Kajubi empowering fellow women through mentorship

March 8 was International Women's Day under the theme: "Accelerate Action,” while emphasizing the agency for gender equity.  

Our article explores how Insurance Training College (ITC) deputy principal Sylvia Kajubi Mwebesa is empowering women through mentorship.

“She pays attention to detail and is not afraid to call you out on your mistakes. She will tell you what the mistakes are and still remain gracious and friendly,” Training College assistant spokesperson Cynthia Achieng says.

Achieng is one among hundreds of young and old women Kajubi has mentored.

Agnes Mahoro Mbasa, a professional at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) says mentorship is where a person looks up to and engages to learn from a seasoned, more experienced and more knowledgeable/skilled person.

This relation, according to Mbasa is for the mentee to learn best practices from the mentor’s experience to improve and grow in their career, and personal development in diverse areas such as finances, parenting, social skills, and other areas of interest.

Since Kajubi was recruited at ITC in 2015, she has embraced every opportunity that presents itself to mentor fellow women who want to embrace insurance. She participates in career talks both at secondary school and university level where she encourages particularly young ladies to join the insurance sector.  

Kajubi with fellow women celebrating Women In Insurance at 5 years of existence on February 20, 2025, at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.

Women have not embraced insurance because they fear risk. Insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to protect against the risk of a contingent or uncertain loss.

“I keep urging fellow women to embrace insurance, noting that every little money they get, and saving it through insurance gives them peace of mind about the future of their children’s education.  In the event that they are not available or their father,  at least insurance will take care of the school fees,” Kajubi notes.

In addition, Kajubi uses her community, church or investment groups, to engage and explain to women that it is not about how much you have, but insurance should be looked at as a mechanism through life insurance policies, to save and also have some form of protection for the future.

Kajubi also belongs to the Mothers Union of St Yusuf Lugalama Church of Uganda, Ntinda in Kampala city where when the opportunity arises, she educates women and young girls on insurance and its benefits.

Plans

Kajubi has a diploma in insurance and expects to start pursuing an advanced diploma in insurance. 

“I want to see myself as a woman of influence within the insurance sector,” she notes. She explains that she is a member of the Women In Insurance (WIN) group which was started in the sector purposely for the women to support each other into positions of influence at top leadership through mentorship.

Worth noting, Kajubi is the first female deputy principal of the college and the only woman who sits on the executive committee among seven men.

In the next five years, Kajubi wants to influence more women representation in the boardroom at top management and also within the insurance sector.

Who is Kajubi?

Kajubi was born in 1976 and is the firstborn of five children to Zadok Mwebesa and Suzanne Mwebesa from Kabale district.

She has been married for 23 years to Mike Kajubi, an IT engineer, and together, they have five children. During, their free time, Sylvia and her husband practice farming. Their focus is on growing coffee and matooke/bananas for their retirement investment.

The Deputy Principal of the Insurance Training College Sylvia Kajubi attending graduation.

Couple goals

Considering that all the children are grown and in boarding school, Kajubi and her husband have set couple goals, and one of them is to walk 10 kilometers twice a week. She also exercises every Tuesday and Thursday at office through the wellness program provided by her employer at the workplace.

Schools attended

Kajubi attended Nakasero primary school and later joined Makerere College School for both ordinary and advanced secondary education. Later, Kajubi enrolled at Makerere University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Land Surveying and at the Uganda Management Institute for a master's degree in Human Resource Management.

Upon graduating in 1999, Kajubi worked for 15 years at the Uganda Christian University before being employed at the Insurance Training College of Uganda as the head of examinations, then later got promoted to academic registrar, and after being appointed as the Deputy Principal, a position she has held until to date.

What others say

Dr Martha Kyoshaba the Academic Registrar at Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST)

"For twelve years I worked with Kajubi at Uganda Christian University, I witnessed her unwavering dedication firsthand. She's a leader who demands excellence, meticulously ensuring every task is completed flawlessly.

Oliver Naggai the Examinations Officer (ITC)

"Working with Sylvia for five years right from my days as an intern to my current role, has been an invaluable experience. She's a leader who sets high standards, and while she's certainly strict, she's equally dedicated to teaching and guiding you to meet those expectations. I deeply admire her professionalism and unwavering commitment to her work.

Ruth Walusimbi a school OG and friend for 35 years

"Even back in our days, Kajubi was a natural leader. She was always intentional about her work, consistently pushing herself and encouraging those around her to see the bigger picture, especially when things got tough. Her leadership in Africa Hall at Makerere University further solidified this.

No matter the challenge, Kajubi always found a solution. She was a constant source of encouragement, always on top of her game. She worked hard, never made excuses, and consistently delivered results, whether it was a school assignment or a leadership role. Her drive and dedication were evident even then."