Showbizuganda

Category: Features

  • Rahab Uganda, a ray of hope in a grim world

    Rahab Uganda, a ray of hope in a grim world

    Every time, we scroll through our social media timelines and read newspapers, we got shocked by the atrocious stories of girls going through prostitution and human trafficking and our hearts break. We read about girls being sold off into marriages, ladies stuck in the Middle East and Asia being harassed without any means to come back home and girls as young as 12 years stuck in prostitution. After feeling terrible, saying how unlucky they are and being thankful to be in a decent home and occupation, we go back to a daily schedules and scroll to things that make us happier.

    What started out as a simple prayer group of Christian women from Rhema Ministries, turned into Rahab Uganda, an NGO that rescues and rehabilitates young girls mainly between 18 and 25 stuck in prostitution and human and domestic trafficking. Annette Kirabira, the E.D of Rahab Uganda tells us the story;

    “As a group of Christian women, we realized that there was no one in particular we were serving. However, a daughter of one of the member’s daughters witnessed a young girl from Burundi who had been lured here by the seemingly successful prostitution industry get dropped by clients after work. Unfortunately her clothes got stuck in the door and she was dragged by the car, after which she was left for dead. We rescued her but the girl was stolen from the hospital by her pimps. This was a new thing to us, we did not even know pimps existed. We took this as a sign. With time, we got together with a pastor in Katanga region, the hotbed for prostitution. We started by bringing food and clothes but decided to get organized.” This is the story of how Rahab Uganda was born eleven years ago.

    What many of us don’t know is that in 2004, there were 12,000 child prostitutes in Uganda and by 2011 the number had risen to 18,000 (Uganda Youth Development Link 2011) and without a doubt continues to rise.

    It breaks any heart to see that children who are the purest form of innocence are involved in sex trade, married off or trafficked. Rahab Uganda realized the need for awareness of the plight of the young girls in these situations. They provide psychosocial support, medical support, counselling and skills training to the girls at both their drop in center and residential site.  The skills provided to the victims coming out of these traumatic experiences include business training, hairdressing, functional adult literacy- reading, writing and literacy.

    The organization even supports the girls who are willing and have the aptitude from primary school up to University level. Above all, the organization provides as many talking opportunities for the girls because for many, their self-esteem has hit a major low.

    It is the belief of Rahab Uganda that ‘Transformation is not cosmetics, comes from inside.’ The organization believes that the girls being able to make a choice of what to do in their lives is the beginning of dignity and honor.

    Through their work; Rahab has been able to rescue 200 girls through their residential program (where they rehabilitate and eventually re-intergrate them into the society after assessing the safety and opportunities for the girls), 600 girls at their drop in center and 1000 girls through their field outreach.

    Kirabira explained that the Ugandan law surrounding trafficking is well-defined and in place. However, enforcement and awareness is the problem. There are too many unregistered companies and that is why girls continue to be knowingly and unknowingly sold into the trafficking industry.

    The Middle East continues to be a problem especially when the girls do not have safety plans. As such while Rahab Uganda is working to help the girl out of her situation, they remain part of the process to keep the girl focused and calm.  Although Rahab Uganda faces resistance, especially from impoverished families engaged in ‘harmless’ domestic trafficking and possible safety problems, their motto is to keep on keeping on.

    This year, in order to raise even more awareness about the plight and create prevention measures, Rahab Uganda will be holding their annual charity walk named Kampala Entebbe Challenge at a fee of only 20,000shs to “Say No to Human Trafficking” this Saturday 16th September 2017 starting at 5:30 am from International School of Uganda, Lubowa to Faze 3, Entebbe.

    The proceeds from this fun run for a fun cause will go to the Rahab Education Fund, which supports the girls at the Rahab home to find and live a new dignified life. If we are all to bring the change and happiness we truly want in this world, we all need to start by helping these girls to dream again.

  • Do we really need coffee and tea breaks?

    Do we really need coffee and tea breaks?

    By Frank Gashumba

    Last Friday, I was invited by Motivation Foundation as one of the keynote speakers at a dialogue that had many youth in attendance and the topic of the day was, “Are you school or street Smart?” I was informed by the emcee that my talk was to last not more than 20 minutes as the next programme on the agenda, which was a coffee break, had to commence immediately after that.  I went on to let him know that  the youth present had paid their 10k for this dialogue to come and listen to us, share with them our life experiences, to learn and be empowered and not to take coffee! If they wanted coffee, coffee is sold all over Uganda.

