Building a Future Where Girls Lead
For Monica Nyiraguhabwa, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Girl Up Initiative Uganda, the heart of her work in girls’ education and empowerment lies in creating spaces where girls not only find their voice, but use it to lead.
Growing up in the urban slums of Kampala, Monica witnessed firsthand how being a girl could mean a lifetime of limited opportunity and tough social expectations. “Growing up,” she recalled, “very few girls went to university, very few girls did not get pregnant. Most organizations were focused on women, and there weren’t many organizations investing in girls’ rights and education.”
“I began this work from a place of love and burning desire to push back and just create. As girls, we can always start something, we can always push back against injustices and create change. It can be one girl creating that one change, and she’s able to influence millions of girls.” – Monica Nyiraguhabwa
What began as a small grassroots effort to “help girls shine” has evolved into a vibrant, community-rooted organization reaching tens of thousands of adolescents across Uganda. The girls go on to be leaders in their community, many of whom are positioned to advocate for girls’ rights at the highest levels of government, even impacting national policy.
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