On International Women’s Day, we often hear the word “empowerment.” It sounds strong and inspiring. However, it can also feel abstract—something that belongs more in speeches than in real life.
At U4C, empowerment is not a slogan. Instead, we see it in real places: in rural Bolivia, in the slums of Kisumu, and in Aboriginal communities in Argentina. In reality, it is not glamorous, and it is rarely easy. Rather, empowerment is built slowly, often in the middle of hardship.
And leadership? In practice, it does not always look like a title or a stage. Often, it looks like a woman standing up for the first time and believing in her own voice.
Across our programs, we are constantly reminded that behind every number there is a person. More importantly, each number represents a story of struggle, resilience, and hope.
Today, therefore, I want to share what that leadership really looks like in practice.
Telma – Argentina
Telma Luzco is from Jujuy, Argentina. She is the daughter of an Atacameña woman, rooted in ancestral wisdom and territory. Her story is not a straight line. Instead, it includes family tensions, health struggles, legal challenges, and the pressure of carrying responsibility at a young age.
She says:
“My resilience was not born in comfort; it was built in the moments I could barely walk—and still chose to continue.”
That sentence alone explains so much.
Telma navigated family conflict over land and caregiving. At the same time, she faced serious health challenges, including a herniated disc that left her barely able to walk for months. Despite this, she continued. Eventually, she became the only daughter in her family to graduate from university.
Later, she built a project called Turismo Vivencial to revalue her culture and offer visitors meaningful learning experiences from her territory.
Through training and mentorship, she gained tools in leadership, emotional development, marketing, costs, and business planning. Even more importantly, her confidence grew. She began to believe that her culture matters and that her voice matters.
Leadership, in her case, is not just running a business. Rather, it means preserving culture, teaching others, and choosing to continue when quitting would be understandable.
Dorcas – Kenya
In Kisumu, Kenya, leadership looks different. Yet, it carries the same strength.
Dorcas was born in the slums of Kisumu and grew up surrounded by hardship and violence. Later, as a police officer, she faced discrimination. When she learned she was living with HIV, stigma added another layer of weight.
After being shot in the line of duty and unable to return to work, she fell into deep depression.
However, that is not where her story ends.
Through the Elijah Jr. & Leah Auma Women Empowerment Program—implemented by U4C and Women Arise for Positive Change—Dorcas began rebuilding her life. First, she learned to design and create purses. Then, she started training other women. Eventually, she became a peer leader within Self-Help Groups.
Her own words say it best:
“I can see the transformation when I see myself in the mirror every morning. As I was taught, I can now see the beauty within me, and I believe in myself more than ever.”
That is leadership.
It is not about power over others. Instead, it is about regaining power over your own life. It means moving from stigma to dignity, from isolation to community, and from silence to voice.
Today, Dorcas continues to grow her business and support other women, even beyond borders. What began as survival has become mentorship. What began as healing has become leadership.
Marina – Bolivia
In Bolivia, leadership sometimes starts in the mines.
Marina Soliz grew up as the daughter of miners. Orphaned at a young age, she was surrounded by hardship. Life in rural mining communities is not easy. In fact, poverty, isolation, and limited opportunities affect women deeply.
Marina later participated in a weaving training program through U4C. At first, it was simply a chance to learn a skill. Soon, however, it became something much more.
She discovered her talent. As a result, she began teaching other women and eventually formed a supportive group that became a beacon of hope in El Alto.
She says:
“I grew up in the mines—life was hard, and I learned to survive early. U4C gave me an opportunity I never thought I’d have. Now I stand as proof that when a woman is supported, she can rise and bring others with her.”
That last part stays with me: she can rise and bring others with her.
This is what leadership looks like in practice. It multiplies. It spreads. It creates local economies, builds literacy, improves health access, and changes what young girls believe is possible.
What These Voices Teach Us
Telma, Dorcas, and Marina come from three different countries and three very different realities. Yet, the pattern is clear.
When women are supported—not just with funding, but also with trust, mentorship, education, and community—something shifts.
They begin to see themselves differently.
And ultimately, when a woman begins to see herself differently, everything changes.
Research consistently shows that when women participate equally in the workforce, economies grow. Similarly, when women control resources, children thrive. In addition, communities that empower women often see lower levels of violence.
However, beyond the data, we see a deeper human truth.
Leadership begins inside.
It begins with inner strength, dignity, and the experience of being heard.
At U4C, we believe women are not recipients of charity. Instead, they are leaders, entrepreneurs, peacebuilders, mothers, teachers, and innovators. In other words, they are at the heart of change.
On this International Women’s Day, we do not celebrate perfection. Rather, we celebrate courage. We celebrate the choice to continue.
We celebrate women who build businesses in remote territories, organize savings groups in slums, and teach literacy in mining towns.
Most importantly, we celebrate women who once doubted themselves and now lead others.
These are the voices of change.
And when we truly listen, we understand that empowerment is not an abstract word. It is a lived experience. It is resilience in motion. It is leadership in practice.
Daniel Murillo
Community Development Coordinator, U4C
