This is an article in a series profiling staff at GDPU, the Gulu disability community, and those who call northern Uganda home. All contents of this article have been approved and shared with the permission of Daniel and Marylyn.

Daniel talked about different music in our interview. Click here to listen to Burna Boy, Patoranking, and Shania Twain.

Daniel and Marylyn teaching me to play Acholi cards during our lunch break.

Daniel Comboni Nyeko and Marylyn Goretti Amony are summer interns at GDPU. They supports various programs at the Union. They will graduate from Kymbago University in 2025 with degrees in Community Development and Social Justice. After graduation, they both hope to find supporting the disability community. Daniel is incredibly hardworking and quickly became my omera matidi (little brother) here. He has been very kind to share music with me (a current favorite is Shania Twain’s “Don’t Be Stupid”). Marilyn is quieter but very funny, as I learned when she and Daniel taught me to play a local card game (similar to Uno but with extra rules) and she wouldn’t teach me all the rules so she could win! Daniel and Marilyn grew up in Gulu, but now call both Gulu and Kampala home.

Daniel Nyeko of GDPU

What are you studying at university and why did you chose it?

I am studying community development and social justice. I chose it because I love to work with the community. I see that there are a lot of problems in communities in Africa. The biggest percentage of people in Africa are poor and really suffering from things like disability. Due to several things like conflicts and stuff like that. And they also need people to support them. And very few people can be willing to work with such kind of people. So I decided [on my degree program] so that I can also be among the helpers.

What are you going to do when the internship ends?

I’ll have to look for a job.

What do you want to do?

Same thing – support people with disabilities. If possible, I wish I could go and start my own foundation to deal with people with disabilities.

Is there anything specific you would want your foundation to do?

It should be general – there should be a business section, a training section, skills… everything. So long as it is something that can make these people have courage in life.

Would you want that to be here or in Kampala?

Gulu. It is better. The North is the most affected area with disability in Uganda because of a lot of things… because there was a war here. The LRA war. So it affected people.

We found a lady from Nwoya district. She was telling us that she got a hearing impairment because of the war. There was a war battle – there was a bomb that passed her. Boom! It affected her hearing on the left. She couldn’t hear anything because it was too near. So I see that northern Uganda is the most affected in the whole of Uganda.

How did you first hear about GDPU?

From school. I knew before that there is a union that supports people with disabilities. And I didn’t know that many people that there were people who were disabled.

As an intern, what are your responsibilities?

For me, most of the time I interact with disabled people. I worked with peer mentors. I had a business training with them. And there was some Street Business Training with Emma.

What work have you been proudest of at GDPU?

Changing the lives of kids living with disabilities. [For example,] we went to the field in Nwoya District and did some counseling… We were teaching them about [support for] gender-based violence.

Why are you passionate about working with people with disabilities?

Humanity. It is general knowledge – you need to help another person. If you really feel pain for someone else, and you really want to love that person again, then you can just go to that line without anyone telling you. No one should come and tell you. You go and help people – poor people, people with disabilities… It’s something that comes from the heart.

What do you like to do outside of work? Do you listen to music?

Too much. My favorite singer is Burna Boy from Nigeria. He’s very good. And Patoranking from Nigeria. It’s Afropop music.

Marylyn Amony of GDPU

What are you studying at university?

I am studying community development and social justice.

How did you first hear about GDPU?

I heard about GDPU earlier in my primary level since I was studying nearby.

As an intern, what are your responsibilities?

I counsel and train people with disabilities. I also go to field activities and support the provision of assistive devices to people with disabilities. I am learning sign language and attend different skills training as well.

What type of career do you want to have?

I want to be a community development officer and work with disabled persons and disability organizations.

Why are you passionate about working with people with disabilities?

Because I am also disabled and because of the love I have for people with disabilities.