Stephen Rubanga
Co-Founder and Chief Veterinary Technician

Stephen Rubanga is Co-Founder and Chief Veterinary Technician at Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH). He has a diploma and certificates in laboratory technology and animal health and husbandry. Before working at CTPH, Stephen worked for 20 years as a veterinary technician at the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

He oversees the field laboratory at the Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre; and training community members and VHCTs to manage the health and husbandry of livestock and manage livestock enterprises and VSLAs.

Stephen holds a Diploma from East African Commercial School in Uganda, as well as, veterinary certifications and specialized training from Central Veterinary Laboratory Weybridge in the United Kingdom and Instituto Zooprofilatico Sperimental in Teramo, Italy.

Lawrence Zikusoka
Co-Founder and Social Enterprises Director

Lawrence Zikusoka brings two decades of International Telecommunications experience to his work as Co-Founder and Social Enterprises Director of Conservation Through Public Health. Having managed network rollout and systems integration teams at Ericsson Middle East and Africa across more than 10 countries — from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria, Madagascar to South Sudan — he turned that global expertise toward a singular mission: using technology and enterprise to protect gorillas and uplift the local communities that share their habitat.

He set up the 1^st CTPH Telecentre at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, providing solar-powered satellite internet to one of Uganda’s — most remote tourist destinations in 2005. It was a finalist for the Stockholm Challenge Award 2006 and won the World Summit Awards 2007 for e-inclusion and empowerment. A second telecentre in Queen Elizabeth National Park — near the Equator at Queen’s Pavilion was inaugurated by HRH Prince Philip and later visited by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web. For his work in Uganda’s ICT development, Lawrence was awarded the prestigious — Reuters Digital Vision Fellowship in 2006 at Stanford University, California.

Lawrence built Gorilla Conservation Coffee — into an award-winning, CTPH social enterprise founded by Dr. Gladys in 2015. It opened Uganda’s 1st conservation café in Entebbe, with new locations at Queen’s Pavilion and Bwindi serving single-origin, 100% premium Arabica — helping farmers access international markets and earn sustainable livelihoods. Our #KanyonyiCoffee brand — scored 92 cupping points and was ranked #29 in Coffee Review’s Top 30 Coffees of 2018. He also developed the Gorilla Conservation Camp — an eco-friendly guesthouse for students, gorilla trekkers and birders overlooking the impenetrable rainforest canopy at Bwindi.

Prior to co-founding CTPH in 2003, Lawrence served as a United Nations Information Technology Services volunteer — at UNDP Orissa, India in 2002. He also worked in optical product marketing for the Canadian telecom and data networking equipment manufacturer — Nortel Networks, USA at its Research Triangle Park campus in 2000.

While in the United Arab Emirates, Lawrence became a Founding Member of Mobile Monday Dubai chapter officially launched at the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) Week 2011 — a significant milestone in the region’s mobile industry. He has also seed invested in International Airtime Top Up, a Ugandan Fintech startup since 2015 – enabling inclusive mobile financial services delivery for Africa’s cross-border markets.

Lawrence holds a Master of Science in Telecommunications (Class of 2003) from State University of New York Institute of Technology, USA and published a public policy thesis on “The Challenge of Telecom Reconstruction and Development: Lessons from Kosovo for Future Reform” – since the 1999 conflict. He attended the flagship Executive Education in Social Entrepreneurship program at INSEAD Business School, France in 2011 and also studied leadership, sales and technology management courses – at the Ericsson Academy.

