Transformative Leadership building trainings unlock young women’s leadership potential

Brenda Nabulya’s Story

Brenda Nabulya facilitating a community meeting in Kasaala

Subcounty © FOWODE 2011

The leadership building camp organized to mentor young women and men in alternative and transformative leadership has proved particularly empowering for Brenda Nabulya both for her personal and public life. After attending a three-week leadership building camp by Forum for women in Democracy (FOWODE) in 2009, Brenda explains why she valued the training so much: “since the training in 2009, my leadership abilities were awakened and my life has progressed since then. I have conducted several out reaches in communities and schools, talking to young people and helping them to explore their leadership potentials. I am happy to inform you that I am currently the General Secretary in Ekitangaala Old Students Association at Cornerstone Leadership Academy and am also employed as Secretary to the Luwero Diocese Education Department.

For Brenda the sky is the limit, what she has achieved gives her hope for achieving more. She engages in voluntary work and also fundraises for some of her activities. “In 2010 I submitted a proposal to FOWODE, which was funded. I conducted outreaches in Luwero Secondary School. Shammah High School, Victoria Model Secondary School, Buscisa Grammar Secondary School, St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School and Light of Life Secondary School. For each school, a club was formed as a platform where students network and discuss gender issues”. Narrates Brenda, In 2011 she submitted another proposal to the Luwero Diocese focusing on Leadership and life skills training for schools in the districts of Luwero, Nakeseke and Nakasongola and if approved, it will greatly impact on the lives of the youth in these schools. She also volunteers with many organizations including FOWODE where she trains communities on issues of gender and budgeting. She is at times requested by school leaders to go and talk to students on issues of leadership, as she states, “the headmistress of Josephs’ primary school Nakikoota village in 2010 requested me to talk to the students in her school.

While the FOWODE leadership building camp focuses on providing spaces and opportunities for young women to engage on issues related to gender, leadership and governance concerns, the youth who attend the camp are encouraged to put into practice this new knowledge back in their communities after the training. Brenda’s achievements after the camp demonstrated not only the success of the camp, but also the ability of young women in leadership once they have been equipped with the appropriate skills. Annually FOWODE trains young women to build a cadre of young activists that support gender equality and over 600 youths have participated in this camp since 2006. Many are engaged in leadership activities back in their communities and others occupy leadership positions in political and private spheres.


The impact of FOWODE’s Leadership Building Camp extends from the individual youth to the national and the community as each youth is tasked to impact another’s life as they work to transform their communities. For Brenda, working to help other youth gives her fulfillment, although she acknowledges that realizing change in the lives of the youth is slow, she’s happy she has managed to positively influence the lives of some youth in her community and many have taken on the big vision of helping other youths.


By Carol Namagembe- FOWODE Program Officer -Communications