Becoming Me: From a War-Torn Teso to a Voice for Women and Girls

My story begins with a young girl whose future could easily have been decided by circumstances. I was born to a teenage mother who had to drop out of school because society believed that school was no place for a mother. Once a girl became pregnant, her expected destination was marriage, not education. My mother's dreams were interrupted by social norms that limited what girls and women could become.

I grew up seeing firsthand how gender expectations shape the lives of women and girls. At the time, I did not know that these experiences would one day fuel my passion for gender equality and women's empowerment.

At the age of 17, my own education was nearly cut short. The insecurity and armed conflict in the Teso sub-region disrupted schooling and made everyday life uncertain. Determined to continue my education, I took risks that many young people should never have to take. I travelled on army trucks to escape the war zone in search of safety and learning. I survived road ambushes and insecurity while pursuing what many take for granted or are denied: the right to an education.

There were moments when I saw no hope. The years I spent out of school could easily have led me into early marriage, as happened to many girls around me. My future felt uncertain. Yet during those difficult moments, one person continued to believe in me; my father. My father encouraged me when circumstances suggested I should give up. He reminded me that my dreams mattered and that education was worth fighting for. His support became a lifeline during some of the darkest periods of my life.

Eventually, I made it to university. Looking back, I realized that university was where the seeds of my leadership journey were planted. Every Friday afternoon, a group of women activists from Action for Development (ACFODE) would invite interested female students to participate in discussions and meetings. Their goal was to nurture a generation of young women grounded in women's rights and development issues.

At the time, I simply attended because I was curious. Today, I understand that those women were intentionally mentoring and investing in future women leaders. They introduced me to ideas, possibilities, and conversations that would later shape my life.

Ironically, when I entered the workforce, gender issues were not my primary interest. I joined a government institution that was committed on paper to gender mainstreaming. Yet gender integration remained largely invisible in practice. My Director often assigned me to represent the institution as a Planning and Policy Analyst at multi-stakeholder meetings on gender equality and development. Those meetings changed me.

As I listened to discussions about women's rights, equality, participation, and social justice, something began to connect. The conversations resonated deeply with my own experiences, the experiences of my mother, and the realities I had witnessed in communities throughout my life.

Gender equality stopped being a policy issue. It became personal. It became a calling. As my passion grew, I began searching for a community where I could learn, connect, and belong. In 2010, I found that community through World Pulse.

Finding World Pulse was transformative. I was searching for a place where women from across the world could share their stories, exchange experiences, learn from one another, and collaborate for change. What I found exceeded my expectations. World Pulse became a home for my voice to date, a platform for my growth, and a gateway to a global sisterhood.

Through World Pulse, my have networks expanded, my confidence has grown, and my understanding of leadership has deepened. I have connected with inspiring women leaders from around the world and gained the courage to tell my own story. Having the Founder World Pulse (@Jensine) visit WP sister in Uganda in 2022 was so humbling and encouraging.

The knowledge, relationships, and opportunities that emerged through World Pulse helped shape the leader I am today. Over the years, I have had the privilege of initiating and contributing to efforts that advance girls' education, women's leadership, sexual and reproductive health and rights, women's entrepreneurship, community development, and gender equality.

I have also participated in leadership and development programmes, including the Vital Voices Leadership Programme and EA Women Leaders Mentoring and other opportunities that have strengthened my leadership journey. Each experience has reinforced my belief that sustainable development is only possible when women and girls are empowered to participate fully in shaping their futures.

Today, I influence change at different levels of society. More importantly, I have become bold enough to enter spaces that have traditionally been reserved for men. I currently serve as the Minister for Institutional Development in the Iteso Cultural Union. It is a space where many cultural and development issues affecting women, families, and communities are discussed, yet leadership remains largely male-dominated.

For me, occupying that space is more than a personal achievement. It is a statement. It is evidence that women belong wherever decisions are being made. It is proof that girls whose futures once seemed uncertain can become leaders. It is a reminder that representation matters. My journey has taught me that leadership is not about titles. It is about courage. It is about persistence. It is about using your voice when silence would be easier.

When I think about the young girl who travelled through conflict zones searching for an education, I am reminded how far I have come. But I am also reminded that I am still becoming. I am still building bridges for other women and girls to cross. And my journey continues.