Vuka Her Initiative Africa Equips Women Leaders With Skills to Drive Impactful Service

The Vuka Her Initiative Africa has officially launched its journey of empowering women leaders with practical skills to enable them deliver impactful service to the people they represent at different leadership levels.

Through Her Voice Leads Project, the initiative began by training women councilors at Local Council level in Kasangati Town Council in leadership, advocacy, and public speaking skills. The training aimed to equip the women leaders with the knowledge and confidence needed to effectively serve their communities, represent voters’ interests, and navigate their leadership roles with purpose.

The training largely attracted women who are new to leadership positions, providing a timely opportunity for them to gain essential skills on effective representation, council engagement, and responsible leadership conduct. Participants were also empowered with knowledge on personal leadership management to better serve their voters.

The program also engaged women who have been in leadership for some time but whose service has remained less visible to the people they represent, often due to limited skills in managing and executing their leadership roles effectively.

Through this intervention, Vuka Her Initiative Africa is addressing this gap by strengthening women leaders with the tools needed to create positive and measurable impact in their communities.
The initiative marks a significant step toward amplifying women’s leadership and ensuring women leaders are empowered not only to hold positions, but to lead with influence and deliver meaningful change.

During a two-day training held at Comfort Cottages in Kasangati, women leaders expressed excitement after gaining new knowledge in leadership and management. They shared renewed confidence and hope that their responsibilities in leadership would no longer feel as difficult as before.

The participants included Zaawedde Faith from Kyetume Village, Gayaza Parish, Lukia Nansubuga from Katadde Parish; Nakkazi Robinah from Gayaza, Edith Nakabugo from Masooli, Daisy Nakabira from Gayaza 1, Shamirah Nankya, among other women councillors from Kasangati Town Council.

They appreciated Vuka Her Initiative Africa for equipping them with practical skills on how to speak, dress, prepare, and present themselves effectively during council meetings. Many noted that the training boosted their confidence and made them more prepared and eager to attend meetings.

“Being a first-time leader, with a garbage collector background, people used to undermine me. I did not know how I would enter the council and present myself. With the knowledge I have acquired from the training, I am now confident,” explained Councillor Edith Nakabugo.

The founder of Vuka Her Initiative Africa, Laila Ndagire, explained that the training was organized for newly elected women leaders before they officially begin attending council meetings.
She noted that many of them lack prior leadership experience, and the initiative aimed to equip them with essential skills to help them serve confidently and achieve their manifesto goals.

Laila further emphasized that the goal is not only for women councilors to represent their voters but also to effectively use leadership platforms to deliver tangible benefits to their communities. She added that many women leaders face challenges in accessing key platforms that enhance effective service delivery, and the training was designed to bridge that gap.

The women also had an opportunity to be inspired by the leadership journey of the former Leader of Opposition in Parliament and former Kasese District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Winnie Kiiza. She shared her experiences, highlighting both the challenges and successes she encountered during her time in leadership, while emphasizing the importance of remaining focused on one’s manifesto and serving the interests of the electorate.

She noted that she was never easily shaken or distracted from the promises she made to her voters, and that she confidently engaged all relevant platforms without fear, which enabled her to deliver results for her constituents. Hon. Kiiza further shared that she left active politics while still deeply appreciated by her electorate, a reflection of the impact of her service.

“My people cried when I told them I was not standing again because I served them genuinely. So you should not enter the council and go against your promises,” she emphasized.
However, Hon. Winnie Kiiza cautioned the women leaders to use political parties as a pathway to leadership, but once in office, to work collaboratively across party lines, especially on issues that benefit their voters.

“You should support issues that benefit the people you represent, irrespective of the political party presenting them,” she advised.

In a similar perspective, the elected Mayor of Kasangati Town Council, Haji Abubaker Kazibwe, urged women leaders in Kasangati to avoid politicizing leadership issues, noting that doing so could distract them from effectively serving their electorate.

He emphasized that it is unrealistic to resist government interests while serving within the same system, and encouraged leaders to work collaboratively for the development of Kasangati Town Council regardless of political affiliation. He further pledged to work closely with all leaders for the good of the town.
“Kasangati has been lagging behind in development because its leaders politicise issues. We should fulfill our voters’ interests, not our political interests,” he cautioned.

A trainer of women politicians, Fatuma Nakkazi, emphasized the need for government to orient local leaders as they assume office, noting that this would help them gain a broader understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

She made the remarks in response to concerns that some communities elect leaders based on factors such as appearance rather than competence, resulting in poor legislative performance and failure to effectively serve their voters.

The training brought together women leaders from Local Council I to Local Council III levels from different parts of Kasangati Town Council, including Katadde, Masooli, Wampeewo, Gayaza, and Kyetume, among others. The participants were drawn from various political parties.