Kampala, Uganda: The Vice President Elect of the Rotary Club of Kampala Kibuli, Dr. Mariam Nakimuli, has emphasized the transformative power of educating girls, urging communities to invest in the literacy, health, and economic empowerment of young women.
Dr. Nakimuli was featured in the latest issue of Kibuli Voice Magazine (Vol 1, Issue 8), shortly after participating in the DEAR Day outreach event held at Kibuli Demonstration School. She joined President Elect Musitwa Musala in reading books to pupils and donated scholastic materials to encourage reading culture among learners.
In her message featured in the magazine, Dr. Nakimuli outlined the long-term benefits of educating the girl child, stating that it directly enhances social and economic development at the community and national levels.
“Since education is the most potent and significant tool accessible for solving human issues, every woman in our society needs to receive education. Enhanced literate women are more economically independent and participate more actively in the social, political, and cultural life of their nation,” Dr Nakimuli wrote.
“Girls who receive education benefit not only themselves but also their communities and nations,” she added, emphasizing that, “there is ample evidence that nations with lower levels of gender disparity in education are more likely to experience faster rates of economic growth. Not educating girls to the same level as boys costs some nations over USD1 billion annually!”
Dr Nakimuli, who is an educationist by profession, further noted that literacy practices must be rooted in cultural relevance and community support, citing poetry, folklore, and music as potent tools to enhance traditional literacy among girls.
“To support girls’ acquisition of literacies, it is essential to build the capacity of communities, parents, teachers, religious and local leaders who can help girls fully integrate all available literacy sources into their literacy learning,” she wrote, adding; “Girls that for example have access to a variety of print materials and engagement with traditional literacy practices like poems, folklore, metaphors, music or rituals enhance their traditional literacy.”
Dr. Nakimuli also highlighted how increased access to education reduces vulnerability to poverty and disease, referencing global statistics that show girls who complete primary education are three times less likely to contract HIV.
“Education lessens the percentage of illiteracy, allowing more women to contribute financially to their families,” she added. “Accordingly, their families are better equipped to provide education for their children. Subsequently, the poverty rate falls.”
The VP-Elect also highlighted the critical role of sex education in reducing disease vulnerability and promoting informed decision-making among young women. “A girl who completes primary school is three times less likely to contract HIV,” she said, referencing the World Bank’s designation of education as a “window of hope” in the fight against AIDS.
Addressing the broader impact, Dr. Nakimuli stressed that educating girls also means educating future generations. “A well-educated girl who later becomes a wife and a mother goes on to educate and instill the value of education to future generations,” she said.
The Rotary Club of Kampala Kibuli continues to run programs that support literacy, youth empowerment, and community development across Kampala suburbs. As the newly elected Vice President of the Rotary club, Dr. Nakimuli’s leadership role and advocacy are part of a wider effort to build resilient, educated, and economically empowered communities.
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