Joyce Nakato on Empowering Girls, Fighting Child Marriage & Building Equitable Communities

Passion, Purpose & Beauty: The Story of Brenda Nanjovu

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2233152/open_sms] In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Brenda Nanjovu [https://www.instagram.com/beedolled_beauty?igsh=Nm4zY3JpeTR0bWZk]—a makeup artist, cosmetologist, beautician, and esthetician—whose journey into the beauty industry is anything but traditional. Brenda once dreamed of becoming a lawyer and even studied industrial psychology, but after facing career frustrations in the corporate world, she discovered her true passion in makeup and skincare. What started as a survival move turned into a calling rooted in touch, healing, and transformation. She opens up about: ✨ How losing her job led her to discover her talent through prayer and purpose. ✨ Why she left corporate life for beauty and never looked back. ✨ Balancing motherhood and business, including how pregnancy inspired her to travel to Bangkok at six months pregnant to learn microblading. ✨ The challenges of beauty standards shaped by social media and how she educates clients to embrace their unique features. ✨ Why skincare, mental health, and inner confidence are the real foundation of beauty. ✨ Her vision to expand into education, mentoring, and advocacy to transform the industry. Brenda reminds us that beauty is not one-size-fits-all—it’s deeply personal, ever-changing, and starts from within. Her story is one of resilience, reinvention, and passion. I am committed to enhancing your podcast experience. Share your thoughts and insights with me by participating in a brief survey. Click the link below and let your voice be heard. SheCentre: The Female Podcast Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHMcAL04SsDopxdZlhiLls7dN209l533QzK6s5lBc0CIbG-g/viewform]

🎶 Nyla Tiara Love: Finding Purpose Through Music, Healing & Radical Authenticity

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2233152/open_sms] Born Daniella Love Odongo in Uganda and raised in Germany, Nyla Tiara Love [https://www.nylatiaralove.com/?fbclid=PAZnRzaAMOfVlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABpzKizgToFpsfLP0EDlHdibuumwoijF2E_5zkXajieJbgz-nEqjtwCWTDBs9D_aem_ncG9pzlysFR-r_KeZ6QxMg] always knew music was her heartbeat. But the road to living her purpose was far from straight. After pursuing a degree in Biochemistry, battling ADHD, depression, and the weight of Eurocentric beauty standards, she walked away from the life she thought she “should” live—and chose instead the one she was created for. In this intimate conversation, Nyla opens up about her extraordinary journey: ✨ Discovering music as both passion and self-therapy. ✨ Breaking free from masking, perfectionism, and self-doubt. ✨ Turning heartbreak into healing through her raw, diary-like second album. ✨ Reclaiming her natural beauty and identity after years of hiding behind wigs and societal pressure. ✨ Staying grounded and authentic in a music industry that often sells artists as products. For Nyla, music isn’t just sound—it’s survival, freedom, and a way to help others feel what they can’t always put into words. Her story is a reminder that living in your purpose requires courage, honesty, and the willingness to be seen. 🎧 Listen in and be inspired by how Nyla Tiara Love is transforming pain into powerful art—and proving that authenticity is the real key to success. I am committed to enhancing your podcast experience. Share your thoughts and insights with me by participating in a brief survey. Click the link below and let your voice be heard. SheCentre: The Female Podcast Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHMcAL04SsDopxdZlhiLls7dN209l533QzK6s5lBc0CIbG-g/viewform]

Joyce Nakato on Empowering Girls, Fighting Child Marriage & Building Equitable Communities

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2233152/open_sms] In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Joyce Nakato, a social worker and passionate advocate, as well as Team Leader at the Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum [https://uyahf.com/]. As Co-Chair of Girls Not Brides Uganda [https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/learning-resources/child-marriage-atlas/regions-and-countries/uganda/] and Chairperson of the Power to Youth Program, Joyce shares how her humble upbringing has shaped her fearless commitment to empowering young people, especially girls. From challenging gender roles as a student leader to leading national campaigns against child marriage, Joyce opens up about: Key Points: • How her upbringing—rooted in equality, hard work, and mentorship from her late mother—shaped her leadership. • Her rise to national advocacy roles impacting youth and adolescent health. • The fight against child marriage and harmful gender norms in Uganda. • Practical strategies for shifting cultural mindsets in communities. • The power of collaboration with government, NGOs, and community leaders. • The life-changing impact of helping girls return to school. • Why she believes living in purpose is a journey, not a destination. Whether you’re passionate about women’s rights, youth empowerment, community advocacy, or social change in Africa, Joyce’s story will inspire you to stay the course, embrace your journey, and use every opportunity to create lasting impact. 📌 Subscribe for more stories of women creating change. I am committed to enhancing your podcast experience. Share your thoughts and insights with me by participating in a brief survey. Click the link below and let your voice be heard. SheCentre: The Female Podcast Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHMcAL04SsDopxdZlhiLls7dN209l533QzK6s5lBc0CIbG-g/viewform]

