Kullein Ankunda bridges climate policy, refugee response, and public health to build community-led solutions for Uganda’s most vulnerable populations
Kullein Ankunda arrived at her GHC fellowship in 2019 carrying a conviction shaped by years working with youth, refugees, and frontline communities: climate change is the most urgent health threat of her generation, and young leaders must drive the solutions.
That conviction has only sharpened. As Learning Hub Manager at Save The Children in Uganda, Kullein elevates community-driven insights from refugee settlements and host communities, informing national localization strategies and supporting more responsive, resilient systems. Her work operates at the intersection of three often-siloed worlds: climate policy, refugee response, and public health.
During her fellowship year, Kullein’s influence expanded rapidly. As a rising voice in the Global Shapers Kampala Hub, she was selected to represent the region at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Summit in Istanbul, joining global climate leaders to shape next-generation climate agendas. There, she contributed to dialogues on equitable energy access, localized climate adaptation, and the responsibility of leaders to center those most affected in decision-making.
Back in Kampala, she put these principles into action. Kullein facilitated community climate activations across the city, mobilizing local volunteers to improve urban resilience and raise awareness about environmental health risks. The work demonstrated what she’d learned through GHC’s leadership model: adaptive leadership, systems thinking, and collaborative practice matter most when applied to real communities facing real threats.
Today, Kullein stands at the leading edge of Uganda’s climate and health movement. She helps steer conversations about youth leadership in global climate policy while elevating data and lived experience from communities long excluded from climate decision-making. Her approach refuses to separate environmental action from health equity or refugee rights, recognizing that climate resilience requires addressing all three simultaneously.
With GHC’s support, Kullein has grown into the kind of leader the climate crisis demands. Someone who brings people together, builds solutions from the ground up, and advocates for a healthier, more resilient future that doesn’t leave the most vulnerable behind.