Moved by his father’s detainment by the police for six months without trial, Patrick Dunkwu has worked towards improving transparency in the criminal justice system in Nigeria.  He is a JusticeMaker after being one of eight winners of the JusticeMakers competition and was a recipient of the 2008 fellowship.

Patrick Dunkwu and Fitzpatrick Maria form the JusticeMakers team in Lagos, Nigeria. Photos by John Densky. Text by Chelsea McConnell.

In breach of the Nigerian constitution, the police force is known to arrest criminal suspects without allowing them to notify their family or a lawyer.  Patrick documented cases of prisoners being held for years without trial.  The detainment of accused people is further facilitated by the Holding Charge system, which gives the police the power to detain suspects while they are searching for, and gathering evidence against them.

Using his JusticeMakers grant, Patrick has mobilised a network of legal aid lawyers and paralegals to visit prisons, courts and police stations.  By arming them with mobile telephones, Patrick has helped detainees receive legal representation as early as possible, as well as ensure that their families are notified upon arrest. In his latest report, Patrick praised the ‘tremendous support’ from the Nigerian Bar Association who helped make his project possible, by encouraging its members to work with him.

A view from a prison cell of young Nigerians playing football in the morning.

Patrick has visited over 20 police stations in Lagos to offer immediate legal support to arrested criminal defendants, filed cases in courts to enforce their fundamental rights, and successfully conducted a human rights and legal aid training programme for paralegals and his local community.  So far, Patrick has ensured the release of 38 criminal defendants from unlawful detention, which was made possible by the volunteers stationed at prisons.

Patrick’s main challenge was the hostility he received from police officers in the initial stages of his project.  Through holding a series of consultations and meetings with senior prison and police officials, Patrick was able to pave the way for collaboration.  From the meetings, he received written confirmation from senior officials directing junior police officers to allow him access to criminal defendants.

The courts in Lagos were more often than not without electricity. As a result the accused are shipped back to prison and must wait often months for the next appearance.

In the future Patrick hopes to replicate his project in other parts of the country. A number of local NGOs in Nigeria have extended invitations to him for help with the development of their legal aid programmes.

Incredibly, Patrick was also recently (in January 2010) invited to Ghana by a local NGO to train lawyers and paralegals to replicate his project there.  The Ghana based NGO read about Patrick’s project through the JusticeMakers website.  While in Ghana, Patrick successfully trained 18 lawyers and 12 paralegals on legal aid delivery strategies and the use of ICT to deliver legal aid to prisoners.

“My lawyer friends working in big corporate organisations and who earns fat salaries always tell me that they do not understand my passion for defending criminal defendants almost for no material gains when I did not go to law school free of charge.”  Explains Patrick in a recent report that does not do justice to the amount of compassion he has.  “I always refer them to the biblical saying, that man shall not live by bread alone.”

Since the launch of the 2010 Asia JusticeMakers Competition, our partners have done an amazing job at promoting the fellowship throughout their communities. They have translated and published press releases in prominent media outlets, hosted launch events and conducted extensive grassroots outreach campaigns. In the following paragraphs, I will highlight particularly amazing accomplishments of some our partners.

Be in Vision Pakistan and Pakistan Lawyers Foundation (PLF)

Be in Vision Pakistan and the PLF, JusticeMakers partners in Karachi, Pakistan, have worked in tandem to promote the competition. They have done outreach in the media, promoted at workshops they hosted and posted information in densely populated and critical areas such as the court house and city hall.

On February 10, The Frontier Post, a widely circulated English newspaper in Pakistan, published the JusticeMakers Press Release with the help of Be in Vision Pakistan and the Pakistan Lawyers Foundation.

The team from Be in Vision Pakistan and Pakistan Lawyers Foundation stand in front of their JusticeMakers banner at the Karachi Bar Association workshop they hosted. 

Pine Tree

Pine Tree is a social justice NGO in La Trinidad, Philippines that focuses on the environmental and cultural rights of indigenous peoples. On January 27th, the launch date of the competition, they hosted an event to raise awareness about the JusticeMakers competition and criminal justice issues. There were 46 participants from both the government and non-governmental sectors, media coverage and student observers from local universities. According to Michael Bengwayan, president of Pine Tree, the event was “lively and participants were enthusiastic. It was very informative and raised a lot of curiosity. In the end, lots of interesting ideas emerged!”

