Tips for women to make themselves better

Manuela Mulondo, author, speaker, entrepreneur, Early childhood educationist enthusiast 
“Be honest with yourself, listen to feedback to find out your weaknesses and be intentional on working on your weaknesses,” Mulondo says.

She adds that it is important to get out of one’s comfort zone and go into different spaces, especially where people are better than you and challenge yourself to work on those areas.

Mulondo adds “Commit to doing things for people that will make their lives easier so that you gain favour with them. That favour will make them pour themselves back into you,” she explains.

The entrepreneur and early childhood education specialist, says women should read more including blogs, newspapers, social media posts, academic papers especially on subjects that one does not know or have deeper knowledge about.

“Read deeply into the subject, challenge yourself to teach it or discuss it with someone so you know for sure that you have an in-depth knowledge about it,”Mulondo adds.

Viola Kuhaisa Muhangi, project manager (teacher support & alternative learning) UNESCO Kabul
“Inner peace and tranquility or what we call ‘beauty within’ is vital for women as well as all human beings, it is more important for women because of the nature of responsibilities socially assigned,”Muhangi says.

She believes women need to prioritise their well-being in a meaningful and fulfilling way so that they will be energised to support their families and work.

Muhangi adds that women need to identify abilities and qualities that they can nurture, grow and eventually succeed in.

“When you adopt a growth mindset, challenges become opportunities and you can unlock your full potential and achieve greater success in all areas of your life,”Muhangi adds. Financial freedom is key to women empowerment.

As a young girl her mother urged her to complete her education and get a job so that she can become a financially independent woman who can contribute to taking care of her family and community.

“I can attest that my mother was right, she was a house wife who felt less empowered because she depended on our father for everything,” says the education specialist.

She concludes that this is a true reality for most women that renders them helpless and voiceless in most cases vulnerable to different kinds of violence.

Alice Kansiime, CEO Finem
The CEO of the financial empowerment Uganda started her company in 2009 from her home garage. Kansiime says the ability a woman has to succeed or fail lies in their hands. This is just like business, once nurtured it can grow from grass to grace and impact many lives.

Kansiime says it is important that women learn that life cannot be done in isolation for a world to become a better place.

“We need each other if we are to thrive, if Mary the mother of Jesus needed Elizabeth what about us?” she opines adding “Start something that will have continuity. When you are gone, let your grandchildren wake up to carry your legacy on.”

Also, a woman should take time to invest in herself.
“For example, take a course, add value to yourself, look good, eat well and exercise, because the price of a virtuous woman is far better than rubies,” she advises.

Alice notes that God is the one that gives women the ability to make money, thus one should pray to the same God for wisdom and direction.

“He can give you that one great idea that can change the world. If you are Christian, pay your tithe, offertory and your financial doors will never close,” she concludes.

Pumla Nabachwa, Economist at Bank of Uganda

“The most significant lesson my mother ever imprinted on me was to strive for personal independence, she meant more financially but with time I have learnt that emotional and mental independence are equally important,”Nabachwa says.

The economist explains that emotional independence means the awareness that one is responsible for how she feels. One might not be in control of what happens to them  but not you are responsible for your response.

“When external forces shake you, instead of wallowing over negative situations, process, change what you can, seek the lessons from what you cannot and move on,” she adds.

Nabachwa notes that one should not bury their feelings but embrace and feel them but not dwell on them.

“Self-pity hinders progress and only makes the pain hurt longer. You are the architect of your own life story,Create,Attract,Manifest the life you want,the life you deserve,”She advises.

 She adds that it is essential to choose to keep our thoughts positive and surround ourselves with people who positively influence our well-being.

“Choose to be kind, choose love, choose to focus your time, energy and money on the things that make you happy and choose you,” she explains.

The Economist stresses how it is urgent for women to be financially Independent.
“Financial Independence means the ability to sufficiently support yourself without relying on others,it should not matter whether you are single or you manage your finances jointly with a spouse or not,it is important to be money educated,to know how to stand on your own financially,”Nabachwa explains.

She adds that Money might not be the source of happiness but it helps because being able to take care of your needs accords you a degree of peace and freedom to live life on your own terms,to make independent choices as opposed to succumbing to the will of those who could hold you at ransom.

“Having your own money allows you the luxury of an ideal lifestyle today and a secure retirement tomorrow. But to do this, you’ve got to be able to adjust your money mindset,manage your finances better,make a monthly budget and consistently stick to it and track its progress,”Nabachwa notes.

She says it is important for women to make savings a priority and save immediately when one has  earned and not only after one has consumed.

“It is always important to have an emergency fund set aside for rainy days, Invest your money and earn interest overtime,” she adds.

The economist says it is okay to take loans but make sure that the reasons are productive and one’s repayment plan remains within their means.

“There will be a time when you won’t be able to work so set aside a periodic portion of your earnings today towards your retirement,”She says.

Dr Faith Nabushawo, a medical doctor  and teaching assistant
Dr Nabushawo is the deputy secretary general of the Uganda Medical Association and a teaching assistant at the King Ceasor University. She says women should be able to believe in themselves as human beings capable of attaining the highest quality of life.

“This means that Ugandan women should pursue all available opportunities in different fields such as academia, business, and military if achievable,” says.

“Women have become doctors, neurosurgeons and the current minister of health plus her permanent secretary are women something that ought to empower other women.

“This is an inspiration to us, the young women even the girl in primary school, to achieve bigger tjings. Thus, a woman in position of influence shought mentor the younger ones so that they get better,”Nabushawo adds.

The teaching assistant urges women to always remember the vulnerable girl child and women struggling with accessing the basic amenities in rural communities such as Karamoja, Bududa and Northern Uganda.

“Even then, we ought to speak for the urban poor in Kampala, Mbale and other city slums for them to benefit from Uganda,” she notes.

Cindy Evelyn Magara, film director and lecturer at Makerere University, Kampala
She has directed and produced films such as Fate, Fair Play, Windows of Hope, A Book for Every Child and Breaking the Mesh. Magara believes that it is important that today’s girl and woman think about how they can improve themselves throughout their lives.

“A woman should ask herself, at work how can I do better, how I can aim for the top position?” A woman should question herself how she can improve herself as a mother because we have seen cases of child mothers who cannot guide their children so the child is left to the community,” Magara says.

Magara says in today’s world there are many instances of children not being properly parented.
“The men leave the parenting role to the mothers which is unfair,” she adds.
However, she feels women are not  taking on the available new challenges that make them better.
“Women should work hard, attend seminars, have WhatsApp groups that discuss how to be a good mother and raise healthy well-behaved children,” she says.

Magara notes how important it is for women to also contribute to finances in a home.
“How we are handling our finances and contributing to our homes is key, it is possible to find men who are extremely stressed because they are carrying 100 per cent burden of the home. I do not think it is fair for a working woman to want a man to provide everything in a home.”

“As long as we do not empower ourselves to contribute financially, economically to the home, we leave ourselves in risky situations of continuous abuse and we shall be treated like children or property by these men,” she argues.