Two young Ugandan artists have earned global recognition after being named Best Finalists in the 19th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, marking Uganda’s first-ever recognition in the international competition.
Dariona Gibson Nyehangane and Natasha Mahoro Williams were honoured by Toyota Motor Corporation during an end-of-term assembly at Friends International Christian Academy in Mbarara.
The awards were presented by CFAO Mobility Uganda, Toyota’s official representative in Uganda, on behalf of the Japanese automobile manufacturer.
Dariona, who was six years old when she entered the competition, was named a Best Finalist in Category 1 for children aged seven and under for her artwork titled Lonely-Lifting Smiling Car.
Natasha, who was 10 at the time of application, earned the Best Finalist distinction in Category 2 for children aged eight to 11 with her artwork, The Dispute-Melter Peace Bus.
Both artists are pupils at Friends International Christian Academy.
Each finalist received US$3,000 from Toyota Motor Corporation to support their education, alongside a commemorative plaque recognising their achievement.
The recognition followed a highly competitive global selection process. National contests were held in 87 countries and regions, attracting approximately 260,000 entries by March 2026.
At the World Contest, one Grand Prize winner and seven Best Finalists were selected in each of the three age categories: seven years and under, eight to 11 years, and 12 to 15 years. Two additional special awards were also presented.
Uganda secured two of the 21 Best Finalist positions awarded across the three age categories.
Isaac Tegule, Marketing Manager at CFAO Mobility Uganda, said the achievement demonstrated the potential of young Ugandans to compete on the global stage.
“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,” Tegule said.
He said the contest gives children an opportunity to imagine how mobility can respond to people’s needs and contribute to a better future.
“We celebrate their creativity and hope their achievement inspires many more young Ugandans to believe in their ideas,” he added.
The international judging panel included experts in art, design, motorsports, journalism and curation, as well as Toyota Motor Corporation representatives involved in vehicle design and technology.
Entries were assessed based on the strength of their message, originality and artistic quality.
Dariona and Natasha began their journey through Uganda’s third National Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, launched by CFAO Mobility Uganda in October 2025.
The national competition invited children aged 15 and below to imagine the future of mobility and express their ideas through artwork.
The leading entries in each age category were selected to represent Uganda at the World Contest.
The national entries were assessed by a panel that included Ugandan painter and illustrator Alex Kwizera and Godwin Nabimanya, a school art teacher with nine years of experience.
The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest was launched in 2004 and is now in its 20th season. According to Toyota, the competition has received more than 10 million entries from 153 countries and regions.
Guided by Toyota’s mission to “Produce Happiness for All,” the initiative encourages children to use their imagination to envision future mobility and share ideas for creating a better world.
The achievement is also expected to strengthen CFAO Mobility Uganda’s efforts to nurture creativity among young people and encourage more Ugandan children to participate in future editions of the competition.
