Sabula October 2021 by Rotaract Club of Bwebajja

Sabula Vol. 1

Issue iv

October 2021

Economic and Community Development

Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE

SABULA STORIES

Empowering Girls at the Centre of Our Service

COMMUNITY SERVICE

0209

CELEBRATING SUCCESS

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

16 21

Messages

Shekhar Mehta - RI President

Young Kimaro - District Governor

CMP Michael Ayebazibwe (PHF) - President Rotary Club of Bwebajja

CMP Joseph B. Ssengooba (PHF) - President Rotaract Club of Bwebajja

Sabula Stories

My Perspective of the Rotaract Club of Bwebajja

The Power of Social Media to attract New Members

RC Bwebajja’s Pinning Ceremony

Community Service

Mending Mindsets; Stamp Out Stigma

Charity Begins at home

Sustainable Community Empowerment

Empowering Girls at the Centre of our Service

October Activity Calendar Sabula October 2021

26 | 03

ROTARACT CLUB OF BWEBAJJA CONNECT WITH US Advert Inquiries: publicrelations@rotaractbwebajja.org Sabula Articles: sabulanewsletter@rotaractbwebajja.org General Inquires; info@rotaractbwebajja.org Website: www.rotaractbwebajja.org Follow Us On: Facebook: @Bwebajja Rotaract Club Instagram: @Bwebajja Rotaract Club Twitter: @Rotaract_Bwebajja YouTube: Rotaract Club of Bwebajja LinkedIn: Rotaract Club of Bwebajja Join us for Fellowship: Tuesdays at 7-8pm; online and at Cabana Restaurant - Kawuku Note: All information and pictures are protected and used with permission Disclaimer: We assume no responsibility for any unsolicited information and/or images

The Team Rtr. Mercy Atim Bulletin Officer Rtn. Allan Atuhaire Editor Rtr. Henry Businge Editor Rtr. Mulika George William Photographer (Lens Media Production) CMP JB Ssengooba Contributing Editor Rtr. Winifred Natukunda Public Relations Officer Graphics & Production

QYLINA

G R A P H I C S

Graphic Designing | Printing | Branding

0706 232 726 | 0783 516 581

Here We Go Again! Rtr. Atim Mercy – Chief Editor

Greetings Rotarians and Rotaractors, We at Sabula are always enthusiastic to engage you with our monthly digest. This month of economic and community development we look forward to seeing our communities and youth thrive through the Skilling programs we have ongoing i.e., the mentor me series but also that healthy mindsets are thriving in our communities as seen through our mending mindsets project. Aside from service projects our youthfulness thrives from the adventure we never forget to carry along during our rotary service days. In this particular issue you’re welcome to relieve the moments of our annual club fundraiser Twende Tupaate kalangala 2nd edition, also read about our how social media scored us new members and the sustainable change we continue to bring through our service projects especially for the girl child. In closing we are appreciative to everyone that participate in our newsletters. We also thank the members who shared articles highlighting their astonishing actions. It is always exciting hearing from you and we continue to appeal to you for more articles. These should be 500 words, accompanied by three to five action photographs submitted by the 15th day of every month to subalunewsletter@rotaractbwebajja.org. It’s our earnest goal to keep you abreast with the innings at Rotaract Bwebajja.

“

Aside from service projects our youthfulness thrives from the adventure we never forget to carry along during our rotary service days.

Greetings my dear Change Makers Shekhar Mehta - RI President

A quarter of the Rotary year is now behind us. I am sure you are helping Rotary to grow more and do more. And I hope you have already done your part for the Each One, Bring One initiative by introducing one person to Rotary. Do you ever think about your earliest days as a Rotarian? I often do — because those first moments of discovering the power of service shaped who I am today. When I joined my Rotary club, our efforts focused on India’s rural communities, where people were living without toilets, getting their drinking water from the same pond they bathed in, and sending their children to outdoor classrooms set up under a tree. The nearest health care provider often was miles away — and the services were inadequate. But after Rotary clubs carried out some service projects, the villages had toilets, clean drinking water, a classroom for early learning, and a nearby health care center. The spark that Rotary kindled within me forced me to look beyond myself and embrace humanity. It made service a way of life and led me to a guiding principle I still stand by: Service is the rent I pay for the space I occupy on Earth. If you feel the need to reignite the spark of service in yourself or your club, October — Community Economic Development Month — is a great time to do so. When we work to improve the lives of people in underserved communities — through, for example, projects that provide vocational training and access to financial resources — we help build and sustain local economic growth.