    This is a disease that has killed Ugandans and the continent as a whole. Lately, attending conferences to drink coffee or tea, indulge in three course meals (buffet) has become a lifestyle: a bad one at that.

    Isn’t it strange how Ugandans will spare time to attend overnight prayers, Ebigunda b’yomwaka, drinking and smoking all night, but will not spare time to sit down for a few minutes and listen to someone sharing some life help skills?

    JESUS!!  Basically, people don’t come to exchange views to better their lives, but rather enjoy whatever amenities are being served.  These conferences that are organized by the international community (NGO,s) in Africa have successfully killed us. It is in this county that you will find a conference to do with poor and underprivileged women in Bundibugyo being held at Speke Resort Munyonyo! When you interact with the participants, you will find that majority of these reside in Kololo, Mbuya, Nakasero etc.

    Frank Gashumba

    They hold the latest iPads and gadgets, and wear the latest designer perfumes. They drive posh cars and only the latest models. If you showed them the map of Uganda, they can’t even locate Bundibugyo or Kotido.

    If these various seminars and conferences that take place in Kampala were driven towards transforming the lives of Ugandans, our economy and livelihood would compete with nations like Japan. I think 90% of these conferences in Kampala are held for accountability purposes.

    And that is why I made sure there was no coffee break during the dialogue I was attending Last week-end. The dialogue was meant to end at 8:00pm. We pushed it 11:00pm and I don’t recall seeing any one demanding for Coffee.  The people that these youth admire and look up to work 16 hours a day. Every successful person I have read about from Richard Branson, Sir Gordon Wavamuno, Sudhir Ruperalia, Aliko Dangote  to Warren Buffet rarely talk about coffee breaks!

    And as Sisimuka Uganda, the conferences we have held before are usually run like a marathon. No coffee breaks!

    To those of you who showed up yesterday, thank you for turning up. My next engagement will be with students of Islamic University of Uganda.

    SISIMUKA UGANDA TERI KULINDA KULALA

    Changing Mindests, Creating Self Belief, Transforming lives and Communities

    Thinking Independently. 

  • NWSC commissions public water points in Kanungu

    NWSC commissions public water points in Kanungu

    National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) over the weekend commissioned Ishasha Mains extension and public water points to serve people in Kanungu-Kihihi. The will help people in the areas mentioned have access to clean and safe water.

    “Last evening, we commissioned Ishasha mains extension & public water points to serve our people in Kanungu-Kihihi area,” NWSC posted.

    NWSC works are now present in over 200 towns across the country and the water body aims at extending the service to more towns in the near future.

    Meanwhile Download the NWSC Mobile app and manage your account on the go. Install the app today and make it happen just like that.

     

  • A USD $1m Skoda Fabia for Pearl of Africa Rally at Busika and Kayunga

    A USD $1m Skoda Fabia for Pearl of Africa Rally at Busika and Kayunga

    Multiple Industries Group car Racing Team called Multiple Racing Team (MRT) has sponsored East Africa’s finest driver Manvir Baryan, the nephew to Multiple Industries Limited Ugandan Billionaire Owner Bob Bryan “Singh” to participate in Pearl Of Africa Uganda Rally at Busika Adventure Park this Friday 30th June and Saturday 1st July 2017 at Kayunga. Manvir has promised to unleash his skills in the monster car.

    Manvir Baryan will be driving the most expensive this Friday and Saturday

    The car comes with a price tag of USD$1,000,000 approximately UGX 3.6bn fully customised to Manvirs height, size, weight plus so driver.

    Skoda Fabia is worth USD 1m

    The car utilises a super computer to adjust to section requirements and can only be serviced by Polish, Czech & South African Mechanics who are employed all year around to stay with car.

    According Mr. Gunpreet, Chairman of MRT Organising Committee “The Car is in a class of its own, the Driver is extremely skilled and we are looking to a big win”.

    The Skoda Fabia is competing against all top classes of Evos, powerful Subarus, Corollas, Celicas and Toyota Vitz.

    Manvir is son to Chairman Multiple Haulers while Managing Director Multiple Industries Group Bob Bryan is Uncle to Manvir.

