Kampala, Uganda - February 2025 Femme Forte Uganda is thrilled to announce the launch of Her Virtual Museum of African Feminists, a groundbreaking digital platform dedicated to honoring the legacies of feminist icons across Africa. The museum, set to be unveiled on March 7, 2025, ahead of International Women’s Day, stands as a tribute to the sheroes who, in many ways have and continue to pave the way for gender justice and a more equitable society. Rooted in the wisdom and resilience of siblings who came before us, this museum is a space to celebrate movement wins, amplify feminist narratives, and collectively build upon the foundations of liberation laid by African feminists throughout history. Rather than merely drawing inspiration from existing frameworks, the initiative recognizes the urgent need to create alternative feminist knowledges, ones that center African art, realities, experiences, power, and radical imaginations. Initially conceived as a data bank of African feminist icons and their work, this gift has evolved into a virtual museum to provide an interactive, engaging, and immersive experience. “This museum is more than a digital archive; it is a living, breathing testament to the power of African feminist’s past, present and future,” said Penelope Sanyu, Chief Steward at Femme Forte. “By curating these stories, we not only honor our sheroes but also commit to expanding and strengthening feminist and allied movements that love and support women.” Key Features of the Virtual Museum: Interactive exhibits: Engaging storytelling through multimedia presentations on African feminists and their contributions. Educational resources: Curated materials for students, educators, and activists to deepen their understanding of African feminist movements. Accessible design: Ensuring inclusivity and seamless engagement for a global audience. Why Launch Before International Women’s Day? The timing of the launch is strategic, aligning with International Women’s Day to spotlight the importance of inclusion and feminist leadership. The museum represents Femme Forte’s offering to the broader feminist movement, a digital archive preserving the contributions of African feminists for future generations. Launching a day before International Women’s Day 2025, the museum is Femme Forte’s contribution to the global feminist movement. It serves as a digital monument to the legacies of African feminists, ensuring their contributions are preserved, celebrated, and serve as a catalyst for future generations of changemakers. The Virtual Museum of African Feminists will be accessible online at https://bit.ly/3DOCVNv . About Femme Forte Femme Forte is a feminist organization dedicated to movement building by championing body rights and integrity, economic inclusion, and transformative feminist leadership in Uganda. Through advocacy, education, and innovation, Femme Forte strengthens intergenerational pathways between young and older feminists who aspire to contribute meaningfully to the broader women’s movement in Uganda and beyond.
My dear traveler, I have a serious problem. My period has decided to go on strike! It packed its cramps, mood swings, and chocolate cravings and just disappeared. I have been waiting patiently, like a mother waiting for her child to come home from school, but this child is missing in action. At first, I thought maybe it was just being fashionably late, you know, like those aunties who say they are "on the way" but haven’t even left their house. But now, it’s been too long, and I am starting to have negotiations with my ancestors. Did I offend the gods of ovulation? Did my uterus decide it needs a vacation without informing me? Or worse, should I be worried about an unexpected guest arriving in nine months?! This is where I must remind you, my sister, that we must take care of our sexual and reproductive health! We cannot leave things to chance and "vibes." Check your cycle, know your safe days (but don't trust them too much, eeh!), and if you are engaging in adult activities, please be responsible. That kind of Qweshunga is all fun and games until... Anyway, let’s not play hide and seek with pregnancy tests, thinking they will change their minds if we check five times in different lighting. As for me, I am off to have a serious conversation with my womb. I will give it one last chance before I start writing missing person reports. Meanwhile, please take care of yourself, visit a doctor when necessary, keep track of your health, and don’t let your period catch you by surprise like an uninvited wedding guest. With love and mild panic, Fellow traveler. (Article by anon, via Qweshunga)