Lawrence Zikusoka, has been interviewed in Global Wireless Magazine/RCR Wireless News – Contentious Issues Remain for Kosovo’s Mobile Market 2001

BBC Go Digital Technology – Conservation Through Public Health 2005

New Vision/AllAfrica – Bwindi Gets Tele-Centre 2005

Balancing Act (London)/AllAfrica – Uganda’s Bwindi Telecentre Collects Data on Gorillas and Targets Tourists and Locals 2005

East African Business Week (Kampala)/AllAfrica – Uganda: Bwindi Telecentre Brings MDGs Fulfillment in Focus 2006

New Vision – Buhoma Village Gets Communication Centre 2006

BBC World Service – Tech for Gorillas in Bwindi 2006

New Vision/All Africa – Bwindi NGO Nominated for International Award 2006

CNN World Report (Uganda) – Focus on the Internet at CTPH Telecentre Bwindi 2007

BBC World Service (London) – Focus on Africa Mobile Markets 2012

New Vision – Topping Up Airtime While Abroad Just Got Easier 2015

Tout Media – International Airtime Top Up Just Made Communications Better 2015

East African Business Week (Kampala)/AllAfrica – East Africa: Airtime Top-Up Made Global 2015

Urban TV Uganda/Innovate – Airtime Transfer 2016

Tout Media – Introducing the New International Top Card 2017

Satisfashion UG – Jumia Travel Uganda and International Airtime Top Up In An Exciting Partnership 2017

Digest Africa – How International Airtime Top Up is Gaining Ground in the African Consumer Market 2017

TEDxIUEA Talks (Kampala) – Saving Gorillas One Sip At A Time 2021

Purpose Talks/TrendWatching – The Product That Keeps on Giving: Giveback Models 2021

Refugee Investment Network/Acumen (Nairobi) – Financial Services Opportunities in Uganda 2022

Africa Business Communities (United Arab Emirates) – 10 African Fintech Startups Selected for CATAPULT: Inclusion Africa Special Dubai Edition 2022

Singular Places (Entebbe) – Gorilla Conservation Café, Uganda, Africa 2025

FAO (Italy) – SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme: (Gorilla Conservation Coffee) Brewing Success in Uganda 2025

International Union for Conservation of Nature/World Conservation Congress (Abu Dhabi) – Addressing the Risks of Climate Overshoot 2025

Sunday Monitor/Nation Media Group – How Gorilla Conservation Coffee Became A Win-Win 2025

Mary Leakey
Development Director

Mary Leakey is the Development Director at CTPH. After graduating from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies with a BA in Development Studies and Geography, Mary moved to Zimbabwe where she worked for four years for SAfAIDS in a number of different roles, including as the New Business Manager for the Zimbabwe Country Officer.

She later moved to Cambodia and then Uganda, primarily working in the health field, with a focus on family planning, reproductive health and HIV. A Kenyan by birth, Mary established a non-profit organisation, ‘Africa Goal’, in 2006 which capitalises on the excitement around football to provide HIV services and information, including HIV testing, to people in remote and high HIV prevalence areas in East and Southern Africa. Joining the CTPH team provides an opportunity to focus on two of her passions – public health and conservation!

Richard Bagyenyi
Program Coordinator

Richard Bagyenyi is a Program Coordinator at CTPH. He went to Bubaare Secondary School for UCE and UACE between 2004/7 and 2008/9 respectively. He later joined Makerere University in 2010 where he graduated with a Bachelor of Environmental Science in 2014. In June 2014, he joined CTPH as a volunteer specializing in Social Media. As a Program Coordinator, he is responsible for supporting the team in planning and coordination of programs and activities as well as providing administrative and IT support for the smooth running of CTPH programs and to ensure effective communication and marketing for CTPH. He also coordinates logistics for students and donors.

Ebenezer Paul
Programs Manager

Ebenezer Paul is Programs Manager and the former Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at CTPH.  He went to Bweranyangyi Junior Primary School for his Primary and Ntare School for his entire secondary level education (six years) from 2010 to 2015. He later joined the School of Statistics at Makerere University in 2016 where he graduated with a Bachelors’ Degree of Science in Quantitative Economics (Statistics, Mathematics and Applied Economics) in January 2020.

He joined CTPH as a data clerk in 2019. Currently as an M&E officer, he is responsible for developing and maintaining M&E frameworks and systems, management of all CTPH databases, monitoring field activities, supporting proposal development, data analysis for project impact monitoring reports both for internal use and donor reporting.

