From a Farming Household to Transforming Young Lives: Harriet Naiga’s Journey of Opportunity and Impact
By Evaline Acan
When Naiga Harriet looks back on her journey, she sees more than academic milestones—she sees a story of resilience and a commitment to give back.
Born and raised in a modest farming household in Wakiso District, Harriet is the last-born in a family of seven. Growing up, education often felt like a distant dream. Financial constraints meant that continuing in school was uncertain, and like many children from rural farming families, her future seemed fragile. That changed in 2002, when she was enrolled in the Compassion Uganda programme while in Primary Two. The support she received carried her through school and eventually enabled her to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Agro-processing Engineering at Busitema University in 2018. More importantly, it nurtured in her a deep passion for agriculture, nutrition, and community development.
That passion found new direction years later through the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev) scholarship supported by RUFORUM. For Harriet, TAGDev was not just financial support, it was a turning point. “The scholarship made it possible for me to pursue a Master’s degree in Agri-Enterprises Development at Gulu University, which I completed in January 2025. It also opened doors to mentorship, professional training, and a vibrant network of scholars that helped me grow in confidence and ambition” Harriet stated.
Through the TAGDev scholars network, Harriet began accessing opportunities she never imagined. One WhatsApp message led to research assistant roles with Dr Andrea L. S. Bulungu, contributing to studies on food pricing disparities, maternal mental health, and early childhood development. Another opportunity took her far from home to Rome, Italy where she participated in the LUISS 2024 UN Model Programme, engaging with students from across the world to debate policies addressing the hidden costs of global agrifood systems. Each experience sharpened her research skills and expanded her worldview, while strengthening her interest in the intersection of nutrition, mental health, and child development.
In 2024, her growing competence and dedication were recognised when she was recommended for a Monitoring and Evaluation consultancy with Heights and Minds Foundation. What began as a one-year consultancy soon evolved into something bigger. Seeing gaps in community-level outreach, Harriet proposed establishing a Ugandan franchise of the organisation. Once approved, she adapted the foundation’s MindUp model into a Mobile MindUp outreach approach, delivering early childhood development and nutrition education to mothers during immunisation days at health centres. The programme goes a step further by training mothers to establish small bucket gardens, enabling them to grow nutritious vegetables and improve household food security.
The impact has been tangible. Between August 2025 and today, Harriet’s Mobile MindUp outreaches have reached 126 mothers and 127 children in Kosovo and Lugala communities. Within just three months, the results were so encouraging that the global Heights and Minds Foundation committed USD 700 per month for two years, starting January 2026, to support her work. Through Heights and Minds Foundation Uganda, Harriet is now empowering caregivers with practical, evidence-based parenting and nutrition knowledge—and has even created employment by hiring a fellow mother.
Harriet’s story is a reminder that when young people are given the right opportunities, they can transform not only their own lives, but the entire community. From a child who once struggled to stay in school, she has become a catalyst for healthier families and brighter futures. “I am grateful for the journey, I remain committed to paying it forward and carrying with me deep appreciation to RUFORUM, TAGDev, and mentors like Prof. Anthony Egeru who believed in my potential,” she added.
