TEDxIntl School Of Uganda

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Allan Doel

  Mr. Doel’s passport is Canadian, his happy place is on a beach volleyball court in Türkiye, and his home is wherever his family is—currently Uganda. A successful coach in volleyball, basketball, track & field, curling, badminton, hockey, cross-country, and beach volleyball, and also certified as a national volleyball and basketball official, Mr. Doel moonlights as a Business Management, Economics, Global Politics, History, Geography, and Theory of Knowledge teacher in the Diploma Programme, while occasionally dabbling in Language & Literature, Humanities, and even Math in the MYP. At the International School of Uganda, he currently teaches Theory of Knowledge, Business Management, Global Politics, and Humanities. As the breadth of his experiences in classrooms, gyms, and on the pitch suggests, Mr. Doel has become something of a master at “faking it until he makes it.” In this talk, he explores how imposter syndrome can affect all of us and how simply staying in the game long enough to grow comfortable can be a pathway to success. He hopes to inspire the audience to push past their doubts until they’ve made “it”—whatever “it” might be.

• Batseba Robel

  Born between borders and carved from the mosaic pieces of the rich east africa; Batseba Robel is a 16 year old Eritrean and a fresh arrival at the international school of Uganda. Her passion lies in addressing the growing inaccessibility of education for disadvantaged children across Africa, an issue she believes demands urgent attention. Growing up by the coast of lake Kivu, in eastern DRC, she was fascinated by the shifting horizon. It left her wondering; “Is it reachable, or is it the end ?”. Over time, as she explored and reflected, she discovered that horizon isn’t a limit but an invitation to everyone, to go beyond. Today she will explain that education expands our horizons – not just by learning random facts and formulas, but by giving every child the chance to dream of a life beyond their limits. Education is more than a right; it’s an investment in possibility – a promise that the children of today can create the horizons of tomorrow.

• Chris-Aldwyn Noumba

  Born to a diplomat father, Chris has spent his entire life jumping between the global West and South. This nomadic lifestyle has given him the chance to experience a mosaic of cultures, classrooms, and international communities, each shaping his worldview in unique ways. Yet his relentless perfectionism and perpetual struggle to accept criticism have remained constant traits of his journey. These characteristics have heavily influenced his approaches to learning, self-perception, and personal growth. Chris’s struggles with criticism subtly manifested throughout his school life, often showing itself in Language and Literature, where the critique was an inevitability. However, through development prompted by his journey through ISU and the International Baccalaureate system, Chris has come to a newfound appreciation for not only what these critiques represent but the immeasurable growth they can inspire. Today, Chris speaks about an issue he has personally struggled with and has observed heavily impacting the social spaces around him. Deeply concerned and passionate about the cause, he hopes to use this platform to draw attention to its root causes and promote more productive and compassionate behaviors.

• Daniel Todd

  Daniel was born in the University town of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom, and grew up in the Cambridgeshire countryside. His mother is a retired school teacher and his father a retired gardener at a historic property. Daniel moved to Uganda in 2003 to teach internationally, and is married to Alice and they have four sons who attend the International School of Uganda. Daniel, now the Head of School, at the International School of Uganda, has taken on many roles at the school, including Junior School Principal, Director of Technology, Director of Admissions, PYP and MYP Coordinator and College Counseling. This eclectic experience has taught him many lessons about the value of education and the type of future we need to be preparing young people for.

• Finay van Rooyen

  Finay van Rooyen, a 15-year-old student from South Africa who has lived in Uganda for nearly a decade and attended ISU for six years, reflects on the power of words and their unintended impact. In this talk, Finay explores how things we say casually or without intention can deeply affect others, shaping their thoughts, emotions, and mental well-being. She highlights how even the smallest words can have lasting effects on our minds and everyday lives.

• Kristula Noumba

  A Cameroonian-American donning American and French passports, Kristula has never lived somewhere for more than 3 years at a time in her 17 years of living. This constant change of scenery has cultivated her adaptability as she has traveled around the world exploring different cultures and lifestyles. With her determination to succeed, it is no wonder that resilience always comes a close second. As an IB student, Kristula is no stranger to setbacks, mistakes, and disappointment. However, through her upbringing in international schools, Kristula has become familiar with the concept of the growth mindset and remembers to use her mistakes as stepping stones for her development. Today, Kristula explores the illusion of limits and how self-imposed limitations often prevent people from living up to their potential. She dives into the concept of a fixed vs growth mindset and the importance of seeing mistakes as tools for improvement.

• Natalie Kagaba

  Born and raised in Uganda, Natalie Alinda Kagaba is a Grade 9 student at the International School of Uganda, who believes that how we see the world can shape the world itself. Growing up in a multicultural environment has allowed her to appreciate the power of empathy and perspective in connecting people across backgrounds. Her curiosity about global issues and her interest in the Sustainable Development Goals have inspired her to explore how simple acts of understanding can create powerful change.

• William Doel

  As a 4-time ISSEA participant, partial owner of a Scottish football club, and international student, 16 year old William is aware of the impact sports can have on people worldwide. He has visited 48 countries and lived in 7, experiencing each country's connection to sports and its impact on their culture and being. Everywhere he has gone he has experienced and lived the world of sport. Sports have been his connection to the world, where he can connect to those around him and be himself. They don’t require a lexicon and allow for an understanding not based in words. This is why he decided to speak about the connections sports, art and music can help make people more connected, and break the language barrier worldwide.