How Ugandan Journalist Patience Natukunda Found Success in Uganda

I met Patience Natukunda in June 2019 when I embarked on my second photography training in Kampala, Uganda. Through our charity Cameras For Girls, we embark on teaching photography to females endeavouring to become journalists. 

Patience is a short, slim woman who is unassuming at first glance, but as soon as she starts to talk, you gleam a significant intelligence that far outweighs her young age.

Successful Female Journalists Work Harder to Reach Success In Uganda

Patience works at a Ugandan news-breaking website called chimpreports as an editor. She also reports on stories personally. On the side, Patience also runs a blog called Patie Polly's Take, where she provides her insights into things that are happening both in and outside of Uganda.

Not many young women would take control of their trajectory towards success, but that's precisely what Patience did. She grew up in Western Uganda but decided that if she were to find success as a journalist, she would have to move to Kampala. So with her family's blessing, she relocated to Kampala and graduated in 2017 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications.

You are probably asking yourself, why this story is so important?

In Africa, let alone Uganda, many women endeavour to find work in various fields, including journalism. However, in most fields males are predominant than females and it's not because they are more knowledgeable or talented, but simply because they were not born a female. Females must have more skills, work harder and for 17% less than their male counterparts across the continent.

A New Passion For Photography Was Discovered

Patience never intended to learn photography, but when the opportunity arose, she took part in the 3-day training we held in Kampala, which spurred a new passion for the craft.

Patience wrote: "In April of 2019, a workmate told me about the photography training she had attended the previous year, and my immediate reaction was," I need to learn some photography skills if there is a chance. In June, I met 15 other girls who also came for the same training and over 3-days, we learned about photography on the cameras donated to us. I must say Amina and our other trainers were patient with us and, the cornerstone they have laid in my career is an immense one. I do appreciate it. I hope to continue practicing now that my excuse of "I don't have a camera, or I don't want to carry company equipment with me" is no more. Thanks, Amina and your partners, for this lifetime opportunity".

Cameras For Girls invests in young girls and women in Africa seeking a journalism career. We work with themes of gender equality, female empowerment and are all about changing lives with the power of photography. Over 3-days in Uganda, we taught these girls photography on donated cameras and showed them how to tell stories that matter, using the camera as a tool. We also help the girls with valuable business and job creation skills. The entire teaching portion combines video tutorials, assignments and ongoing assistance where required.

Recently Patience worked on a story about the gold trade in conjunction with The Reuters Foundation, which brought light to the illicit gold trade occurring in Uganda. 

She has also done a lighter piece about reviewing George The Poet's podcast, a London-born poet and spoken-word performer with ties to Uganda, who has a huge worldwide following.

Below are some of the images Patience has taken.