In 2013, FANTA established the Uganda Nutrition Fellowship (UNF), an update of the successful nutrition internship program FANTA pioneered in Uganda in 2010. The UNF placed recent graduates in nutrition with host organizations where they were provided with a unique mix of work experience, professional development, and mentorship in order to promote skill-building in leadership, teamwork, communication, and nutrition technical topics. Through these activities, UNF aimed to develop skilled nutrition leaders while also providing host organizations with highly motivated, well-qualified young professionals to support their nutrition work.
FANTA implemented two cycles of the Fellowship from 2013–2016. Working with their host organizations, Fellows engaged in a wide variety of activities, including nutrition assessment, counseling, and support as well as policy development, advocacy, and behavior change communication with key target audiences. In addition, they learned about various nutrition initiatives and had access to networking opportunities and online courses.
Throughout the program, FANTA staff supported the Fellows through an orientation, mentorship, site visits, team-building retreats, and a series of professional development workshops. Fellows also received mentorship, supervision, and career support from staff at their host organizations. Through this experience, Fellows developed strong skills in communication, writing, accountability, and leadership, as well as program design and implementation, coordination, advocacy, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