Auma Rita: Battling the Mind, Healing the Nation – A Mental Health Advocate’s Brave Journey

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2233152/open_sms] In this powerful episode, we sit down with award-winning mental health advocate, lawyer, and author Auma Rita, founder of Heart to Heart Spaces [https://hearttoheartspaces.com/]. Rita vulnerably shares her deeply personal journey through mental illness—from diagnosis and suicide ideation to healing and hope. She opens up about being diagnosed with four extreme mental illnesses in 2019 and how that moment gave her the freedom to finally understand her internal battles. With raw honesty, Rita recounts her lowest point—planning to end her life after doing “enough” advocacy—and the promise she made to God during a self-funded marathon that saved her life. Now three years later, Rita has dedicated her life to mental health advocacy, providing subsidized therapy, organizing community outreaches, and challenging stigma through education. She’s passionate about changing the language around mental health, teaching emotional literacy to children, and reminding others that “every part of the body is allowed to fall sick—including the brain.” We also explore: * How Heart to Heart Spaces was born from a hospital admission * The self-stigma people face after diagnosis * Why mental health deserves the same urgency as cancer and diabetes * Her journey as a survivor of sexual assault * Her upcoming Mental Health Run in Kampala on September 7 * And why she believes: “There is always a price to pay for purpose.” Whether you’re on your own healing journey, supporting someone through mental illness, or passionate about mental health advocacy, Rita’s story will challenge, encourage, and inspire you. 🔗 Follow Auma Rita [https://www.instagram.com/healing_with_auma_rita?igsh=anpsaTRuemg0dmx5] 📚 Books: Dear Me and Dear Us 📲 Instagram: @hearttoheartspaces [https://www.instagram.com/hearttoheartspaces] 🏃🏾‍♀️ Learn more or support the upcoming Mental Health Run. 🎧 Subscribe, share, and leave a review to keep these stories going. Your support helps shine light on the conversations that matter. I am committed to enhancing your podcast experience. Share your thoughts and insights with me by participating in a brief survey. Click the link below and let your voice be heard. SheCentre: The Female Podcast Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHMcAL04SsDopxdZlhiLls7dN209l533QzK6s5lBc0CIbG-g/viewform]

Esteri Tebandeke on Women in Film, African Storytelling & Living with Purpose

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2233152/open_sms] Award-winning Ugandan filmmaker, actress, and storyteller Esteri Tebandeke [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esteri_Tebandeke?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafWft6-cHmHAQ8ySYG9tUXX6peYwxy6GHk5l6YI0Ul4E7e-Qv5Mt_9bdmpGpg_aem_JLJwzfsWJSbMKIHvdOIFcA] takes us on a journey from dancing on the stage of Uganda’s National Theatre to starring in international films like Queen of Katwe, proving that storytelling has always lived in her bones. In this heartfelt conversation, she shares how childhood dreams, shaped by a blended family and early exposure to African cinema, led her to discover the power of narrative and her purpose within it. Esteri is also the founder of Binti Film Festival—a pioneering platform that amplifies the voices of African women by showcasing their stories through the powerful medium of film, honoring their narratives with authenticity, depth, and cultural pride. In this powerful conversation, Esteri opens up about growing up in a blended family, discovering her passion for storytelling through African cinema, and navigating the challenges of a male-dominated industry. She reflects on the deeply personal impact of her short film Little Black Dress, her experience at international film festivals, and how a near-death experience from kidney failure reignited her purpose to tell stories that matter. Esteri shares insights on owning your voice, creating space for women, and using film to challenge gender norms and cultural silence. Whether you’re a creative, a dreamer, or someone trying to live more intentionally, this episode will inspire you to step boldly into your purpose and trust the stories within you. 👉 Topics Covered:  • Living intentionally and finding purpose  • Women in film and African storytelling  • Navigating health challenges and creative vision  • Starting a film festival and building community  • Why representation and truth in storytelling matter 🔗 Follow Esteri’s journey and learn more about the Binti Film Festival. [https://www.instagram.com/esteritebandeke/] I am committed to enhancing your podcast experience. Share your thoughts and insights with me by participating in a brief survey. Click the link below and let your voice be heard. SheCentre: The Female Podcast Survey [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHMcAL04SsDopxdZlhiLls7dN209l533QzK6s5lBc0CIbG-g/viewform]