Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Desange Kuenihira. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Desange, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

As a young girl, Desange Kuenihira was told repeatedly that she was meaningless. An arranged marriage and motherhood before twenty—guaranteeing a life in poverty—were all she should expect. But Desange knew she had more inside her and that education was the key to unlocking her potential.

In unDEfeated Woman, Desange Kuenihira takes us on the challenging journey of her childhood. She recalls fleeing with her siblings from the civil war raging in Congo and the daily struggle of life in a refugee camp in Uganda, where she suffered many forms of abuse. She relates her journey to America, the culture clash of living with American foster families, and her quest for education and the ability to control her own life. Now a college graduate and determined to pay kindness forward, Desange has launched UnDEfeated, a nonprofit that empowers women and girls in Uganda.

Desange’s inspirational story shows us all how we can overcome any odds through education, determined perseverance, and the kindness of caring people.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

With the increase of poverty in Uganda, single parents, especially women, struggle to make ends meet. You’ll often find women facing more hardship as men abandon their families, leaving them to support themselves and their children with very little. To make matters worse, some girls are forced into child marriage which perpetuates the same poverty cycle.

At the age of two, Desange and her six siblings moved to a refugee camp in Uganda. In that camp, she had to fight for the life she wanted. Her only potential worth was the dowry a much older man would pay to marry her as a pre-teen. Repeatedly, friends were taken and forced to marry strangers, have their children, and essentially serve as their slaves. Typically, the marriages wouldn’t last long, and soon the women returned to parents with children, a ruined reputation, and no options for their futures.

Desange was one of the lucky ones. She was given an opportunity to have a different future when she came to the United States. But the girls left behind were and are always in her heart and on her mind. She founded unDEfeated for her friends and the countless young women in Uganda who don’t have someone valuing their worth. Having someone who believed in her potential gave her an incredible life where she was able to determine her own future. UnDEfeated serves to do the same for them.

UnDEfeated believes education is the key to success and works to further educational endeavors for underprivileged youth and support single mothers in operating their businesses. Their goal is to help Uganda move past being a poor country with an emerging economy and significant educational disparity between men and women.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

DESANGE KUENIHIRA is the CEO and founder of unDEfeated, a non-profit organization that provides education for underprivileged youth and women with extreme financial hardship in Uganda. The foundation supports single mothers and youth in developing entrepreneurial skills so that they can start successful businesses to support their families. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Desange lived in Uganda for twelve years as a refugee before moving to the U.S. and becoming a U.S. citizen. She holds a Bachelor of Science in criminology and a Bachelor of Science in health, society, and policy, with a minor in entrepreneurship and pre-business from the University of Utah.
Desange was named the Miss Democratic Republic of Congo in the 2019 Miss Africa Utah pageant and Miss Juneteenth in 2018 and continues to represent her home country in speeches and community activities. As a young girl, Desange Kuenihira was told repeatedly that she was meaningless. An arranged marriage and motherhood before twenty—guaranteeing a life in poverty—were all she should expect. But Desange knew she had more inside her and that education was the key to unlocking her potential.

In my book, unDEfeated Woman, Desange Kuenihira takes us on the challenging journey of her childhood. She recalls fleeing with her siblings from the civil war raging in Congo and the daily struggle of life in a refugee camp in Uganda, where she suffered many forms of abuse. She relates her journey to America, the culture clash of living with American foster families, and her quest for education and the ability to control her own life. Now a college graduate and determined to pay kindness forward, Desange has launched UnDEfeated, a nonprofit that empowers women and girls in Uganda.

Desange’s inspirational story shows us all how we can overcome any odds through education, determined perseverance, and the kindness of caring people.

Any advice for managing a team?

A good team must have trust because it encourages high-performing, adventurous workers. If you want to raise the morale of your team. In a poisonous workplace, trust—or lack of them—can swiftly percolate. Two guaranteed ways to break trust are micromanagement and disrespect for a balanced life outside of work, which has been shown to lower performance, job satisfaction, and loyalty. A company-wide dedication to respect will be reflected in all areas of the business. Trust is having faith in the skills of another individual. Threats, charges, and derogatory comments all take you down a rabbit hole from which it is challenging to escape. If someone makes a mistake or could use additional help, take the chance to learn from it and continue to be helpful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wikicharities.org/nonprofit/USA/undefeated
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/undefeated_ug/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desange.kuenihira.9
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/73781024/admin/feed/posts/
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desange-kuenihira-undefeated/