Last week, on Friday, I had the incredible honor of attending a one of a kind event, the launch of Femme Forte’s virtual museum.
The timely event was held on March 7 at the Nsambya Gardens, a few hours away from International Women’s Day., which happens to fall on March 8th every year.
What particularly struck me about the museum is its unique focus on preserving the stories and honoring the legacies of feminist icons and sheroes across Africa. These have in one way or the other paved way for more females and women, as the strive for an equitable society continues.
Unlike other influential lists like the Forbes Top 40 Under 40, TIME 100, etc which usually feature a variety of individuals from the different disciplines, both male and female, the idea of the Femme Forte virtual museum was first conceived as a data bank of African feminist icons and their work. This has since evolved into a virtual museum, providing an interactive, engaging, and immersive experience, in form of a digital archive.
The robust innovation also serves as Femme Forte’s universal contribution to the feminist movement for it is a digital monument to the legacies of African feminists, ensuring their contributions are preserved, celebrated, and serve as a catalyst for future generations of changemakers.
That’s the energy! A full celebration of feminist history, resilience, and power.#FemmeForteMuseum#EchoesofHer pic.twitter.com/yjLaSf3pDz
— Femme Forte Uganda (@FemmeForteUg) March 7, 2025
The launch of the Femme Forte Virtual Museum launch was graced by friends, partners and staff of Femme Forte, the media, influential women, and some of the honorees who are profiled on their African Feminists museum which is by the way accessible here.
Can’t be me writing about an event, and not dig into a little more detail. Well, the event kicked off (nearly wrote “kack off”. Munaye the Gen-Z couldn’t help it with the slang), with the invited guests thronging the venue. Yes, the event was by strictly “invite only”. Being that I am “not an everyday person” (sili munu wa bulijjo), I was on the guest list. Upon arrival, there were fruits (mangoes, watermelons, pineapples, and sugarcane) served at various points. The ladies of Femme Forte really outdid themselves with this one, in every sense of it. So, upon arrival, one would help but notice the gallery of the incredible ladies as displayed on the walls throughout the venue’s hall’s walls. The ushers were also kind enough to offer shade by holding an umbrella for the ladies to protect them from the scorching sun.
While at the launch, attendees got to experience the Museum physically, being able to explore all three facets, that included; feminism from the present, the past and the future. This was in form of multimedia forms such as photo exhibitions, use of props and audio.
The event host emcee for the day was Crystal Newman, ohnhow she understood the assignment with easing attendees into the mood of the event, with her excellent selection of words, and jokes. There was also key speeches from Penelope Sanyu (the Chief Steward at Femme Forte), Hon. Rhoda Kalema (a trailblazer in Uganda’s women’s rights movement and one of Uganda’s first female parliamentarians), Ugandan human rights lawyer and Philanthropist adviser Jackie Asiimwe–Mwesige, and Mercie Odu, the organization’s board chair.
To all the incredible women who have held Femme Forte through the years and those who showed up for us yesterday—thank you!
— Femme Forte Uganda (@FemmeForteUg) March 8, 2025
Your presence, your energy, and your unwavering support remind us why we do this work. Here’s to the power of sisterhood and the strength we build… pic.twitter.com/K1Oe30oeBO
Onto a lighter note, Maritza (Mama KLA) showcased her word prowess by performing a spoken word piece on Feminism, which left many attendees in awe of her gift. This launch couldn’t have been complete without some music. Attendees were treated to band music as accompanied with the sweet sounds of Julius Sese and Tonya Michelle Ahenda. Whitney Houston’s 1987 classic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” heightened the good vibes at the event once Julius and Tonya sang it, for it got many people on their feet not just dancing to it, but singing along word for word, including yours truly.
The Femme Forte Museum launch was wrapped with a cake cutting ceremony, and merry making to cocktails and music by DJ Anslem. The decks maestro had the attendees on their dancing feet from the moment he commenced his set, till late, when the event came to a close.
Virtually, the Femme Forte Museum offers an interactive interface where one can seamless explore the material on the website. The Virtual Museum of African Feminists features an array of African feminist icons who have shaped feminist discourse and activism across the African continent. These have been from; Botany, Academia, Law & Legal Advocacy, Media & Journalism etc. Among the icons featured on there is Dr. Winnie Byanyima, Linda Butare, Chimamanda Adichie, Evelyn Zalwango, Dr. Maggie Kigozi, among others.
Essentially directly translating to “Strong Woman” in French, aligning with “Femme Forte” ‘s mission to uplift women, the feminist organization was started with a sole purpose of championing body rights and integrity, economic inclusion, and transformative feminist leadership in Uganda. The organization has been able to implement this through advocacy, education, and innovation. To-date, Femme Forte strengthens intergenerational pathways between young and older feminists who aspire to contribute meaningfully to the broader women’s movement in Uganda and beyond.