Legal Rights Forum Pakistan

Legal Rights Forum is another criminal justice NGO in Karachi, Pakistan that focuses on providing legal aid and legal rights education. They posted flyers and informational packets in over 60 Bar Associations and Legal Societies throughout Pakistan. They sent over 500 SMS messages to lawyers and NGO officers promoting the competition. In early February they conducted multiple round table discussions highlighting JusticeMakers and facilitated a lecture in a LLM University classroom.

Legal Rights Forum of Pakistan (LRF) hosted a JusticeMakers Launch Event at the Karachi Bar Association, where hundreds of lawyers were in attendance.

Legal Rights Forum of Pakistan (LRF) hosted a JusticeMakers Launch Event at the Karachi Bar Association, where hundreds of lawyers were in attendance.  

Malik Tahir Iqbal, the Founder and Chairman of LRF, gives a lecture to students at the Sindh Muslim Law College in Karachi, highlighting the JusticeMakers Fellowship. 

Translated Press Releases

When we released a press release announcing the 2010 JusticeMakers Competition, we originally only had it an English-language version. However, with the help of our JusticeMakers Partners were were able to get it translated in the following languages: Urdu, Hebrew, Bahasa, Pashto, Taglog, Mongolian, Thai, Nepali, and Russian. If you would like any of these versions, please email JusticeMakers Project Coordinator Liam Hanlon at liam@justicemakers.net.

Once again, thanks to all our partners for their support and dedication in bringing this opportunity to communities throughout Asia. More updates will be coming soon!

Robert Kibaya used his JusticeMakers grant to establish a justice awareness project in his rural community of Kikwanda, Uganda. There are three objectives of Robert’s project – the first is educating people about their rights, the second is enabling them to have somewhere to report their injustices; and the third is monitoring the criminal justice system, ensuring that the proper procedures are being followed.

Members of the Community Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee taking notes during a training. Photos are by John Semakula, edited by Jennifer Westmorland.

A group of 10 individuals were selected and trained to become a criminal justice committee. The committee has been monitoring and scrutinising criminal justice practices in Kikwanda in order to bridge the gap between those working in the justice system and members of the community. To some extent, there has been damage and loss of faith in the criminal justice system of Uganda. Before Robert’s JusticeMakers project, those suffering from human rights violations did not have anywhere they could report their injustices to.

Volunteer lawyer Vincent Katuba (left) with members of the criminal justice monitoring committee. The committees consisted of a diverse membership - both men and women, and a range of age groups.

Now, however, the people of Kikwanda can request the help of the committees who report to Robert’s organisation the problems people need help with. In turn, Robert’s organisation provides advice and recommendations as to how the problems may be resolved. The work carried out by Robert has helped women such as Kizza, who is 70 years old and lives with her son in Kikwanda village. She depends solely on growing food in the small plot of land she owns in the village. Last year, Kizza sold off a piece of land to her neighbour for a small amount of money; the neighbour paid Kizza half of the money in cash and promised to pay the remaining balance a month later. However, 9 months later, the outstanding balance had not been paid. Kizza was informed by a member of Robert’s criminal justice committee that she would be helped if she went to the head offices. At the head offices Kizza met with Robert, who introduced her to one of the organisation’s volunteer lawyers. He was able to give Kizza a free legal consultation and resolve the dispute; Kizza was paid the outstanding balance owed within two weeks of Robert’s help.

Kizza aged 70 (right), who was helped thanks to Robert’s project.

Following the completion of the project Robert distributed evaluation forms to the people of Kikwanda. This was to determine the impact and effectiveness of his project for the community. Robert was met with an incredibly positive response – when asked if the project was beneficial and if they would like the project to continue 100% answered yes to both questions.

Scanned copies of the evaluation forms Robert handed out to the people of Kikwanda. The comments were translated by the committee members, and some were even filled-out on behalf of those can not write. The first one reads “We want lawyers to be available everyday to help us with law.” And the second says “I want the lawyers to keep around because they have helped in many ways.”

The evaluation forms demonstrated the high demand for projects such as Robert’s. A large number of people wrote requests for more lawyers to be available, more often, in the comments box of the evaluation form.

Patrick Semakula (left) and Vincent Katuba (right) are volunteers lawyers who assisted Robert with his JusticeMakers project.

