LGF Launches Girls’ Education and Mentorship Support (GEMS) Programme in Busoga

Last week, April 16, 2025 marked a transformative moment in the journey toward gender equality in education as the Luigi Giussani Foundation (LGF) officially launched the Girls’ Education and Mentorship Support (GEMS) Programme in Iganga District.

Implemented in collaboration with Community Concerns Uganda Initiative, L-PACER, and the Ministry of Education and Sports’ Gender Unit, GEMS is more than a project — it is a movement aimed at reshaping the future of education for girls in Uganda.

Funded by Echidna Giving, GEMS is a three-year initiative that will reach 100 schools across 10 districts of Kamuli, Buyende, Luuka, Mayuge, Namayingo, Bugiri, Bugweri, Iganga, Kaliro, and Namutumba in the Busoga sub-region.  The programme is designed to advance girls’ access to education, empower them through mentorship, and create gender-responsive, inclusive learning environments.

Busoga sub-region has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates at 25%, compared to the national average of 25%. The region is also bedevilled by widespread Gender Based Violence (GBV) as 46.3% of women report physical violence, according to Busoga Health Forum report (2022). Children, adolescent girls, and young women are the most affected. GEMS goal is to improve policy and practice at the national level for the integration of higher-order thinking skills, gender transformative education and practical skills into the education system. GEMS will benefit 100 schools, skill 1,500 girls, re-enrol 3,500 girls back in school and train 2000 teachers on competency-based curriculum.

The launch event was graced by Dr. Cleophus Mugenyi, Director of Basic and Secondary Education, who represented the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Kedrace Turyagenda. It was attended by political and technical leaders from the Busoga sub-region, representatives of the Busoga Kingdom, development partners, and education stakeholders.

In her speech, Dr. Kedrace Turyagenda commended LGF for its commitment to gender-transformative education and the promotion of best practices in schools. She highlighted the longstanding barriers that girls face in accessing education, including poverty, child marriage, and cultural norms that have historically excluded them from the classroom.

She said, thankfully, such challenges that have been plaguing education access were being tackled because of government programs and interventions like GEMS, which are creating safe and inclusive learning spaces.

Gillian Atuheire, the Executive Director of LGF, expressed her excitement and gratitude to all partners and stakeholders who have contributed to bringing the GEMS vision to life.

“GEMS is not just about getting girls into school,” she said. “It’s about transforming mindsets, building skills for the future, and creating safe, supportive learning environments for both girls and boys,” she said.

The launch of GEMS signals a renewed commitment to ensuring that no girl is left behind and that schools become spaces of empowerment, mentorship, and growth for every learner.