Girls With Dreams Program

In August 2019, ADP piloted a successful Girls with Dreams program (GWD) in Uganda to help keep girls in school and enable them to navigate the social and cultural pressures that prevent them from realizing their full potential. The program focuses on developing well-rounded girls who stay in school, value themselves, understand their strengths, develop confidence and leadership skills, and understand career opportunities.

GWD partners with secondary schools in the Gayaza area of Wakiso District, about 40 km from the capital city of Kampala. The program focuses on girls between the ages of 14 -23.

GWD is designed to support various after-school activities focused on academics, vocational training, career awareness, indoor and outdoor recreational play, health and wellness, and developing positive social networks. The program also includes workshops on goal setting, dealing with peer pressure, communication, service to the community, and public speaking. It also features “Sister Circle,” a relationship-building, group-sharing, and problem-solving program component that helps girls learn to share their problems in a safe/supportive space and explore ways to address them.

Additionally, GWD offers a three-week camp during the holiday after each school term. The camps are designed to include fun/challenging activities that help build life skills such as teamwork, self-confidence, perseverance, and social skills.

In 2022, due to the economic impacts of the pandemic, GwD was able to fund girls’ tuition, thanks to a generous donation from an Africa Development Promise board member.