Over fall break in October 2023, I had the privilege of joining a group from the Mendoza College of Business for a trip to Northern Uganda. As part of the Powerful Means Initiative and Innovation for Impact club, we partnered with students and faculty at Saint Bakhita Vocational Training Center; our focus was to strategize on effective uses of resources in order to support post-graduate entrepreneurship for the school, while also empowering women’s education and regional economic development.
On the trip, my focuses included consulting for the school’s Early Childhood Development Center, and conducting interviews to produce a documentary on the value of women’s education. These experiences led me to many one-on-one conversations with students, entrepreneurs, community leaders, local business owners and more. This was crucial in gaining a deeper appreciation for Ugandan culture and understanding of how our team can effectively work with our colleagues in Uganda.
Rising Together: American Teams, Ugandan Dreams
What I’ll remember most is the open-heartedness with which I was welcomed into the community and the willingness of the Ugandans to share their life experiences.
Julia Warden
My time in Uganda was defined by countless meaningful conversations I shared with a wide array of individuals, including students and faculty members along with community leaders and local business owners. What I’ll remember most is the open-heartedness with which I was welcomed into the community and the willingness of the Ugandans to share their life experiences. These conversations helped me gain the insights needed to understand diverse thought processes and how their life circumstances shaped their trajectories.
I found that the most interesting responses came from asking “What would you do if money didn’t matter?”. The answers were moving as people vulnerably shared their ambitious hopes and dreams. What touched me most was how many students shared that their future career ambitions in their local communities would be the same career ambitions they would have regardless of money or location. Many also expressed a desire to give back to those in the most need, such as orphans; to me, the recognition that there is always someone who could be assisted represents the care Ugandans have for one another, no matter the circumstances.
Upon arrival back in the United States, I began working with our storytelling team to organize the footage and audio files. Our goal is to highlight the value of women’s education in Northern Uganda, with focus on the long-term visions of empowering women and stimulating local economic development. The documentary made from these materials will be produced with our love for the missions of the Powerful Means Initiative and the collective desire to spread our message to as many online communities as possible.
My time at Notre Dame has been full of exciting challenges that have consistently pushed me to expand my knowledge and embrace diverse ways of thinking. Ultimately, I’ve come to better understand that we all share a common human nature, despite our differences. I know my time working with Saint Bakhita’s will always remain close to my heart. To me, this journey reinforced the value of human connection across cultural contexts and of a strong exchange of new ideas. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity from the Mendoza College of Business to gain valuable experiential learning, and to use it to empower a community of independent, intelligent, and strong women.
Julia Warden graduated from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business in May 2024 with a double-major in Business Analytics and Film.