Kyle Hammond spent two transformative months in Uganda for his Leadership-in-Action project, working closely with Makerere University's Urban Action Lab and the Aliguma Foundation. His research focused on addressing various climate resilience issues, including flooding, landslides, and other vulnerabilities exacerbated by urbanization. The Urban Action Lab, renowned for its academic excellence, welcomed Kyle into an interdisciplinary team of scholars and experts from across the globe, including partnerships with institutions in the Netherlands and South Africa.
One of the key aspects of Kyle’s work involved using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map out climate vulnerabilities in areas of Kampala and other regions prone to environmental hazards. Working alongside local scholars and guided by his mentor Daniel, Kyle learned a range of new technical skills, including reclassifying land use and creating detailed surveys to gather data on the community’s vulnerabilities. His research aimed to model how urbanization in Uganda, particularly in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas, intersects with social and economic factors, helping to create a roadmap for more resilient infrastructure development.
Kyle’s fieldwork took him beyond academic study; he immersed himself in the local culture, building deep connections with the people and communities he worked with. His research revealed alarming trends, such as how vulnerable populations in informal settlements were often forced to build homes in wetlands and flood zones, making them more susceptible to natural disasters. In collaboration with his colleagues, Kyle helped design a survey tool to collect data on these climate risks, carefully considering how to phrase sensitive questions to avoid misunderstandings or mistrust within the community.
Beyond the technical aspects, Kyle reflects on the profound connections he built in Uganda. Despite being a foreigner, the warmth and respect he showed toward the local people helped him forge meaningful relationships. These experiences deepened his understanding of how environmental issues intersect with social justice and human development. He recounts how locals continue to message him, offering friendship and a continued connection to the project.
Kyle’s time in Uganda also deepened his career ambitions in urban planning. The challenges of climate resilience, underdevelopment, and socio-economic disparities inspired him to continue working toward sustainable solutions in the global south. His next step involves furthering his education through the 4+1 program in Urban Planning at Tufts, where he plans to apply the lessons learned from Uganda to his studies and future projects.
Come listen to Kyle's story of how combining GIS mapping and community engagement can help build more resilient cities, and how his work in Uganda has shaped his vision for the future!
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I love everything about your project Kyle! Well done! Very engaging. Great photos, great research, great story, great collaboration, excellent delivery. Thank you for sharing.