“

If you feel the need to reignite the spark of service in yourself or your club, October — Community Economic Development Month — is a great time to do so.

The need is great. According to the United Nations, 9 percent of the world’s population — that’s 700 million people, a majority of them in sub-Saharan Africa — live on less than $1.90 a day. By supporting strong community development as well as entrepreneurs, we can help improve conditions for people in that region and others. Your club can also promote economic development in your own community by expanding vocational training opportunities through local schools and community colleges, partnering with lenders to improve access to financial services, or working with a nonprofit that provides resources to entrepreneurs and connects them with the business community. Of course, developing strong communities is impossible without strong public health. On 24 October, World Polio Day, we’ll celebrate our tremendous progress in the effort to eradicate polio. But we also know the fight is not over. We still need your help raising funds and awareness to ensure that all children are immunized against polio. Please don’t forget to activate your clubs on that important day and encourage them to donate here: endpolio.org/world-polio-day. Service has been rewarding for me throughout my life. I know the same is true for many of you. Join me this month in becoming a good tenant of our planet by helping others to better themselves and their communities. Together, we can Serve to Change Lives. Sabula October 2021

| 05

gain correct perspective and not leave behind those in far corners of the land where the need is great but go unnoticed. For blood bank, eye hospital and dialysis machines -

Where in your area are the needs for these most urgent?

How extensive is the needs (number of incidents in a year)

- How those needs are currently handled? While the initial submission in response to RIP Shekhar’s pledge will be small in scale, having information at hand will enable multi-club projects to be developed to address the health needs of your communities further. Our District’s ability to support you to serve to change the quality of health services in your area depends on how much feedback you yourself provide. So, lets work together. Kindly forward your recommendations to:

Rip Shekhar’s Pledge

In Uganda: to Country Chair Francisco Ssemwanga (semfranca@gmail.com), cc. to Aide Joan Kantu (joan@letsgosafari-ug.com) In Tanzania: to Country Chair Agnes Batengas (agnes@urganmambo.net), cc. to Aide Cynthia Asiyo (casiyo@gmail.com)

Young Kimaro - District Governor

IN THE MONTH OF COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

RIP Shekhar, very much touched by the energy, enthusiasm, and commitment with which Rotarians of D9213 and D9214 are serving their communities. At his meeting with President Museveni, he pledged to support for each District:

In many of our projects in Vijana Poa, Empowering girls, etc., we provide training to skill our youth to become productive members of our community. At completion of training it has almost become the practice to handout tools and equipment to enable them to put the skills into practice.

- Establishing a blood bank - Setting up an eye hospital - Acquiring dialysis machines Cardio surgery for 100 children to correct ventricular septal defect (“hole” in the heart) Thank you for your responses to our preliminary call for feedback on needs for the above health care in at your location. This is a second call to all Rotarians and Rotaractors, especially those in medical profession to be the champions for their areas. Do gather and share the following and other information which would help us to

06 | Sabula October 2021

Instead of giving them the tools and equipment as handouts, what if we give them access to loans? Many “handouts” are unfortunately sold off rather than put to use as intended. Lend to groups with joint liability for repayment. That substantially increases the likelihood the loans will be recovered, so it will make it easier to enlist SACCOs to take part in the project. One quick way to stimulate good money management may be to tie ability to borrow to the balance in his/her savings account. One is likely to manage finances to save more to borrow more to grow business.

“

The month of October is a clarion call to all of us to tackle the problems that affect the social economic status of the most poverty-stricken communities in our country.”

CMP Michael Ayebazibwe (PHF) President Rotary Club of Bwebajja

Dear esteemed readers, As we edge closer to the end of the first quarter of the serve to change Rotary year, I am more delighted to contribute to this magazine that showcases the amazing works the Rotaract and Rotary club of Bwebajja undertake to tackle the most pressing needs of our communities and provide sustainable solutions to improve the quality of our societies. You are worth gold for sharing your time and talents without any compensation. Your willingness to give your freely your time and efforts in making our club strong and vibrant are greatly appreciated. The compassion you have shown in all our activities is an inspiration for all of us. You execute your work with love, passion and vigor. You are such an important part of our organization. The acts of kindness you spew out always leaves a huge impact in the communities we visit. We have been able to pull off all our intended activities successfully and I am massively impressed. The month of October is a clarion call to all of us to tackle the problems that affect the social economic

status of the most poverty-stricken communities in our country. The pandemic has not left our communities the same with poverty and unemployment rates skyrocketing to very insurmountable levels due to government restrictions intended to curb the virus. We must work with our local authorities or other regeneration economic development institutions with an interest in economic development approaches that foster inclusive participation and community wealthy building. Our work is centered on communities and each and every community has its own predicaments, needs and concerns one of them being community development. The Rotary club of Bwebajja has funded business endeavors of market vendors in Kawuku by carrying our periodical financial and literacy trainings focusing on women and Boda-Boda riders. These trainings focused on teaching these local on how to create business plans and maintain accurate financial accounting. We have also expanded vocational trainings to our Rotaractors to our own Rotarians organizations and companies. These have included job place-

Sabula October 2021

| 07

ments; independent contractor works among others.

