By William Opio
In 2024, when Esther Awor boarded a flight to Europe, it was the first time she was travelling to the continent. That trip, which Awor famously referred to as a professional pilgrimage and an educational opportunity, marked the fruition of years devoted to blending law, leadership and mentorship.
Esther Awor at The Hague during her trip in 2024
It was a trip to The Hague, Netherlands, the home of the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, the Peace Palace Library and the International Criminal Court. The visit helped Awor to deepen her understanding of international law, hence transforming abstract textbook theories into vivid, real-life experiences.
“Seeing lawyers argue before the judges, and watching how the court operates brought to life my theoretical knowledge of international law,” Awor, an alumna of Uganda Christian University (UCU), explained during a recent interview she granted UCU Partners.
She said she returned from the Netherlands with concrete examples, photographs and firsthand observations that make international law more accessible and real for the students.
“I can now describe the court’s procedures, the dynamics of oral arguments, and the atmosphere of international adjudication from personal experience,” she said.
Awor (third-right), with Joel Basoga (third-left), a lecturer in the Faculty of Law, and the Jessup Moot Court winning team
At UCU, where Awor graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in July 2025, she did not just study, but also lived her course. From her early days, she knew a great leader does not just collect titles, but amplifies opportunities for others. That was one of the philosophies that guided her through roles such as the Attorney General of the students’ Guild Government, Lord Justice of the Guild Tribunal and the Vice President of the Rotaract Club of Uganda Christian University. She also was a student coach at the University Writing Centre.
Awor was part of the prestigious UCU Honours College, an entity that fosters holistic education and academic excellence. The entity, she said, offered her a unique opportunity to share space and interact with USA students who were in the university under the Uganda Studies Program. This cross-cultural interaction fostered her view of diversity. It is at the college where she met Catherine Ranger, an American missionary and an Honours College mentor. Under Catherine’s guidance, Awor integrated fields like data protection and fintech into her legal education, completing specialized courses at Strathmore University and Singapore Management University.
“Mentorship has instilled in me the responsibility to give back,” says Awor, currently a lawyer at a non-governmental organization that is dedicated to advancing gender justice and empowering marginalized groups. Awor now strives to mentor girls interested in law and leadership.
In 2024, she was selected to coach UCU’s Jessup Moot Court team, bringing pride to her family, especially Juliet Awor, her mother. The debate is the world’s largest moot court competition, focusing on public international law. Awor’s selection did not come by accident. She was a former Jessup mooter.
Awor on her graduation day in July 2025
At the Uganda national rounds held in January 2025, the UCU team, under the guidance of Awor and others like Joel Basoga, a lecturer in the Faculty of Law, won the finals, defeating Makerere University. The university also submitted the best legal briefs, and its student, Baraka Abraham Wanyanga, was named Best Oralist. The team, comprising Wanyanga, Rebecca Namugambe, Kylie Kukunda, and Stuart Ssemwogerere represented Uganda at the international rounds in Washington, DC.
Preparation for oral advocacy involved team members presenting their arguments while the coach and the members of the faculty posing questions.
“Our focus was building confidence, improving delivery and handling difficult questions with composure,” she explained.
The success of the UCU mooters is a testament that with the right mentorship and access to opportunities, anyone can rise above limitations to create change and transform doubts into belief. And Awor’s story is one such testament that excellence in law, leadership and service can be interconnected and pursued.
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