United Women for Change
United Women for Change is a scholarship and mentoring initiative that supports young women from disadvantaged and conflict-affected backgrounds to access a UWC Atlantic education. The programme combines financial support with personal guidance, pairing students with female mentors from our alumni and parent community who help them navigate challenges, explore opportunities and prepare for their futures.
“Having a mentor has given me real insights into what matters beyond academics such as advice on how to build skills, make connections, and set myself up for success. Understanding parts of how the professional world actually works has been invaluable.” – Oyunbolor (Oyuka), Mongolia.
Scholarships and donors:
Support from our donor community funds places at UWC Atlantic and is increasingly sustained through regular giving. Network members see their impact directly, supporting students while also contributing time and expertise through workshops and events.
Mentoring programme:
• In 2024–2025, we launched the programme with 10 mentees and 7 mentors.
• For 2025–2026, the programme grew to include 17 mentees and 14 mentors.
• Following strong feedback, mentoring has now been extended from one to two years to better support students throughout their time at UWC Atlantic.
Impact on students:
• Students gained confidence to speak up in councils, on stage, and in workshops.
• Mentees described feeling “seen and valued” by alumni who dedicated time to their growth.
• Guidance ranged from navigating academic and career decisions to nurturing creativity and learning how to build professional networks.
• Takeaways included the importance of reflection, adaptability, patience in achieving goals and building confidence by taking action.
Community engagement:
The annual United Women for Change Forum in March 2024 brought donors, alumni, and students together to discuss how to connect passion with profession. Students valued the chance to network and learn directly from experienced women leaders and many expressed a desire to become mentors themselves in future.
United Women for Change is strengthening the student experience while building a growing donor network committed to equity in education. The programme demonstrates the long-term impact of combining financial support with mentorship.
“When I first started, I was so shy, but now I’ve grown into a confident young woman willing to challenge myself in ways I never thought possible.” – Denise, Namibia.
Events
