Reflecting on the past to visualize the future

Sometimes I consider myself lucky and unlucky at the same time. why? because I was born with one biological brother and tragedy fell in 1994 and he died so suddenly. This left me with no biological brother or sister. The death of my brother was a huge blow to my family because as boy all hopes were in him and he was seen as the next head of the family. Growing up as a girl in a community that values boys was a very big challenge for me and on the other hand a reminder that I have to challenge what is commonly taken as ‘normal’ that the destiny of the girl child is to get married and produce children only. Despite this, my father managed to educate me with the support of my mother.

Nevertheless, I was determined to work hard, struggle and endeavor to become some body because I had seen some Uganda women who inspired me like Winnie Byanyima, who is the Director, Gender Team, Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP, Hon. Miria Matembe, former Minister for Ethics and Integrity in the Ugandan Government and a re-knowned women’s rights activist.

This confirmed to me that being female doesn’t mean that I cannot become an influential person in society. I made sure that I studied and my efforts paid off. I was the female best candidate in my district for the Uganda Advanced Level Certificate in Education and I got a government sponsorship for my degree.

Immediately after my course at University, I got an opportunity to work with a women’s rights organization. Working with a women’s organization has been more than just an employment because it has opened my eyes wider and sharpened my understanding of women’s status in the society. I realized that actually, the female gender world over is marginalized, dominated, discriminated, exploited, isolated and violated.

Despite, all the challenges that women face, these women have shown commitment, perseverance and loving to their families and communities at large. Women are very creative and quick thinkers, in most cases they spend sleepless nights planning for how to sustain their families, finding food for their children and are always hopeful to achieve better. It is regrettable that all their efforts are not recognized anywhere.

I believe that with collective efforts and little by little, women and girls have the potential to turn everything upside down and change the status quo and enjoy life in its fullness free from violence, discrimination, exploitation just to mention a few.

My personal vision is known as some one who impacted on every person and most especially women and girls that I had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with in a positive way; by inspiring them to dare to make their life better, enjoyable and meaningful. By doing this, I hope to see an informed society that values and respects women’s rights in order to realize their capabilities and potential.

Becoming a women’s rights activist, is a dream come true of touching and changing the lives of women and girls. I remember when I was growing up as very young girl, I would give out some of our food items to women and girls who looked needy in the village and some times my Dad would beat me and indeed, in my adult life, I have done what is in my reach to put a smile on the faces of women I have interacted.

I am therefore confident that becoming Voices of our Correspondent will be timely and will open new windows of opportunities and skills in my life as women’s rights activist. I have already connected with great and wonderful sisters from a cross the world who are also passionate about women’s rights and I have learnt a lot of ideas and experiences from them.

I am also very hopeful that this offer is going to build my capacity to become a professional multi media communicator, a writer and a journalist for women’s stories, a skill I have been lacking and yeaning for.