From refugee camp to boardroom: Ugandan girls rewriting their future

How Absa Bank Uganda and Plan International are shaping a generation of confident, educated, and empowered young women

Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | When 17-year-old Lucia Stephen steps into Absa Bank Uganda’s boardroom, she pauses, taking in the tall windows, the polished tables, and the hum of quiet authority in the air.

It’s hard to imagine that just a few years ago, she was sitting on the dusty ground of a refugee settlement in northern Uganda, unsure if she would ever return to school.

“I never imagined myself in a place like this,” she says softly, clutching her notebook. “Now I believe I can.”

Her voice, steady but full of wonder, captures what this moment means not just for her but for dozens of girls across Uganda who, through a partnership between Plan International and Absa Bank Uganda, are discovering what’s possible when they’re given a seat at the table.

On October 8, 2025, as the world marked the International Day of the Girl Child, Absa Bank opened its corporate offices in Kampala to host a group of teenage girls. The initiative known globally as the Girls’ Takeover invites girls to step into leadership positions for a day, shadowing CEOs, directors, and managers to experience decision-making firsthand.

“Our goal is to inspire them to see that they, too, can sit in these offices one day,” said Michael Segwaya , the Executive Director of Absa Bank Uganda.

“This isn’t just about today; it’s about planting seeds of confidence that will grow.”

The 2025 global theme, “Let Me Be a Child, Not a Wife,” carried a deeper resonance in Uganda, where early marriage and teenage pregnancy continue to curtail girls’ education and aspirations.

For Absa Bank and Plan International, the day was about more than symbolism. It was about exposure – about helping girls see beyond the limits of circumstance.

“Our bit today is to inspire and give them hope,” Segwaya added.

“Even if one girl goes back home and tells her friends, ‘You can make it,’ then we’ve achieved something meaningful.”

Lucia was only eight years old when war broke out in South Sudan.

“It was at night,” she recalls, her voice low. “We heard gunshots. My stepmother was killed. My family got separated. We didn’t know if we would ever meet again.”

Weeks later, she reunited with her father in Uganda, where they settled in a refugee community. But survival was difficult and school, even harder. Her father could afford fees for only one child at a time.

“I missed a whole year,” she says. “I thought maybe my education was over.”

Everything changed when Lucia joined a Plan International training programme for adolescent girls. Initially sceptical, she soon found herself immersed in sessions on self-awareness, menstrual hygiene, stress management, and peaceful coexistence.

“Those lessons gave me hope again,” she says. “I learnt that even if I’ve been through pain, I can still achieve something.”

With her peers, she helped form a Buddy Group, a safe space where boys and girls share ideas, support one another, and speak out against abuse.

One session in particular, “My Hopes and Dreams,” gave her direction.

“That day, I decided I wouldn’t give up,” she smiles. “Now I want to be a teacher and help other girls believe in themselves.”

Lucia has since become a peer advocate, guiding her friends on reporting abuse and encouraging young mothers to return to school. Her family even fostered a teenage mother in their community — a small act of kindness with a big message of compassion and solidarity.

“When a girl experiences leadership firsthand, when she sits where decisions are made, she doesn’t forget that feeling. It becomes a goal, not just a dream.”
Said Phoebe Kasoga, the Plan International Uganda Country Director.

Plan International began the Girls’ Takeover campaign in 2012 to mark the UN’s declaration of the International Day of the Girl Child. Each year, girls across the world temporarily assume leadership roles from government offices to newsrooms and boardrooms to highlight the importance of gender equality in leadership.

This year’s event at Absa Bank offered a rare glimpse into corporate Uganda. Girls learnt how different departments operate – human resources, finance, and communications – and how teamwork drives success.

“It’s experiential. They get to see what an operations director or CFO actually does, and that experience stays with them,” said Segwaya .

Absa, known for community-driven initiatives like the 7 Hills Run for education, says its partnership with Plan International aligns with its broader commitment to inclusion and empowerment.

“When you empower girls, you empower communities.” Education and exposure are the foundation of sustainable growth both for the individual and the nation,” Segwaya added.

Uganda still faces high rates of child marriage, with nearly one in four girls married before the age of 18, according to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.

Plan International’s latest State of the World’s Girls Report warns that the global economic cost of inaction could reach $1.3 trillion by 2030, driven by lost education and productivity.

“When a girl becomes a wife before she becomes an adult, her opportunities shrink,” said Kasoga.

“Our message is simple: let girls be girls. Let them dream.”