Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) in partnership with Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) have today organized the Imara Girls Festival, a vibrant celebration of young women’s voices, creativity, and innovation.
The festival that took place at the Kati Kati Grounds in Kampala aimed at bringing girls and young women together to provide a platform to discuss and offer tangible solutions to the pressing socio-economic issues affecting young women and girls in Uganda.
Under the theme “Invest in Her, Unleash Her Potential,” the festival emphasized the significance of empowering young women as key drivers of local and global development.
During the event, Patricia Munabi, the Executive Director of FOWODE acknowledged the need to continue investing in programs that can reach more women and girls nationally and bridge existing gaps in society that affect women.
“We know that we have a high teenage pregnancy rate which interferes with the education of the girl child and a gap that has been created by digital technology which we must bridge and ensure more girls are empowered to achieve their full potential,” Patricia said.
Mr. James Tumusiime, the Country Director at Reach A Hand also reiterated the need to support girls and women, build their capacity and create more avenues of support for their businesses to grow.
“When we encourage girls and women to join business and build their capacity through training and invest in more women-led enterprises, these women can make a difference in their own lives, families and in their communities. Taking care of girls and women means prospering all of us as a country,” James added.
The day-long event featured games, prizes and an array of renowned female artists like Blu 3’s Lillian Mbabazi and Jackie Chandiru, Racheal Ray, Ava Peace, Karungi, Lyka and so many more exciting performances.
Different guests and partners also came out to support young girls and women including Movit, Old Mutual Investment Group, DKT, and different women-owned enterprises got a chance to exhibit their products.
By recognizing the power of unified voices, the event inspired young women to break through boundaries and defy stereotypes, cultivating agency and leadership.
The festival also served as a fundraiser for the Imara Women’s Centre (IWC), a transformative initiative dedicated to advancing women’s rights. The IWC will serve as a space for reflection, learning, networking, and healing, providing women with a supportive environment to nurture leadership and creativity. To support the construction of the center, the ongoing 1K Campaign—previously launched in schools across Kampala—continued at the festival today, encouraging attendees to contribute their 1K donations toward the center’s development.
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