Dear Femme Forte, As we bid farewell to an extraordinary year, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the strides we have made together. Femme Forte Uganda stands as a testament to the power of feminist movement building, a beacon of hope for those who dare to dream of a world where equality and equity is not just a distant ideal but a lived reality. This year, 2024, our collective commitment to advancing equality found expression in remarkable ways. From hosting transformative conversations to amplifying the voices of the marginalized, we deepened our roots as a movement that centers justice, care, and systemic change. Through collaborations with partners across various sectors, we challenged norms that uphold inequality, created spaces of healing and growth, and fostered solidarity across communities. These connections remind us that feminism is not an individual pursuit but a collective endeavor that thrives on the strength of our relationships. Our work in 2024 reaffirmed that collaboration is the lifeblood of movement building. Together, we launched groundbreaking initiatives and projects that were bold acts of reclaiming our narratives. We stood united in the fight against femicides, sexual and gender based violence, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, reproductive justice, among others, recognizing that equality in the digital age demands that no one is left behind. We championed leadership transitions and inter generational conversations that honor feminist principles, ensuring that our work reflects not only where we stand today but where we aspire to go tomorrow. These achievements would not have been possible without the relentless dedication of our staff and board. To the Femme Forte Uganda team, thank you for embodying the values we hold dear and for your tireless commitment to driving the feminist agenda forward. Your creativity, resilience, and passion have been the backbone of every success we celebrate today. To our board, thank you for your wisdom, guidance, and belief in the transformative power of Femme Forte’s vision. Together, you have been architects of change, creating pathways for a more inclusive and equitable future. As we step into 2025, let us continue to harness the power of collaboration and movement building to dismantle systems of oppression and co-create a world where equality is not negotiable. Feminist work is work for the long haul and it is deliberate, as it is bold and hopeful. Let us recommit to doing this work with care, compassion, and conviction. To our partners, thank you for standing with us, for dreaming with us, and for walking this journey side by side. To our constituents, your courage inspires us, your stories empower us, and your resilience strengthens us. Femme Forte Uganda exists because of you, and we are honored to serve as stewards of this shared vision. Here’s to 2025, a year of greater strides, deeper connections, and transformative impact. Together, we will continue to rise, to build, and to lead. In gratitude and solidarity, Penelope Sanyu Chief Steward Femme Forte Uganda
Today, is an unbelievable day. Many of us are dealing with shock , others have so many unanswered questions, others heavy hearts, guilt, shame, gratitude, respect, a whole mix of emotions. In all, we are here to acknowledge that life is fleeting and we must embrace our journeys with grace and love. Our hearts are heavy with the weight of sorrow and our spirits are downcast! But; We gather to celebrate the life of a man who was much more than just a colleague or friend. Norbert Ndawula, joined Femme Forte Uganda in November 2018 and left in May 2020. Though he is departed from this earthly life, he has left behind an indelible legacy woven into the very fabric of our community and our memories. Norbert was not only a storyteller by title but also by spirit. Did you ever hear this man laugh? His laughter told so many stories hidden within. He carried within him a rare gift—the ability to live and capture life in its purest form, to see beyond the ordinary, and to draw out the extraordinary from every story he encountered. With words and warmth, he transformed the lives of those who listened. He taught us to see with our hearts and to listen with compassion, bringing to life the hopes, dreams, and resilience of Femme Forte and those who make it what it is. His words lifted spirits, soothed pain, and reminded us all of our shared humanity. In every story Norbert was a part of, there was always laughter, a message of hope, a spark of joy, or a profound reminder of our strength. His years with Femme Forte were marked by unbridled dedication, boundless creativity, and an unwavering belief in the power of storytelling to heal and to connect us. For Norbert, storytelling was never just about narrating events—it was about connecting with people, giving voice to the unheard, and championing causes close to his heart. Today, we mourn not only for his passing but for the stories left untold, the words unspoken, and the many hearts left yearning for his gentle and warm guidance. Yet, even as we grieve, we find comfort in knowing that his spirit lives on in every story he encountered, in the memories he gifted us, and in the lives he touched. Norbert has become a part of our shared history, a cherished chapter in the Femme Forte story. To his family, especially to mummy, Sandra, Pesh and Zoe we extend our deepest sympathies. Thank you for sharing Norbert with us, for allowing him to be a light in our lives and our work. We hope you find solace in knowing that he was—and will always be—immensely cherished, respected, and loved by so many. To Zoe, we have so many stories to share because we first heard about your conception and then told stories all through to your birth, your daddy was a great man, may you always remember him thus! As we prepare to lay our friend and colleague Norbert to rest in his ancestral home, let us not say goodbye but instead carry forward the lessons he left us. Let us honor his legacy by being storytellers of the spirit of laughter, hope, love, and resilience in our own ways. Rest in peace, Norbert Ndawula. Your stories will forever remain with us, and your light will never fade. On Behalf of the Femme Forte Community, Thank you.
