Name Ayeta Wangusa | Role Writer | |
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Memoirs of a mother
Ayeta Anne Wangusa, born in Kampala, Uganda, on 9 September 1971, is a writer and activist. A founding member (1995) of FEMRITE, the Uganda Women Writers Association, Wangusa first achieved broader recognition in literary circles for her novel Memoirs of a Mother (1998). Wangusa was also a founding member (2009) of the African Writers Trust, currently (2011) serving on the advisory board.
Contents
In addition to her literary career, including Tears of Hope: A Collection of Short Stories by Ugandan Rural Women (2002), which she edited with Violet Barungi, Wangusa has had a parallel career in social development, governance, and women’s rights.
Professional activities
Since July 2009, Wangusa has worked with SNV - Netherlands Development Organization in Tanzania as Governance Advisor (Media) for the Public Accountability Tanzania Initiative. Previously, she worked with SNV in Tanzania as Civil Society Strengthening advisor, July 2006 – July 2009.
From October 2004 to March 2006, Wangusa served as Project Officer Development and Implementation, Open Knowledge Network, with the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) in Tanzania.
From December 1996 to December 2003, Wangusa worked with New Vision Printing and Publishing Corporation, Uganda, as a features sub-editor, and in August – December 1996, she served as books editor with Fountain Publishers Ltd, Uganda.
Honours, appointments and awards
From 2009 to 2011, Wangusa served as Coordinator of the Gender and Women’s Rights Workshop of the Commonwealth Peoples’ Forum, Perth, Australia, and Commonwealth Civil Society Advisory Committee Member (CSAC), representing the East African region.
Wangusa was selected by New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to be part of the expert pool on Capacity Development and Knowledge Exchange, July 2011.
In 2005, Wangusa was a Representative of Women Writers to the PEN Uganda Chapter.
In September–October 2003, Wangusa participated in the Cheltenham Literature Festival in the UK as part of the Across Continents Project. Also in 2003, she served as a judge for the prestigious Commonwealth Writers' Prize (African Region), sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation along with Prof. Mary Kolawole of Nigeria and Prof. Andres Oliphant of South Africa.
During August–October 1998, Wangusa participated in the prestigious International Writers Program, University of Iowa, and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in Writing by the University of Iowa.
In March 2002, Wangusa served as a Judge for a national essay competition organised by the American Centre (Uganda) to commemorate African American History month. In June 2002, she served as deputy Chief Rapporteur for the 8th International Inter-disciplinary Congress on Women in Kampala, Uganda.
Wangusa has also served on the steering committee of Women Writing Africa, Eastern Africa project of the Feminist Press (New York, USA).