“

In fulfillment of our TRF goals, the club has so far in this quarter given 2500USD to The Rotary foundation. Our resolve in giving to the foundation has not wavered because of the generosity of my members and I want to appreciate them for such acts of generosity and service in contributing to the fund.”

08 | Sabula October 2021

Our club continues to hold successful hybrid fellowships following all the standard operating procedures as set out by the government. These weekly meetings have been a great learning platform for our members as well as a time to add value on our membership through the different motivating, insightful and inspirational talks. The networking members obtain from these meetings is also important in creating lasting connection and friendships. During the month of September, we were privileged to have five of our prospective members inducted by the Rotary international president during his visit to Uganda. It was such an exciting moment for our new inductees. This was followed by another momentous occasion that saw them again pinned by the very gallant DGE Peace Taremwa. Their membership has been received with open arms as it will help us have more hands on in ensuring we serve our communities better. As I write now, we have twenty-five members undergoing mentorship lessons by our membership team. We are on course to full fill the Each one Bring One campaign by our RI president. In fulfillment of our TRF goals, the club has so far in this quarter given 2500USD to The Rotary foundation. Our resolve in giving to the foundation has not wavered because of the generosity of my members and I want to appreciate them for such acts of generosity and service in contributing to the fund. Allow me applaud our three newly pinned PHF’S and also one PHF+6. Bwebajja does understand the benefits of giving and giving more to our endowment fund to be able to fund our global grant projects. I want to thank all the club members that dedicated their time and resources as we hosted the District Governor Young Kimaro. It was a motivating gesture as the governor attended to some of our club issues and motivated us to continue participating in service activities and also personally recognize the impact we are having in our communities. I would be failing in my role if I do not shine a light on our baby club the Rotaract club of Bwebajja, you are very hardworking, committed and vibrant Rotaractors whose work ethic and professionalism is a force to reckon with and a great example to other clubs in the district. Your partnerships with us have been smooth fulfilling experience for us as your parents. As we open up to another quarter, let us put all our energies to accomplishing our plans and targets as a club. With your support and teamwork, the Rotary club of Bwebajja will live up to the true meaning of its creed. Service above self.

Celebrating Success CMP Joseph B. Ssengooba (PHF) President Rotaract Club of Bwebajja Dearest Friends, I am once again delighted to welcome you to this monthly bulletin of our mighty club. We have come to the end of the first quarter, please allow me appreciate the efforts of each and every member of our club, our partners, sponsors and all stakeholders that ensure the smooth running of the club. It is your unwavering commitment and attachment to the club that motivates me as the president to ensure all our intended targets are achieved in the stipulated time. October is the Economic and Community development month and here at Bwebajja, we understand what this means to the communities we live in. Our club has been engaged in activities intended to create measurable and enduring economic improvement most especially among the young people. This month reminds us of our role in building the capacity of future entrepreneurs, community leaders, local organizations and community networks to support economic development in impoverished communities. Moving forward, we need to work hard to ensure that we support the reduction of poverty in these under-served areas. Despite the Covid 19 crisis that has curtailed so many gatherings including Rotary meetings, a number of club activities and accomplishments have been noted in the first quarter. This is all due to the commitment shown by the members to ensure the club is in a perfect shape to implement all its set targets as set out at the beginning of this Rotary year. As regards membership, we have achieved our target for the first quarter by mentoring and adding to our membership by having 13 new members add their wealth of experience and hands on in service. We currently have 20 prospective members undergoing rigorous mentorship sessions and will be inducted in December. As for PLD, we have organized a number of trainings intended to skill our current members. We also organized an international youth conference that brought together youths from ten African countries to discuss pertinent issues pertaining youth development and empowerment. This was organized virtually on zoom and attracted over 100 youths from east, southern and western Africa. In the first days of October, we shall hold our signature project, the Ramwanja project in south western Uganda where we intend to plant trees in Kazo district and further continue to donate mama kits, hygiene kits and skill women in different business skills among other

activities in the refugee settlement camp. These are just a few highlights of the many good deeds that we have done in first quarter. I promise that we will provide a detailed well branded quarterly report before the end of this month. As we close the first quarter of the Serve to change lives year, I want to shine a light on all our members for displaying great amounts of commitment, resilience and devotion to the club activities and plans. I am proud of the journey we are undertaking as a club to be a model club for community service and philanthropy. As we turn on onto the second quarter, we can only pray that God grants us the energy and willingness to carry on with the mantle of service above self.

