Young women and girls gathered in Kampala last week for the second edition of the Young Women and Girls’ Mentorship Programme, which focuses on creating a leadership pathway for young women looking to make their mark in society.
The program was organized by the Rose Namayanja Foundation (RNF) together with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and brought together several young women who were interested in learning more about how to become leaders in different areas of life.
Rt. Hon. Namayanja Rose Nsereko, who is also head of the Rose Namayanja Foundation, said that she wanted to provide shoulders for these young ladies so they could stand on them. She said that women had been groomed by female leaders from the 1990s onward and that they needed to continue empowering young women so that the women’s movement remains vibrant.
Joseph Munyangabo, country director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, said he believes in mentorship because “one must be guided” if one wants to succeed in life. “For you to lead others, he said, you must have followed someone else at some point in your life; this means that mentorships are always needed in all areas of life.”
Isabella Akiteng said mentorship helps you keep in touch with current times and build your leadership muscle. “It helps build your ability to address issues with diversity as a leader; you cannot be selective about the people you lead.”
“A good mentor has extensive experience in an area he is mentoring you in,” Isabella explained. “He should be friendly and have a genuine personality; you cannot learn in an unfriendly environment.”
