Our gender equity efforts in Uganda significantly enhance girls' education and overall empowerment. At our primary school, 53% of students are girls, all of whom complete higher education, far surpassing the national average where only one in three girls reaches lower secondary education. Beyond academics, REACH promotes gender parity by employing women in various roles, including on construction projects, where they gain new skills and income. Our health programs further support this mission by providing essential healthcare, contraception, and sexual health education to both students and the community. Through these initiatives, we are fostering a more equitable and empowering environment for women and girls.
We implement comprehensive strategies to boost the enrollment and retention of female students, ensuring equal access to education through scholarships, safe and supportive school environments, and community engagement to shift attitudes towards girls' education. By empowering girls, we aim to break the cycle of gender inequality, allowing them to pursue higher education and leadership roles. Recognizing the historical disadvantages faced by girls and women in eastern Uganda, we address these issues by providing equal access to resources and creating programs tailored to their needs.
Our girls’ mentorship program is designed with the help of the girls themselves. We believe every girl given the opportunity of a quality education can succeed and change her future and that of her community, country and her world. Our girls are empowered to advocate for themselves and others within their own communities. With the help of the mentors, the girls realize they have what it takes to compete on equal footing as their brother. They are armed with courage, vision and skills essential for leadership wherever they go.
Our goal is to ensure all our students can stay in school, build self-confidence, and navigate gender-specific challenges. Notably, in 2022, none of our students left school due to pregnancy, a significant achievement compared to regional trends. We also challenge traditional gender roles by providing equal opportunities for girls and offering mentorship and leadership training for male students to foster respect and equality. By designing our programs with the specific needs of female students in mind—such as Girl specific washrooms where the girls can go to shower if they get a period while in School and stocking the rooms with , free sanitary products, and dedicated career guidance—we help them thrive academically and professionally. This support enables our female students to excel and pursue careers in diverse fields, becoming influential leaders and role models in their communities.
Our two Beatrice Tierney Health Clinics provide necessary and often hard-to-find healthcare services, to girls not only in our schools but in surrounding communities. Access to sanitary pads and contraceptives at no cost is transformative for girls and women in eastern Uganda. Our clinics make it possible for pregnant women to receive necessary prenatal care and assistance in childbirth, two resources that are otherwise uncommon in the region. Clinic staff routinely provide education to our primary students on sexual and reproductive health. Recently, a maternity in-patient ward was opened to provide life-saving care for expectant mothers.
Women play a crucial role in our workforce in Uganda, notably in the construction of the AAH Secondary School, where they handle tasks traditionally done by men, such as laying bricks and digging trenches, managing the construction workers, managing store supplies. This involvement allows them to develop new skills, earn significant income, and become role models and major financial contributors in their communities. Additionally, our microfinance programs, initially focused on women, have supported over 400 women in starting small businesses, with future projects anticipated to include innovative solutions like greywater recycling and home improvements. The Better Homes Initiative further empowers women by replacing labor-intensive mud and dung floors with concrete, enhancing safety and reducing health risks. This initiative not only improves public health but also frees up women’s time for employment and entrepreneurship, having already transformed around 160 homes.
One of the strengths of REACH for Uganda is its commitment to women’s empowerment and leadership at all levels. The Executive Director of REACH for Uganda in Arlington, Virginia is a woman; seven of REACH’s 13 board members are women; and one of our most influential partners and donors is She’s the First, a girls’ advocacy organization based in New York. REACH is proud to model leadership among women both in the U.S. and in Uganda.
In Bumwalukani, the students address visitors with the formal title of "teacher". In reality, the teaching is mutual. It's a cultural exchange. From the U.S., the wealth disparity appears to be a solid line dividing sponsors from Ugandan students, but, ultimately, we're all students. We're all human.
Fiona
Teen Trip alum, sponsor, volunteer