Sabula October 2021

| 09

SABULA STORIES 10 | Sabula October 2021

MY PERSPECTIVE OF THE ROTARACT CLUB OF BWEBAJJA. ADRR Rwoth Bitimu Calvin. O - Central Zone 6 D9214 Greetings Friends In Service, let me start by bringing you warm greetings from our DRR Noah Nyabwana and the entire district team. When I saw RAC Bwebajja among the clubs under my guidance as ADRR for Central Zone 6 I honestly felt so happy because of the love I have always received from this club the few times I joined them as the Opportunity President of RAC Entebbe Airport on some occasions last Rotary year. Well, we all know that RAC Bwebajja is one of the youngest clubs in D9214 and yet are one of the loudest clubs in our District because of their work that speaks for itself. When you visit Bwebajja, you immediately feel at home because of their lively ways and their hospitality from both the Gentlemen and Ladies. But one thing they don’t take lightly is noticing a new face and any non club member who walks into their circles. Immediately they will make you feel at home. The club has one of the greatest teamwork I have witnessed in Rotaract so far. When these guys plan on something they will all jump on it to give it life. i.e., Look at their recent project "Mentor Me Series" you could hardly fail to find any member of the club even though it was a joint project with other clubs, Let's rewind back at the beginning of this Rotary year where they held a project in regards to COVID-19 held physically at Kawuku, you could see almost every club member in the projects t-shirt and present either online or physically. This element of togetherness is what makes this club very unique. Creativity is one thing that always adds life to any

society and this is evident at RAC Bwebajja because they always have creative ideas from the; Hospitalities, fellowships, Fundraisers (Twende Tupaate Kalangala) and all these things have kept the club members always happy since work with no play makes bweabjja a dull club. The level of monthly reporting when it comes to the club progress report and the financial report is rare to find. You read their reports and you actually feel your living the moment. Their reports are so detailed and they always accompany it with well taken Photographs and this is one area that makes them stand out from other clubs. The club always aims at adding value to its members through meaningful fellowships, lively guest speakers, seminars, mentorship programmes and this is why their membership retention rate is so high and induction rate too. I love the fact that this club has working buddy groups that work together with their sponsoring club and this is the reason we see a strong bond and partnership between the Rotary Club of Bwebajja and the Rotaract Club of Bwebajja. The fact that two members from this club are already serving beyond club level is an indicator that the first goal of Rotaract is taken seriously at RAC Bwebajja. To me the Rotaract club of Bwebajja is one big family and I believe they are so much dedicated to serving as they change lives and I pray this spirit of team work and caring for one another continues in this club for more years to come. Sabula October 2021

| 11

THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO ATTRACT NEW MEMBERS Rtr. Mariah Nakibugwe Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Tiktok and so much more are now household names not only among the youths, young adults but even in the senior members of society. One would say they are a waste of time not only that but an unfiltered space that could damage the young if content is not filtered. All the above being true possibilities however the same people can also choose to use media to foster great change. The true strength of social media is influence. Social media offers an avenue for clubs to not only engage with the communities but also influence them with the correct content which assists them with making a decision. The effect of social media does not stop online. I am a living example of how social media can help in increasing the numbers of your clubs. My name is Mariah Nakimbugwe a anew indicated member of this mightily club. I testify that I first learnt about Rotaract Bwebajja following the Facebook posts of their service projects. Time and again I was moved by the many action pictures of young people at work. I loved the fact that they moved from one community to another, having different faces all the time but always happy. On graduating with a degree in public health I was sure I wanted to make use of the skills I had gained to help improve health in communities. Without a shadow of doubt, I knew I wanted to join the many happy faces of

12 | Sabula October 2021

young people at work that I saw of Facebook. My next course of action was to write to Rotaract Bwebajja through its Facebook. I was moved that within less than 24 hours had received a very positive and welcoming response. Their public relations team was very quick to action. I was subjected to a few questions to determine my level of interest. For me this felt like a virtual interview and now that I am fully inducted, I knew why these questions were asked. I was then added to a very vibrant what’s group to begin my mentorship. As if this wasn’t enough, part of my mentorship was to continue sharing fliers on my whats App status and all my social media platforms. I am highly enthusiastic about the upcoming Rwamwanja phase two project where I will travel miles to handover mama kits to ensure safe delivery for the pregnant mothers. This would never have been if I hadn’t come across our club’s face book page. The power of social media is real and we can all choose to embrace it so as to have more hands to foster impact through rotary's areas of focus for this change making year.

