This article looks at the important role that teachers and headteachers can have as role models for children living with challenging circumstances. It focuses particularly on girls struggling against the odds to complete their education in Ugandan schools and improve their life chances. The commitment to women's rights espoused by Uganda's government is gradually undermining longstanding patriarchal norms. The implementation of universal primary education has forced these issues into the school arena. This article explores how the changing roles and increasing self-awareness of women working within Uganda's education system is impacting on girls' aspirations.