Inception

Across Uganda’s landscapes lies some of the world’s deepest human history, yet its genetic knowledge has long been extracted, underfunded, and sidelined, despite being central to understanding humanity itself.

Why Now

Roots of Humanity confronts this imbalance directly, mapping science, story, and identity while challenging systems that exclude African data, scientists, and communities from defining human origins.

Discover the Story

Built with communities, not taken from them. This project gathers knowledge, memory, and ancestry into a shared narrative of belonging, resistance, and discovery.

Mapping the Story of Us

Mapping
The Story of Us

Explore Genetic Facts From Across Uganda

Learn

Learn

Learn

“In a world racing toward change, the rich diversity of a nation’s people remains one of its most untapped treasures. A living map of history, knowledge, and potential waiting to be understood, honored and explored.”

The Roots of Humanity Project

Uncovering Africa’s hidden genetic story, told from the source.

Seed

Roots of Humanity is a documentary and research initiative founded by Forensic Geneticist Anita Mbabazi. Bringing together African scientists, filmmakers, and communities to investigate Uganda’s genetic diversity on their own terms.

Roots

By combining population genetics, oral histories, and film, we challenge extractive research traditions. Centring African led knowledge systems in telling the story of human origins.

Sprout

This work moves beyond DNA alone, honouring the people behind the data, confronting erasure, and asking how ancestry, truth, and accountability can shape a more connected future.

Meet the Team

Scientists, storytellers, and visionaries shaping Africa’s genomic future.

Anita Mbabazi

Founder &
Executive Producer

Ugandan forensic geneticist and researcher uniting population genetics and storytelling to centre African and Indigenous leadership in ethical human origins science.

Founder &
Executive Producer

Ugandan forensic geneticist and researcher uniting population genetics and storytelling to centre African and Indigenous leadership in ethical human origins science.

Yvonne Rarieya

Executive Producer

Journalist and executive producer shaping authentic, Africa-rooted narratives through editorial rigour and cinematic storytelling for global audiences.

Executive Producer

Journalist and executive producer shaping authentic, Africa-rooted narratives through editorial rigour and cinematic storytelling for global audiences.

Daniel Gbadebo Smith

Co-creator & Executive Producer

Creative strategist and executive producer with experience on Emmy-winning and global documentary projects, shaping narrative and long term vision across cultures.

Co-creator & Executive Producer

Creative strategist and executive producer with experience on Emmy-winning and global documentary projects, shaping narrative and long term vision across cultures.

“Our team bridges disciplines; blending anthropology, genetics, and film.
To tell a story that’s as human as it is scientific.”

Our Mission & Vision

Science with soul. Storytelling with purpose.

Vision

To document Africa’s genetic and cultural diversity while resisting erasure. Building a living archive where science, history, and community knowledge coexist and remain with the people.

Mission

A world where African science sets the agenda and communities retain authority over their data. Humanities shared origins can be understood without extraction, distortion, or exclusion.