Nyanjura was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army when she was 14 years 

old. After 8 years in captivity, returning with two children from her forced 

marriage to a rebel commander. Since returning, she has emerged as a 

prominent women’s activist in Uganda’s transitional justice deliberations, 

receiving numerous international awards (including the 2019 Ginetta Sagan 

Prize) for her work coordinating efforts of 500+ war-affected women to 

provide inputs into the Ugandan government’s post-conflict policy and 

program.

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Her work has resulted in the Parliament of Uganda unanimously 

passing a resolution to address the plight of women survivors of northern 

Uganda’s conflicts, and the adoption of a National Transitional Justice Policy 

that considers the unique gender justice needs of war-affected women and 

their children born out of conflict sexual violence. Nyanjura founded WAW in 

2018.

 

 She received her Masters in Global Affairs with a concentration in 

International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame in May 2020. She 

holds a bachelor’s degree from Kyambogo University and a Post Graduate 

Diploma from Uganda Management Institute.