Teachers for Rural Futures

Meet our new students for the Teachers for Rural Futures programme. The GWI Teachers for Rural Futures programme, created in 2015, is increasing access to and completion of quality secondary education for girls in rural Northern and Eastern Uganda through teacher training and development at Makerere University in Kampala. The project is increasing the number of local female role models and mentors for younger girls making it more likely they will remain in school. These young girls are passionate about education and their bright future. 

To celebrate the 2023 International Day of the Girl, GWI asked students from its Teachers For Rural Futures programme, “What does the International Day of the Girl mean to you?” Their meaningful insights added to the Day’s celebrations.

In January 2020, GWI saw the successful graduation of our first five Teachers for Rural Futures programme.  Additional students will graduate in 2024.

We are so proud of these young women!

There are persistently low numbers of qualified women teachers in urban Uganda with even lower numbers in rural areas. GWI provides scholarships and mentoring support to young women from rural areas of Uganda for them to become qualified teachers and ambassadors for girls’ education. Through a competitive process, students with an ambition to become a secondary school teacher in a rural area and improve girls’ education are selected to join the programme. GWI student teachers study at Makerere University, and participate in community engagement to build support for girls’ education in rural communities.

Generously and partially funded by the Ville de Genève.

Are you a US resident? 

Donations to Teachers for Rural Futures in  support of women teachers in Uganda can be made through the worldwide GlobalGiving website.

Are you a UK taxpayer? 

Donations to Teachers for Rural Futures made by UK taxpayers through GlobalGiving UK are eligible for Gift Aid (an additional 25% extra on the donation for the chosen charity project funded by the UK Government).  If you are a UK taxpayer you can make a donation here.

Read our GlobalGiving project reports!

• 27 October 2023
• 9 September 2023
• 18 May 2023
• 27 September 2022
• 2 February 2022
• 7 October 2021
• 9 June 2021
• 9 March 2021
• 9 November 2020
• 13 July 2020
• 17 March 2020
• 19 December 2019
• 17 October 2019
• 27 March 2019: 
• 6 July 2018
• 22 May 2017
• 13 February 2017
• 17 November 2016
• 22 August 2016
• 27 May 2016

The GWI student teachers all come from Buyende District in Eastern Uganda, a rural area where the majority of girls do not complete secondary school. They were amongst the few to complete school. All had dreams of going to university, but without the means, their studies were due to end there.

GWI’s Teachers for Rural Futures project has set them on the path to fulfilling their dream, as well as the dreams of thousands of other children who will benefit from an education once they qualify as teachers.

With your support, more young women in rural Uganda can become qualified secondary school teachers, fulfilling their dreams and those of thousands of children in their future classes.

Benadet

Benadet, 20, in her second year at Makerere University, is studying a Bachelor of Science with Education. She is proud to be the first person in her family of five children to go to university. She has begun her own advocacy in her district to encourage parents to allow their girls to complete their secondary education. Her aim is to be a successful woman in life and to develop her district.

Winfred

Winfred, 22 is also in her second year at Makerere, studying a Bachelors of Education in Economics and Geography.  She believes in the value of being self reliant in the future through her education. Having spent her own childhood in Buyende she wishes to support other girls in the district to succeed academically through counselling and guidance.

Hasifa

Hasifa, 27, is in her first year at Makerere and is studying a Bachelor of Arts with Education. She waited several years to go to university as with six  sisters and four brothers her parents could not fund her studies. Hasifa strongly believes that as a teacher interacting with many others in the community she will have the opportunity to positively influence girls’ education in Buyende.

Jane

Jane, 18, comes originally from Buyende and moved back there after spending a few secondary school years in Kampala. Despite having nine children, her parents managed to send them all to school. As a result of her parents’ dedication to their children’s education, Jane wants to be an advocate for this right, especially among underprivileged youth in Buyende.

Victoria

Victoria, 21, comes from a large Buyende family. She considers herself lucky since not all of her 16 brothers and sisters were able to complete their secondary education. Victoria wishes to guide those who are not convinced of the benefits of girls education and to inspire more Buyende girls to complete their secondary education and progress to tertiary.

There are persistently low numbers of qualified women teachers in Uganda, currently around 30% in secondary schools, with even lower numbers in rural areas. GWI provides scholarships and mentoring support to young women from rural areas of Uganda for them to become qualified teachers and ambassadors for girls’ education. Through a competitive process, students with an ambition to become a secondary school teacher in a rural area and improve girls’ education are selected to join the programme. GWI student teachers study at Makerere University, and participate in community engagement to build support for girls’ education in rural communities.

GWI is currently raising funds to support other young women to begin their teacher training in 2020. Join our campaign here.

A lack of women teachers has been proven to be associated with a gender gap in the number of girls accessing and completing school. Quality teaching is essential for students to perform and achieve in school, yet in rural Uganda there is a shortage of qualified and trained teachers that is adversely affecting the learning of young people in secondary school, particularly girls. Increasing the number of qualified women teachers in rural Uganda represents a huge opportunity to increase the quality of secondary education for all, increase girls’ access to and completion of secondary school and provide role models for girls.

In Uganda, there are major gaps in girls’ completion of secondary school, particularly in rural areas. The gender parity index is 0.91 for lower secondary and 0.69 for upper secondary school (a value of between 0.97 and 1.03 is considered to reflect gender parity). Uganda has a predominantly youthful population. Currently, 70% of the population in Uganda is under the age of 25. Over the next few decades, this population is expected to increase exponentially, making the need for secondary school teachers, and gender equality, ever more urgent.