Sabula October 2021

| 13

RC Bwebajja’s Pinning Ceremony Rtn. Annie Ninyesiga Cloudy and cozy evening it was as one by one of Rotarians, Rotaractors and guests gracefully walked into the gates of Emperor Heights Hotel for not just a weekly meeting but also a pinning ceremony of five newly inducted Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Bwebajja by the Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta. As the evening slowly faded away into night, more and more members arrived for this special ceremony. This beautiful occasion, was preceded by a powerful talk titled the “Power of a Business Mindset” from a widely respected and notable speaker and the founding Executive Director of Enterprise Uganda, Mr. Charles Erabu Ocici. This presentation left the very smartly dressed physical attendees in very high spirits (highly elated). thanks to his ability to communicate in simple and understandable language while keeping the audience engaged. The celebratory mode was undoubtedly evident on peoples’ faces and in the tone of their voices. Most notably, the Membership Director (CP Gordians Ahaisibwe) moderated the pinning ceremony with a very wide smile as he embarked on presenting the inductees one after another for pinning by the District Governor Elect (DGE) Peace Taremwa. Did I mention that DGE Peace Taremwa was our Guest of Honor? Yes, he graced this memorable event and officiated the pinning of the five newest Rotarians into RC Bwebajja.

14 | Sabula October 2021

“

we intend to intentionally inspire, mentor and sponsor more and more members of our communities into Rotary service.”

Amongst the inductees, two of them namely Ms. Akantorana Mwangangye & Ms. Julie S Nasimolo were recognised for donating to the Rotary Foundation to become Paul Harris Fellows (PHFs). This, without a doubt, made our Guest of Honor very excited as he went along with the function of pinning. In his own words he said, “There’s no greater satisfaction / joy in Rotary service as contributing to the Rotary Foundation, - the heartbeat of Rotary”. He further commended the Rotary Club of Bwebajja and particularly the membership committee for bringing in a high-quality breed of Rotarians into the club. DGE Peace also informed the inductees that, they were among the luckiest Rotarians to have been inducted into Rotary by the highest office bearer in Rotary (The Rotary International President - Shekhar Mehta). Meanwhile, drinks were being served as the function progressed in celebration of this great milestone. The event received visiting Rotarians, which showed solidarity within the Rotary fraternity especially the Entebbe Road corridor. Notably, in attendance was AG George Ochieng Bush, President of Presidents Dona Muwanika and several other Rotarians from RC Kajjansi, RC Entebbe, RC Kampala Munyonyo, RC Seguku, PRC Bwerenga and RC Nsangi. Attendees were in awe as CVs of the newly inducted members were being read. It was very clear that Bwebajja will soon be coveted within Rotary Circles and beyond. With more hands joining service, it goes without saying that RC Bwebajja will certainly contribute greatly to the achievement of Rotary’s vision, “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves”. We can comfortably say that we at RC Bwebajja are steadily heeding to the RI President’s call of, “each one bring one; grow more and do more” and we intend to intentionally inspire, mentor and sponsor more and more members of our communities into Rotary service. The night was crowned by merry making, dancing of the newly inducted members along with their family members, as well as Rotarians and other guests at the famous KIMEEZA. Sabula October 2021

| 15

COMMUNITY SERVICE 16 | Sabula October 2021

MENDING MINDSETS; STAMP OUT STIGMA As the COVID 19 outbreak is sweeping across globally it is inducing a considerable amount of worry, fear, and tension in all age groups worldwide. For third world countries like Uganda, it is exposing the loopholes within the health sector that need to be addressed. Reports from World Health Organization (WHO) show that the pandemic could have a long-term effect on mental health if not given immediate attention.

film covering life changing experiences influenced by the pandemic and assessing its toll on mental health, phase 2 seeking to create intervention strategies within the community and phase 3 covering success stories of the participating individuals since the beginning of the project.

