Caroline Agabiirwe

Country: Uganda

How did you join the Re:BUiLD team?

I joined the Re: BUiLD team in January 2024, following a rigorous application process involving written and physical interviews. My passion for research aligned perfectly with the program’s objectives with Evidence and Learning as one of the core pillars. I am glad that I was selected to contribute to the program’s Research initiatives.  

What’s a typical day like for you?

Having joined the program during the design and planning phase for the second wave of the RCT, my daily activities over the last two months have consisted of budgeting and planning meetings with the program and research teams, participating in study design and planning meetings with the PIs, writing reports, and delivering presentations to share RCT progress and updates. During the recent Wave 2 RCT client recruitment exercise, I was also constantly engaged in discussions with the teams to ensure appropriate client recruitment strategies for the Wave 2 RCT. Nevertheless, I am certain that after the study is launched, my daily schedule will include more activities including overseeing the execution of the intervention, greater engagement with teams in the field, monitoring the progress of activities, and addressing any challenges that may arise, more frequent meetings, data analysis and report writing. 

What’s your favorite part of your job?

The most fulfilling aspect of my job is the opportunity to innovate and make significant contributions to the program considering that the next two years of the program will be specifically devoted to evidence generation, learning, and promoting the adoption of key findings. Working with talented, hardworking, and motivated colleagues and seeing the results of the teams' daily efforts gives me immense satisfaction, a case in point is the recent Wave 2 client recruitment and the Wave 2 RCT design workshop. I believe with more upcoming activities; I will experience more of these fulfilling moments.  

What is your greatest achievement/thing you are most proud from your work at Re:BUiLD?

I will save the greatest achievement after the end of the RCT intervention in September, as it marks a major milestone for the study.  By that time, I will have stayed long enough to point to just one of all the great achievements. But for now, the journey has begun, what I have achieved to date is still part of the process, and I am hopeful for the best.  

What would you like your colleagues to know about your work?

My commitment extends beyond routine tasks; I constantly seek new and innovative ideas, embrace challenges, and always prioritize collaboration. I believe that with collaboration, we can enhance our individual efforts and achieve greater results, thereby creating a positive and impactful work environment. 

Do you have any hobbies or favorite pastimes outside of work?

Listening to music and reading biographies. 

What’s your favorite book?

“Becoming” 

What is your favorite quote?

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work." - Steve Jobs 

Where would you go if you won a “dream vacation”?

Rome or Namibia's Sossusvlei