Written By | Joshua Nahamya
Elsa Shagerl from Teen Star Uganda training Women and Youth from Rubirizi district
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RUBIRIZI
In a strategic move to bolster household stability and female empowerment, Teen Star Uganda has conducted comprehensive life-skills training for women and youth in Rubirizi District. The training comes ahead of the forthcoming International Women’s Day celebrations scheduled for Sunday, March 8, 2026, with the main national celebrations expected to take place at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala.
The theme for 2026 is “Scaling Up Investment to Accelerate Access to Justice for All Women and Girls in Uganda.” The training, held in Kicwamba, serves as a local precursor to these global celebrations. The initiative focused on a holistic approach to development, covering economic empowerment, hygiene, and reproductive health.
Strengthening the Household Core
Scovia Mukundane, the Chairperson of the Rubirizi Women Creative Bee Initiative, noted that the primary goal was to transform how families manage their resources and personal well-being.
“The training focused on improving livelihoods and strengthening household income management. We guided participants on family life matters, personal development, and economic empowerment,” Mukundane explained.
She emphasized that equipping women with practical skills is one of the most sustainable ways to support families in the long term.
Beneficiaries of the programme expressed immediate appreciation, citing the practical nature of the lessons. Betty Karema and Peruth Tushabe, who attended the sessions, thanked Teen Star Uganda for bridging the skills gap in rural areas.
“This training will help us manage our families better, improve home hygiene, and support our children's growth and discipline,” they noted in a joint statement.
They added that they intend to immediately apply the knowledge gained on family planning, good parenting, and effective communication skills within their homes.
Some of the products the trained women are producing from crafts in Rubirizi district
Market Access and Infrastructure Challenges
Despite the success of the skills training, some beneficiaries raised concerns about the sustainability of their ventures due to limited market access and poor infrastructure.
They urged the government and district authorities to help secure a broader market base, noting that relying solely on local buyers and seasonal tourists is insufficient.
“Our current market is primarily local, yet many people in the area do not prioritize buying these products for their homes. If the government can help secure a regional market for us—especially now that we are part of the East African trade federation—we could earn much more from our work,” said Jenina Kemikyeka.
Participants also lamented the poor state of roads, which hinders both the procurement of raw materials and the transportation of finished handicrafts to markets.
“Look at the condition of our roads here; they are often impassable. This makes it very hard for us to get the raw materials needed for our crafts and even more difficult to transport our products to the market,” another beneficiary added.
Elsa Shagerl training women in Rubirizi being a hard to reach district
Empowering the Next Generation
The training also placed strong emphasis on the girl child, addressing the unique challenges that prevent young women from completing their education.
Elsa Shagerl, a lead trainer from Teen Star Uganda, highlighted that the organisation’s mission is to support a smooth transition from childhood to adulthood.
“We are empowering teenagers, particularly girls, to reach their full potential. This includes sensitising parents on the importance of educating girls and promoting school-based clubs where boys and girls can openly share the issues affecting them,” Shagerl said.
To support girls to remain in school, the programme also provided sanitary materials and education on menstrual health management.
A Community-Wide Approach
Shagerl further explained that empowerment cannot happen in isolation, noting that the training also covered sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS awareness, and building self-esteem through counselling.
“We are building teenagers’ confidence and leadership skills while working with men, boys, religious leaders, and the wider community to create a supportive environment for girls’ empowerment,” she added.
As Rubirizi prepares to join the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day, the Kicwamba training stands as a testament to the growing movement of grassroots initiatives aimed at uplifting the status of women and youth in Western Uganda.
