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Mwijuka Jesca

Uganda

JESCA PIC 2

Mwijuka Jesca is the founder and President of Workers in Informal Economy Network Uganda (WIENU). She is based in Mbarara City, South Western Uganda, in East Africa and she is a business person in the informal work sector. She spoke about how and why created WIENU, and the importance of worker education:

How has your background shaped what you do? Can you please tell us how your past has contributed to where you are now?

I am an informal worker – I started as a street vendor and later joined the market and become a market vendor. Currently, I do business in the market.

I became Secretary of the Wakasanike Market, a market we established ourselves, in 2009. In the same year, I joined the Uganda Markets and Allied Employees Union (UMAEU) as a clerk while serving as Market Secretary. In 2011, I was appointed Acting Deputy General Secretary of the Union, and in 2017 I was elected Deputy General Secretary.

In 2018, I was elected as the representative of informal economy workers to the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) and also became Workers’ Councillor for Mbarara District. In 2021, I was elected Workers’ Councillor for Mbarara City.

In April 2023, I was elected as a Council Member of StreetNet International. In August 2023, I received a scholarship from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Global and SASK to study at the Global Labour University at University of the Witwatersrand, where I completed the Engage Course in Global Labour Governance.

In November 2023, I was elected Deputy Chairperson for General Duties (Women) at NOTU, and in December 2023, I was elected National Treasurer of Uganda Markets and Allied Employees Union (UMAEU).

Was there a particular moment or experience that inspired you to become an organiser and leader? 

 Yes, the experience that inspired me to become an organiser and leader began when we were evicted from the street where we worked. We organised ourselves and established a market, where I served as Secretary, but the market was later demolished and we faced a false court case. These challenges strengthened my commitment to leadership and mobilisation. Together, we organised workers, engaged with local government offices and the President’s Advisor on Workers, and successfully secured permission to rebuild and return to our market.

Can you tell us what WIENU does?

  • Advocates for rights and welfare for informal workers.
  • Promotes gender equality and youth empowerment.
  • Builds workers’ capacity and skills through training, education and livelihood development programmes.
  • Improves working conditions, health and safety for informal workers.
  • Collaborates with government local authorities and development partners to create sustainable livelihoods and economic opportunities for informal workers.

How did your journey lead you to form WIENU?

After being elected to represent workers in the informal economy for NOTU in 2018, I saw a gap in the unity of workers, as well insufficient representation where their voices remained unheard by formal unions. This became a challenge for me to represent informal workers and a vision came to me to start up a network of informal workers. The aim was to unite them and sufficiently represent them while creating solutions to their challenges.

As a woman leader, what challenges have you encountered, and how have you overcome them? 

 The biggest challenges are:

(a) Being underrated by male leaders .

(b) Jealousy by women, who can try to bring you down.

(c) As a woman leader who is a mother and wife, it’s very challenging to balance leadership time and family time. Leadership has its demands, and at the same time your children and husband need your attention. We all have only 24 hours a day, no extension.

It is really difficult to have challenges at work and at home – yet mine is a voluntary leadership that has no salary but needs sacrifice.

The untold story: I lost my first marriage at a young age because of my leadership position; society started blaming and judging me for failing to keep a husband. What happened? I couldn’t get enough time to attend to him which he took as disrespect; we failed to agree and parted ways

To overcome these challenges you need communication and trust. I got another, understanding, husband by the grace of God.

Leadership is a calling that cannot be ignored. I have to remain focused on performing my duties, and creating good communication with my colleagues and my family.

How do you work with IFWEA – what is the relationship, and what are the advantages?

We have a good relationship with IFWEA; I myself was trained by IFWEA through the ILO as an Online Educator, and WIENU is an affiliate of IFWEA. We have benefited a lot from IFWEA – through the online education the organisation has provided for our members, those who have participated are sharp when it comes to leadership duties and approaching authorities to defend their rights.

What role does worker education play in building worker power?

  • Awareness of policies and laws (knowledge is power).
  • Building confidence .
  • Building the bargaining and negotiating skills of workers.
  • During education programmes, workers feel a sense of belonging and a bond with fellow workers while sharing ideas.
  • Workers build capacity for defending their rights in front of authorities

What are some of the achievements you are most proud of?

  • Our laundry bar soap project, which teaches skills to youth and women and even generates them an income.
  • Motivating for a contributory medical insurance that has opened access to medical care insurance at a low cost.
  • Access to day care centres for women working in markets with children.

I have been recognised with different awards, including:

  • Makere University of Business School for my leadership in the informal economy.
  • Mbarara City Council for recognising the work I have done in the informal economy and the community.
  • Diamond Jubilee medal by the President of the Republic of Uganda for the work I am doing for workers, specifically those in the informal economy.