In the bustling corridors of London’s financial district, few could have predicted that a young accountant working with one of the world’s largest social impact foundations would one day become the driving force behind Uganda’s food system transformation.
Yet that’s exactly the journey that has led Damali Ssali to her current role as Country Director of GAIN Uganda, where she is now spearheading what could become the most significant nutrition revolution the country has ever seen.
Ssali’s story reads like a masterclass in purposeful career evolution. Her initial foray into London’s financial services sector with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) was a revelation. “That experience ignited her passion for development and social impact,” according to those who know her work intimately.
What started as number-crunching for one of the world’s most influential social impact foundations became the springboard for a career dedicated to transformative change across Africa.
Upon returning to Uganda, Ssali didn’t just change cities; she changed the economic landscape. As Country Director at TradeMark Africa (TMA), she orchestrated investments totaling USD 250 million over nine years, leaving behind a legacy of infrastructure that continues to facilitate trade across East Africa today.
Under her leadership, Uganda witnessed the construction of the Gulu Logistics Hub and seven game-changing one-stop border posts, including strategic locations like Busia, Malaba, Elegu, Mutukula, Mirama Hills, Goli, and the Ntoroko Lake Port. These have become economic lifelines, streamlining trade processes and connecting Uganda more efficiently to regional and global markets.
Even more impressive was her role in developing Uganda’s National Trade Facilitation Systems. Ssali was instrumental in facilitating the country’s ratification of both the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement
initiatives that positioned Uganda at the forefront of continental trade integration.
The numbers speak for themselves: her leadership in automating trade processes resulted in annual savings of USD 32.9 million for businesses and achieved a remarkable 154% return on investment by 2018. In an era where development projects often struggle to demonstrate clear impact, Ssali’s track record stands as a testament to effective leadership.
At the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, Ssali’s vision expanded beyond infrastructure to human capital development. As Chief of Programmes and Projects, she designed Uganda’s first USD 1 Billion Private Sector Catalytic Fund and successfully raised USD 10 million in new project financing. But the real testament to her leadership was the implementation of the Lead Firm Structure project, which generated over 174,000 direct jobs and 523,000 indirect jobs for Ugandans under 35 years, in partnership with 37 companies.
“She demonstrated the private sector’s capacity to drive socio-economic development profitably,” highlighting her unique ability to align business success with social impact a skill that would prove crucial in her current role.
Ssali’s impressive professional achievements are underpinned by equally impressive academic credentials. As a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), she has complemented her professional experience with executive programs at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions: leadership at Harvard Business School, impact investing at Oxford’s Saïd Business School, and innovation management at France’s Grenoble Graduate School of Business.
This combination of practical experience and academic rigor has shaped her into what colleagues describe as a leader with “strategic insight, global expertise, and deep commitment to inclusive growth and economic transformation.”
Now, as Country Director of GAIN Uganda, Ssali faces perhaps her most ambitious challenge yet: leading a systemic transformation of Uganda’s food system. Her mission is clear: to champion inclusive, scalable, and sustainable solutions that improve nutrition and promote healthier lives across the country.
“With her Afro-optimism, policy expertise, and people-centered leadership, Damali is positioning GAIN as a catalyst for lasting impact and positive change in Uganda’s food and nutrition landscape,” according to those familiar with her vision for the organization.
This new role represents more than just another career move; it’s the convergence of nearly two decades of experience in financial services, trade facilitation, private sector development, and innovation, all focused on addressing one of humanity’s most fundamental challenges: ensuring access to nutritious food.
Away from boardrooms and policy meetings, Ssali maintains her commitment to nurturing the next generation of African leaders. As an ambassador for Ugandan women entrepreneurs, a published author, and founder of a platform spotlighting African innovators and changemakers, she embodies the multi-faceted leadership that Africa needs in the 21st century.
Her story serves as an inspiration for young professionals across the continent, demonstrating that with vision, dedication, and strategic thinking, it’s possible to build a career that generates both financial returns and social impact.
As Uganda grapples with nutrition challenges that affect millions of its citizens, Ssali’s appointment to lead GAIN Uganda couldn’t be more timely. Her proven track record of managing large-scale investments, building effective partnerships between public and private sectors, and delivering measurable impact uniquely positions her to tackle the complex challenges inherent in food system transformation.
The question now isn’t whether Ssali has the experience or vision to lead this transformation her 18-year track record answers that definitively. The question is whether Uganda’s food system is ready for the kind of systematic, evidence-based, and scalable solutions that have defined her career.
If her past achievements are any indication, Uganda’s nutrition landscape is about to witness the kind of transformation that creates lasting change for generations to come. In Damali Ssali, GAIN Uganda hasn’t just found a Country Director they’ve found a proven catalyst for the kind of inclusive economic transformation that turns ambitious visions into measurable reality.
For more information about GAIN Uganda’s work in food system transformation, visit their official website: https://www.gainhealth.org, or follow their social media channels for updates on upcoming initiatives under Ssali’s leadership.
