YESTERDAY, we celebrated International Women’s Day. While women have made huge strides in achieving equity in the workplace, there are still more men than women in certain professions and in the corporate world. The few who have made it, had to face certain challenges. AGNES KYOTALENGERIRE profiles a few of them
Stella Atal, proprietor Great African Art “I grew up seeing my brothers paint and as a way of emulating them, I would play with brushes and paint,” she explains. Her turning point came in 2005, when she went into commercial designing, and launched her own label — Atal Stella Uganda. In 2007, she registered Great African Arts.
She finds it challenging to balance work and family, endeavouring to spend time with them in the evening and on weekends. Word of advice: She encourages women to do projects that will help them and their community.
“Women should develop their talents, not sit back and rely on their husbands for everything.”
Dr. Kajumba Muganga proprietor, St. Catherine Clinic, Buganda Road The first is the society challenge where a woman is expected to be a home-maker, look after the children and her husband. There are also family expectations, she has to carry pregnancies, deliver babies and bring them up as good citizens. All this requires a lot of time and dedication.
In the career world, a woman has to put in a lot more effort than a man to be noticed. In fields such as medicine, you are seen as a life-saver and society depends on you as a problem solver.
Her career advancement has been slow but steady. She was first employed by the Ministry of Health as a medical officer in Mulago Hospital then later went for a post-graduate diploma in paediatrics and child care.
In 1983, Kajumba decided to move into private practice. She attributes her success to the training she got as a child and her schooling. Word of advice: Kajumba’s advice to every woman is to believe in oneself because every woman has the ability to perform. “What most women lack is confidence but women need to think of what they want to do, remain focused and work towards it.”
Susan Nsibirwa; head of marketing, dfcu Being a career woman is tough especially if you work full-time and have a family. The other limitation comes when you got opportunities to go to other countries, but cannot go because you cannot leave your family behind.
However, the challenges of being a career woman centre on who you want to be and how far you want to advance.
Though there are women who work because they have to, it is the reverse for Nsibirwa. “I love working and I would be idle and disorderly without work. I am a high achiever and I know I am in the right place at the right time,” affirms Nsibirwa.
Her passion started at university. “I would work as a journalist student for The Weekly Topic.” Word of advice: Every woman must find her strength and follow it up with a passion and along the way, you will win some battles and lose some, but the important thing is to remain focused.
Dora Kankunda, IT officer Married with two children, her day begins at 6:00am with dropping her son to school. Depending on time she has to report to work because she works in shifts, she drives back home to do house chores, bathe and breastfeed her baby then report for duty at 11:00am.
During lunch time, she squeezes time to go home to breastfeed the baby and get back to office by 2:00pm.
“I find myself torn between work and family, I do not have time for myself. The little time I get, I spend with my children.” House helps are another headache she has to contend with.
However, what keeps Kankunda going is determination and the assurance that she can make it. Word of advice: Women should work hard and drop the self-pity. “Have confidence in yourself, every woman can do what men do. For example some fields like IT are male-dominated and women fear to compete”
