Update from CGJ Fellow Chelsea Mack in Uganda

Chelsea is part of the Center for Global Justice Fellowship Program. Through this program, Regent Law graduates will be employed for one year with one of the Center’s partner organizations. Chelsea began her fellowship program in September 2017 with the Uganda Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the equivalent of the United States Attorney General. Chelsea assists the DPP in prosecuting cases of child sacrifice, thinking about how to create a juvenile division, and reviewing the relatively new plea bargaining initiative, which has been directly responsible for ensuring that children do not languish in prison beyond the terms of their sentences. Below is an update from Chesea from Uganda:


Work is challenging and exciting, and a bit overwhelming, all at once. My commute is still pretty awful (some nights it takes two hours to get home, if not a few minutes more!) but I am trying to find things to listen to during my rides to help occupy the time.

One interesting note about work is that all of the prosecutors of the DPP office across the country are on strike. They are demanding higher salaries and are very serious about their actions. This is the third week of the strike and there is hope that it will be resolved soon. How does the strike affect my daily work? Well, many of the attorneys are not in the office. The top management still comes to the office just to ensure that the institution continues running. Since I work in the DPP headquarters with the top management, I am still able to interact with them each day. Although they are in the office, no one goes to court to handle cases. Therefore, there are no criminal matters, of any level, being handled in any court throughout Uganda. This may not resonate too much with you, but just imagine if you had a relative or close friend who was arrested and accused of stealing a phone. Typically, that type of case (at least in the U.S.), may be handled within a day or two of the crime being committed. With this strike taking place, that relative or close friend has now been waiting in a city jail for three weeks for their matter to be brought in front of a judge. This strike could have some serious implications, but the hope and prayer is that a peaceful and satisfactory agreement will be made quickly.

Much of my time has been filled with meeting many of the attorneys and staff in the office. I’m quickly bonding with many of the police officers and bodyguards which would seem odd, but they are so friendly and accommodating. They usually help me with lunch suggestions and figuring out how to get around to different parts of Kampala by taxis or bodas.

Peter, from KCM, recently presented on witchcraft at a U.N. session in Geneva. When we reconnected after his trip, we began creating a timeline for the work that we want to accomplish over the next year. In the last week, I have read through different documents with graphic pictures and descriptions and held discussions about topics that are really not the most uplifting. It’s still hard to grasp everything I read, see and learn, but thankfully, my mind does not dwell on the details too much once I leave work.

One of the bright moments of going out to work at KCM’s campus is meeting the students at their school. A couple of the kindergarten students seem to remember me whenever I show up (probably due to my accent and lighter complexion) and invite me (or rather, drag me across the campus usually while running in the hot sun) to explore the campus with them.

These are wonderful breaks from the court visits and computer staring that I am consumed with each day. I think it’s a beautiful reminder that this young population is the primary group that we are working to protect.

There are still many aspects of life in Uganda that I am adjusting to, but I am pushing through and soaking in every minute!


Learn more about the Center for Global Justice Fellowship Program >

Donate to Chelsea's page >

Uganda Fellowship Update from Chelsea Mack

During my first week of work in Uganda, I was able to spend a day with Peter from one of the Center's partner organizations, Kyampisi Childcare Ministries (KCM). Our time together was filled with planning work projects for the next year, meeting the KCM staff, and touring the 14-acre campus owned by the ministry. There is a lot of construction happening right now for new facilities for the children they serve. I was completely blown away by the depth of services that the ministry provides to child sacrifice victims.

One of my favorite parts of the tour was visiting their prayer mountain. Kyampisi, the location of the ministry, was once the primary area where witch doctors lived and this mountain was the area where they performed many human sacrifices. When KCM settled in, they were able to purchase the land, placed a cross on top of the rock where sacrificing took place, and now have intercessors pray from the mountain every week. They eventually plan to relocate their church to the mountain. This mountain is a true example of the light of Christ entering into the darkest places to bring hope and life.

I am honored and humbled to be able to serve alongside this ministry as well as alongside the faithful staff members of the DPP.

Learn more about the Center for Global Justice Fellowship Program >

Donate to Chelsea's page >

Fellowship Update: Pam in Uganda

In the midst of a lot of terrible news, I bring you some beautiful stories that I hope will you fill you with as much joy and excitement as they have filled me!

I have often spoken of “cultural change” in theoretical terms. Truthfully, it takes both good strategy (theory) and individuals who engage in gritty, hard work. Last week, I had a front row seat to actual, cultural change, and it was pretty incredible.

I jumped in to work just over two weeks ago, during what was the busiest two weeks of the year for our office. It felt a bit like jumping into a river and getting swept away by the current! But it was fun to immediately get to work and to build relationships quickly with many of the national staff here. Last week, especially, included major events for several of the departments here at IJM, and I had the privilege of participating in a few.

Judiciary & Prosecutors’ Training:

For the past three years, IJM has hosted, in conjunction with the DPP (Directorate of Public Prosecutions—comparable to the Attorney General’s office), an annual training for public prosecutors. IJM hosted a team of Australian barristers and judges to provide training in trial advocacy, as well as training in plea bargaining, and property grabbing offenses. Overall, we were able to provide prosecutors with incredible training, tools and resources.

This year, in addition to the DPP training, we hosted a training with Uganda’s Judicial Studies Institute (JSI) for judges and magistrates from across Uganda. As this is the first year, the training was two days long. Again, we were able to help facilitate incredible training sessions, tools and resources for judges and magistrates.