Patrick Semakula, a volunteer lawyer who helped Robert, indicated the benefits of the project when he explained that the majority of people living in rural areas, such as Kikwanda, have never had direct contact with a lawyer before.

“According to the residents of the village, no lawyer or magistrate has ever visited the place (Kikwanda) on legal matters;” said Patrick Semakula, “so they (members of the community) were shocked when we introduced ourselves as lawyers.”

The people of Kikwanda have now been educated on their rights and know who to turn to when there is an injustice; thanks to the committees, the correct procedures of the justice system are being followed.

JusticeMakers Fellow Evans Muswahili is working in Vihiga district, Kenya to reform traditional beliefs and practices in his community. He has focused his JusticeMakers project on helping women who suffer from prejudice and violence, due to the continued practices such as forced wife inheritance and underage marriage.  The work Evans is doing is vital because outdated beliefs are the main contributor to gender-based injustices. Women were previously afraid to speak out against the discrimination they faced from corrupt judicial officials, employers and village chiefs. Additionally, they had been unable to access the appropriate legal procedures, such as a fair trial, that would grant them justice.

Evans at home with his children.

Evans explained the challenges of operating in a district, such as Vihiga, that is so resolutely patriarchal. He found it difficult to convince male members of the community that his project was not disproportionately empowering women at the expense of men. Evans’ determination and efforts to convince more ‘hardliner’ males was finally rewarded as the men in Vihiga district now fully support his project. The women in Evans’ community have praised his work and the fact that they finally have someone who voices the problems they face in Kenya’s criminal justice system. On a more light-hearted note, Evans pointed out that many women laugh at the fact that it’s a male voice addressing their concerns!

Evans at a function, with one of the many women he is helping in his community.

In a major breakthrough, Evans secured a working relationship with the Provincial Administration of Vihiga district, which is the authority controlling local governance in Kenya. This gives Evans access to key actors such as chiefs, village elders, judicial officers and the administration police. Consequently, it has enabled Evans to educate members of the judicial system on their responsibilities and obligations to women through seminars. This breakthrough has also meant that Evans can establish forums in which the judicial officers, members of the public administration and the public can interact and conduct peer review of each other.

Evans at Vihiga prison.

During a meeting Evans explained the grave situation in the prison system of Vihiga district. At a 600 capacity prison there are currently 3000 prisoners locked away awaiting trials. Additionally, those who stand accused of petty crimes are sharing their cells with capital offenders. Owing to the overcrowding in prisons, many of the prisoners died. The healthcare facilities have been unable to deal with the high numbers of prisoners needing treatment for diseases such as TB and cholera. Some of the prisoners’ reactions to their dire circumstances has been violent, threatening the lives of prison wardens and fellow prisoners. Evans has been documenting and reporting on this problem, and then writing letters of petition to the prison superintendent. His efforts have led to the approval of a prison being constructed in Vihiga which will help reduce the overcrowding of the district’s prisons.

Evans plans to broadcast a two hour radio show once a week which will help raise awareness for his JusticeMakers project. He also hopes it will increase the number of people he can reach and offer help to. More details about the radio show to follow soon!

Today, January 27th, we are officially launching the 2nd Annual JusticeMakers Fellowship Competition. International Bridges to Justice wanted to pay tribute to our wonderful group of JusticeMakers Partners-a variety of generous non-profit and legal organizations-whose goodwill and commitment has been and is still key to realize the promise of JusticeMakers.

This group of 56 partners is as diverse as it is large, covering over 30 countries and advocating for an array of issues. Collaborating with IBJ, they have used both online and offline promotional tools to bring this opportunity into their local legal communities and facilitate participation.

These organizations have stood up among others to say “no” to torture and illegal and arbitrary detainment in developing and transitional countries. An act of generosity, an act of solidarity and an act of strength.

The following JusticeMakers Partners have done an especially diligent job at generating enthusiasm for the competition and getting their communities involved.

Prisoners Assistance Nepal

Prisoners Assistance (PA) Nepal, a non-profit organization dedicated to penal reform in Nepal, hosted a JusticeMakers event on January 22nd in Kathmandu, Nepal. Collaborating with other JusticeMakers Partners in Nepal-Advocacy Forum, Committee for Social Justice and Women Foundation of Nepal-PA Nepal coordinated roundtable discussions and information sessions to present this Fellowship to legal and human rights activists in the region.

