G. Winifred Kagwa

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Wini, became a indefatigable and passionate worker for “ causes that improved the lives of all she touched”. Arriving in the U.S. in her teens, she graduated from the Columbia School of Social Work and immediately began her professional career in the same Mental Hygiene Clinic where she had completed her final year of practicum. There she met her late husband, Benjamin Hope Kagwa Nsubuga Bakunga, M.D., a Neuropsychiatrist, whom she later accompanied to the land of his birth in Uganda upon his acceptance of a Consultancy in the Ministry of Health. Upon arrival in Uganda – “The Pearl of Africa” – which Sir Winston Churchill described as the most beautiful country he had ever seen, Wini immediately immersed herself in the life of the country, including supervising social work students from Makerere University in the Mental Hygiene Clinic. She also soon became Treasurer of the Uganda YWCA, the most populous YWCA in the world with over a million members.

The Kagwas had many common interests and together traveled to nearly every continent on the globe. Wini’s travels frequently took her to Uganda because of family connections and for her cause of donating her husband’s medical library to the new medical school, Mbarara University in Uganda. To honor her husband’s legacy, she kept the collection current, which has been supplemented by contributions from individuals as well as the scholarship in her husband’s name and a scholarship fund for poor children in Jamaica.

Before and after her Africa sojourn, Wini had been on the graduate faculty of the Hunter College School of Social Work of the City University of New York, where she attained the rank of Assistant Professor. Several years later, she took the incentive for early retirement but maintained her connection with the School, which in 1994 designated her a Distinguished Adjunct, “whose outstanding teaching has benefited students and the communities they serve”. In continuing her active service to the school and its community she held the position as a Consulting Editor of The Journal of Multicultural Social Work.

Even in retirement, Wini, remained engaged with volunteer activities on nearly a full time basis. For several years she served as Director of the Host Family Program of the NYC Commission for the UN and the Consular Corps. In this program she matched UN diplomats and consular corps members with New Yorkers who held interest in developing mutual relationships. She also made courtesy calls on newly arriving diplomats on behalf of the Mayor of the City of New York.

Wini has been member of the International Federation of Social Workers UN Team, the Human Rights Committee, as well as Vice Chair of the Committee for Southern Africa, all of them UN related non-governmental organizations. She has served as Secretary of the UN Dept. of Public Information/NGO Executive Committee, as well as member of the Board of the NYC YWCA. She has been a founding member of the United Nations African Mothers Association. From its early beginnings she has been instrumental in the development of the Heartbeats of Jamaica, Inc. and held the position of the Chairperson of its Sponsorship Program Committee.

Wini holds several awards from several organizations, including The West Indian Students Association which recognized her long service as Foundation Member, Secretary and President; The Manhattan-Bronx Westchester Auxiliary to the National Medical Association which first recognized her service to the organization and community, and a second time for her distinguished and dedicated service as President. She also received the Member of the Year Award from the National Auxiliary to the National Medical Association. In appreciation of her service International Federation of Social Workers through participation in United Nations activities, the Federation granted her an award. Wini also received a certificate of appreciation from the Heart Foundation of Jamaica.

Spanning the time from shortly after her arrival in the United States to well into her retirement, Wini led a life devoted and driven to help others.