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In celebration of International Women's Day, we are honored to share the story of Yvonne Todihohawe, an incredible female leader making a difference for girls around the world. Yvonne works with Youth Fraternity for Change, one of the programs that VOW for Girls helps support in Uganda, where she serves as a mentor and advocacy officer, empowering young girls to realize their full potential.
"I work as a mentor and an advocacy officer, mobilizing these girls," Yvonne explains. "It's really a good time working with young children like these ones and helping them realize their full potential."
Her role in the Girls Leadership Program involves creating a safe space where girls can unlearn harmful beliefs, relearn their self-worth, and gain leadership skills. "It's always a time of unlearning and relearning. I also learn from them," she shares. "Sometimes it's terrifying because I listen to very sad stories, but at the end of the day, we develop new ways to relate to these girls and help them find hope and a future."
Yvonne has witnessed the powerful transformation in the girls she works with—shifting from seeing education as a mere requirement to embracing it as a path to leadership and independence.
"Many of these girls thought studying was just passing through the system. They didn't see it as something meaningful," she says. "But after learning life skills, leadership skills, and being mentored, they now understand: 'Yes, I am also a girl. I can go to school, and I can lead just like boys.'"
However, Yvonne also faces challenges, including deep-rooted cultural norms that continue to drive child marriage in her community. "Some parents think that if a girl reaches 15, they can sell her off and get cows," she reveals. "For us here in the Western region, people idolize cows. If someone has a daughter, they are only counting the years until they can get cows for her. It's painful to see that this mindset still exists."
Despite this resistance, Yvonne and her team persist, working closely with community leaders, mothers, and even fathers to shift attitudes toward valuing girls' education. "We engage leaders, women counselors, and chairpersons. Slowly by slowly, more people are believing in us. In our community, when people see us, they know we're about ending child marriage."
Yvonne's passion for this work is deeply personal. "I've been there," she says. "I didn't know the importance of education until I got empowered. So for me, doing this for another girl out there is the way to go." Her dream is to one day establish a school that provides free education to girls, ensuring that financial barriers do not determine their futures.
One of the biggest hurdles Yvonne sees is the traditional fear of teachers among students, which stifles confidence and self-expression. "I've had rough teachers before—teachers who, when they entered the class, you almost wanted to run away," she recalls. "For me, I want girls to feel free to share, to learn in an environment where they feel safe." If given the resources, she would organize capacity-building sessions for educators, fostering a learning environment where girls feel safe to express themselves, learn, and grow. "If I had the resources, I would hold capacity-building sessions to help teachers understand that these girls need an environment where they can express themselves freely."
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate Yvonne for her dedication, leadership, and unwavering belief that every girl deserves a future filled with possibilities. "What gives me joy is seeing girls get hope, knowing that they can also be whatever they wish to be," she says. Her story is a powerful reminder that change is happening—one girl, one community, and one fearless advocate at a time.
