From Cattle Rustler to Community Advocate: Moses Nangor’s Journey of Change
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Moses Nangor, 48, is a towering man with a confident voice that mirrors his journey of transformation. Once a cattle rustler who raided kraals in Karamoja and across the border in Kenya, he grew up in Lochengenge village in Amudat Town Council, a community that overlooks the stunning valleys stretching into neighboring Kenya. For many years, the Karamoja sub-region in North-Eastern Uganda was synonymous with gunfire, as warriors engaged in endless cattle raids, leaving communities in constant fear for their lives.
Today, the situation is gradually improving thanks to government intervention. Moses left his violent past and embraced a new role as a community advocate through the UN Women–supported project “Make Happiness, Not Violence.” Implemented by the Communication for Development Foundation Uganda (CDFU) with funding from the European Union under the UN Spotlight Initiative in Amudat District, the project has given him a platform to inspire change. “I abandoned cattle rustling after hearing repeated government messages on local radio urging warriors to surrender. I then turned to the church, where counseling and encouragement from elders helped me become a responsible member of the community,” says the father of six.
In 2021, Moses was one of the sixty community advocates, trained to support on the prevention of violence against women and girls in three sub counties of Loroo, Aumdat Town Council and Losidok in Amudat District using a UN Women community dialogue approach commonly known as SASA. The name SASA! means “Now!” in Kiswahili, symbolizing urgency for action. With an acronym for Start, Awareness, Support, and Action, the approach is an evidence-based community mobilization tool aimed at preventing violence against women and girls. The approach developed with a blend of theory, practice, and optimism, encourages communities to collectively create safe, violence-free environments for women.
When Moses became a community advocate, he was assigned to 250 members of his community, with whom he holds weekly dialogues on domestic violence. Beyond these formal sessions, he also engages people through informal small-group discussions at market days, cultural gatherings, household visits, and even during church services, where he is often given time at the end to share a message on preventing domestic violence.
In the 2025 local council elections, Moses’ community, recognizing his exemplary leadership, elected him unanimously and unopposed as the Local Council Chairman of Lochengenge village in Amudat Town Council.
“I feel deeply honored by the faith and trust my community has placed in me. Who am I to be given such responsibilities, yet I have never stepped into a classroom for formal education? Their trust encourages me to work even harder for the betterment of my community,” says Moses, smiling warmly.
John Bosco Mukura, who leads the CDFU field office in Amudat, highlights Moses’ impact:
“He has been instrumental in engaging cultural leaders, who play a key role in addressing harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and domestic violence, vices that were once widespread. His work in this area is extremely important,” says Mukura.
Community advocates also help in the provision of counselling, guidance, and referrals for survivors to access services such as legal aid, healthcare, or psychosocial support.
The Spotlight Initiative is a major multi-year programme by the European Union and United Nations, dedicated to eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), including harmful practices like child marriage and FGM, and strengthening survivors’ access to services.
In Uganda, it’s implemented through a strong partnership among seven UN agencies—including UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, and UNHCR—alongside the Government and civil society.