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Empowering young girls to bloom

9 December 2024, 3:51 pm

By Byamukama Alozious

Kampala, Uganda – A three-day event, Festival Bombo 2024, has been launched in Uganda, with part of its focus on bringing together 120 girls from underprivileged backgrounds. The initiative, set to take place on Tuesday, aims to empower young girls to discover their identity in Christ and make informed life choices.

Rachel Mutetsi, Team Leader at Ufahari Ministries and a passionate advocate for both faith and human rights, emphasised the importance of Christian values in enabling young people to live fulfilling lives. Reflecting on her own upbringing in the ghetto, she shared the challenges she faced, including instances of sexual violence. Despite these hardships, she has overcome adversity to become a source of inspiration and hope for many.

Some of the young girls from Kalerwe practicing physical activities (Photo: Ufahari page).

The Bloom session will bring together 120 girls, with at least 100 from the Bombo area in Luweero district and 20 from the slums of Kalerwe in Kampala district. Rachel highlighted that the session will encourage the girls to stand up for themselves and seek help when needed.

Christina Tucker, Head of Creative Mission in South Africa, underscored the importance of empowering young girls. “I want you to understand that these girls are VIPs. They are the VIPs in the room,” she stated.

Key areas of focus during the session will include addressing pressing issues affecting young girls, such as faith, gender-based violence, health, and identity crises. Through a series of engaging activities—including training in crafts, music, quizzes, panel discussions, prayers, and counselling—the event aims to equip the girls with the tools they need to make informed decisions about their lives.

Christina and Rachel sharing a moment at CRMI church in Bombo Luweero.

The Bloom session is one of the key activities of the Bombo Festival 2024, organised by CRMI Church. It promises to be a transformative experience for the participating girls, serving as a powerful reminder that they are not alone, that they are loved, and that they are deserving of respect and dignity.

Uganda has one of the highest rates of HIV infection globally, with 730 new cases reported daily, many involving young people and girls. The event organisers aim to address this pressing issue while providing support and guidance to the participants.