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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two young Ugandan artists have earned global recognition after their artwork was selected among the best entries in the 19th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest.
Six-year-old Dariona Gibson Nyehangane and 10-year-old Natasha Mahoro Williams were named Best Finalists in their respective age categories, giving Uganda its first-ever recognition at the global competition.
The awards were presented by CFAO Mobility Uganda, Toyota’s official representative in the country, during an end-of-term assembly at Friends International Christian Academy in Mbarara, where both children study.
Dariona, who was six when she entered the competition, was recognised in Category 1 for children aged seven and under for her artwork, ‘Lonely-Lifting Smiling Car.’ Natasha was named a Best Finalist in Category 2, for children aged eight to 11, for her artwork, ‘The Dispute-Melter Peace Bus.’
Each child received $3,000 from Toyota Motor Corporation towards their education, alongside a commemorative award plaque.
Their recognition places Uganda among the countries that stood out in a competition that attracted about 260,000 entries from 87 countries and regions by March 2026.
At the global contest, one Grand Prize winner and seven Best Finalists were selected in each of the three age categories, meaning Uganda secured two of the 21 Best Finalist positions awarded globally.
“Seeing two Ugandan children recognised among the world’s Best Finalists is a proud moment for Uganda, their school and CFAO Mobility Uganda. Dariona and Natasha have shown that an idea imagined and drawn by a child in Uganda can earn recognition on the global stage. Through this contest, Toyota is giving children space to imagine how mobility can respond to people’s needs and help create a better future. We celebrate their creativity and hope their achievement inspires many more young Ugandans to believe in their ideas,” said Isaac Tegule, Marketing Manager at CFAO Mobility Uganda.
The two finalists began their journey in Uganda’s third National Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, launched by CFAO Mobility Uganda in October 2025.
The competition invited children aged 15 and below to imagine what the future of mobility could look like and express those ideas through art. Winning entries in each age category proceeded to the global competition.
The Ugandan entries were judged by a panel that included Ugandan painter and illustrator Alex Kwizera and Godwin Nabimanya, a school art teacher with nine years of experience.
At the global level, the judging panel comprised professionals from art, design, motorsports, journalism and curation, alongside Toyota representatives involved in vehicle design and technology. Entries were assessed based on their message, originality and artistic quality.
For Dariona and Natasha, the recognition has turned what began as children's drawings into an international achievement.
The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, launched in 2004, has attracted more than 10 million entries from 153 countries and regions. The competition is built around Toyota’s mission to “Produce Happiness for All” and encourages children to use their imagination to envision mobility and a better future.
The latest achievement also gives CFAO Mobility Uganda an opportunity to expand its efforts to encourage creativity among young people and increase participation from Ugandan children in future editions of the competition.
