Message from 0utgoing President

AP Caroline Mboijana Outgoing President Rotary Club of Kampala Springs

Dear Springers, Rotarians and Friends,

How the year has flown past. I stood before you a year ago and swore to serve my club. Within me was the excitement at the opportunity to lead a club that was ready to do amazing work as it served its community.

This year’s theme of Imagine Rotary has been exceptional. As a club, we have achieved beyond our expectations with men, women, and partners firmly grounded to do good for those less fortunate.

In the first full year post Covid, our club has achieved many goals and commitments. DG Mike Sebalu embarked on a vision to focus on education and literacy. This theme is personal to me. As my late father said, “education is the one thing no one can take away from you”. DG, thank you for showing us, through this area of service, how to give others an opportunity that can never be taken away from them.

With the support of our Corporate Partners, we continued to serve COU Luzira Primary School, our adopted school, where we completed our BELEP commitment to support children through reading. At the same school, under the Economic Empowerment theme, we trained teachers to enhance and strengthen their in-house SACCO program supporting them in signing up for the Rotary SACCO. In addition, the BELEP program was extended to Luzira Prisons, hosting a DEAR day activity at the prisons, giving away books to inmate learners, working with the Center for Social Research (CSR) to train 54 inmate teachers on the new curriculum and supporting the enrolment of students for next year’s UPE.

Under the Maternal & Child area of service, we completed phase 2 of the project. Phase 2 was refurbishing the health Centre IV, a project initiated and conceptualised by our Change Maker President Evans Baingana. Under the same service area, we continued to source and identify implementing partners to support our project in Kabwohe. We partnered with our Mother Club, Kampala South, and our siblings Upper Kololo throughout the year to launch the AKMAS project. An Economic Empowerment program is fulfilling the dream of our late Club Advisor, Aggrey Kankunda.

The year has certainly been challenging, but challenges have not broken us but have made us stronger and more focused on what we, the Springers, are committed to doing. Springers came together to raise funds for Cancer; with our families, the club participated in the Cancer run; we attracted ten phenomenal and exciting new members who have made their mark on the club, redefining the meaning of engagement; we celebrated each other’s achievements, graduations, new Springlets, birthdays with fun fellowship and home hospitalities. A fellow Rotarian said to me halfway through the year, “I think your club holds the most home hospitalities in the district” I laughed and said, “my club has vibe”. We did the unthinkable and hosted our DG on a boat; that was a memorable day. We pulled together again when we had to fundraise for our projects, and we stood with our own when they were sick or bereaved by the loss of their loved ones. The year’s highlight was the 98th DISCON, where the Springers outdid themselves and won five awards. On this, I am exceptionally proud to have led my club to be recognised for its achievements and for me to be awarded recognition for the hard work, resources and time that I have willingly given for my club’s success.

At the start of this journey, while I was still getting on my feet, my mentor sat me down and reminded me, categorically, that my role was not about me but about my club and that everything I was going to do over the year was in the best interest of the club. I took that advice, and it’s been at the forefront of everything I have done, thought and executed. Like all leaders, I did not do this alone but achieved it through an Amazing board who have done phenomenally well in setting up systems and structures that will make our cub stronger.

Leadership requires humility to recognise where you need help; my three advisors, mentors and friends, Club Advisor Xavier Sentamu, ROY and Assistant Governor Robert Nsereko, have been instrumental throughout this journey. Where I faltered and dropped the ball, they picked me up, counselled me, set me back on the right path, and ensured I did not give up.

Presidency requires time and commitment. To my family and friends, thank you for your patience, support, and continued counsel when things got tough and for pushing me never to give up. To my team at The Leadership Team, the Club’s partner for Young Leaders development, thank you for giving me the space to deliver my promise to my club. I know my absence caused much disruption, but I hope my Club’s achievements compensate for my absence from the office.

While I recognise my club’s achievements, I must also acknowledge that not everything went as planned. There were differences of opinion, and while we had those differences, it did not stop us from forging ahead and getting the work done. I want to think that despite the differences, we still maintain respect for each other.

To my incoming President, Sharon Rutega, I have promised to support you and share my experience as you take on this baton of leadership. I am confident and assured you will lead us well. Rotary is in your DNA; I have learned from you this last year and grown as a result. This Amazing year’s success is assessed by what we have achieved during the year and by what you and your team will build on as you take this club to even greater heights. To you and your team, enjoy this journey, be open to learning what you don’t know, and if things do not go as planned, reflect on the why, learn, and don’t repeat the same mistakes. Do not dwell on the negative, but always think about improving in the club’s best interest. Thank you.

To my fellow Springers, thank you for entrusting me to serve and lead the club this year. Thank you for the support and encouragement you have shown my board and me. I have not taken your valuable time or resources for granted, and I hope that as we end the year, you will be proud of what we have achieved and believe that we have been fully accountable and transparent to you.

As a Club, let us continue to walk this Rotary journey together and, in the coming year, Create Hope for the communities we serve.

HP Sharon Nayebare Rutega President 2023/2024

Iam honored to assume the role of President of the Rotary Club of Kampala Springs for the Rotary Year 2023-24. It is with great pleasure that I share with you the theme for this year, which encapsulates the essence of our mission: “Creating Hope Within Ourselves and Our Communities.” Through our collective efforts, we have the power to ignite hope and make a lasting impact.

This year, our club’s signature project will focus on the empowerment and support of the boy child. We recognize the challenges they face and the need to address them through economic empowerment, employment opportunities, and access to basic education. By investing in the boy child, we can shape a brighter future for our community and foster a sense of hope that will resonate for generations to come.

One of our major endeavors is a grant application we have submitted for a project under the Maternal and Child Health initiative in Kabwohe. The primary objective of this proposed project is to renovate and equip the local health center while providing comprehensive training to healthcare workers on the effective utilization of the new equipment. Our commitment to this project is already evident, as we have raised $28,000, thanks to the generous support of our international partner, RC Taipei, and we anticipate further contributions from local clubs and other partners. In alignment with our focus on the boy child, we will also incorporate activities that empower and uplift them as part of this project.

In the preceding year (2022-23), we successfully renovated and handed over the Luzira Health Center IV Theater to the Uganda Prisons Management. In the forthcoming Rotary year, our objective is to fully equip the theater based on the results of a comprehensive needs assessment that was conducted.

Membership growth is a crucial aspect of our club’s development and capacity to implement impactful projects. While we currently boast 50 members, our aim is to expand our ranks to 70 during the 2023-24 year. We have already identified potential members and will diligently pursue their admission to the club, fostering a vibrant and diverse Rotary family.

I am pleased to share that our club currently has 10 Paul Harris Fellows, 2 benefactors, and a distinguished Arch Klumph Society member (AKS). Moving forward, we aspire to increase our contributions to the Rotary Foundation, enabling us to have an even greater impact on communities in need.

I humbly accept the opportunity to serve as the President of the Rotary Club of Kampala Springs for the year 2023-24. I am committed to collaborating closely with the District Leadership and all members to fulfill our shared vision of creating hope in the world, with a particular focus on supporting the boy child.

As the President of this dynamic club, I understand the weight of responsibility placed upon me. I am committed to leading the club to the best of my ability and to ensure that we continue to thrive. However, I am aware that achieving our goals requires collective support, active participation, and unwavering cooperation of every member. Together, we can create hope in the world and make a profound difference in the lives of others. Let us embark on this transformative journey, uplifting lives, and fostering hope. Our dedication, passion, and collective action will shape a brighter future for our community and the world.