on the country’s coast. I’ve also visited Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, as well as Bangkok.
