Monica Nyiraguhabwa
Uganda
Monica believes that every girl’s voice matters in advancing social transformation in the world. Monica is the founder and Executive director of Girl Up Initiative Uganda, a locally run organization that aims to provide young women and girls with opportunities to succeed and thrive as leaders in their slum communities through holistic education and economic empowerment. They support poor and marginalized communities through creating opportunities for poverty alleviation, contributing to systematic gender change, and empowering girls and youth to become leaders in their communities.
Prior to starting Girl Up Initiative Uganda, Monica worked for a mentoring and empowerment programme for young women as program manager. She was also a training consultant for Just Like my Child Foundation, an organization that aims to empower vulnerable adolescent girls by enabling them to create healthy, self-sustaining families who prosper without further aid.
In addition to being a Perennial fellow, Monica is also a African Visionary fellow and a Cordes Fellow. She has a M.A in Education gender and international development from University College London, UK and a B.A. in Adult and Community Education from Makeree University, Uganda.
Monica was born in Uganda but her home is where her heart is.