By Our Reporter
In a powerful twist of fate and achievement, Doreen Gift Bujjingo, the daughter of House of Prayer Ministries lead pastor Aloysius Bugingo and his estranged wife Teddy Naluswa, has been selected for one of the world’s most competitive leadership programs — the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
Currently serving as an ICT Infrastructure Engineer at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Doreen is set to represent Uganda at Arizona State University, where she will undergo advanced leadership training in Public Management as part of the prestigious YALI program.
But the big news doesn’t end there — sources close to the family hint that Doreen is also preparing for her wedding, making 2025 a year of both academic brilliance and personal joy.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, launched by the U.S. Government in 2014, is a flagship program under the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that targets Africa’s most promising change-makers under 35. It offers a rare opportunity to engage in leadership development, global networking, and professional exchanges with leading institutions and peers from across the continent.
Doreen’s fellowship comes as no surprise to those who’ve watched her steady rise in Uganda’s digital transformation space. She has played a key role in expanding broadband connectivity, promoting digital literacy, and advancing e-government initiatives.
“Doreen is passionate about driving Uganda’s digital transformation,” noted a statement from the Fellowship committee. Her strong academic background further supports this vision: she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering from Makerere University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the same field — all while coordinating Makerere’s SDG Hub, which champions education as a tool to solve Uganda’s socio-economic challenges.
Her selection comes amid public intrigue over her family’s well-documented dramas, especially the high-profile marital breakdown between her parents, which unfolded in the media over recent years. Despite the noise, Doreen has carved out her own legacy, emerging as a symbol of grace, discipline, and ambition.
With America on the horizon and wedding bells reportedly around the corner, Doreen Gift Bujjingo is stepping into the global spotlight — not just as a pastor’s daughter, but as a leader, innovator, and bride-to-be.