Since 2020, TfG and CDC partnered with the Instituto Universitario en Democracia, Paz y Seguridad (IUDPAS) of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH) and the Africhild Centre of Uganda to carry out research fellowships focused on building quantitative data analysis skills to analyze data from the VACS that can help inform policy decisions. 

Get to know our research fellows and some of the work they’ve been doing in Uganda and Honduras:

Agatha Kafuko

Agatha is a PhD researcher at Makerere University. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration, and a Masters of Arts in Social Sector Planning and Management in Makerere University. Agatha started her career working with the African Network for Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect, as a practitioner engaging in advocacy before transitioning as faculty at Makerere University. She is passionate about the wellbeing of children and has built her career on work that seeks to improve outcomes for children.

Work with VACS data

Under the auspices of Together for Girls and the AfriChild Centre, and with the technical support of CDC, Agatha is conducting a secondary analysis on the effect of sexual violence on the mental health of girls aged 13-17 years in Uganda. This analysis is based on the 2015 Uganda national violence against children survey. The analysis seeks to provide evidence on the mental health outcomes for children who experience childhood sexual violence in Uganda. The evidence will be used by policy makers and practitioners to design, finance and implement interventions that target the mental health needs of affected children. 

Dr. Kenneth Olido (PhD)

Dr. Olido graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (B.Com) in 2001 and Master of Science Degree (MSc) in 2005 from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. Dr. Olido received his Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) in Strategy and Strategic Marketing in 2018 from Gulu. His research interest is in Business Management, Marketing, Procurement and Statistics. Dr. Olido started his work life with Gulu University in 2002 as a Teaching Assistant/Graduate Trainee, becoming Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer and currently he is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Procurement Management, Faculty of Business and Development Studies at Gulu University in Uganda. Dr. Olido has also had assignments with AfriChild Centre in Uganda as a Trainer in quantitative data analysis in a program for training inter-university senior researchers from 7 universities in Uganda.

Work with VACS data

Dr. Olido is a Senior Research Fellow with Together for Girls Uganda Fellowship. With the technical and financial support from the partnership between Together for Girls, CDC and the AfriChild Centre in Uganda, Dr. Olido has undertaken training in complex data analysis specifically using the Uganda Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) data of 2015, and written a manuscript which is currently under review for publication. The secondary analysis determines the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and assesses the association between these experiences with risks of HIV infection among children and youth aged 13-24 years in Uganda. The research paper generates scientific evidence to support policy and interventions against abuse of children in all forms at all stages in life.

Marlon Osman Meléndez

Marlon graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics and Master’s degree in Epidemiology from la Universidad Autónoma de Nicaragua, León (UNAN-León) in 1996. His main area of expertise is public health. He started as research assistant for the Center of Demography and Health of UNAN-León and later became an investigator for the joint program between CDC and the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. During 2020, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Marlon also supported the modeling of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Honduras through The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Work with VACS data

With the technical support of the Instituto Universitario en Democracia, Paz y Seguridad (IUDPAS) of la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Marlon is developing a secondary analysis with data from the 2017 Honduras’ Violence Against Children Survey. The analysis seeks to inquire on the effect of school lead orientations to prevent bullying, fights, violence and encourage anger and hate management on sexual and physical violence prevalence among 13-24 year-olds in Honduras. This study will generate scientific evidence that supports the importance of fostering this type of interventions in school settings.