A group of African women from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds are transforming the lives of young women in Uganda.

They are under Phenomenal Women Global (PWG) a nonprofit organization based in Switzerland and Uganda with a mission to connect, advance and empower women and girls by supporting their personal and professional growth. 

They also help them to develop leadership skills through coaching and mentoring. 

Liza Sekagya, an international human rights lawyer and co-founder of PWG says in their bid to build future leaders, every year, they take on six to eight interns from Uganda and Switzerland. They include university students, fresh graduates and those in different careers. 

“We send out a call and everyone can apply, regardless of her background,” she says.

The programme is free and it aims at enabling the interns to gain experience and later access better opportunities, some in international organizations. 

“It brings us immense joy to see many young people embark on career journies across diverse sectors,” she says. 

“We want to take on many interns but we are financially constrained. We invite organizations that can partner with us,” she says. 

These interns engage in free programs including; Wellness retreats, conferences, diversity, equality and Inclusion programs, climate change, thematic areas, research on women’s rights and executive courses such as leadership, mentorship, networking and negotiation.

Sekagya says, the research interns conduct literature reviews, gather data, and assist in analyzing findings for various projects or studies. Then, those on social media internship create content, schedule posts, engage with followers, and analyze social media metrics to optimize engagement.

The ones on events management assist in planning, coordinating logistics, managing vendors, and executing events to ensure their success. Others on communications internship draft press releases, newsletters, and other written materials, as well as assisting with media outreach and internal communications.

In addition to that, programme management interns help to develop program plans, track progress, coordinate activities, and support program evaluation efforts.

Those on hosting internship welcome guests, facilitate interactions, manage events flow, and ensure attendees have a positive experience during hosted events or activities. Partnership management interns look for partnerships with various organizations aligned with PWG mission and vision of women empowerment.

One such is Joyner Musoga who joined PWG in July 2023 and since then she has immersed herself in content creation and developing campaigns that underscore the power of women's voices. 

She says, this role has helped refine her skills in effective communication and project management, all while deepening her commitment to advocating for women's rights. 

“Being a law graduate from the University of Sussex, I envision using my legal acumen to further social justice and inclusivity,” she says. 

In the same faith, Malaika Norman an independent content creator and small business owner says PWG helped her to learn how to work with different people. She also refined her creative and communication skills and the great effort it takes to produce a large-scale event.

Also, Precious Uzoh, who is currently working as a Junior regional programs officer with the government of Canada professes that PWG equipped her with the essential skills required for her job.