Uganda

The Ugandan National Section of IBBY was first established in 2004 by children’s librarian Evangeline L. Barongo. Ms Barango, who had been an Individual Member of IBBY since 1992, had also  funded the Uganda Children's Writers and Illustrators Association (UCWIA), whose membership included writers and illustrators of children’s books, librarians and teachers, as well as publishers and booksellers. In August 2003, IBBY President Peter Schneck attended the Third Pan-African Reading For All Conference in Kampala. Shortly after the association was successfully admitted as a full member of IBBY. In 2004 ten members of the Section participated in the 29th IBBY Congress in Cape Town.

The Section was rebranded as Ntuha Children’s Writers and Illustrators Association (NCWIA) in 2023. NCWIA is an association of writers and illustrators of children’s information materials as well as people interested in the promotion of children’s reading and education, established in the year 2000. 

NCWIA activities include the following:

• Write and illustrate children books on themes that relate to the African Child
• Hold reading tents in schools and communities
• Collect and donate children books to schools and communities
• Offer seminars and workshops on writing children books
• Participate in children exhibitions and similar events
• Participate and present papers on children books
• Give talks on the importance of books to children

IBBY Uganda was the organiser of the 2017 IBBY Africa Regional Conference, held in Kampala from 22 to 24 August. Read report here. 

2007: Workshop on writing and illustrating skills for children’s storybooks
2010: Importance of book therapy among children
2013: Reading tents: reading workshops for children
2016: The role of reading for pleasure
2019: Reading camp with visits to the Wildlife Centre
2024: Developing Creative Writing Interest and Skills Among Children in Vulnerable Communities