ROTARACT CLUB OF KAMPALA WEST Issue 2

Western Times We mean rotaract

July 2013

ROTARACT CLUB OF KAMPALA WEST | ©2013 IN THIS ISSUE

Hi people, welcome to the first edition of the Western Times (formerly Kwest Times). As we start the new rotary year, we are so excited and full of energy! It is a new season with lots of new things: a new theme- engage rotary change lives, talking of which we hope to change the lives of expectant mothers at Masulita (our annual project). We have a new president whom we shall be profiling in this issue. Wedding bells have been ringing melodiously in Kampala West so read on to see what a colorful event the charter presidential wedding was and more.

As the club’s public relations officer I will be focusing my energies to ensure that you are informed and updated about our activities as well as working in apposite co-operation with you and all our partners in service. Happy reading!

Proudly sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kampla West

Public Relations Officer and Chief Editor Rotaract Club of Kampala West

Introducing the new president An interview with Emmanuel Wanyama: his vision and plans for the year.

Page 2

Charter presidential wedding Glamour, swag and happy times at Rodney and Esther’s wedding.

Page 4

Editor’s Note By Bright Onapito

WESTERN TIMESWE MEAN ROTARACT | Issue2 2

Many a times he appears very reserved, but along with that comes a charm that is veiled. Wan or Juan, as many of his peers call him comes across as an extremely very clever person, who has a very good eye for detail. He also appears very calm and composed, always considering every question asked for moments before he answers. I sat down with him for an interview and below are excerpts.

“Why are you interviewing me?” Emmanuel asks as I sit down with him for a chat, upon which I would come up with this piece.

“Because you are President Elect,” I answer.

“But have you interviewed all President Elects in D9211?”

“No. Because I can’t access the ones in Tanzania,” I stubbornly retort. He has set the tone. This is not going to be a very easy interview, and I have to brace myself.

“When I joined Kampala West, I never dreamt I would be President of this club, moreover so soon. But somehow Rotary has a way of training, mentoring and developing someone, so one evening after fellowship I was asked to take up the role of Club Secretary and that’s how I got here,” He says on being asked how he made it. “Say congratulations,” he adds in a cheeky way, and I oblige.

Wan, as many of us would like to call him was born on December 1

st, also the World AIDS

day and he smiles sheepishly on being asked how he feels about being born on such a date. He’s the last born of 4 children, born to Mr. and Mrs. Wanyama of Kisugu, but also decent in Busia district.

“Ntinda babes think you are tall, dark and handsome,” I state to him, in reference to the many ladies of the Rotaract Club of Ntinda that he visits quite often.

“That’s their opinion, at the DCA in Mombasa my Sudanese sisters referred to me as the

short, brown and cute” he quickly responds, “But I thought you are going to ask me about issues related to Rotaract?”

The president and a delegate at the just concluded DCA in Diani, Mombasa

He believes that every great thing that ever happened started as a dream. And that one’s success is measured by their (in)ability to transform their ideas into actions.

“So I have dreams for the year during which am serving as President. I thank the club members for choosing a very good team that I shall serve with as my board,” he says.

He plans to grow the club membership by 10 members (net), translating to a 30% growth.

“Payment, Attendance and Participation must also be turned around,” he adds. “So far the club could be rated at about 5 on a scale of 1 to 10. But we hope that through organizing innovative and engaging fellowships with exciting and relevant guest speakers we shall be able to appeal to all our members to be able to attend and participate and that eventually they shall be convinced to pay their dues fully.”

He adds that members need to be encouraged to visit other clubs and take part in their projects.

In terms of service projects, Wan who shall also serve on the country committee as service projects coordinator says that Masuliita has to continue, but bigger and better.

“We need to tackle the six areas of focus within Masuliita and come up with impactful and sustainable projects in line with the future vision. With my appointment onto the

country committee, my business will be to ensure the success of all projects in the country.

“We hope to implement the water tank project at the Masuliita Health center IV, which shall help the maternity ward where expectant mothers have to carry a 20 liter can of water with them whenever they go to deliver,” Wan adds. “Funds allowing, we shall also distribute about 2000 food and water containers within the village to school children, in order to enable them carry something to eat and/or drink to school. This is in response to hunger being a major problem in schools within the area. We also plan to carry out a Family health day, where we shall do immunization, HIV testing and counseling, hand washing and sensitization on common diseases.”

He also hopes to continue with the one off projects, like visits to orphanages and elderly people’s homes and the Luzira women prisons.

The president entertaining kids at Oasis of Life orphanage during a visit last year

“As far as international service is concerned, we are looking forward to a major project with our twin club the Rotaract Club of Westlands and signing a twinning MOU with the Rotaract club of Lewet in Ethiopia. The beauty with the recent district split is any

Meet Emmanuel Wanyama: The Fourth President By Our Correspondent

WESTERN TIMESWE MEAN ROTARACT | Issue2 3

activities with these twins shall be inter-district partnerships.”

We shall continue to fraternize with them, as far as events like installations, charter nights so as to build acquaintance. I hope to lead a delegation of not less than 5 members to Nairobi and a similar one to Ethiopia sometime during this coming year,” Wan says on international service.