Ssali Ronald Ogwal
Community Health and Conservation Officer

Ssali Ronald Ogwal is the Community Health and Conservation Officer at Conservation Through Public Health- CTPH.  He holds a Post Graduate Certificate in (Global Health at Human-Animal-Ecosystem Interface) of the University of Geneva, Holds a Bachelors’ degree in (Public Health-Health Promotion) of Uganda Martyrs University, and Diploma in (Public Health Sciences) of Institute of Health Sciences.

Ssali Ronald Ogwal is a detail-oriented and analytical Public Health Specialist with more than 6 years of experience in Public Health Promotion, Field & Research related activities with exposure to having worked with both government and non-governmental institutions in the Central, Northern, and Karamoja regions of Uganda.

Having joined CTPH in 2021, as a Community Health and Conservation Officer, Ssali Ronald Ogwal is responsible for; Implementation of community field programs, Participating in One Health research, Managing, training, and supervising the community’s initial point of contact such as Village Health and Conservation Teams (VHCTs), Community Conservation Animal Health Workers (CCAHWs) and Community Wildlife Scouts (CWS), and also being the link between the community, partners and CTPH on issues regarding the conservation, community health and livelihoods improvement.

Annaclet Ampeire
Wildlife Health and Laboratory Technician

Annaclet Ampeire is a Laboratory/Wildlife Health Technician at Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH). He is from the Bwindi local community. Annaclet has extensive knowledge and experience in laboratory analysis, with a special focus on One Health issues, and gorilla health monitoring.

He is passionate about wildlife and laboratory work and using these skills to monitor the health of endangered mountain gorillas.

As a Laboratory Technician, he is responsible for monitoring of 270 mountain gorillas from all 22 habituated gorilla groups of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, recording clinical signs, collecting gorilla faecal samples from their night nests and analyzing them at the Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre (formerly called the Gorilla Research Clinic).

He also works with CTPH researchers and students and trains them to collect gorilla faecal samples non-invasively, from their night nests. He also analyzes samples from people and livestock who share a habitat with gorillas to check for the diseases that they may be sharing enabling them to be addressed in time. He enjoys welcoming visitors to the Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre and showing them how to analyze samples from gorillas. In addition, he shares with visitors about the work that CTPH does with the Bwindi local community members, improving community and livestock health and building awareness of the risks of zoonotic disease transmission which is essential to preventing the spread of disease.

Nelson Okello
Accountant

Mr Nelson Okello is an Accountant at CTPH. He holds an East African certificate of Education and East African Advanced Certificate of Education obtained in 1971 and 1973 respectively. He also holds a Diploma in Local Government Administration and Level 3 of Accounts Technician Certificate.

He has served in different capacities in the Ministry of Local Government at Entebbe Municipal Council as an Accounts Assistant, Senior Accounts Assistant, and Acting Internal Auditor from 1975 to 2010.

Currently he is a member of school management committee of Entebbe Children with Disabilities School, which is a government aided school.

As an accountant at CTPH, he is responsible for receiving and compiling requisitions and forwarding them to the Finance and Administration Manager (FAM) for checking before approval by the CEO. He also writes cheques for approved requisitions, makes various payments and follows up accountabilities from staff. He also files payment vouchers and makes monthly bank reconciliations and provides figures to the FAM for reporting purposes.

Stella Mboneko
Community Telecentre Officer Queen Elizabeth National Park

Stella Mboneko is a senior six graduate from the Basongora community of Hamukungu Village, a largely pastoral community and one of the most marginalized around QENP, she is in charge of the QENP Telecentre operations, including supervising the Gorilla Conservation coffee shop, coordinating computer training and putting tourists and community members on the internet.

Jane Rose Biira
Community Telecentre Assistant Queen Elizabeth National Park

Jane Rose is a senior four graduate from the Bakonjo community of Kikorongo, one of the most marginalized communities around Queen Elizabeth National Park. She is in charge of the Gorilla Conservation coffee shop, serving coffee to tourists visiting the Queen Elizabeth National Park Telecentre operations, of which proceeds go directly to the community projects around the park.