Qadir Foundation

The Qadir Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting human rights in Pakistan, has helped get our press release translated into the hands of many influential newspapers in Karachi and other parts of Pakistan. In addition, the Qadir Foundation has translated the press release into Urdu, helping to get it published in many Urdu media outlets.

Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Masyarakat (LBH Masyarakat)

LBH Masyarakat is a community legal aid institute providing legal services and counsel to those in need in Indonesia. They have taken it upon themselves to promote JusticeMakers to their vast contact list of legal aid NGOs and media personnel in Indonesia, and to translate documents in Bahasa Indonesian.

If I were to detail the extent of support given by each partner, this blog would exceed the limit of acceptable length. That is what has been so special about the 2010 Competition - every partner has voluntarily gone the extra step to ensure this opportunity is available to anyone that could benefit from it.

Please check out our JusticeMakers Partners Page to learn more about the commitment of our generous partners to systemic social change.

Thanks again to everyone who continues to fight injustice wherever it may be. Justice can’t wait.

Thursday 10th December was International Human Rights Day. To celebrate, several of the JusticeMakers fellows held special events in their countries to mark the day. Chimwemwe, JusticeMakers fellow in Malawi, used the day as an opportunity to raise public awareness about his organisation - Paralegal Advisory Service Institute (PASI). Prisons in Malawi are overcrowded, particularly by poorer members of society who can not afford bail or the cost of lawyer. By training paralegals so that they are able to give free legal advice to prisoners, PASI is working to reduce the number of accused persons waiting in pre-trial detention.  Additionally, prisoners have reported acts of police brutality. PASI made a breakthrough agreement with the police that enables PASI paralegals to be present during interviews, thus safeguarding detainees from torture by abusive members of the police.

A PASI- trained paralegal is now permitted to attend police interviews and give support to the accused.

Chimwemwe marked International Human Rights Day by holding panel discussions with key stakeholders in the criminal justice system of Malawi. Chimwemwe worked hard to gather testimonys from victims of abuse and used them to provoke dialogue and thought around the issue of torture. The event provided prisoners with an opportunity to pose questions to the police and open a meaningful dialogue around this issue. Members of the media were also invited to report on the event. Chimwemwe hopes that the discussions will lead to an action plan and set of recommendations to follow after. The day was used as an opening for stakeholders in the criminal justice system to cooperate and find solutions for the issues raised.

JusticeMaker Fellow Chimwemwe from Malawi

JusticeMakers fellow for Democratic Republic of Congo, Franck Kamunga, organised an open day at Kinhasa University to commemorate International Human Rights Day on 10^th December. Franck is a lawyer working to repair the criminal justice system in Kinhasa. He has used his JusticeMakers grant to set up a free text messaging service and open phone-line in the city’s 24 police stations. Franck risks his life daily to protect defenseless women and ensure that they have access to legal counsel. Franck used the event at Kinshasa University as an opportunity to discuss International Human Rights Day with students.

Meanwhile in Geneva, the IBJ office held an event at Fenomeno Bar. The aim of the event was to commemorate International Human Rights Day and fundraise for IBJ’s projects. The evening was also intended to increase awareness of the problems IBJ is working to solve, such as ensuring legal counsel from the time of arrest. There was an entrance fee which included a free drink and a special cocktail was on sale called ‘Justice Juice’.  Evans Muswahili, JusticeMakers fellow from Kenya, made a special guest appearance as he was in Geneva for a conference with the U.N.

Left - right: IBJ’s International Programme Director Sanjeewa Liyanage, IBJ’s CEO and founder Karen Tse and JusticeMakers Kenya Fellow Evans Muswahili

Collecting the entrance fee at Fenomeno bar.

Evans with IBJ’s Programme Officer Fanny Cachat.

Inside Fenomeno bar.

On the left: Tim Scheu IBJ’s Innovation Manager wearing his JusticeMakers t-shirt.

Nepal’s JusticeMakers Fellow Ram Bhandari had an article published in the Nepali Times. Click to view his guest column here. Ram is using his Justicemakers grant within his community to educate citizens on their legal rights. During the Nepali armed conflict in 2001, Ram’s father was amongst those who disappeared without a trace. Driven by this and his constructive, peaceful approach, Ram used his JusticeMakers grant to create the Committee for Social Justice. The committee was created to help citizens better understand the Nepalese criminal justice system, thereby improving their access to justice. Citizens are informed of their rights through public dialogues and discussions.

