Lilian Nakigozi grew up in Katanga, one of Uganda’s poorest slums, where hunger was a harsh reality. At just eight, she lost her three-year-old sister to starvation—a tragedy that fueled her mission to fight hunger and poverty.

Despite earning a Business Administration degree, she saw education alone wasn’t enough for marginalized women still trapped by hunger and lack of resources. Determined to create change, she taught herself sustainable farming techniques like vertical farming and hydroponics, enabling landless urban communities to grow food in small spaces.

In 2023, she founded Women Smiles Uganda to empower women, teenage mothers, youth, and persons with disabilities by providing skills and tools for sustainable farming, ensuring food security and financial independence.

“No child should starve. No woman should beg to feed her family.”