Emilie Chiasson is a Social Science and Behaviourial Change Fellow in Kampala, Uganda, supporting the Aga Khan Foundation’s education projects in the West Nile region with a focus on Human-Centered Design (HCD).
Learn how a 500+ km cycling journey through Uganda and Kenya has impacted Emilie’s perspective on development and the importance of HCD.
It was 45 degrees and I had run out of water, entirely. I had been cycling for 50 kilometres and had over 30 to go. And there was no water in sight.
I don’t think I had ever been this scared before. It was the desert as far as the eye could see. Sand, dirt, a few sparse trees, and the scorching sun. I was so thirsty, so overheated, so tired, and had nowhere to go but forward. One pedal after the other.
I first took up cycling competitively in 2015, after watching my mom compete in her first Triathlon. I grew to love cycling, a sport that not only contributed to my mental and physical well-being but also to my relationship with my mom, and many other cyclists around the world who I’ve since joined along the peaks and in the valleys in South America, Europe, and Africa.
Back to the trail, and a few meters ahead, I spotted a tree with enough shade to take a short cooling break. As I looked around the terrain and caught my breath, I realized my temporary pain and discomfort were felt by the Karamojong people in the Turkana Desert almost daily, if not multiple times a day.
The Turkana Desert at the border of Kenya and Uganda is home to the Karamojong people, a traditional, nomadic, pastoralist tribe. Through colonization, the Karamojong people were divided by the establishment of land borders between Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Until about 4 years ago, these divisions resulted in conflict, loss of life, and a collapse of tourism in the region. While peace has not been completely restored due to ongoing cattle raids, many parts of northeastern Uganda and western Kenya are now safe. These lands marked the route for my longest and most purpose-driven multi-day cycling event, the Warrior Nomad Trail, a trail founded by Theo Vos and his company Kara-Tunga Arts & Tours.
Theo’s mom, Florence, is from Karamoja Land but was forced to leave as a result of the conflict. Theo and Florence have now returned to work toward restoring peace and prosperity to the region. The Warrior Nomad Trail is one of the key projects under this objective. By re-engaging tourists, which brings together the Karamojong people through enhanced economic activity, events such as the multi-day bike adventure are slowly reweaving the region’s social, cultural, and economic fabric.
It was one of the hardest, most rewarding experiences of my life, personally and professionally. The cycling itself was extremely intense- I can remember arriving at the Monastery where we were staying on the third day and questioning whether I’d be able to continue when I awoke in the morning. I was in terrific pain. The day prior, the shocks in my bike had stopped working and so instead of every bump and rock being lessened by the bike, they shot right through my arms and legs. Leaving me with extremely sore muscles. The terrain was extremely challenging and as I was predominantly a road cyclist, the technical aspects and conditions were new to me.
When we weren’t cycling, we stayed in villages with locals and had the benefit of participating in traditional songs, dances, and cultural ceremonies. It was a privilege to work, move, and learn alongside the Karamojong people.
So you’re probably thinking, how does this connect to my work as a Fellow with the Aga Khan Foundation?
This immersive and experiential experience brought two key things to the forefront for me as a development practitioner. One, that consultation and conversation are not enough, and two, there is an unequivocal need to invest in civil society.
The former is connected to a quote by Margaret Mead whose essence has emerged numerous times in my work.
“What people say, what people do, and what they say they do are entirely different things”.
If we are truly shifting power dynamics and positioning people we are trying to support at the centre of this work, we must understand how and why they do things. This is in part, the uniqueness of Human-Centered Design and why I am so keen to continue increasing capacity around this skill and mindset across Uganda and East Africa. HCD is a mindset and creative approach to problem-solving that centers the people you are designing in the problem-framing and solution-generation process. Through this approach, data around our understanding of the problem and solution is continuously triangulated.
By moving away from solely hosting focus groups and key informant interviews and shifting to include “meeting people where they are”, we can greatly increase the validity and reliability of our understanding of the challenge, leading to better-designed and more sustainable projects.
Just as I progressed through this new challenging, remote, and beautiful cycling terrain, learning from populations in such remote areas was also new to me. I had the opportunity to observe a traditional mating dance and witness one approach that led to early childhood marriage. These experiences helped add a new perspective and appreciation for the intricacies of design in development initiatives in this context. Especially the role of civil society. In both developed and developing countries, civil society, such as NGOs and charities, fills critical functions governments are unable to address. This is especially true for remote and at times forgotten regions like Karamoja. Civil society leaders like Theo, his mom, and their organization, Kara-Tunga Arts & Tours, are key information, resource, and reconciliation support.
AKF also identifies civil society as a vital ingredient in its sustainable development recipe. As part of the Fellowship, I am working closely with AGENCI (Adolescent Girls Education in Crisis Initiative), which engages directly with civil society to upskill and train them in areas such as Values-Based Education (VBE) and Gender Responsive Pedagogy (GRP). This knowledge is used to train teachers, improving their teaching practice and the learning outcomes of their students.
Therefore, while AKF is itself a civil society actor, the Foundation also invests in smaller ecosystem actors who may have less access to social and financial resources. This strategic investment not only further disseminates knowledge and impact but also increases opportunities for employment and other economic spin-offs, such as improved livelihoods.
What does this mean for me as a Fellow and as a development practitioner?
My experience on the Warrior Nomad Trail and my work since, has only further ignited my passion and purpose for embedding HCD in the mindsets of the people and the designs of the projects I support. I am also getting curious about how I can further my own practice by deepening my understanding of leveraging HCD with diverse stakeholders, such as adolescents and the elderly. How might we ensure that the language and tools used are accessible and of value to all? And how might we continue leveraging civil society as key actors in behavioural and process change?
And of course, more near-death experiences… just kidding! But definitely more cycling to come.
So you might be wondering, did I get off the trail? I did, indeed. And through each day, I actually became stronger and more determined to finish. You can see me celebrating at the foot of Kidepo National Park and in the car ride to our final camping destination below.
To learn more about other peaks and valleys Emilie’s climbed, personally and professionally, including more photos from the Warrior Nomad Trail, check out her website.
Photos with the Warrior Nomad Trail logo were taken by the incredible Eric Mukalazi.