JusticeMakers Fellow Ram Bhandari whose article was published as a guest column in the Nepali Times.

Ram focuses on speaking out and supporting those living in rural regions of Nepal. These regions are under-represented and the government tends to concentrate its efforts of justice and reconciliation in urban areas. The published article by Ram emphasises justice as a key tool to ensuring long-term peace being maintained in Nepal.

On December 10th, 2009 JusticeMaker Buhle Dube in Swaziland organized an event to honor the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).  The event was held at the FanCourt Guest House in Coates Valley Manzini in conjunction with The Centre for Human Rights and Development (The Centre), One Circle - a NGO that focuses on young women’s’ rights, as well as the University of Swaziland’s Students Law Society.  The goal of the event was to raise awareness on the importance of protecting human rights and to commemorate the significance of the UDHR.  The event also sought to encourage dialogue within the local community on human rights issues and to facilitate improved working relationships amongst members of the criminal justice system and legal profession. 

Attorneys Goodnews Dlamini, Knosinathi Manzini, Knowledge Manana, and law student Nomfanelo Kunene.

Despite the difficult weather conditions, 45 individuals attended the event.  There was a variety of participants from the community, including privately-practicing attorneys, public prosecutors, magistrates, police officers, law students, university students, NGO personnel, and other members of the general public.  This diverse group engaged in an open and honest dialogue on the issues of safeguarding human rights, as well as possible solutions that can be pursued to alleviate abuses.  The event commenced with an opening prayer conducted by Magistrate Joe Gumede, after which JusticeMaker Buhle Dube gave an in-depth presentation on the history of the UDHR and the achievements of his JusticeMakers project in Swaziland over the past year.  Dube’s presentation summarized the research, forums, and training sessions he had carried out on the problems community police in Swaziland are confronted with.  Presentations were also given regarding the Customary Court System and the efforts to monitor these courts to ensure that increased procedural protections are in place for the accused. In Swaziland there is a dual criminal justice system that has both Customary Courts and Magistrates Courts. Presided over by a court president, the Customary Courts rely on orally transmitted Swazi customs and the Swazi Courts Act of 1950 when producing their decisions. A parallel magistrate court system employing legal representation and western-style law codes also exists. The Customary Court System has corporal punishment such as caning, although no longer used in practice, remains on the books as a constitutionally viable sentence.

Magistrates Mdluli (left) and Gumede listening attentively during the event.

Following Dube’s presentation Khabo Dlamini from One Circle gave a presentation on the organization’s mission to empower women, to raise awareness on gender issues within Swaziland, and to disseminate accurate information on women’s rights and the plight of young women in society.  Dlamini spoke with concern for women who have been abused, and the need to create a facility to provide assistance to abused women who are fleeing their aggressors. Such facilities would be helpful to ensure these women are able to gain the skills needed for generating an income.  There were also discussions regarding the abuse of same-sex partners and the cultural concerns surrounding homosexuality which are present within Swaziland.  The discussion of homosexuality and gender issues sparked debates regarding Swaziland’s constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender.  Finally, Mr. Gcina Mhlanga, the President of the University of Swaziland Students Law Society talked about the role of students in human rights advocacy and the importance of encouraging student interns to volunteer with human rights organizations.

One Circle’s Khabo Dlamini presenting during the event.

Funding for the event was received through fundraising efforts conducted at the local level and suggested donations of R50 - the equivalent of $7 per participant - were made.  Many individuals felt compelled to give even more money than the suggested amount, while others donated their skills, cars, time, energy and resources in an effort to ensure that the event was a success.  The law firms of CZ Dlamini Attorney of Matsapha, MH Mdluli Attorneys of Manzini, and Mkhwanazi Attorney of Mbabane pledged their commitment to assist in furthering The Centre’s goals and initiatives, and were then presented with certificates of appreciation for their support.

JusticeMakers Angelo Dube presenting a certificate of appreciation to Attorney Goodnews Dlamini of CZ Dlamini Attorneys.

