National Hispanic Heritage Month
For the third consecutive year, the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey was chosen as a host organization for the Community Engagement Exchange Program (CEE). The CEE program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, funded by the U.S. Government, and implemented by IREX. This leadership initiative equips emerging community leaders with practical skills, professional experience, and exposure to American institutions, helping strengthen communities in the U.S. and abroad.
Through the CEE, we welcomed Fellow Joan Kabahumuza, who joined us for a three-month practicum. Selected from over 10,000 applicants worldwide, Kabahumuza brought her perspective from Uganda to New Jersey for this opportunity at the Partnership. Under the expertise of Chief Operating Officer Liliana Pinete, MD, MPH, she contributed to Teen Speak, an education program that empowers parents, caregivers, and professionals to engage in important conversations with teens, and to the Teen Outreach Program (TOP), which promotes positive youth development by teaching teens and pre-teens to avoid risky behaviors that hinder growth and achievement.
Learning Through Youth Programs and Community Outreach
Kabahumuza supported those teen programs by connecting with collaborators, including youth-based organizations, community groups, and schools, both online and at community engagement events. She also became a certified Teen Outreach Facilitator, which she recognized as a huge milestone.
With a background in education and community outreach, Kabahumuza brought valuable skills and fresh insights to our teen programs and the Partnership, while learning and growing with us.
“I have learned a lot about program implementation, youth engagement, and collaboration,” Kabahumuza said. “Overall, this experience has strengthened my skills, expanded my network, and deepened my understanding of youth-centered programming and community engagement.”
Before the CEE fellowship, Kabahumuza earned a degree in Accounting and Finance and served as a full-time Literacy and Numeracy teacher at Namaato Primary School in Eastern Uganda through the Teach for Uganda Fellowship. That teaching experience ultimately shaped her career and leadership path.
“I realized that empowering young people goes beyond classroom instruction; it requires addressing the conditions around them that influence whether they can learn and thrive,” Kabahumuza said.
That vision closely aligns with the Partnership’s mission to amplify, support, and empower our communities to ensure safe, respectful births and that families thrive. These shared goals are possible when we collaborate by sharing resources, experiences, and insights with one another, with other organizations, and with our communities. This approach underscores our work in maternal-child, family, and community health and was a driving force throughout Kabahumuza’s fellowship.
Turning Lessons into Community Impact and Resources
“I will take with me the importance of embracing diversity, showing up for others, and helping people move toward their full potential,” Kabahumuza said. “Working with different people at the Partnership has shown me how powerful it is when people feel supported, valued, and included in shared spaces of learning and growth.”
Kabahumuza is eager to apply the skills and ideas she gained at the Partnership and CEE program to her community. These include:
- The value of continuous learning and adaptability in different environments.
- The importance of embracing diversity, showing up for others, and helping people move toward their full potential.
- Valuing volunteers and using them intentionally to foster impactful community work.
- A sense of purpose and confidence, knowing that she can contribute meaningfully to different spaces while continuing to learn and improve.
Kabahumuza’s future plans include strengthening her education and community empowerment work by implementing a Community Engagement Project that trains parents in entrepreneurship and financial literacy to improve school retention for children in Namaato Parish. Within the next two years, she plans to scale the model nationwide. Kabahumuza also aims to grow Blossom Empowerment Initiative, a youth-led, community-based organization she co-founded in 2024. The organization is focused on improving children’s educational outcomes through practical, community-centered interventions, including play-based learning, teacher development, menstrual health education, and family economic empowerment. Kabahumuza hopes to expand the initiative’s impact by eventually making it a national non-governmental organization. Additionally, Kabahumuza plans to earn a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design from an international university.
“I would just like to express my sincere appreciation for the Partnership for hosting me and for the alignment it has with my work in education and community empowerment,” said Kabahumuza. Being here has strengthened my learning journey and affirmed the direction of my leadership and community work.”
We are thrilled to support Kabahumuza and look forward to cheering her on as she pursues her goals. We have learned from each other, and it has been a joy to grow together over the past three months.