Thus, the need to end stigma associated with Mental Health gave rise to the Mending mindsets project whose aim is to provide support through enhanced learning on anxiety/ depressive disorder and to further offer psychosocial support to communities through an experimental and control mechanism. This project is fronted by the Rotaract Clubs of Nkumba Stewards, Bwebajja, Kajjansi and not forgetting the other NGO partners on board.

Phase one kicked off on 13th September 2021 and the area of shoot was in “Kajjansi mu line” selected based on its alignment with the cause. We were able to build rapport with the community during our four days community engagement. The conducive environment enhanced dynamic participation from the participants to share their stories and experiences where it became evident that coping with stress was one of the major challenges triggering outbursts of emotions that have given room to anxiety, relapses and depressive disorders that are seen today.

This is a three phased project with phase one aiming at creating awareness through a short

Whilst there are many uncertainties about how the pandemic will progress, what is clear is the Sabula October 2021

| 17

significant impact on mental and psychosocial well-being of those most affected. It being a pivotal moment worldwide; a large part of tackling the pandemic of COVID-19 and to reduce its spread even further depends on the well-being and sustenance of the health facilities which have taken the utmost responsibility of dealing with the disease on the front lines. “The extraordinary increase in mental health needs is taking its toll on already burdened mental health services which are under-funded and under-resourced in many countries on every continent affected by COVID-19. COVID-19 has exposed the serious gaps in mental health care and now more than ever

18 | Sabula October 2021

world leaders need to prioritize and ensure that the quality mental health support is accessible to everyone everywhere.” Ingrid Daniels, President World Federation for Mental Health In a nutshell, no one is immune to the pressure of the pandemic and as a result people are using different coping mechanisms majority being quite detrimental. Co-existing with restrictions now termed as the “new normal” has drastically changed the way of life therefore how the world tackles these challenges will determine the well-being of the generation and a redemption drive to successful recovery and re-construction of stronger societies.

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

“

I have never met such a generous group of people as the Members of the Provisional Rotary club of Bwerenga, within the shortest time possible we had raised enough for the project to commence.” Sabula October 2021

| 19

funded school. It was started in 2004 by the community to address the issue of the long distances their children had to walk to school. The school has many needs; a lack of adequate class room, no power source, unfinished buildings, Un cemented floors, no water supply and much more, however it was not difficult for us as a club to decide which would be the first to be tackled. Pupils had to walk over a kilometer and a half to fetch water for use at the school. The Borehole they fetched water at was slowly being eaten up by the rising waters of Lake Victoria. There was always the fear of disease picked up from the water they had to walk through to get to the bore hole and the borehole water being contaminated. This sight made up our minds, if nothing else we were determined to provide safe access to clean water to the pupils of Bugiri Public Primary School. After discussions amongst club members, it was decided that we would install a rain water harvesting system that would supplemented by National water in the dry season. There was already provision for a rainwater system at the school, but the guttering was rusted through and so they were no longer harvesting water. We had the relevant people give us quotations which were then posted on our club WhatsApp group. I have never met such a generous group of people as the Members of the Provisional Rotary club of Bwerenga, within the shortest time possible we had raised enough for the project to commence.

s a new club forming, we were looking for a project that would define us, one that would grow as we grew. It had to be in our community. Bugiri Public Primary School is a community-based government

20 | Sabula October 2021

Sustainability was at the fore front of what we were aiming to achieve. This is a community school, so we sat down with the LC1 and the School and agreed that, while the Rotary club of Bwerenga in Formation was going to do the work of getting the water to the school, they were going to be responsible for the bills and maintenance. On 7th August 2021, we signed an agreement to this effect and work began. The Water project was commissioned on the Friday 24th September 2021 by DGE Peace Taremwa. On the same day we celebrated our being awarded provisional status.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT Rtr. Andrew Ssennabulya Club Administration Chair RC Bwebajja

Sabula October 2021

| 21

“

The ongoing “Mentor Me Series Project” by the Rotaract Club of Bwebajja is an a very good example of an empowerment project that has equipped youths of Kajjansi Town Council with financial literacy knowledge.”

In Uganda, it is estimated that 41% of the population (18million people) live in abject poverty (OpportunityInternational, 2021). According to the World Bank, the poverty line is estimated at living on less than USD 1.9 (UGX 7000) a day. A significant portion of the 59% (26million) are not poor but vulnerable to poverty (DevelopmentInitiatives, 2020). These may most likely fall below the poverty line due to short term negative shocks.