Future plans were also made to host a ‘Summer School for Human Rights’ spanning three to five days, which would involve trainers throughout the Southern Africa region, as well as participants from Europe, Asia and the Americas, to train members of the legal community within Swaziland. There would be a focus in the trainings on the protection of human rights and techniques for public defense. 

As a symbolic measure each attendee was given a pink rose, tied by a red ribbon to a “thank you” card - thanking each individual for their attendance and commitment to human rights.  The rose symbolized the fragility of humankind, and the need to nourish this fragility with human dignity.  61 pink roses were prepared and given, in honor of the 61st year of the UDHR, which will now be a standing tradition at The Centre.  Next year 62 roses will be given to commemorate the 62nd year in 2010.  The pink roses were a touching and unique way to honor the rich significance of the UDHR, and to encourage people to renew that commitment each year by celebrating International Human Rights Day on December 10th.  Musical entertainment for the event was provided by Buddy Masango and guests dined to a dinner of abundant cuisines prepared for the special day.  Press coverage for the event was provided by The Times of Swaziland. 

Law students Mpilo, Gcina Mhlanga (President of the University of Swaziland Student Law Society), Mzandile and Nathi.

Evans Muswahili, JusticeMakers fellow in Vihiga district, Kenya, has a twitter account.

Follow him, emuswahili, and his JusticeMakers project developments at: http://twitter.com/ 

JusticeMakers fellow Robert Kibaya has been continuing his work on the Rural Communities Criminal Justice Awareness Project (RCC-JAP).  He’s operating in Kikwanda, Uganda to repair damaged relations between the criminal justice system actors and the community. Robert’s project is focused on monitoring and evaluating criminal justice procedures in rural villages. He’s also working to generate greater rights awareness in rural communities through trainings and campaigns held locally in the surrounding villages.

The project was officially launched on 19th July 2009 at Kikwanda primary school and was attended by over 70 community members and leaders, including a political representative of the president, Rtd. Major David Matovu. The launch of the project was covered by a local newspaper Bukedde and a radio station Dunamis FM.

 Rtd. Major David Matovu officially launching Robert’s JusticeMakers project and addressing members of the Kikwanda community.

JusticeMakers fellow Robert Kibaya (second from left) with Rtd. Major David Matovu (third from right) after the opening ceremony of the project.

Earlier in July, a young man was arrested, beaten and then later burnt to death because he was merely suspected of being involved in the theft of cattle.  This is an exemple of the kind of injustices Robert and his team are trying to combat.

Robert has been training a group of community members to form the ‘Community Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee’. The aim of the committee is to scrutinize criminal justice practices in the community. To achieve this, the participants are trained with basic criminal justice skills and conduct workshops and awareness campaigns to inform villagers of who to contact if they experience an injustice. The committee will also counsel to villagers as to the correct procedures to follow if a crime has been perpetrated.  The trained committee members then report to Robert’s organization, Kikwanda Rural communities Development Organisation (KIRUCODO), about the problems. In turn, the organization provides guidance to the committee and recommends a course of action.

Robert addressing applicants to the Community Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee during the training.

When Robert proposed the Community Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee he was flooded by prospective candidates, with applicants far exceeding the number of positions availble. The training of the applicants took place on 23rd July 2009 for 4 days. The training covered the main laws that apply to criminal trials such as: the Police Act, Prison Act, Criminal Procedure Code Act, and The Magistrate Courts Act. Robert was helped by two visiting lawyers: Mr. Patrick Semakula and Mr. Vincent Katuba.  Trainees consisted of young men and women, and senior citizens from the surrounding villages.  Even those who were unsuccessful in their application to the committee were allowed to attend the training. Robert felt that this would help to broaden the scope and reach of the JusticeMakers project.

After the recruitment and training of committee members, local leaders praised the work of Robert and the leadership of his organization for developing this project in rural communities.

 ”The communities have faced enough injustice out of ignorance.” said Patrick Semakula, a visiting lawyer. “We feel the time is ripe for them, armed with the necessary information, to fight for their own rights and freedoms.” 

Visiting lawyers Vincent Katuba (left) and Patrick Semakula (middle) with JusticeMakers fellow Robert Kibaya (right).

Inspired by the work of Robert, Patrick and his colleague Vincent have opened a Legal Aid Clinic in Kikwanda village. The clinic will support Robert’s JusticeMakers project by providing free legal consultation and advice for members of the Kikwanda community.