My name is Tumuhaise Phionah and attending the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) African Women Leadership Institute (AWLI) from March to April 2021 has done great for my life. The SRHR AWLI launched me into a scholarship opportunity to study for my Master’s at the School of Women and Gender studies at Makerere University. I shared with one of the professors that I had trained with Akina Mama Wa Afrika on SRHR, she said ‘’you are the person I am looking for’’ and immediately she gave me a scholarship plus an opportunity to work as a research assistant on her project called, “Centering the Marginalized voices that focus on young mothers.”
Additionally, the training increased my SRHR knowledge and boosted my confidence to train students at the University about sexual harassment. I have been able to conduct research and supplemented my information on SRHR. As a result, I see an improved understanding of the SRHR concept among the students I train. This is something I can attribute to my own improved understanding of SRHR from the AWLI training. I now conduct sensitization sessions with adolescent girls and university students on menstrual hygiene, sexual violence, sexual harassment in workplaces and schools, and gender and sex. My recent SRHR advocacy was carried out in December 2021. I led a menstrual hygiene management advocacy in Kaina 1, Ntungu Nyakitunda, Isingiro district. Sanitary pads were distributed to the adolescents and age-appropriate SRHR knowledge was shared.
Participating in SRHR AWLI is one of the greatest opportunities I have had in my life, it’s not easy to get a master’s scholarship and a job when you have not applied for it, and I believe after a master’s more opportunities are coming.
May God bless AMWA, Sunshine, Gloria, Esther, and all administrators whom I didn’t interact with, these made us love AMWA and feel at AMWA more and more, they are friendly to everyone, and they are a blessing to everyone. May God bless AMWA.
Great thanks to the executive director for the great effort and working toward the well-being of women and young girls.