The above hypothesis has been tested by the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic in the recent past that has left many out of employment and several businesses closed. It has been noted that a significant portion of the 26 million has fallen victim of the economic shock posed by the recent series of lockdowns that started in March 2020. Resultantly, the impact of poverty, characterised by inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate childcare, limited access to health care, unsafe neighbourhoods and under resourced schools, among others is a critical area that needs to be given attention. Economic and Community development is one of Rotary International’s seven (7) areas of focus. With the poverty statistics above and the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, it is imperative that significant efforts are made to economically support communities and mitigate or reduce the imminent impacts of the poverty. For a long time, support groups and individuals of good will have commendably provided commodities/services such as food rations, clothing, clean water and healthcare, among others to communities. Recently, local media has been flooded by news about the cash handouts given to local artists as way of covid relief. While some sections of the population have questioned the selection criteria used, the bigger question is whether this intervention will be sustainable. Several examples may be sighted, even within Rotary, of economic empowerment projects implemented that have kept communities eagerly waiting on the next intervention. This is majorly because many of the projects do not meet the sustainability test which ensures that these communities do not become dependent on the support provided.

22 | Sabula October 2021

It is time therefore, that we re-strategies the approach and consider sustainable community development interventions that can elevate the communities from poverty. This should first start with educating local communities on basic things that will enable them to obtain a new economic mindset. As a saying goes,” Give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime”. The ongoing “Mentor Me Series Project” by the Rotaract Club of Bwebajja is an a very good example of an empowerment project that has equipped youths of Kajjansi Town Council with financial literacy knowledge. The youths have been supported to start and register Community Development Associations, as well as write project proposals that can easily be funded. I was recently impressed by a colleague, Mr. Kimbowa Charles, a resident of Namulanda-Entebbe Road who mobilised a group of youths, mainly boda boda-boda riders from his community. The group that always met to socialise in the evenings at his bar has recently registered with Wakiso District and is looking forward to benefitting from government and other youth empowerment programs. This was through equipping them with basic financial literacy skills, provision of support to officially register the association, open bank accounts and create systems to manage their funds. Borrowing the example from Mr. Kimbowa and RAC Bwebajja’s Mentor Me Project, as one of the several economic empowerment strategies, several people of common thinking /profession may be mobilised and supported with minimum funding. Through the networks in Rotary, groups of 25-30 people can be equipped with sustainable skills such farming, weld-

ing, tailoring among others, financial literacy knowledge to save, manage and invest their moneys, teach them the power of group investments, support them to create and register their associations as well as link them with funders and institutions that can provide capital, among other things. Such Community Associations may not only enable members to save, invest and acquire life skills but also enable them to borrow capital at low interest with recommendation from members as security. Rotary, through its carefully structured recruitment is blessed with a pool of professional human resources and social networks which can ably impart the necessary knowledge, mobilise and sustainably empower vulnerable communities. Imagine if each of the 150 Clubs (Rotary and Rotaract) in D9214 empowered four (4) Community Development Associations each having 25 members, at least 15,000 men and women would be uplifted from poverty. This could have a multiplier effect if each of them had dependants. In conclusion, given the poverty levels that have been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic, Clubs need to be encouraged to undertake sustainable projects relating to the Economic and Community development area of focus. Deliberate efforts in this direction will go a long way towards empowering the communities that we serve to develop the required mindset and financial strength to elevate themselves from poverty. As Nelson Mandela once said “Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and can be overcome and eradicated by actions of human beings”.

Sabula October 2021

| 23

EMPOWERING GIRLS AT THE CENTRE OF OUR SERVICE Rtr. Susan Nakabuya Gild Child Ambassador – RAC Bwebajja

“

The Rotaract club of Bwebajja has ensured equality is put in place through projects that protect, empower and create equity for the girls.

Did you know that instead of attending class, girls and women around the world spend 200 million hours each day getting water that is often dirty and dangerous to their health? Did you know millions of girls are subjected to abuse, child labour, trafficking, child marriage, and other offenses? These and many endless questions are the reasons why empowering Girls is at the centre of our service. The 5th sustainable development goal is gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large. In keeping with 2021-22 Rotary International President, Shekhar Mehta's goal of encouraging clubs and districts to empower girls in all of the service initiatives they undertake, I was humbled to be called, sustained and set apart to be the Girl child ambassador of the mighty Rotaract club of Bwebajja. I have served in a number of callings in my club but this is one of the most cherished roles thus far. I know for a fact that every woman out there deserves equal opportunities to make ends meet. With this new role, I invite everyone male and female to commit their time and talents to improve access to education, health and sanitation resources and create environments where girls and women can flourish. Empowering girls means supporting them to ensure that their basic needs are met while working to transform the structures and institutions that reinforce and

