PEAS is not only committed to empowering girls in our schools. We are committed to empowering female leaders across all levels of our organisation. We know female role models inspire girls in our schools, and give them the confidence, drive and belief that they too can go on to achieve great things.
Join us as PEAS celebrates International Women’s Day, spotlighting inspiring female leaders like Elizabeth Amuge, Head of Operations at PEAS Uganda. “A girl’s education changes everything; it reduces poverty and boosts economic growth,” says Elizabeth.
In this blog, hear who inspires Elizabeth and why she is proud to be a female leader in the sector.
Who inspires you and why?
In rural areas like in my village where I come from, children must walk, often alone, through forests, rivers, or deserted areas, and cover a long distance to school. Due to increased risk of violence against girls, parents prefer their daughters stay safe at home. Therefore, it is women from such background holding high level positions in organizations that inspire me considering the conditions that they went through to attain the level of education and can compete with those girls who studied in the city or town schools for those high-level placed jobs.
Why are you committed to promoting girls’ education?
I care about girl’s education because a girl is not a static or a piece of property. She is a child who deserves a future in any case education is a human right.
A girl’s education changes everything; it reduces poverty and boosts economic growth. An educated girl is more likely to grow up healthy, safe, and empowered to determine the course of her life and future. She will decide when she’s ready for marriage and children. She will likely send her children to school – and even live a longer life.
An educated girl is free to lead her own life, speak her mind and determine her future. I love this saying: ‘Educate a girl, and you will have trained a nation.’
What makes you proud to be a female leader in your sector?
In Uganda, the percentage of female leaders in the formal sector is painfully low and remains a critical issue. There are several factors that contribute to this disparity including societal expectations and stereotypes that often associate leadership with masculine traits.
Work-life balance challenges – where balancing work and family – can be more challenging for women, impacting their ability to pursue leadership roles in the formal sector. The majority of women are employed in the informal sector and just a handful in the formal sector, for instance, 3 out of 10 women are in leadership roles in the formal sector. I feel proud that I can overlook some of those factors and be able to serve my country as a female leader in the formal sector.