For Maria Ngorok, a resident of Longalom Parish in Napak District, the 2021 general elections were a bitter pill to swallow. Having served as a Parish Councillor from 2016 to 2021, she was confident of retaining her seat, but things didn’t turn out as expected. She lost. In the aftermath of the defeat, Maria realized that the loss wasn’t just bad luck, it was a result of inadequate skills in public speaking and leadership that had hindered her ability to effectively serve and communicate with her constituents.

All this changed when she became a member of the Lokopo Women Peace Forum, a beneficiary group under the Women’s Amplified Voice for Accountability (WAVA) Project. Implemented by Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), in partnership with Nakere Rural Women Activists NARWOA, the project aims to improve women’s accountability and leadership in the Karamoja region to foster effective service delivery, gender-responsive policies and climate adaptation for women and marginalized communities in Karamoja. For Maria, this wasn’t just another community group, it was a classroom for her political comeback. She participated in intensive training sessions covering leadership, gender-responsive budgeting and public speaking.

“The trainings covered the leadership and information gaps that I had,” Maria recalls. “I felt that I was ready and well equipped to contest in 2026 and be a much better and stronger voice for the women in my constituency.”

Despite the campaign landscape being heavily commercialized and tougher, Maria no longer relied solely on incumbency, she relied on competence. Her improved public speaking and clear understanding of governance issues shone through.

“Those who saw my potential and renewed energy supported me both financially and emotionally,” she says.

Maria won, reclaiming her position as Parish Councillor. She has committed to leverage her knowledge on leadership and gender equality to be even more active and effective in council, ensuring that she uutilizes her second chance to advocate for the women and girls she represents.

Maria’s journey is one of thousands that illustrate FOWODE’s impact across Uganda. Through the WAVA Project and other initiatives, FOWODE has nurtured and mentored over 30,000 women to navigate the political terrain and take on meaningful leadership roles, advocate for women’s rights and advance gender equality agenda.