Namyalo Specioza is a 19-year-old AGYW from Kyasuma village in Buwunga Sub County (Masaka district). She is the club President of GTL club no. 25A, which sits in Kitengesa Village at Kitengesa Church of Uganda. Specioza’s story gives a ray of hope to other Adolescent Girls and Young Women in the region.

Specioza carrying her baby on the back

 She got pregnant while in school and as a result she dropped out; and to make matters worse, the father of her child denied responsibility and abandoned her. After joining GTL project, she made up her mind to regain her confidence to be positive in life. After undergoing the project training session on “Taking on leadership roles in the community” she decided to awaken her leadership dream. She had all along longed to be a community change maker through taking on leadership roles. 

Specioza sharing with her colleagues (club 25A) her views on leadership during a session on Taking leadership roles in the community

On this journey, she first aspired to become the president of the GTL club 25A, which she achieved, then recently stood for the position of Youth Secretary in her village (Kyasuma) under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party ticket and she won. Specioza attributed all the success, resilience and confidence to lead other youth in her area to Girls Take Lead project which challenged her to follow her dream until it’s achieved.