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Team Uganda emerged victorious at the recently concluded Seventh African Spelling Bee, a fierce competition that brought together the continent’s top spellers.
The prestigious event was held on April 11, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria.
Anwitha Hareesh, 11, a student at Greenhill Academy, won the inaugural Essay Competition, while Abigail Nakawooya, 14, a student at Namagunga Girls’ Primary Boarding School, was the first runner-up in the Junior Category of the African competition.
“We are incredibly proud of our spellers,” said William Mukisa, the Chief Literacy Officer at enjuba.
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“Their dedication, resilience, and brilliance have once again shown that Ugandan children can compete and win on the biggest stages.”
These three girls, including Kayla Nakato, were the 2023 Ugandan National Spelling Bee Champions, a spelling competition organised by enjuba. enjuba is a children’s education organisation focused on improving foundational literacy, numeracy, and executive function skills for Ugandan children through spelling bees, books, and early childhood programmes.
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The journey to Abuja began at grassroots level, with spelling bee competitions held at school, district, and national levels. The three top spellers from the National Spelling Bee earned their places on the national team, representing Uganda on the African stage.
The achievements of these three girls not only reflect individual excellence but also underscore the impact of enjuba’s programmes and the potential of Uganda’s children on the continental stage.
The African Spelling Bee brought together national champions from countries such as Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana, Gambia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, South Sudan, and South Africa to compete for the African championship.
Speaking at the African Spelling Bee event, Lewis Mbaula, Chairperson of the African Spelling Bee, said, “The African Spelling Bee is a pan-African education organisation with a vision of celebrating the African child, inspiring them to be literate, and creating a platform for them to connect with other children from across the continent.”
Through its member countries, the African Spelling Bee has reached and impacted over 10 million learners across Africa.
As the trophies return home and celebrations begin, Uganda’s performance in Abuja is a powerful reminder of what is possible when talent is nurtured with the right support and opportunities. The future of literacy and education in Uganda looks bright.