Pledge to make a difference, together.

Girl Up Initiative Uganda

5662 CALLE REAL UNIT 123,
GOLETA, CA 93117-2317,
USA

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$540 raised via 19 donations

Our Mission

Girl Up Initiative Uganda aims to provide young women and girls with opportunities to succeed and thrive as leaders in their communities through holistic education and economic empowerment. We envision a world where girls get to reach and tap into their full potential through access to an education, and develop into economically independent, empowered young women who can fully contribute to their families and communities as a whole.

Our Impact

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Girl Up Initiative Uganda posted an impact story
about 6 years ago — Kampala, Uganda

"My name is Amooti Florence. I come from a family of five but two sisters of mine are married which makes us three left at home. My father does not stay at home with us. He told me he is going to Jinja to work. My father comes home once a month. Life at home is not good because my mother struggles to pay for school fees and food. I was unable to speak out before joining the Adolescent Girls Program. This happened to me especially with my mother and my classmates. I feared speaking out to my mother because she was very tough. She used to beat me. She didn’t want me to go to church. She wouldn’t give me money for food. I stayed at school and didn’t eat. When I went back home she told me to go back to Jinja where my dad was, 'I don’t need you here. You go and tell somebody to give you a home where you can stay.' My mother was not tough before but became tough when my big sister got pregnant. My sister was in Senior 2 when she got pregnant. This changed my mother’s attitude and I started fearing her. This affected me to a point that I feared my teachers and my classmates and I would never participate in class. When I joined the Adolescent Girls Program, the coaches taught me how to speak out. During the sessions, the coaches would always bring us before the others and tell us to talk. That was how I started being assertive. The first day I realized I could speak out was when I had a one on one conversation with my mother. She was very happy to know that I am no longer as shy as before. I also teach my neighbors and my friends in Sunday School. They were also unable to speak out before but I am glad that they are able to speak out after I taught them what the coaches taught me. My mother also forgave my sister after she attended the Parents’ Meeting at Girl Up Initiative Uganda. The coaches encouraged the parents to give their children a safe space for sharing and to also forgive them when they do wrong actions. She also told me she would not continue to beat me."

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Girl Up Initiative Uganda posted an impact story
almost 6 years ago — Kampala, Uganda

Salima is 18 years old and married with one child. Before joining the YWEEP, she often found herself sitting at home without constructive projects to invest her time and creativity in. Salima found out about the Sewing Our Futures project through a young woman who had taken part in the Adolescent Girls Program. Since joining the project, Salima’s hobby became a passion. She has learnt the fundamentals of design, creating beautiful, fashionable garments for clients and her family. The Sewing Our Futures project also taught Salima valuable people skills, and the importance of working in a collaborative team and supporting those around you. Participants were encouraged to speak freely on the program and Salima was empowered to take opportunities to mentor others when they needed assistance with their work. This has instilled in her a sense of self-confidence that is immediately evident in interactions with her. She no longer averts her eyes when spoken to and instead communicates boldly and with assurance. Above all else, reminiscent of its namesake, the project has inspired and enabled Salima to be aspirational about the road ahead of her. Her dream is to take the skills she has gained and her unwavering self-assurance to start a small business in order to support herself and her family. GUIU is rooting for her every step of the way.

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