As a child, Lilian faced the harsh realities of hunger and poverty. Her family often went days without food, and heartbreakingly, she lost her three-year-old sister to starvation when she was just eight years old.

Despite these hardships, Lilian’s determination to change her story and that of other women never faded. With resilience and hope, she taught herself sustainable urban farming techniques like vertical farming, which became her path out of poverty. Seeing the potential of small-scale agriculture to feed families and create jobs, she founded Women Gro Initiative Uganda formerly Women Smiles to empower other women facing similar struggles.