Francis is the Director of the Comfort Dog Project and the Education Program. Francis graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Community Psychology. As a child, Francis was severely injured in a bomb blast which left him blind. His unique perspective has made him highly effective at helping others to regain their lives after severe trauma.

Francis’s exceptional work with BIG FIX was acknowledged when he was named International Education Champion by the World Rabies Day Awards. In 2024, he earned a Canine Intervention Specialist Certificate from the University of Denver School of Social Work.

Laura serves as the Comfort Dog Project’s Social Worker and is the Manager of the Animal Welfare Team. Laura earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences from Makerere University and has extensive experience as a mental health counselor, with a focus on trauma counseling.

Her work experience includes serving as a counselor at Palabek Refugee Settlement. Her emphasis has been on counseling victims of GBV (gender-based violence) and sexual assault and providing psychosocial support to formerly abducted persons and war trauma survivors.

Filda is the Comfort Dog Project’s Lead Dog Trainer, an Animal Welfare Officer, and a member of the Education Team. Filda is a graduate of the first Comfort Dog Project class in 2015, and her natural ability to communicate with dogs and to teach others has been widely recognized. She is one of Africa’s only Certified Evaluators for the Good Canine Citizen Program administered by the American Kennel Club (Evaluator #101763). 

She was also honored as a Silent Hero of the Month by Silent Heroes Foundation and was featured on the BBC series 100 Women (2019).