Margaret Mercy Akongo

Human Rights - Uganda (Central and East Africa)

Mercy attended IYP2004 and is the founder of Tedwii Indigenous Women Development Organisation (TIDO), an organization operating in the Karamoja region of North-Eastern Uganda. Karamoja is amongst the most disadvantaged regions of Uganda, lacking basic infrastructure in electricity and telecommunications.

Mercy founded TIDO in 2002 with the aim of empowering youth and young women living in the North Eastern part of Uganda to become active partners in development processes. Recently Mercy has been involved in training in the areas of leadership skills and good governance, and has been mobilising and facilitating the participation of students at university cultural galas.

With her Action Plan Mercy wants to make change in the lives of the Karamoja people and dreams of a “peaceful, sustainable and equitable Africa”. By setting up a Community Information and Training Centre with a Library, Internet access as well as workshops and discussions, Mercy wants to empower women and youth of Karamoja for the purpose of promoting and protecting their human rights at all levels.

According to Mercy, “this centre will provide young people and women with information to increase their participation in development processes.”