Lieutenant Colonel Getrude Ndenga’s path to service began long before she joined the Tanzania People’s Defence Force, growing up in the barracks of northern Tanzania.
“I grew up saluting before I could spell,” she says, reflecting on her childhood as the daughter of a woman in the military.
“She was my role model,” Ndenga says, as she fondly remembers watching her mother lace up her boots each morning, an image that continues to inspire her. “That daily ritual reminded me that strength and courage are not reserved for men—they belong to women too.”
From a young age, the rhythms of military life became second nature. Today, that early exposure to discipline and duty has come full circle, as she serves with pride at the Tanzania Defence Forces Headquarters under the Directorate of Peace Support Operations.
Answering the Call to a Career in Peacekeeping
In 2018, Ndenga attended a United Nations Women in Peacekeeping course in Kenya, an experience that helped deepen her understanding of the vital roles women play in peace operations and inspired her to pursue a career in peacekeeping.
The training equipped her with technical expertise in child protection, the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and the prohibition of child soldier recruitment. It also emphasized community engagement strategies and trust-building, particularly with women and children most affected by conflict.
Her commitment to peacekeeping was further reinforced through a UN Women-supported Women, Peace and Security (WPS) training, which enhanced her capacity to lead and advocate for women’s inclusion in peace missions.
“The training provided me the tools to support inclusive troop deployment and strengthened my confidence as a leader,” she says.
In 2018, Lieutenant Colonel Ndenga was deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO). In her role, she was responsible for coordinating logistics across multiple mission areas.
On a typical day, she managed troop supplies and responded to urgent calls in support of MONUSCO’s core activities, including patrolling, securing humanitarian convoys, and engaging with local communities.
“Each day in the mission area was demanding, filled with mission-critical duties that had to be fulfilled as part of our mandate,” she recalls.
The role, she admits, is not without its challenges.
“Being far from my family during missions has been one of the most difficult aspects,” she says. “Balancing my responsibilities as a mother, wife, sister, and military officer is never easy. On top of that, when you’re in mission areas, you are operating in an unpredictable environment where the situation could shift at any moment.”
Balancing Service, Care, and Community
For Ndenga, the mission of peacekeepers extends well beyond their assigned duties—it is rooted in the people they serve in each operation, and the lasting, positive impact they strive to leave behind. “Peacekeeping isn’t just about security, it’s about supporting civilians in conflict zones, building trust across nationalities and restoring hope.” she said.
As women peacekeepers, she says, it’s easier for women in communities to approach them for help, particularly when they are survivors of gender-based violence.
She recalls one encounter that left a lasting impression. A local woman working as a cleaner at the UN camp broke down after losing her father.
“She didn’t have money to bury him, and the body was still at home. So, I mobilized my colleagues, and together we raised USD 300 to support her. It was a small gesture, but for her, it meant everything.” Ndenga shares.
Through partnership with civil societies, NGO’s UN agencies and other actors, her mission was also able to support women with knowledge in entrepreneurship, healthcare, and social services, helping them build the capacity to start small businesses and earn a sustainable income.
From Beijing to Today: Advancing Women’s Role in Peace and Security
Three decades after Beijing, Ndenga believes its goals remain urgent.
“In many countries, especially those affected by prolonged conflict, too often, women are still left out of decision-making, conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes,” she says.
Ndenga urges more women and girls to join the military and peacekeeping operations, not only for institutional balance but to better serve vulnerable groups in conflict zones.
For All Women and Girls… Lasting Peace
“Women are highly needed in peacekeeping. When women and children face trauma, they often open more easily to someone they trust. And that someone is usually another woman,” she says.
“The more women we have in uniform, the more effective our support becomes.” she added. “Women are the vital assets, good ambassadors, and they play vital roles towards peace building, conflict resolution and mandate achievement.” She added.
Looking ahead, Ndenga plans to continue contributing to peace operations while shaping inclusive military training, facilitating workshops within the People’s Defence Force, and amplifying women’s capacity to lead in conflict and post-conflict settings.
UN Women in Tanzania works in close partnership with the Government and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda, working together to make peacekeeping more gender-responsive through the provision of technical guidance, strategic advocacy, and specialized training.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.