ACME hosts Ford Foundation executive

ACME today hosted Ms Hilary Pennington, a Ford Foundation vice president in charge of education, creativity and free expression. Ford Foundation is an American philanthropic organisation that works to advance social change worldwide. ACME is one of Ford’s grantees in Uganda.

The visit was intended for the Ford team to learn more about ACME’s programming, especially in the area of supporting investigative journalism and other forms of expression that promote public engagement.

Accompanying Ms Pennington were officials from the foundation’s Eastern Africa office in Nairobi. They included Regional Representative Maurice Makoloo, Senior Programme Officer Monica Cunningham, and programme officers Rosemary Okello-Orlale, Margaret Rugadya, and Ivan Tumuhimbise.

Ms Pennington said that the media are part of the infrastructure that is necessary to produce social justice. “The media really matter,” she said.

The VP added that the foundation is interested in understanding how to help its partners become more durable and stronger institutions.

She applauded ACME and another Ford grantee, Peripheral Vision International, for their “energising work and creativity” as well as “intelligence”.