Kampala International University in Tanzania (KIUT) held a vibrant celebration for International Women’s Day (IWD) under the theme “Accelerate Action.” The event, which took place from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM, saw over 100 attendees gather at the university’s to celebrate and recognize women in different positions within KIUT community. The celebration kicked off with the live band accompaniment as participants marched from KIUT main entrance towards the open venue. Led by the Vice Chancellor, the march concluded with a dance as they were received by their male counterparts before heading for the red carpet photo-shoot.
Prof. Angwara Kiwara, Vice Chancellor of KIUT, took the stage to invite the guest of honor. He spoke of the commendable accomplishments of the guest of honor, her many positions she held over time including her 12 years of service that put the University of Rwanda on the map. He also acknowledged the organizing committee’s efforts in putting the event together and applauded the diversity of KIUT community. His words set the stage for the keynote speaker and guest of honour, Prof. Verediana Masanja.
Prof. Verediana, the first Tanzanian woman to acquire a doctorate in Mathematics, started her speech by sharing her inspiring journey that started in Tanzania as a young student, excellent in every way and the acceleration to became a force in her field as the mathematician. Among her accomplishments was pushing for women acceleration in academic journeys. This came as a result of a research that showed the reason for low scholarship uptake by women (women did not apply for fully funded scholarships to study in Europe). To change this, she devised a way to help women pursue higher education without sacrificing the goals to start or be with their family. Her contributions created an avenue for women to pursue academic excellence whilst being productive within their community and family (she initiated a pathway for funding joint programs that allows women to attain higher education with the choice to do so withing their region in Africa or by getting extra funding to take their partners and or house maid during their studies at a European institution).
The celebration also included the recognition of the “Super Women of 2025,” five remarkable women were honored for their outstanding achievements. Their standout performances varied from sports, electrical engineering, leadership, painting to academic acceleration. Additionally, the event featured a life journey by Ms. Selestine Faraja who started in sports, then worked part-time as part of KIUT cleaning staff and accelerated to staff member at the Finance Department. This was followed by a touching poem by Dr. Joan who leads the Directorate of Quality Assurance, and a captivating dance performance and short drama by KIUT Multi-talent groupfurther sharing the difficulty of balancing professional success with raising a family.
Every year, International Women’s Day serves as a reminder of the important role that women play in building a resilient community in every aspect of life. At KIUT, this annual event serves to not only celebrate but also affirm our commitment to supporting women at all levels in their professional and academic journeys.
