Jane Balwana is a 45-year-old Headteacher at Bridge, Nabaziza in the Wakiso District of central Uganda

Jane has 20-years of teaching experience from different schools across Uganda and joined Bridge in 2016. Now, she manages ten teachers, 248 children and five non-teaching staff. Yet, it’s not her experience that makes her stand out but her passion for education, especially young girls.

Despite her busy schedule managing a school, she chooses to use her lunch breaks, evenings and some weekends to run women’s empowerment campaigns in her community. As a strong female role model herself, she goes from house to house and attends local area meetings and market town halls to talk about the benefits of a good education.

She takes pride in playing an active part in her community, leading a group of 58 women who have organised themselves into a savings club. Every month, the women save money which they later borrow to pay school fees and buy other learning materials. They even offer bursaries to children in the community who are excelling at school.

Because of her passion for educating girls, there has been a big change in the mindset of many parents in her community; a belief that girls belong in the classroom and the boardroom and not just at home.

Jane is happy to see so many possibilities in her girls, regularly reminding them to stay focused on their future through their education.