At 25, Nabiryo Mary, a resident of Nabwigulu Subcounty in Kamuli District, had almost given up on her dreams.

After scoring Division 3 in her Senior Four examinations, Mary was overwhelmed by shame and disappointment. Instead of sharing her results, she chose silence. She avoided conversations about school, withdrew from friends, and lived in constant fear of being judged by her peers, relatives, and the wider community. To her, the future she had once imagined felt completely out of reach.

“I felt like I had failed in life,” Mary recalls. “I didn’t think I had another chance.”

In her search for escape and acceptance, Mary made a rushed decision to get married. However, the marriage lasted only one month. When it ended, it left her more broken than before her self-esteem even lower, and her sense of direction completely lost. She drifted into unhealthy peer groups, adopting behaviours that further distanced her from the life she once desired. For a long time, Mary believed her story had already been written and that it would not end well.

Everything began to change in 2023

Mary met her Subcounty Youth Councillor, a youth leader trained by Naguru Teenage Centre under the EYE Universal SRHR Project. Through community engagement and social accountability activities, the youth leader reached out to young people like Mary those who had lost hope and direction. Their first conversation was simple, but powerful.

“For the first time, someone listened to me without judging me,” Mary says. “He helped me see that my life was not over.”

Through consistent mentorship, guidance, and encouragement, Mary slowly began to rebuild her confidence. She made a bold and life-changing decision to walk away from destructive habits and take control of her future.

Her hard work paid off.

“When I stood to speak in Germany, I realized how far I had come,” she shares. “I was no longer the girl who was hiding I had become someone with a story to tell.”

Mary successfully completed her ECD certificate, marking a major turning point in her life. Her growing confidence and passion for leadership opened new doors, including an opportunity to travel to Germany for public speaking training an experience that broadened her perspective and strengthened her voice as a young leader.

Upon returning home, Mary was determined to create change in her own community. She founded the Bakuseka Magya Farming & Saving Group, a local project that brings together community members to improve household incomes, promote food security, and encourage a culture of saving. Through this group, families are now able to grow food, support one another, and plan for a better future.

Mary’s impact did not stop there.

Drawing from her own journey, she became a passionate advocate for young people’s health and wellbeing. She has since supported over 250 adolescents and youth from her village to access Sexual and Reproductive Health services at Kamuli Mission Hospital ensuring they receive accurate information, care, and support.

Today, Mary serves as the Female Youth Councillor for Nabwigulu Subcounty role that places her at the forefront of youth leadership and community transformation. In this position, she continues to mentor other young people, especially those struggling with low self-esteem, school dropout, and negative peer influence.

She is now the very person she once needed.

Her story is a powerful reminder that with the right support, mentorship, and opportunity, young people can rise above their circumstances and become agents of change in their communities.  “Without Naguru Teenage Centre, I might have been a teenage mother with no education. Now, I’m a leader, a role model, and a voice for change,” Mary says.

Mary’s journey reflects the power of investing in young people. It’s not just to change individual lives, but to strengthen entire communities.