As Uganda joined the rest of the world to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on October 8, 10 teenage girls temporarily took over the top managerial seats at Absa bank.
This direct, hands-on experience gave them a taste of leadership and success, which countered their societal pressures of early marriage and teenage pregnancy. At the end of the day, the girls not only dreamt big but were actively shown that their ambitions were achievable, inspiring them to stay in school and passionately pursue their chosen career paths, writes TIMOTHY NSUBUGA.
Seventeen-year-old Desire Lillian, is an S3 student in Bidi-Bidi refugee settlement, Yumbe District. Her dream of becoming a medical doctor is inspired by the challenges women and girls in her community face due to social norms and societal pressures.
Whereas that dream remains distant, Lillian’s active involvement in child-friendly spaces has promoted health awareness among her peers in the settlement. And with that, she was recently one of the 10 young girls who have faced challenges in life who ‘took over’ key executive roles at Absa bank on October 8 to mark the International Day of the Girl Child.
The 10 girls, all from severe backgrounds, were chosen as a way of encouraging them to stay in school, avoid teenage pregnancies and inspire them to dream big about the career paths they want to take in life.
Dubbed the Girls’ Takeover event while running under the theme “Let me be a child, not a wife,” it was held at the Abasa bank headquarters in a strategic move to bridge the equality gap between boys and girls and was achieved through a partnership with Plan International Uganda.
For Lilian and her teenage colleagues, it was a surreal moment to experience first-hand how top management matters at Absa bank are handled. The teenage girls shadowed roles for a day, such as the executive director, chief financial officer, head of legal, chief risk officer, and head of human capital development, among many other posts.
The girls attended meetings and saw how decisions are made as well as how customers are served.
“I got a chance to interact with some of the executives and was shocked they also did not come from privileged backgrounds. So, I am returning to school with a clear mind that nothing can stop me from achieving my dream,” said Lilian.
For one, Safiat Kantano, aged 17, who shadowed the executive director, noted that the experience was empowering. “Sitting in that seat, seeing how decisions are made—it was empowering,” Kantano remarked.
“It showed me that my ambitions are valid and that leadership is a space I can occupy.” The success of this initiative comes on the back of partnership between Plan International and Absa Bank to fight teenage pregnancies. Recent statistics from the United Nations Population Fund show that 25% of girls aged 15 to 19 years in Uganda are either pregnant or have already given birth, thus making the teenage pregnancy rate the highest in East Africa.
Speaking at the event, Michael Segwaya, the Absa bank executive director, noted they partnered with Plan International to give the girl child an opportunity to experience the workplace environment.
“I am confident this event has stirred up inspiration for the girls, which they can send to their fellow girls, that when you work hard and study, you can make it,” he said.
Phoebe Kasoga, the country director of Plan International Uganda, noted that the Girls’ Takeover initiative has empowered many girls and women to aspire to be the best in life.
“This helps build dreams of these young girls and gives them hope in what they want to be in the future. This initiative provides immediate results in that when these girls hear a difficult story of a person who has made it, it inspires them to work and do better,” she said.
Henry Tumusime, the head of human capital development at Absa bank, thanked the team from Plan International for choosing Absa bank and advised them to never lose hope.
“Ladies never lose hope. There is a difference between a lion in a zoo and lions in the jungle. The lions in the zoo sit back and wait to be fed while the lions in the jungle get out and hunt. Our partnership has shown you how to hunt, and there is so much in terms of jobs, and there is so much in terms of education,” he said.
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