BY Our Reporter

TESO - The First Lady of Uganda and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni, is expected to grace the official launch of the Toto Iteso Akaliait Development Foundation (AKADEF) on October 21, 2025, in Bukedea District.

The foundation, spearheaded by Toto Iteso Juliet Among Emolot, wife to Emorimor Papa Iteso Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng Emolot, is a pilot initiative aimed at addressing critical social challenges affecting the people of Teso, particularly young people and single mothers. AKADEF also seeks to advocate for broader development across the region.

During a high-level meeting with the foundation’s Board Chairman, Dr. Bernard Michael Etukoit, in Kampala on Wednesday, July 30, Queen Juliet confirmed that the First Lady had been officially invited to officiate at the much-anticipated event. As the ceremonial head of all gazetted royal queens in Uganda, her presence is seen as a significant endorsement of the foundation’s mission.

“We are in the final stages of preparation, and I want to call upon all the people of Ateker to come and meet our royal queens and our mother, Janet Kataha Museveni, along with other invited guests from various countries,” said Queen Juliet.

The foundation is focused on transforming the lives of marginalized groups in Teso by providing mindset empowerment, practical skills training, and opportunities for teenage girls and youth who are unable to continue with formal education.

“It’s on record that I am the first queen to initiate such a project outside the traditional roles of Papa Emorimor since the Ateker of Iteso was gazetted. I cannot just watch as our people continue to suffer,” she added. “This foundation is a magic bullet for our youth. We are going to empower them with skills for self-sufficiency.”

Dr. Etukoit revealed that the launch event will feature a series of community outreach activities, including a health camp offering free screenings for cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and counseling services, among other health concerns.

“We welcome all individual partners and organizations to join us in making this day a success. AKADEF is arriving at a critical time when our youth are in urgent need of practical support,” Dr. Etukoit noted.

Significantly, the launch has been strategically scheduled for October 21, just a day before the annual celebration of the Emorimor’s coronation anniversary on October 22, further underlining its cultural importance.

The initiative has generated widespread attention across the Teso Subregion, as it marks a historic first—a regional queen directly launching a development foundation focused on grassroots community support, a role traditionally filled by the political establishment.