He says that he plans as a club, continue to mentor and actively get involved in the affairs of our two-sister interact clubs, Seeta and Kakiri SOS, as part of new generations or youth service as it is now called, the highlight being sponsorship to attend RYLA in Dar-es-salaam. Recruitment of younger members into the club is also part of his plan.

“We face a risk in 3 to 5 years, when most of us shall be over 30 and no longer eligible to be rotaractors. We thus must beef our membership up now, with members cutting across all ages and sexes to avert that risk,”

Wan states.

“We must have a very sound club service. Home hospitalities, birthdays, anniversaries, and all events in people’s lives must be celebrated. Sick members must be checked on and visited, and those who lose dear ones must be consoled. I plan that this shall also be fostered during my time as President,” he says

“Members’ vocations MUST also be developed, and I think this is one of the many benefits a rotaractor gets. There thus should be a lot of emphasis here. I plan to do this through guest speakers and 2 vocational tours. One out of every 4 guest speakers shall be mentoring club members on an aspect of life, like personal finance, professional development and entrepreneurship among others. We also plan to improve upon the existing mentorship structure with the mother club so as to allow members choose their mentors as well set out clear objectives and take initiative in making the whole thing work out.”

“But this is what’s expected of any club,” Wan adds, saying that he plans to submit the club’s projects for presidential citation, in addition to exploring opportunities and possibilities for one of the many grants from Rotary International to ease strain of project resourcing. As a club we hope to commit at least $200 to the Rotary foundation in line with the district Rotaract target of about $6,000.

“And that’s what is going to make us different,” he says, “Because we are not an ordinary club.”

Emmanuel Wanyama has worked at Housing Finance for the last three (3) years in the Internal Audit Department at various levels. He went to King’s College Budo for High School and Makerere University’s FEMA (now COBAMS) where he attained a 2

nd Class

Upper Degree in Commerce, majoring in accounting. He’s currently pursuing his ACCAs and an MBA at UMI.

Wan is currently in a relationship but prefers it remains private. He stresses that he is very keen on making presidential babies this year and his hobbies include playing and watching football (he’s a Manchester United die hard), playing chess and hanging with the boys.

The Rotary year 2012/2013 started with Rachel becoming president of the Rotaract Club of Kampala West but…stakes were high and I was nervous, especially because of the pressure of being entrusted with management of the vocational service directory by my club members’ vote. What always seemed easy say slowly dawned on me otherwise as panic set in with the thought of how I was going to add value to my club members professionally: both at individual and at club level through the indulgence of guest speakers. Being the strong advocate of literacy and the English language that I am, promoting a reading culture through forming a book club was going to be one of the avenues for me to create an impact. Having a clear vision, mission and values was going to be the biggest strong hold of my service journey throughout the year. The integrity at fellowship and etiquette through service guarded by the element of peace as reflected by the year theme accompanied with professionalism were some of the other guns to this battle.

The writer (extreme left) during a community project Having been bothered by the uncultured mannerism expressed at some clubs that I managed to visit such as over running the president’s position , deliberate shying away from nominations to positions of leadership/ responsibility and diverted fellowship presentations , that is to say, the Nalule Saga (if you catch my drift). Such as these were clear indicators to me of how different we had to run affairs at Kampala West. Thanks to our mother club, the Rotary club of Kampala West for being such a great example. Even though money is the consequence of our usefulness to society, let us spend much of our time developing our skills other than chasing deals around. May be then the integrity in our country shall improve. I remain yours truly,

President Elect Rotaract Club of Kampala West

Ivan Tells Tales By Ivan Kalungi

WESTERN TIMESWE MEAN ROTARACT | Issue2 4

6th

July 2013 will always be special day in the history books of Kampala West. Charter President Rodney Twagarukaho in an afternoon affair exchanged vows with his sweet heart (ahem) at All Saint’s Cathedral in Kampala. Like a popular advert that I see on telly about the marriage of two telecom companies, it was indeed a marriage of two rotaract clubs. We can now proudly say we have married the Rotaract Club of Kampala City. If anyone has a problem with this, we have a marriage certificate to prove it!

Rodney and Esther treated their guests who included army generals and some of the very elite who-is-who of this country to a dinner at the UMA exhibition hall in Lugogo. I must say there could have easily been up to 1,000 people in that hall! Clearly Kampala West is mazi mawanvu and again, if you have doubts ask anyone who attended if they missed food, which happens at some weddings I have attended. Drinks were flowing continuously as well. It was the real deal of a wedding that one!

It wasn’t your mundane wedding where the DJ plays music all the way. Instead there was a culture troupe and world class live band-Code 9 playing beautiful rhythms with equally beautiful voices and singers.

The bride’s speech, effectively a love letter to her husband, was meticulously crafted and read off an iPad. It was a hi-tech wedding I tell you! Of course there was cake, dessert and plenty of drinks to wash it down.

The wedding bells are still ringing loud and this Rotary year we hope to see the likes of Timothy Bukenya (aka the club mascot) relinquishing the shelf.

Chief Editor, Western Times

Introducing Mr and Mrs T.

Guests arriving at the red carpet

Kampala West VIP section

Where’s the food at?

Monsieur Francois

Smartly dressed guests

Code 9 in action

Bridal section

The president and his personal aide

A Wedding fit for a President By Bright Onapito

WESTERN TIMESWE MEAN ROTARACT | Issue2 5

Presidential Installation in Pictures

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