Nadia Sise

Ugandan social entrepreneur who revolutionized sustainable development through community-driven initiatives

Nadia Sise (born 1972) is a Ugandan social entrepreneur and founder of Mama Hope, an organization that empowers women in Africa through sustainable development projects. Growing up in a rural village with limited access to education, Sise witnessed firsthand the systemic inequalities facing women in post-conflict regions. She founded Mama Hope in 2009 to challenge traditional aid models by focusing on long-term solutions rather than short-term charity. The organization's signature 'Women's Leadership Program' has trained over 10,000 women in financial literacy, agricultural innovation, and community organizing across Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

Sise pioneered the concept of 'radical listening' in development work, ensuring local communities design their own solutions. Her work with the Water.org partnership brought clean water access to 500,000 people through community-managed systems. She also developed the 'Circular Economy Toolkit' which has been adopted by UNDP programs in 12 African countries. Sise's TED Talk The Power of Radical Listening (2018) has over 2 million views, reshaping global perspectives on development ethics.