From Kamuli to the White House

“Now isn’t the time to be hesitant or risk-averse. So many girls across the globe are counting on us to be bold and creative and to give them all of the opportunities they deserve to fulfill their promise.”

These are the words of inspiration that Mwajuma Namuyana, 17, remembers from US First Lady Michelle Obama’s address at the December Brookings Summit held at Westin Washington DC, USA. The Ugandan teenager from Kamuli attended the event as the CARE Girl Project student Ambassador.

The CARE Girl project is a collaboration of CARE USA, Plan USA, Girls Inc., and school communities to raise secondary school fees for girls around the world.

CARE Community Vision Programme in her home area in Kamuli caught wind of her mother’s struggle to take care of her family. The programme officials engaged the family and signed them up for CARE’s Village Savings and Loan programme, where they now get some of their income.

Schooling opportunity
CARE engaged school administration to help support Mwajuma, allowing them to have a more flexible school fees payment schedule. Consquently, Namunyana joined the life skills group, which has enhanced her discipline, self-image, self-esteem and improved her performance.
It was through CARE Uganda that Namuyana ended up at the summit shaking hands with the US First Lady, Mitchelle Obama.

My moment with Mitchelle
The First Lady’s was a guest speaker at the Brookings Summit, where she giving an inspirational address that underscored the importance of community empowerment and community-led solutions to overcome obstacles to adolescent girls’ education.

“She (Mitchelle) was a simple humble lady with soft hands, welcoming eyes and an encouraging mother. I had prepared all night to meet the most powerful woman in the world, so I expected someone big,” recounts Namuyana. “But she turned out to be simple. She shook my hand, looked me straight in the eyes said ‘Hi’, kissed me and rubbed my back with the warning, ‘You have a future, take care’.” Namuyana says the summit left her energised, filled with confidence and self-esteem and looks to the future positively and with jealousy.

Memories and souvenirs
The incident marked the first time for her in many aspects; acquiring a Passport, boarding a Plane, speaking “real” English, and mixing with people who matter. She visited the White House, Modern Education School centre, Uganda embassy, and met a senator. For souvenirs, Namuyana bought a necklace for her mother because, which she says symbolised the troubles she has carried around her neck struggling to provide her children a brighter future. “My mother once sonsidered suicide when I was sent back from school for failure to clear the school fees,” she explains.

For herself, she bought an umbrella, but also for good reason; “I lost my Biology notes when it rained on me as I was going for a test, so, I needed something to secure secure my books with, especially now that I’m a candidate.”

Future plans
Namuyana now wants to become a community nurse and girls counsellor to help the girls access health services, mobilise them on reproductive health services and reduce abortions, and unwanted pregnancies through family planning. She is an advocate of a second chance for girls who not only drop out of school, but also get pregnant to get back to school to support their children.