“When I was growing up, I used to dream of being a youth counselor,” says Molly Birungi, a wife and mother of three living in Buraro Village in western Uganda. “But I didn’t believe in myself – that I could manage and be a leader. I also had a fear of standing in front of people. When I got married, things became worse. I lost those dreams because of the increased workload in my new family, and my husband was not supportive then.”
Molly’s story reflects the loss of agency many women experience in low-income countries, especially once they marry and have children. Widely held gender and social norms often limit women’s opportunities to contribute to family income or strengthen their communities.
But Molly’s story also shows what can happen if women are connected and supported. In 2018, she joined a She Feeds the World project supported by the PepsiCo Foundation, and through leadership training, Molly overcame her confidence issues, eventually becoming a trainer herself. Since then, she has fostered a network of women leaders taking active roles in their homes and community. “These women have gained strength and confidence,” she says. “They have the ability to wow the masses whenever they talk about equality.”