The pandemic has caused immense stress on healthcare systems around the world. And nurses - predominantly women - have felt the impact. AWAGO has targeted these underserved heroes with free training in the mental wellness technique, Transcendental Meditation, and...
Newsroom
Lead the way Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala!
This is a BIG moment for African women. Okonjo-Iweala is the first woman and first African to take on the role of President of the World Trade Organization, an organization that regulates and facilitates international trade between nations. She is known for her...
Rona Mbabazi—Fulfilling Her Dream
Meet Rona Mbabazi, a girl with a dream! Rona joined Ideal Girls High School four years ago as one of AWAGO’s first scholarship students. Last year she successfully completed her Ordinary Level (O level) exams with very good grades, especially in science subjects. She...
Celebrating the New Year in Uganda with our TM Clubs
Holiday Festivities for Children! There is nothing sweeter than to see the faces of children light up with joy! The only thing that can top this is when we see mothers with a deep sense of relief and comfort knowing that their children are growing in happiness, that...
AWAGO’S “Education Hubs” for Continued Learning During COVID-19
In countries all around the world and in Uganda, the COVID-19 lockdown that began in March, 2020 resulted in school closings. What a challenging time for all, and especially for the children of our charitable partners, where AWAGO teaches TM to women and girls. Two of...
Celebrating Girls!!! International Day of the Girl Child, 2020
On this day, let us celebrate the power of the girl child. Let us honor her resiliency, her ability to stay strong in the face of adversity, her ability to remain centered and grounded in herself, her ability to draw on her inner reservoir of creativity, power and...
AWAGO — Supporting Girls’ Education
AWAGO proudly sponsors 82 girls for their education at Ideal Girls High School in Mbale, where they are boarding students. During the COVID-19 lockdown we have provided these girls who live in Kampala, with food, masks, soaps and other essential items. We have also...
Research Shows Transcendental Meditation Empowers Disadvantaged Ugandan Mothers
A study published in Health Care for Women International shows how the Transcendental Meditation technique can empower women's lives, using measures of self-efficacy, perceived stress, and mental and physical quality of life. The practice was shown to help single,...
AWAGO National Director—Meet Judith Nassali
Today, we want to introduce you to Judith Nassali, National Director of African Women and Girls Organization-Uganda, the TM women’s organization in Uganda, and her team of teachers.In Uganda, the challenges facing women are very great—75% of women live in...
A Young Filmmaker Documents the Transforming Experiences of Women in Uganda—And Finds Her Own Life Changing as a Result
Sometimes a single phone call can change the direction of your life. That happened to Alena Goldstein when she answered a call from her mother in the fall of 2012. In the call Alena’s mother, Leslee Goldstein, shared her exciting plans to conduct her PhD research in...
Why Angelique Kidjo Supports Transcendental Meditation for Underserved Children
Angelique Kidjo, the beloved Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter from Benin, has been called “Africa’s greatest living diva” by NPR and “the undisputed queen of African music” by The Daily Guardian. Renowned throughout the world for combining diverse musical...
Learning to Accept the Good and Forget the Guilt
When I met Gladys Kimtai, an orphan from Kenya who had recently finished sending herself through an American college on a track scholarship, I was immediately struck by her beauty, her poise and her humble nature. When I heard her story of transformation, I felt I had...
Kids Need Meditation Too: What Children Say About the Transcendental Meditation Technique
There was a time during second grade, when I didn’t want to go to school. Not because I was a poor student or didn’t like to study. I actually loved school. The problem was that we had just moved to a new neighborhood where two girls my age lived—only they made it...
24 Hours of Happiness
Occasionally a new great song comes around that captivates me. Pharrell William's 2013 song "Happy" is one of those. It is infectious and immediately makes you feel happy; as a result it has taken the world by storm. The song currently has over 595 million views on...
Educating Girls in Uganda
Uganda, like most countries in Africa, has experienced drought, famine, war, political instability, human rights violations, an AIDS epidemic, and extreme poverty. Providing higher education for Ugandan girls is especially critical, as research has shown that when...
Pregnancy and the Transcendental Meditation technique
After my delivery of twin daughters I was very committed to nursing them. Since newborns nurse round the clock, this meant my sleep was broken and interrupted for weeks, especially because of nursing two infants. It was my experience (and it is often reported as other...
Bringing Smiles to the Faces of Women in Uganda
Numerous studies have shown that the Transcendental Meditation technique is an effective way for women to manage stress, to develop a greater sense of fulfillment and inner peace, and improve overall quality of life. Stress can take a serious toll on both body and...
Educating the Self: First Things First
Self-improvement and empowerment organizations are playing a dominant role in redefining our goals and expanding our vision for living a life of fulfillment. Research is starting to track this shift; an interesting study reported in the New York Times describes an...