Heifer Board of Directors

Dr. Johnson Nkuuhe, Kampala, Uganda.

Dr. Johnson Nkuuhe is an at-large director representing the Africa region.

Professionally, Johnson is the Uganda Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Support Advisor and Uganda Millennium Villages Project Coordinator. Through these positions, Johnson works to eradicate poverty and improve welfare for all Ugandans.

Johnson brings to Heifer a wide knowledge and understanding of the dynamics involved in the development process, especially of developing countries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Nairobi, in addition to Master of Science and doctorate degrees in Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology. He also earned a diploma in Legislative drafting from the International Law Institute. His most recent past careers include serving as National Coordinator of the Hunger Project in Uganda; as Chairperson of the Uganda Innovation Trust; and for 10 years as a member of Parliament for Isingiro South, Mbarara District, during which time he was a member of the budget committee and vice-chair of both the science and technology and agriculture, animal industry and fisheries committees.

Johnson has worked extensively in the area of gender equity, having written gender-related books and booklets with Heifer International. He edited the book Visible at Last, which describes the role of NGOs with an emphasis on women empowerment; participated in a World Bank Institute-sponsored training on gender- and results-based monitoring and evaluation; and co-founded a network called I-Network Uganda, which is one of the most gender-sensitive organizations promoting information and communication technology (ICT) in Africa.

With Heifer International, Johnson has acted as the Ugandan consultant in two training workshops. He has also evaluated two projects, the Rukungiri Women’s Heifer Project and the Kirinya Women’s Heifer Project, both USAID-funded. Additionally, a concept paper for Heifer regarding restocking in Uganda was written by him.

In addition to his knowledge regarding development, agriculture and policy, Johnson is very proficient in the area of ICT. For his work in Parliament, he received an award for being the lead promoter of information technology in Uganda and in Parliament, in addition to being nominated for the Presidential Merit Award for the promotion of science and technology.

Johnson enjoys working with computers and electronic equipment and helping others acquire computer literacy to improve their knowledge management. Other hobbies include photography, writing articles, bee-keeping and mountaineering. Johnson also professes an interest in leather production, meat-drying, and the production of honey and beeswax. He has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Rwenzori and Mount Elgon.

Johnson is a family man and is married to Jessica, a gender and human rights activist. They have three sons ages 23, 18 and 16.