Ms Okello Sharon Nagenjwa. Photo/Courtesy
Ms Okello Sharon Nagenjwa, popularly known as the “Girl from Oyam,” was recently awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal by President Museveni for her outstanding service and loyalty to the country. She was recognised for empowering women economically through her work with the Northern Uganda Women’s Network for Business Development (NUWEBIS Foundation) and the Triumph Women's Initiative.
But the woman behind this powerful impact began her journey in heartbreak. When her relationship with the man she depended on emotionally and financially ended, her world fell apart. She plunged into depression, unsure of how to survive without his support. The reality of life’s basic needs forced her to snap out of it and refocus her energy on building a new life for herself.
Empowerment
Okello’s attributes, such as kindness and selflessness, soon guided her toward something bigger than herself. She began thinking about other women in similar situations.
In 2016, she began gathering women whose husbands had been jailed for poaching. Many of them were also accomplices in wildlife crimes, often unknowingly.
In her meetings with them, she asked how best she could help. The answer lay in offering them a new path. She encouraged them to leave poaching behind and instead form groups to explore income-generating ideas that could sustain their families.
Starting with 50 women, divided into five groups of 10, Okello laid the foundation for what would become a movement. The women began saving money and focusing on long-term development rather than seasonal celebrations. She reminded Ms Betty Amongi, then newly appointed minister of Gender, about the initiative they had once discussed.
Amongi responded with a Shs10m loan, which Okello used responsibly to support women-led businesses.
Structured savings networks
This milestone inspired Okello to seek more formal structures for the women’s financial growth. She approached the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and invited them to assess the rural savings initiatives. NSSF visited Oyam and Gulu and saw the potential.
They offered support in the form of tools, small loans, and encouraged members to save a minimum of Shs5,000 a month. What began as casual discussions and peer support evolved into the registered Triumph Women's Initiative, which became a platform where women could share their challenges and draw strength from each other’s stories.
Leading by example
Ms Okello led from the front by sharing her own experience; how she left her career after being persuaded by her partner, only to be later abandoned. Her emotional vulnerability gave birth to strength and vision.
She credits Ms Amongi for being one of her earliest and most consistent supporters, even before she became a minister. Her commitment to community development has since expanded. She has established skilling centres for both locals and refugees, offering certified training under the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT).
Her work soon drew national attention. One day, she received a call from a one Shaban, an employee of the President’s Office, who asked for her Curriculum Vitae.
Sceptical of her achievements at just 32, he questioned how she could have built a foundation with a membership of 65,000 women, trained 5,000, and helped 6,000 save with NSSF. She shared the contacts of the managing director of NSSF and the Minister for Gender to cross-check and confirm the figures.
Once verified, she received a follow-up call from State House, inviting her as an awardee. The news brought her to her knees in prayer and gratitude.
More to do
On Women’s Day this year, President Museveni recognised her with a Diamond Jubilee Medal. For Ms Okello, the recognition felt like a responsibility to keep proving herself and defending her impact like a boxer defends a title belt.
She is grateful to institutions such as the National Women Council, which supported teenage mothers in Lira with tailoring and salon equipment during the Covid-19 lockdown. Their initial support paid three months’ rent for these young women.
MsOkello’s work is inspired by powerful women such as Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Betty Amongi. She admires their confidence, resilience, and leadership. “These women never complain,” she says.
“The confidence they carry is what every young woman should have.” To many, she is now a mentor. She finds joy in giving, something she once resisted as a child when watching her mother do the same. Now, she embraces that generosity fully.
At a glance
Ms Okello attended Taibah International School for high school, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Uganda Christian University (UCU), and a Master’s in Corporate Communication from Daystar University in Kenya.
She also received an Honorary Doctorate from the British-American University based on her research in women’s empowerment and communication. Her message is simple but powerful: “If you want to tap the mindset of women, show them, and they will do. Do not just tell them.”