“Someone will ask, ‘Will it pay?’ If it will, one will steal. If it won’t pay, one won’t steal. It should be too expensive to steal. This is why corruption is happening on a grand scale. They must steal enough to stay out of jail.” - Auditor General John Muwanga, May 31, 2013 The catalyst for the current #March2Parliament protests is a series of high-profile corruption scandals that have exposed the misuse of public funds by top government officials; the most egregious allegations involving the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among. The Speaker and a number of her staff are accused of breaching parliamentary rules by using private bank accounts to withdraw enormous amounts of money between April 2023 and January 2024, supposedly for Among’s official work including outreach, community projects, and expenses. Journalists also allege that Among oversaw the distribution of more than Shs1.7 billion in 2022 as “service awards” for parliamentary commissioners, who oversee spending and salaries in Parliament. (Wepukhulu, 2024) The #March2Parliament protests have articulated seven demands: the resignation of Anita Among as Speaker of Parliament, reduction in the number of MPs, immediate resignation of implicated MPs pending investigations into corruption allegations, comprehensive lifestyle audits of MPs with public disclosure, reduction of MPs' salaries and allowances to 3 million, and unrestricted exercise of Ugandans' democratic right to peaceful assembly without obstruction.
In the pursuit of sustainable development and gender equality, the role of intellectual property (IP) rights cannot be understated. Intellectual property encompasses a wide range of creations, from inventions and innovations to artistic expressions and cultural heritage. Yet, despite their significant contributions to the intellectual landscape, women continue to face barriers such as underrepresentation and bias, limited access to resources such as funding, mentorship, and networks that are crucial for navigating and succeeding in IP systems, and societal expectations and cultural norms that discourage women from pursuing careers in STEM or asserting their rights in IP systems, among other things. Closing the gender gap in intellectual property is not only a matter of equity and justice but also a crucial component of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The menstrual cycle is an important part of many people’s lives. Despite this, misinformation, silence and shame abound around the topic. For menstrual hygiene day, I set out to write an article strictly about how you can use food to optimize your wellbeing during your period but I ended getting a lot more than that from my interview with Gilbert Nsanzimfura, a nutritionist with TMR International Hospital. He shared in detail about the 4 stages of the menstrual cycle, how you may feel, what you can eat and what you should avoid to get through each like a champ. Enjoy! Nutrition takes place for the entirety of mankind’s life, but for this article we are going to focus on nutrition for women of reproductive age. The menstrual cycle has 4 phases: Menstruation phase , Follicular phase , Luteal phase and Ovulation . Follicular phase: This is the phase between the first day after blood flow has stopped up to about the 13 th -14 th day when ovulation normally occurs. This stage involves a follicle stimulating hormone which facilitates the growth of follicles. These follicles will harbor a mature egg during the ovulation phase. Ovulation phase: This is where a mature egg (ovum) is released from the fallopian tubes. This is the shortest phase of the cycle, it can last up to 24 hours. This is called the excitement phase of the entire menstruation cycle. Luteal phase: It normally collides with menstruation and sometimes they are even confused to be the same phase. In the Luteal phase, the body is getting ready to start mothering an embryo; the egg is already released into the uterus for fertilization. This stage involves multiple hormones at the same time, including progesterone and oestrogen. These two hormones are very stubborn in that their reactions are very rapid. They both, each at a time, support the thickening of the uterine walls. This stage lasts about 10 to 15 days, from your ovulation day to the day you experience your first drop of blood flowing through the vagina if fertilization does not take place. Menstruation: This is normally the most distressing phase of the entire cycle. It lasts about 3-7 days although some might experience it for up to 10 days. Some women have them heavy, others light, others painful and others very painful. NUTRITION