/ By Voury Igne / Uncategorized/ 0 Comments

Africans in Boston Partners with Phenomenal Women Global to deliver the Phenomenal Women’s Boston Conference

On Saturday, June 22 2019, Africans in Boston (AiB) collaborated with Phenomenal Women Global to co-host the Phenomenal Women’s Conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Needham. Aligned with the nonprofit’s mission of empowering women in underserved communities to achieve their personal and professional goals, Phenomenal Women Global encapsulated knowledge, inspiration, and opportunity into an amazing six-hour experience. Women from around the world who are exceptional in a multitude of fields attended the event to reflect on their journeys and share their wisdom. Many companies and organizations also attended the event to network with each other and continue to build up strong support systems. Here are some highlights from this phenomenal event: 

The conference began with Liza Sekaggya, the Co-Founder of Phenomenal Women Global, introducing the mission of the organization and giving a warm thank you to AiB for their support of the conference.

The conference was further supported by members of the AiB, women from diverse professions and backgrounds where they all play a very important role in the organization. Some of the innovative and ingenious members in attendance included:

  • Ethel Kawesa, Director of the Credit Union Initiative of AiB, which aims to provide greater access to credit and banking opportunities within the diaspora in New England. 
  • Olivia Sserabira, Founder of Peace & Hope Training Center in Kampala, Uganda. Olivia is committed to providing young girls with skills so that they are self-reliant.
  • Irene Nakabonge-Lugude, Founder of Manyi Juices, an iron rich juice line designed to support people diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia.
  • Rachael Maendeleo of Makomas Foundation, an organisation created to support enterprising women farmers in West Africa by providing work, stability and hope.
  • Diane Nalubega is a dedicated individual whose mission is to educate and protect the children of Uganda.

A number of equally outstanding women provided insight within their respective panels to start off. Our first panel focused on women and entrepreneurship, with impressive testimonies from Dr. Lawino Kagumba, Abra Degbor, and Olivia Sserabira. Liza then joined Christine Makori, Senior Counsel of the World Bank, in the second panel as they talked about their shared experiences moving up the ladder of the United Nations. “Our power is there” Liza replied when reflecting on the influence that women have in the prestigious organization. Just before the lunch break, World Record Holder Monika Satler enlightened us with five key principles on how women can stay motivated in a male dominated society. A third panel “shared on the importance of building yourself through coaching, mentoring and spirituality in order to achieve your full potential and achieve success in your professional and personal lives” –With Sally Muiruri, Irene Nakabonge Lugudde, and Judy Pineda Neufeld.The second motivational speaker Latonia Francois of “Let’s Write Life and Mental Health Advocate. Latonia walked us through her experience how she started and how she got to where she is today.

After lunch, the conference continued for the next hour and a half with three networking tables consisting of in-depth discussions between expert speakers and attendees. The topics of health, law, and finance were discussed in depth by remarkable women in each respective field, & valuable advice was given to participants looking to expand their knowledge in the area. Sylvia Mburu, the assistant vice president of Santander Bank, made a key point of knowing the vast options one can take for securing loans in the face of a corporate system that may be discriminatory towards certain demographics. When it came to managing stress that women go through on a day to day basis, Dr. Christine Sekaggya gave research proven tips on how to navigate these situations.

In the afternoon, conference attendees heard from Sharline Nabulime of the Waltham City Council, who spoke about holding political office and the importance of ensuring representation for women and people of color in government. In the second session of the afternoon, film producer Sally Muiruri, global health entrepreneur Irene Nakabonge Lugudde, and local organizational development consultant Judy Pineda Neufeld discussed the importance of self-care, spirituality, and mentorship in developing phenomenal women. Latonia Francois, founder of Let’s Write Life, rounded out the day with a motivational talk on the importance of journaling in developing an empowering narrative of self.

The two organizations closed the conference with certificates of participation. The event continued at Rhino Restaurant and Lounge in Waltham, where participants and panelists networked into the evening among good cheer. AiB congratulates the phenomenal women leaders representing both the local and global diaspora, and acknowledges their commitment and perseverance in serving as role models for girls and women.

AiB looks forward to a continued partnership with the various organizations that support the mission of our organization. We appreciate the commitment to supporting women of color around the world.  Thank you for a very successful event!

A special thanks to our photographer for the day, Johnson Semakula!

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