TAKEAWAYS

• Bad Black wants to take “Beauty Beyond the Scars” to Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.
• The event will address domestic violence, health, fertility and relationship challenges.
• Bad Black says her own difficult childhood and experiences inspired the initiative.

Ugandan socialite Bad Black has revealed that her upcoming “Beauty Beyond the Scars” event is intended to become more than a one-day gathering, with plans to take the campaign across East Africa.

Bad Black will host the event on September 12 at Skyz Hotel in Naguru. Speaking during an appearance on Spark TV, she said the bigger vision is to take the initiative to countries such as Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, where she believes women face challenges similar to those experienced by women in Uganda.

She called on women to attend in large numbers and openly share the challenges they face, saying their participation would help strengthen her case when seeking further support for the cause.

“This is not about me. This is about women and what they go through every day.”

According to Bad Black, the initiative is deeply personal because of the struggles she experienced while growing up. The mother of five said her father had several wives and at one point attempted to have the women live under one roof, a proposal her mother rejected.

Her mother was subsequently forced to take on several odd jobs, while Bad Black said she left home at the age of 16 to fend for herself. She says the difficulties she encountered along the way shaped her understanding of the challenges many women face.

“I know what these women are going through because I have lived through some of these struggles myself.”

The event will address issues including domestic challenges, gender-based violence, health concerns and fertility struggles. Bad Black said she has also brought sponsors on board to support women, including those requiring fertility-related procedures.

However, she stressed that the conversation should not portray men as the source of every problem, noting that some women also create challenges in relationships and fail to appreciate their partners’ efforts.

The event is expected to attract several public figures, including Spice Diana, Karole Kasita, Halima and Makula, among others.

If successful, “Beauty Beyond the Scars” could mark the beginning of a wider East African campaign focused on empowering women and addressing the challenges they face.