Q: What inspired you to start Musana?
AK: I never set out to start an organization. I was 21, still a student in college, and came to Uganda to learn about micro-finance. What I found instead was a group of children living in an abusive orphanage –  starving, neglected, and forgotten. I couldn’t walk away. Alongside a few others – including my now husband Haril –  we stepped in, not with a grand plan, but with a deep conviction that these kids deserved better. That moment changed everything. What began as a rescue mission where I became a legal guardian for 80 children has grown into a movement –  a locally led model for transforming entire communities.

Q: Tell us a bit about Musana’s work. You reach tens of thousands of people per year. How?
AK: Musana builds and operates sustainable schools, hospitals, and other businesses in Uganda. Everything we do is rooted in dignity, not dependency. Our model is designed so that the profits from our enterprises –  like our private schools, hotels, and hospitals – cover the costs of serving the most vulnerable. That’s how we’re able to provide over 5,300 students with an affordable, quality education, provide one million people access to quality healthcare. To date we have treated more than 400,000 patients, and empowered thousands of women with business skills – all while employing 740 Ugandans. It’s not just charity – it’s economic development.

Q:How has Musana made a difference and what impact do you still wish to see?
AK: We’ve seen kids who once lived on the streets grow up to become nurses, teachers, and business owners. We’ve watched mothers who used to beg for food open thriving businesses and send their kids to school. In communities where maternal deaths were common, we now have hospitals where babies are 3.7 times more likely to survive childbirth. That’s the difference Musana makes. But there’s still so much more. We want to see a Uganda where every child, no matter their background, can flourish with dignity – and where local communities don’t have to wait for outsiders to solve their problems.

Q: Is it hard to juggle family life with running such a large entity with 700 employees?
AK: Absolutely. It’s messy and beautiful and overwhelming – sometimes all at once. My husband Haril and I run Musana together, so it’s more than just a job – it’s our shared life’s work. We also have four kids, and they’ve grown up watching us pour everything into this mission. We don’t separate our lives from Musana; we’ve woven them together. Some days, it feels like too much. But then I look around – at the students graduating, the moms giving birth safely, the staff leading with integrity – and I remember why we do this.

Q: You have quite different views on aid. Do you believe in donating to charity? 
AK: I do – but not in the traditional sense. I believe in investing in solutions that lead to self-reliance. At Musana, we don’t ask for money to keep programs running – we ask for startup capital to build systems that sustain themselves. That’s a very different kind of giving. I think charity should be catalytic, not perpetual. When done right, giving can unlock dignity, not reinforce dependency. So yes, I believe in generosity – but I also believe we have to rethink what we’re funding, and why.

Q: What is one word of advice you can offer to young women who want to reach your level of success?
AK: Start. Don’t wait until you feel ready or have the perfect plan. Just start. Most of what I’ve learned came from stepping into the unknown and figuring it out along the way. Be ready to get uncomfortable and push yourself through the hard times. It’s not going to be easy – but it will be worth it.

Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments of your career?
AK: Recently, I walked into a salon in town to get my son’s haircut and found one of our original Musana kids – who had once been stealing food on the streets to survive – rewiring the entire shop as a professional electrician. He had been hired because of his skill and integrity. I stood there, completely overwhelmed. This young man, who we once fought to keep safe and in school, is now a sought-after electrician. And he’s just one of many. Seeing our original kids not just surviving An but thriving – that’s what it’s all about.

Q: At the start of your career, what do you wish you had known? 
AK: That failure is part of the process. I used to think every mistake meant I wasn’t cut out for leadership. Now I know that growth happens in the mess. You just have to keep showing up.

Q: Which woman inspires you and why? 
AK: My mom. She’s a force – strong, unshakably convicted, and fiercely loyal. She fights for what’s right, even when it’s unpopular, and for the people she loves, even when it costs her something. She never raised us to chase comfort. She taught us to chase purpose. To live with integrity. To do hard things because they matter. Her courage and clarity shaped the way I lead, the way I love, and the way I show up in the world.

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to pursue their dream and start a business? 
AK: Find your why – and make sure it’s bigger than your ego. If you’re building something just to prove yourself, you’ll burn out. But if you’re building something to serve others, you’ll find the courage to keep going, even when it’s hard.

Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?
AK: Own your voice. Don’t wait to be invited to the table – pull up your own chair. Be humble enough to learn and bold enough to lead.

Q: After high school, where did you feel your career path would take you?  
AK: Honestly? I thought I was going to open a coffee shop. I loved the sense of community they fostered – the idea of creating a space where people could gather, feel seen, and belong. I never imagined I’d move to Uganda, become the legal guardian of 80 children, and eventually lead an organization running schools, hospitals, and businesses – alongside my husband and with my kids in tow. I now travel the world telling our story and sharing how communities can thrive with dignity and purpose. Life had a far more meaningful – and wildly unexpected – plan.

Q: Can you tell us how you manage your work life balance?
AK: I’ve stopped chasing perfect balance and started striving for rhythm. Living between multiple places – constantly jumping between lives, countries, and cultures – can be exhausting. I’ve had to learn how to prioritize, let go of guilt, and focus on what matters most in each moment. Some seasons require more from me as a mom, others from me as a leader. I’ve learned to be present where I am, ask for help, and give myself grace.

Q: What's your advice for women in male-dominated fields?
AK: Don’t shrink yourself to make others comfortable. You bring a perspective that’s needed. Lead with integrity, prepare like crazy, and trust that you belong – because you do. I’ve watched Ugandan women do the impossible – build businesses with nothing, raise families in crisis, lead with grit and grace. Their strength reminds me that we’re capable of more than we think – and that we don’t have to lead like men to lead with power.

Four Things About Andrea Kazindra

1. What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?

I love to walk. It’s when I process, pray, and reconnect with myself. Whether I’m walking through a quiet neighborhood in Colorado or a dusty path in Uganda, it grounds me. Walking reminds me to slow down, breathe, and be present. It’s become a sacred rhythm in my life.

2. What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve done?

When I first got to Uganda, I shaved my head. It might sound small, but it was one of the most freeing things I’ve ever done. I had just come from the University of Colorado in Boulder, where I had spent so much time obsessing over my appearance. In Uganda, surrounded by strong women who carried themselves with dignity regardless of looks, I felt something shift in me. I remember looking into my host mother’s tiny pink handheld mirror and, for the first time in my life, thinking I was beautiful – not because of what I looked like, but because I felt free.

3. What celebrity would you like to meet at Starbucks for a cup of coffee?

Muhammad Yunus. He’s the pioneer of micro-finance and the reason I went to Uganda in the first place. His work changed the way I saw development and sparked something in me that eventually became Musana. I’d love to hear firsthand how he stayed grounded while disrupting entire systems – and how he held onto hope even when the odds were stacked against him.

4. Among your friends, what are you best known for?
I’m known for being extremely competitive. I turn everything into a competition – and I really like to win. Whether it’s a game, a project, or a random challenge, I bring intensity. But I think that same drive is what’s fueled my work with Musana. I’m not afraid of a fight, especially if it’s for something that matters. That said, I’ve also had to learn that it’s okay to lose sometimes. It builds character... or so I’ve been told – usually by someone who just beat me at pickleball.