Peer Educators and College Campus Ambassadors at a health service camp at Kyambogo University.
Girl Up Initiative Uganda
Monica and Kimberly dreamed up the idea of Girl Up Initiative Uganda after visiting Monica’s community together and identifying the need to advance educational and economic opportunities for young women and adolescent girls in these slum areas. From its humble beginnings, Girl Up Initiative Uganda is now a thriving, respected, and growing organization for adolescent girls.
Girls and women in Uganda face many obstacles, including lack of educational opportunities, and high rates of child marriage, gender-based violence and teen pregnancy.
Through their comprehensive programs, GUIU offers trainings and mentorships to help girls gain confidence, as well as vocational and leadership skills. The team also delivers sex education and provides sexual and reproductive health services. In addition, GUIU’s critical work to engage boys and challenge harmful gender norms helps fight gender-based violence.
In 2026, GUIU focused on strengthening the systems, partnerships, and organizational capacity needed to create lasting opportunities for adolescent girls and young women. One of its major milestones has been expanding its Adolescent Education Program to 45 schools across Uganda. Alongside this growth, GUIU has strengthened school engagement and long-term membership structures to ensure the program remains high-quality and sustainable as it continues to reach more students.
Photo: One of GUIU’s Adolescent Girls Program participants giving a speech at her school’s graduation ceremony. She spoke of the self-belief and personal empowerment gained over the year-long training program, and her ability to know and love her changing body and take ownership of her decisions. © GUIU
“I learned to understand my body from Girl Up, to believe in myself, and to communicate with people. I have learned to maintain eye contact and also avoid peer pressure. I also began to do things that I did not believe I could. At school, I have not only been helping girls who have challenges but also the boys who need help. I even teach boys how to make pads.”
– GUIU Adolescent Girls Program participant
Virtual Events with Girl Up Initiative
We celebrated International Day of the Girl with our Global Partners in East Africa! Our partners, Kakenya’s Dream and Girl Up Initiative, work to empower women and girls in their communities. Their work addresses longstanding gender inequalities by improving young girls’ access to education and healthcare services.
How can we leverage the inherent power of girls and young women when existing in and navigating patriarchal structures?
In keeping with this year’s International Day of the Girl theme, “Our time is now—our rights, our future,” grassroots movement leader Monica Nyiraguhabwa dove into the work her organization, Girl Up Initiative Uganda, is doing to support the autonomy of girls through educational opportunities, economic empowerment, and youth engagement initiatives in Kampala, Uganda.
Girl-led advocacy campaign during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence through Girl Up's She Leads project. 
Girls learning to make reusable pads during their session on menstrual health management in Eastern Uganda. 
Girl Up advocate Clare was invited to the Get Her There campaign launch for Michelle Obama’s Girls Opportunity Alliance. Clare is an advocate for women and girls living with disabilities and their meaningful inclusion in decision-making processes, including responsive, accessible sexual and reproductive health services. 
Through our Global Partners program, Population Connection supports a growing number of grassroots organizations around the world working to increase access to education, public health and family planning services. Their…
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