AND THE MENSTRUATION CYCLE First there are foods that need to be taken throughout each of these phases. These are foods you cannot do without, the first being Vitamins and minerals. The body cannot manufacture them on its own. The good news is that the body does not need a lot, this is why they are called micronutrients. Others are proteins, carbohydrates for energy and lipids. NUTRITION DURING THE FOLLICULAR PHASE At this point, your body has gone through changes. −You have lost blood, iron and minerals −Dizziness may be felt −You may feel weak Here it’s like building a house from ruins. You need to take all the food stuffs but mainly you need to replace the lost iron, the lost calcium and the lost magnesium. Foods to eat
Last week, we bid farewell and celebrated the incredible journey of our beloved storyteller, Ms. Patience Ahumuza, who is embarking on a new chapter in her life. While the news of her departure may hit you like a sudden gust of wind, leaving you bewildered and saddened, you will also be comforted to know that her departure is a feminist act of resistance - to REST and RECHARGE! Goodbyes are never easy, but we are extremely grateful to have crossed paths and worked with someone as remarkable as Patience. Her work has left an indelible mark on Femme Forte, and we will cherish the memories we've created together forever. Throughout her tenure, Patience has been the driving force behind our organization's voice on all socials, tirelessly advocating for gender equity and empowering voices that often go unheard. From amplifying marginalized voices to spearheading impactful campaigns, creating networks and bonds, teaching and growing with us, she has been instrumental in shaping Femme Forte's message outlook and impact. Besides being our storyteller, Patience also actively participated in programming, fundraising, and administration among other roles. Her leadership, empathy, and fierce determination have inspired us to push boundaries, challenge norms, and strive for a more just and equitable world. Her dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to feminist values have left an indelible mark on our community and beyond. As Patience takes a break to reflect on her career direction, we honor and celebrate her courage to first of all acknowledge the need to take a break - rest is truly resistance, the courage to pursue her passions and dreams unapologetically and the love for work she does to serve and love women. While her absence will be felt deeply within our team, we stand behind her decision to prioritize her own health, growth and general well-being. We have no doubt that Patience will continue to make waves wherever her journey takes her in the feminist spaces. Her impact extends far beyond the confines of our organization, and we eagerly await the incredible contributions she will undoubtedly make in the future. As we bid her farewell, we express our deepest gratitude for the tireless dedication, unwavering passion, and invaluable contributions. While her physical presence will be missed, her legacy will continue to inspire us in our ongoing pursuit of equality and justice. Patience, as you embark on this new chapter, know that you take with you the love, admiration, and endless support of your colleagues and feminist community. May your journey be filled with joy, fulfillment, and boundless opportunities. With heartfelt appreciation and warm wishes, Femme Forte Uganda.
On 11th February 2022, I had a phone conversation with a young excited voice on the other side of the line, this voice, too curious and so eager to meet was asking to volunteer with Femme Forte Uganda. We were going through a transition around that time so I asked her to represent us at a meeting with one of our main partners ( knowing full well she was going to be frustrated and not want to return ) Alas! This was the beginning of what would be a long and beautiful learning journey for us both. Long story short, Ms. Norah joined the team as a volunteer and continued to grow through the ranks to this day. It's with mixed emotions that I bid farewell to Ms. Norah, a shining star in our feminist constellation for the past two years. As she embarks on an exciting journey of pursuing further studies, we raise a collective glass to her remarkable contributions and unwavering commitment to our cause. Norah joined us not just as an employee, but as a young, passionate advocate, a strategic thinker, and a ball of inspiration. Her dedication to our mission was evident in everything she did, from spearheading impactful campaigns to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for our team.
