Uganda’s women trailblazers are among the continental changemakers being recognised in KFC Africa’s 2026 International Women’s Day campaign, which honours 55 women driving transformation under the theme “Give to Gain.”
Among them is Dr. Theopista Ntale Sekitto, a leading Ugandan banker and social entrepreneur advancing financial inclusion across Africa. Working with the Ministry of Finance, she is spearheading the creation of Africa’s first Citizens Financial Reference Bureau to strengthen consumer protection and promote transparency in financial products.
In 2025, she was honoured for championing Uganda’s adoption of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code, building on reforms she pioneered earlier, including one of the country’s first Women in Business programmes at DFCU Bank and proposals for digital borrowing guidelines to curb predatory lending.
Also featured is Ugandan technologist Barbara Mutabazi, who is reshaping the continent’s digital economy. As co-founder of Hive Colab and founder of Women in Technology Uganda, she has expanded digital skills training for underserved women.
Through Nsimbi Impact, she launched Africa’s first AI-powered digital women’s bank targeting last-mile entrepreneurs, while her Digital and Financial Literacy Toolkit, adopted by the Bank of Uganda, standardised nationwide training for women-led enterprises.
Social entrepreneur Jamila Mayanja is likewise being recognised for transforming education through practical innovation. Her Solar Smart Bag — combining a solar study light with a reusable sanitary kit — tackles period poverty and school dropout rates. Through Girls with Tools and her Class on Wheels mobile STEM lab, she equips vulnerable girls and women with vocational and digital skills.
Their inclusion reinforces KFC Africa’s message that women across the continent are not waiting for change — they are creating it. By expanding financial access, digital opportunity and educational equity, these Ugandan innovators embody the campaign’s core idea: when women give leadership, solutions and opportunity, communities gain — and Africa rises.
KFC Africa General Manager Akhona Qengqe said the women represent more than personal success stories. “These are women who give Africa more — access where there was exclusion, opportunity where prospects were limited, and hope where there was none,” she said.
The list, which includes one woman for each year the brand has operated in Africa, also honours Kenyan activist Nice Leng’ete, who has helped more than 21,000 girls escape female genital mutilation; Madagascar’s Dr Germaine Retofa, who has improved maternal healthcare in underserved communities; and Mozambique’s Alexandra Machado, whose mentorship model has impacted 25,000 women and boosted school transition rates.
Chief People, Culture and Purpose Officer Nolo Thobejane said the theme “Give to Gain” reflects the company’s long-standing empowerment initiatives, including women-led feeding centres, leadership development programmes and accredited training academies.
With the World Economic Forum projecting that gender parity in sub-Saharan Africa could still be more than a century away, Qengqe said the 55 honourees demonstrate that meaningful change is already underway — driven by women who are giving today so their communities can gain now.