Passion for Global Missions and Children Leads Alumna to Uganda

Kimberly Reynolds, '24 M.S. in speech-language pathology, traveled to Uganda to advocate for children with disabilities, completing her clinical fellowship with Hope Speaks in Kampala and serving with Imprint Hope in Jinja.

Q: Tell us about your 10-month fellowship in Kampala.

A: I worked at outreach clinics in deeply underserved communities, including Katanga, Kasokoso, and Kisenyi, and at The GEM Foundation, a special children's home located rurally outside of Kampala. I also worked at a private clinic and an international school, providing speech, language, and feeding therapy across all settings. The people of Uganda are known for their hospitality - it's deeply woven into their culture. Partnering with the local team was an invaluable experience, learning how to practice cross-culturally and about the unique needs and barriers faced.

Q: What was your work in Jinja like?

A: It was a gift to extend my stay in Uganda and learn from another nonprofit, investing in four children and their caregivers as a speech therapist for a 7-week training program. Families from rural villages temporarily relocate to participate in daily educational courses, counseling, and rehabilitative services. Imprint Hope's founder, an American occupational therapist, seeks to forge lasting, sustainable change in how disabilities are perceived and supported in Uganda.

Q: What surprised you most about Uganda?

A: Uganda is incredibly diverse, home to Africa's largest refugee population - over 1.5 million - from countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Eritrea. While there, I gained a deeper understanding of the profound impact of early intervention, mainly by witnessing what happens when it's unavailable. Most children with disabilities never receive an education, and their life expectancy is, sadly, often much shorter than in developed nations.

Q: What's next for you?

A: I was inspired to return to the U.S. to further equip myself for practicing speech-language pathology globally. I plan to work with a mentor in Houston, who has also spent time in Uganda, to gain more clinical experience and specialize in pediatric feeding and swallowing, and orofacial myofunctional therapy.

Q: What draws you toward working with children in a nonprofit setting?

A: Looking back, God has been preparing me for this work for a long time. After suddenly losing my mother eight years ago, I began working in full-time ministry and felt called to global missions. This, combined with my background in early childhood and passion for our field, has led me to this point. Now, I can't imagine living life any other way.