Finding Her Voice

Rose Mbambu Kalume’s Journey from Student to Leader

Two years into her role as Editor-in-Chief of UCBC’s radio and television station, Rose Mbambu Kalume knows the power of a voice. As a journalist, she helps shape the stories that reach communities across the region, a role she may never have pursued without the confidence and leadership skills she developed at UCBC.

When Rose arrived at UCBC in 2019, she says she lacked self-confidence. She underestimated herself and struggled to see her own potential. Her experience at the university began to change that.

One lesson resonated with Rose and stayed with her throughout her time at the university. It was one of the school’s annual preaching themes: “Ebenezer – A reason to celebrate and hope for a better future.” In a region facing conflict and political instability, Rose found herself returning to that message time and time again.

“It taught us that we always have a reason to celebrate God’s grace and hope for a brighter tomorrow,” Rose says.

At UCBC, Rose also learned that transformation happens in community. She learned to recognize and work with both the strengths and weaknesses of the people around her. In doing so, she began to recognize her own strengths. 

When the opportunity came to run for Vice President of the UCBC student committee, Rose stepped forward. She had never imagined taking on such a role, but with encouragement and mentorship, she excelled. Not only was her leadership team positively evaluated, but the experience also changed how she saw herself.

Today, she approaches leadership differently.

“I no longer hesitate to take risks,” she says. “I feel ready to accept leadership roles and make decisions knowing that I have the potential to succeed.”

That confidence now informs her work at UCBC’s radio and television station. It also shapes her vision for the future.

As a journalist and a woman working in leadership, Rose encourages other women to recognize their own ability to contribute. Development and security, she believes, cannot happen without them.

Rose hopes UCBC will continue expanding its reach to more people in need of transformation. For her, the university’s impact is ultimately about helping people discover what they are capable of and giving them the confidence to act.

“Security and development won’t come from the outside,” she says. “They must come from within, through each one of us.”