24 | Sabula October 2021

perpetuate gender discrimination and inequality. It includes helping girls develop self-confidence and make their voices heard. The Rotaract club of Bwebajja has ensured equality is put in place through projects that protect, empower and create equity for the girls. In 2020, the Rotaract club of Bwebajja together with its partners travelled to Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement Camp with a project dabbed Breaking the Silence on menstruation; Periods don’t pause for pandemic. Aligned with the second rotary area of focus, ensuring access to water sanitation and hygiene, we provided sanitary towels to the women and girls in the refugee camp. The project also provided training on sanitation hygiene with an emphasis on Menstruation, Health Management (MHM) Currently, we have a going project in partnership with four Rotaract clubs and four non-profit organizations titled Mentor Me

Series. The project seeks to empower youth ages 16 – 24 with practical profitable skills that can enable them to make a living, sustain their lives and provide for their families. The project has so far trained 40 youth and we have hope that by the close of the next Rotary year we would have skilled 200 youth or more. Among the many skills that we taught in the program include, baking, farming, hair dressing and tailoring. Furthermore, we are mentoring girls to start and grow small scale businesses, do social media marketing, public speaking, resume writing and so much more. Twice a year, two special U.N. days highlight the importance of women and girls to our world. Therefore, in my office the Girl Child Ambassador of the Rotaract club of Bwebajja, I invite you to join us on 11th October 2021 as we celebrate the girl child in our communities through a one-day physical conference under the theme Empower Generations through women. We believe that this conference is surely one of the many ways that the Rotaract club of Bwebajja is keeping the empowerment of girls at the centre of our service.

Sabula October 2021

| 27

THE OCTOBER

ACTIVITY CALENDER

October 2021 District Activities

26 | Sabula October 2021

Date

Activity

Saturday 9th October, 2021

2nd Presidential Forum

Saturday 9th October, 2021

District Blood Donation Drive

Saturday 16 October, 2021

District Quarterly Review Meeting

Sunday 24th October, 2021

District World Polio Day celebrations

October 2021 Club Fellowships Date

Topic / Type

Tue 5th October

Home Hospitality Fellowship

Tue 12th October

Open Mic Karoki Fellowship

Tue 19th October

Basic Principles of Community Development

Tue 26th October

What skills do job seekers need to be Competitive

October Club Meetings, Trainings & Events Date

Activity

Committee

Every Friday

New Members Virtual Mentorship Program

Membership

Friday 1st – 3rd Oct.

Rwamwanja Phase Two

Community Service

Monday 11th Oct.

Stand Up for a Girl Child – Dialog

Membership

Tuesday 26th Oct.

Board Meeting and Club Assembly

Club Admin

Saturday 30th Oct.

Poolside Fellowship

Family of Rotary

October October Birthday Birthday

Celebrations

4th October - Rtr. Ssekono Shadrack 8th October – Rtr. Ssebaggala Denis Cohen 8th October – Rtr. Nakabuye Susan 12th October – Rtn. Irumba Robert 18th October – Rtr/ Rtn. Babeya Evelyne 24th October – Rtn. Nabatya Annie 24th October – Rtn. Nyongereza Judith 26th October – Rtn. Julie S. Nasimolo

October Buddy Group Member. 1. PHF +5 Daniel Ssettuba 2. Rtn. Betty Kubumba 3. Rtn. Protaze Tibyakinura 4. PAG Moses Quinion Galabuzi 5. Rtn. Miriam Kagaiga 6. Rtn. Ojiambo 7. CP Godians Ahaisibwe 8. Rtn. Peter Wanda 9. Rtr. Nantumbwe Agnes 10. Rtr. Natukunda Winne 11. Rtr. Mutebi Ronald 12. Rtr. Wamala Dereck 13. Rtr. Namutebi Joy 14. Rtr. Akampulira Berlinda 15. Rtr. Mubiru Clinton 16. Rtr. Male Edrine 17. PDG Ken Mugisha 18. PAG Were

27 | Sabula October 2021

SERVE TO CHANGE LIVES ROTARACT CLUB OF BWEBAJJA We meet every Tuesday at CABANA RESTAURANT Kawuku 7pm - 8pm

@Bwebajja Rotaract Club @Bwebajja Rotaract Club @Rotaract_Bwebajja Rotaract Club of Bwebajja https://rotaractbwebajja.org/