How has your entrepreneurship impacted communities so far?

One impactful story is about Joyce, who is one of our managers at She for She in Uganda. Despite lacking formal education, her natural leadership stood out. Over the period of us working together, I promoted her, doubled her salary, and supported her pursuit of education. Now, both she and her daughter are graduating school at the same time.

I remember when she came in, I could see something in her, but she was not educated at all and at the time we had a manager that was educated, who had a master’s degree but she couldn’t connect with our colleagues whereby Joyce had the ability to encourage the workers. I remember sitting her down and telling her that I want her to become a manager and then that we were going to double her salary and she cried. I'm following her journey of being our manager and I remember taking her to the Red Cross to have meetings with founders and seeing her grow. Right now she's going to graduate from primary school and her daughter is graduating high school.

Give her that education and for her to be able to send her child to school and now they're going to graduate at the same time. That is the biggest impact I can have for her. I think that work has so many impacts, but for me empowering other women and making sure that you pay people their salary, but you don't know how it's changing their life.

And I think we should be more mindful of not just hiring people, but also of the fact that one day when they leave us, you want them to leave you with so much that you can be proud of who they become by being around you. That’s the real impact—helping others grow and giving them opportunities they never imagined.

Your journey spans many fields. Which role do you prioritise?

I’d describe myself as an entrepreneur, especially a social media entrepreneur. Social media has allowed me to define myself and my business, reaching people I wouldn’t have otherwise. I avoid fixed titles since I believe in evolving — I might be a writer or chef in two years. For now, I’m an entrepreneur who turns ideas into action, often launching them on Instagram.

Did you set specific goals this year for your initiatives?

This year, I aim to provide pads to 3,000 more girls. Privately, I also want to rebuild my savings after buying an apartment and learning to improve my focus. Focusing is challenging, especially in our social media-driven world, but I’m working on it by using to-do lists for the next day that I write down before bed and learning from TED Talks.

How did you come up with the name "Girls Will Be Girls"?

It’s a play on “boys will be boys,” challenging the idea that the freedom to act how you want is only for boys. When we’re young, no one defines us yet—we’re just kids doing what we love, whether it’s football or mountain biking. But over time, we get told what girls should or shouldn’t do. I wanted to reclaim that, reminding people that girls can have fun and be free too. It’s about breaking the idea that only boys get to push boundaries.

You mentioned how important your friendships are. Have they always supported you in your journey?

I’m lucky. I have a best friend, Tina, who’s never said “no” to my dreams. Even when we had no idea what we were doing, she always encouraged me. It’s crucial to have friends who lift you up, not tear you down. My friends are clapping for me, but at times they would also challenge me. They’d ask “have you looked at it in this way? Or have you seen it in that way? Oh, I know a girl in another country doing something similar.” I’d much rather have such feedback than hearing “no, no, no, don't do that.”

I just really love being around women who empower me and who see me in spaces I perhaps don't yet see myself. Women who mention you in rooms you’re not in are so valuable. I’m very picky about who I keep close now. I surround myself with people who challenge me, teach me, and inspire me, rather than just agreeing with everything. It’s about having friends who push you to grow, who see potential in you even when you don’t.

How have you built an audience, especially in spaces that can be difficult to break into?

I’d been writing about racism for 10 years before George Floyd’s death. After that, being vocal about these issues suddenly became more visible. Before, I was mostly writing articles and appearing on TV, but after his death, I started getting more brand deals and recognition. Still, it’s a challenge with social media shadowbans. I’ve realised that real connection happens more in person. You can make people feel something deeper face-to-face, which builds stronger communities than what’s possible through a screen.

Balancing your activism and personal life must be difficult. How do you stay motivated?

Being an entrepreneur means you’re never really off. I’ve learned that if I burn out, nothing gets done. I keep a checklist for opportunities: will I learn something, will it pay me, and will I grow from it? But the moments that truly keep me going are when I feel like I’ve made a real impact. Once after a panel talk I did during Citizens Sessions, a young Ugandan man told me it was the first time he’d seen a Ugandan woman like him speaking on stage. Moments like that remind me why I do this. I felt like crying. I am so inspired because this was the first time in my life a situation like this happened. He was 27 and I knew at that moment that he's not going to be the same. I knew that his dreams had changed. And just because of that, I’m going to spaces where I know that I’m really giving something and also motivating others.

Do you feel pressure to always be an example?

I try not to put pressure on myself to always be an activist. Sometimes, I just want to be a woman enjoying life. But society often politicizes everything I do. It’s hard to just be yourself without people expecting you to comment on every issue. I’ve learned to set boundaries, deciding when and what I want to speak about.

How do you handle criticism when you don’t speak out on certain topics?

People can be demanding—if you speak out, you’re criticized; if you don’t, you’re criticized. I’ve learned to ignore those messages and share what I feel is right. My friend once told me, that just because something is important to you doesn’t mean it’s someone else’s top priority. Everyone has their struggles, and we need more empathy online and in person.

Looking at the journey so far, you've done so much. If you were to say, what are you the most proud of?

Oh my God. Now you're going to make me cry. I have a niece. Her name is Maria and she follows me on Instagram, and comments on all my things. And when she says to me “I'm so proud of you. I just want to be just like you.” It's not because she's my niece, it's because of me. Growing up in Denmark, I did not have “me” to see as a representation. So her having me means there's so many other girls who look like me and who have “me”. That’s what I’m most proud of, and that's enough.

What advice would you give young women looking to make a difference?

The most beautiful thing you can do is to become everything you dream of. Never dim your light. Take up space and strive to be the best version of yourself every day.