About Me
Ugandan writer, poet, actress, literary activist, and biographer
Early Life and Education
I was born in Kampala to Herbert Mugoya and Betty Nabayego Kajubi Mugoya. Growing up in England, where my father served as a diplomat, I developed a strong reading culture, nurtured by the book-rich environment and my love for language.
Upon returning to Uganda, I excelled academically at Kampala Parents School and Gayaza High School, where I also shined in dance competitions. My passion for creative writing led me to pursue a B.A. in Education with a literature major at Makerere University, followed by a Master’s in Creative Writing from Lancaster University in the UK, where I earned a distinction in poetry.
My career in writing and gender activism flourished as I joined FEMRITE, a women writers’ organization, and later worked at Power FM, where I met my husband, Emmanuel Nsengiyunva.
Work Journey
In 2007, I embarked on the journey of advocating for women’s rights, serving as the Programmes Officer for Communication and Networking at the Eastern African Sub-Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI). During my time there, I spearheaded the Young Women’s Leadership Program and led several successful advocacy initiatives, including launching the organization’s first e-newsletter.
In 2016, I joined Toastmasters, a non profit educational global wide membership space that trains in public speaking, effective communication and leadership. During that time, I played a pivotal role in establishing new clubs in Uganda and was elected as the Uganda’s first District leader, serving as the Public Relations Manager. During my tenure, I launched the region’s District newsletter, Sauti ya Toastmasters. With the support of an indelible team of Toastmasters from Uganda and East Africa, I was able to professionalize my public speaking skills.
Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation
I founded the Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award to uplift Ugandan women poets, which gained local and international recognition, offering winners opportunities for literary fairs, masterclasses, global performances, and publications. After five years, it expanded into the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation, supporting poets across Africa and organizing annual poetry festivals in Uganda.
Rich Diction Enterprises Ltd
In 2019, I founded Rich Diction Enterprises Ltd., a public speaking training company in Uganda focused on enhancing communication through creative expression, team building, and mindset transformation. We work with professionals, teenagers, and organizations, embracing the power of mindset shifts, authentic communication, and making a lasting impact from a place of genuine connection.
Writing Journey
In 2014, I was appointed as the BBC Commonwealth Games Ambassador for Poetry, representing Uganda. I emerged as the first runner-up in the international erbacce-press competition in 2010, after which I published my debut poetry chapbook, Unjumping, with erbacce-press.
My second poetry collection, Dress me In Disobedience, published by the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation in 2022, has been praised as daring and witty by critics like Prof. Kwame Dawes.
My poetry, short stories, and articles have appeared in various local and international publications, including Drumvoices Review, Kwani?, and Enkare Review. My travel articles have been featured in UGPulse and the New Vision newspaper. In 2013, I was shortlisted for the Poetry Foundation Ghana prize for my poem “I Baptise You with My Child’s Blood” and longlisted for the Short Story Day Africa prize. My work has been showcased on Badilisha Poetry Radio and featured on BBC Radio 3’s Cabaret of the Word.
Poetry Collections:
- Dress Me in Disobedience, Kampala, Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation, ISBN 9789913641005
- Unjumping, Liverpool, UK: Embracce-Press Publications, 2010, ISBN 9781906588908
Selected Poems:
- “I Baptize You with My Child’s Blood,” in A Thousand Voices Rising: An Anthology of Contemporary African Poetry, BN Poetry Foundation, ISBN 978-9970-9234-0-3
- “Microwave” and “I Will Never Be You,” in Reflections: An Anthology of New Work by African Women Poets, Lynne Rienner Publications, ISBN 978-1-58826-868-6
- “Bujumbura,” in Wasafiri, 2015
- “Lake Nalubaale. Lake she Uganda,” Uganda poem for the Commonwealth Games 2014
Short Stories:
- “Looking,” in Feast, Famine and Potluck, Shortstory Day Africa, ISBN 9780620588867
- “Miss Nandutu,” in Words from a Granary, Femrite Publications, ISBN 9789970700011
- “The Best Non-crier on Purley Avenue,” in Postcolonial Journal, Vol. 8, no. 1 (2013)
I continue to inspire through my diverse contributions to literature, education, and community engagement.