She Walks: Purposeful Strides, Scaling Hills in Heels—and Why Women’s Progress Matters for Africa’s Future This International Women’s Day, the message is clear: progress for women must move beyond celebration to real, sustained opportunity. Across Uganda and the wider African continent, women are starting businesses, leading organisations, shaping culture, and driving economic activity—yet many still face barriers to financing, visibility, and leadership. Initiatives like She Walks by Johnnie Walker seek to change that narrative by spotlighting women who continue to push forward despite the odds, proving that when women keep walking, they do not walk alone—they open pathways for others and accelerate progress for entire communities and economies.

By Christine Kyokunda

East Africa, Africa and the world’s growth story cannot be told without women.

They are in our markets and boardrooms, in our studios and sports fields, in classrooms, clinics, farms and fintech start-ups. They are building businesses, leading communities, shaping culture, and raising the next generation. And yet, for many, the road to opportunity remains steeper than it should be.

At Johnnie Walker, our enduring mantra is simple: Keep Walking. It is rooted in progress, the belief that forward movement, however small and incremental, is what shapes transformation. Since 2023, through our She Walks platform, we have intentionally spotlighted women across East Africa, Africa who embody that spirit: women who have scaled hills in heels and kept walking in their respective fields.

The Opportunity Gap: Why Women’s Economic Progress Matters

The statistics remind us why this matters.

Women make up just over half of Uganda’s population (about 51%), according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), and they represent a significant portion of the country’s entrepreneurial activity. Uganda consistently ranks among the top countries globally for women starting businesses. Yet a large percentage of these enterprises! operate in the informal sector, limiting access to structured financing, markets, and long-term scale. Studies show that more than 80% of women-owned businesses in Uganda are microenterprises, often operating with fewer than five employees.

Access to capital remains one of the most persistent barriers. The African Development Bank estimates that women-led small and medium-sized enterprises across Africa face a financing gap of more than $40 billion. That gap is not just an economic statistic; it is the difference between survival and scale, between potential and prosperity.

Globally, advancing women’s equality is not merely a social issue; it is an economic imperative. Research by McKinsey & Company has shown that closing gender gaps in labour force participation and leadership could add up to $12 trillion to global GDP. For a fast-growing economy like Uganda, enabling women to move from participation to power is one of the clearest pathways to sustainable growth.

This is precisely why She Walks exists. It is more than a campaign. It is a platform designed to amplify the stories of women who are not waiting for ideal conditions to pursue ambition. From leaders in sport and business to pioneers in the creative and corporate sectors, She Walks shines a spotlight on women who redefine what leadership looks like in Uganda today.

Because representation does more than inspire, it normalises possibility.

When a young woman sees someone who looks like her chairing a board meeting, leading a golf tournament, launching a fashion label, or managing a multinational brand, ambition becomes tangible. The road becomes visible. The walk feels possible.

Beyond Celebration: Building Ecosystems That Help Women Thrive

But storytelling alone is not enough. If we are deliberate about progress, we must move beyond celebration into commitment. As brands and private-sector players, our responsibility is not just to applaud women in March, but to invest in ecosystems that support them year-round.

For Johnnie Walker, that commitment is grounded in three principles.

First: visibility. Through She Walks, we use our platforms to spotlight women whose journeys deserve amplification, not as exceptions, but as examples of what is possible.

Second: access. Whether through partnerships, experiential platforms, or curated networks, we create spaces where women can connect, collaborate and expand their reach.

Third: legacy. Keep Walking is about sustained progress. It challenges us to build initiatives that outlive moments and contribute meaningfully to long-term inclusion.

When women progress, communities progress. When communities progress, economies accelerate.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women who have kept walking through and scaling Hills in Heels. We celebrate the founder who started with a single client and now employs ten.

The executive who mentors quietly behind the scenes, the creative who turned passion into profit, the athlete who competes on global stages, the bartender crafting experiences in a glass, the young professional negotiating her worth in rooms where she is often the only woman. Each step forward matters.

So, whether you walk in heels, sneakers or barefoot, on uncertain ground, Keep Walking.

Christine Kyokunda is the Brand Manager – Johnnie Walker East Africa