Ahumuza Ronah: Kampala creates safe public spaces for single mothers

Ahumuza Ronah: Kampala creates safe public spaces for single mothers

In Kampala, Ugandachr("39")s capital, there is a severe shortage of public spaces adapted for women, most of whom are single mothers and the sole breadwinners of their families, Ahumuza Ronah, Executive Director of Holistic Action for Development and Empowerment (Uganda), said during a panel discussion at the World Urban Forum (WUF13), Olaylar informs.

According to her, women are forced to simultaneously earn a living and care for children in the complete absence of basic infrastructure. The situation is exacerbated by the distance to educational institutions - for example, in the Kamwani district on the shores of Lake Victoria, where predominantly women and children live, the nearest school is about three kilometers away.

Ahumuza Ronah stated that the HerCity initiative was launched in Kampala in 2023 in partnership with Dreamtown and the Shared City Foundation.

"HerCity has allowed us to create a space we call the HerCity rooftop. For us, itchr("39")s more than just a rooftop-itchr("39")s a true open-air home for young women," she said. A special "HerCity safety corner" has also been set up there, where young mothers can comfortably feed or change their babies.

The speaker emphasized that the project has ensured the economic integration of local women. A HerCity store has been opened on the site, where women have the opportunity to sell the products they made after completing vocational training.

"You canchr("39")t just train people and tell them, chr("39")Follow them.chr("39") For residents of informal settlements, itchr("39")s especially important to be able to sell their products and generate income," she noted.

The Ugandan representative added that HerCity wasnchr("39")t just an initiative; it helped many women believe in themselves and turned their dreams of a safe and dignified life into reality.