It’s exciting to see how IJM hosted these events in conjunction with the DPP and JSI. So, it is not IJM hosting the events alone, but rather providing support as the Ugandan government itself seeks to shape its future. At IJM, we use the phrase “bridge-builder.” I saw that in action last week, as the office was able to add value to the Judiciary, the DPP, and JSI simultaneously. These prosecutors, judges, and magistrates are over-worked, with little thanks and few resources, and it was exciting to be able to provide support to them.

Community Celebrations:

When I thought the week couldn’t get any better, I was invited to participate in a “Community Celebration” with IJM’s training team on Friday.

As background, the crime of “property grabbing” provides a different challenge than, for example, the crime of human trafficking. Society generally understands human trafficking and condemns it. In contrast, many communities don’t know of the protections the laws in Uganda provide for widows, and there are some deep cultural understandings around the idea of land inheritance.

In order to combat this challenge, the IJM training team has facilitated community leaders (LCs) in leading “community dialogues”—once a week for the last ten weeks in five different sub-counties. These community dialogues focused on sensitizing the communities to the plights of widows, as well as proper inheritance under the law, and they culminated in a day-long celebration for each sub-county. On Friday, I joined in on the final sub-county’s Community Celebration.

I was overwhelmed as I saw this community take ownership over the protection of widows’ rights. The celebration started with a parade in which hundreds of people marched (along with a high school marching band!), carrying signs (pictures below!) and dancing. The parade ended in a community gathering that lasted all day and included dancing, speech-giving, performances, skits, and a special time to honor widows (IJM clients) in the community.

I was especially overwhelmed to see the men in the community who proudly marched and gave speeches in defense of widows.

It is amazing to me how IJM is working toward transformation from the top-down, and from the bottom-up … literally in the same week. I had a front row seat—as the magistrate asked why property grabbing is a criminal offense and not a civil court issue; as the prosecutor asked for more copies of “Handbook on Property Grabbing Crimes”; as the young man passionately told his community that cultural heirs have no legal right to take widows’ property.

Good strategy, and gritty, hard work. I am truly working in an office full of superheroes—incredible Ugandans who are working tirelessly to make Uganda a better place.

A more personal update is to come… just wanted to share this work update while it was fresh in my heart!

Sula bulungi!

***If you interested in knowing more about “property grabbing,” this might help!

The Center for Global Justice Launches New Fellowship Program

The Center for Global Justice is excited to announce the launch of its fellowship program. Through this program, two Regent Law graduates will be employed for one year with one of the Center’s partner organizations. This year, Pam Dodge and Chelsea Mack, former Center for Global Justice Law Clerks and interns, will work in Uganda.

Chelsea (L) and Pam (R)

Pam started her fellowship with the International Justice Mission in August. Pam will assist IJM in its work to protect widows from having their property stolen, protecting women from domestic violence, and building a just and fair legal system so that the rights of all people are protected.

Chelsea starts her fellowship on September 4th with the Uganda Directorate of Public Prosecutions (the equivalent of our Attorney General). Chelsea will be assisting the DPP in prosecuting cases of child sacrifice, thinking about how to create a juvenile division, and reviewing the relatively new plea bargaining initiative, which Prof. Jim Gash helped to implement. The plea bargaining initiative has been directly responsible for ensuring that children do not languish in prison beyond the terms of their sentences. Chelsea will review the initiative to ensure it is running effectively and make recommendations on how to improve it.

The Center is very excited to see the fruit of this program. With these fellows, we will now be providing year-round support to IJM and the Uganda DPP through Student Staff projects, summer internships, and now year-long fellowships. Please pray for our students and consider giving to support their great work!

Fellowship Update: Pam Arrives in Uganda

For full disclosure, it is with some hesitation that I enter the blogging world. But, alas, here I am!

I have been overwhelmed by the support of my friends and family as I begin this adventure. I would be silly not to take you up on the offers for prayer, and I am blessed and humbled by those who have shared a desire to hear about my journey. So, here we are! I hope this blog will provide a window into the work of justice that God is doing in the world.

A few short days ago, I traveled to Kampala, Uganda, to begin my one-year Legal Fellowship with International Justice Mission.

My first flight left Phoenix at 6:30am, so I began my traveling journey with only a few hours of sleep. As I settled into my seat on that first flight, I felt extremely exhausted. My mind was racing—questioning my packing choices, worrying about my airport arrival, desperately trying to shake that I-forgot-something-important feeling. In the midst of this, I opened my devotional book for a few moments to just sit and breathe. The reflection was on Psalm 27—words that are so familiar, and yet so easily forgotten by my heart.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the defense of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

…One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek—that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

It was a sweet and personal reminder from the Lord that I am not alone, that I have nothing to fear, and that my utmost goal is to dwell in the presence of the Lord. My fears (big and small) fall away in the presence of my God, who is my light, my salvation, and the defense of my life.

After about 30 hours of travel, I arrived safely in Kampala. (Other than frantically removing a few pairs of shoes from my checked bag so that it would meet the weight requirement, the travel was without incident!) In the next few days, I will be settling in to my new home, and I will begin work after that. I am living in beautiful apartment complex with several other IJM interns and fellows. As the last to arrive in our intern/fellow group, I get the benefit of gleaning all the practical tips and wisdom from those who have already been here several weeks!

As for prayer,

• Good health
• Transitioning into a new job, and a new culture and community
• Strength and vision for the IJM team in this busy season