Rizzo Samuele

Born on 16 February 1978 in Kitgum (Uganda), son of volunteer doctors. A heart split halfway between Italy and Uganda, having lived more than 30 of his 40 years in Africa. Married to a Ugandan doctor, father of two daughters, he still lives and works in Uganda. A man of the world, with dual citizenship (both Ugandan and Italian).

He graduated from high school with an International Baccalaureate (IB) at the United World College East Africa in Moshi (Tanzania), graduated in Political Science at the State University in Milan and obtained a Master’s degree in Poverty Reduction and Development Management at the University of Birmingham with the intention of acquiring a critical and knowledgeable spirit on international cooperation, an area he has worked for since graduating.

A multi-decade manager for the AVSI Foundation in Uganda, he has an in-depth knowledge of international cooperation having managed projects of various entities, in various sectors, in various areas (both emergency and development) and funded by various donors, which has allowed him to develop managerial skills but also to develop innovations and establish relevant partnerships. Earlier in his career, he worked in Northern Uganda during the war period implementing emergency projects.

Currently managing a 13mil Euro project funded by the Dutch Cooperation on youth training in the agricultural sector with a specific focus on job creation – with the primary objective of generating employment opportunities for 8000 young people. The project adopts as its implementation strategy the involvement of the public and private sectors (small/medium-sized agricultural enterprises) and is considered one of the most successful projects in Uganda in this type of partnership.

His main passions include international politics (particularly East African geopolitics) and current affairs. Not forgetting everything that is firmly linked to the world of Cooperation and Development. A world of which he loves to study the dynamics and describe the mechanisms.