    Review of 2017 Skoda Fabia

    From £10,510

    Of all the cars now sold by Skoda, it is the Fabia and its immediate forebears that best plot the manufacturer’s remarkable three-decade journey from nationalised crackpot to modernistic marvel.

    The Favorit, a car that had been gestating in the communist industrial belly for almost a decade, may have been the butt of more than one joke in late-1980s Britain, but its front-engined, front-drive design was a technical breakthrough for the Czechs.

    The latest Skoda Fabia is on average 17 per cent more efficient than its predecessor

    Similarly, its rehashed replacement, the Felicia, was the first Skoda to benefit from new owner Volkswagen’s input during its development – one reason why it began to top 1990s satisfaction surveys.

    However, the Fabia, launched in 1999, was nothing short of revelatory. Using a platform so new that no other VW Group product had yet adopted it, the car showed not only what the new-millennium Skoda would be capable of but also the significance that its German parent was prepared to place on ensuring its progress.

    If the second generation, with nearly a 50mm increase in height, was intended to excel in the sturdy Skoda standards of practicality and value, the third, launched late last year, is a carrier of fresh purpose. Style has become a significant part of the Fabia discussion as Skoda hopes to appeal to an audience slightly less mature than its retiree fan base.

    Not that their concerns have been forgotten. The latest model is on average 17 per cent more efficient than the car it replaces. Frugality is even more crucial to selling superminis in 2015 than it was 10 years ago, as evidenced by an engine line-up dominated by three-pots and shorn of a warmed-up vRS powerplant. As is the way of car development the Skoda Fabia is rapidly approaching its facelift, with the 2018 model breaking cover and will include more of the safety and intelligent features found on the larger Octavia.

    Five trim levels are available: S, SE, Colour Edition, Monte Carlo and, replacing Elegance as the range-topper, SE-L. Our test car came thus equipped, along with the 1.2 TSI engine that is expected to make up a healthy proportion of Fabia sales.

  • NWSC joins School Water and Sanitation Clubs to promote hygiene

    NWSC joins School Water and Sanitation Clubs to promote hygiene

    Today National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Tororo-Malaba team working with School Water and Sanitation Clubs members and Young water professionals both initiatives of NWSC helped to clean Malaba town council.

    The trio cleaned roads, schools and markets. The excited residents and local leaders joined in the cleaning exercise.

    “At NWSC, we are building responsible citizens through the youth clubs. The area leadership appreciated NWSC for the good gesture and promised go always be part,” NWSC posted.

    The exercise is also part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and customers connect.

  • Photos: Mun G pulls massive crowd at Sente Zange concert

    Photos: Mun G pulls massive crowd at Sente Zange concert

    Singer Emmanuel Matovu Mungi commonly known as Mun G excited fans on Saturday during his “Ondisa Bubi Sente Zange concert that was held at Freedom City Mall, Entebbe Road.

    The show which started at 7 pm registered one of the highest numbers of fans who began storming the venue as early as 6pm. By 8:30PM, the venue was full from the VIP Section to the ordinary section.

    Mun G who took to the stage at around 10pm was welcomed by thunderous screams, cheers and ululations from the crowd.

    The Kuntakinte entertainment boss didn’t disappoint as he put up an energetic performance that kept her fans on their feet. He fired up the crowd with his hit songs like Sala Puleesa, Byayanga, Big Bumpa, Sente Zange among others.

    There was an endless flow of black bell at the concert

    There were also guest performances from Navio and Gravity Omutujju as well as other upcoming artists.

    Navio on stage
    Revellers dancing the night away
  • Odrek Rwabwogo’s take on Agriculture

    Odrek Rwabwogo’s take on Agriculture

    To make Ugandan agriculture competitive as a source of raw material for industry, we need to focus on both incentives and skills at a farm level. A tractor at the farm with no trained operators in the neighborhood as a talent pool, no service, repair and parts workshop at each district level, means we will continue to attract more rudimentary tools to grow food for an expanding population.

    Over 60% of our food consumed in cities by the elite is still grown by a mother in a Gomesi (local busuti) at the back of her house in one or two acre plots. Without large commercial agriculture, it will be difficult to guarantee food security for a growing population. To deal with commercial farming, we have among other reasons to deal with the archaic multiple land tenure systems that prohibit fast, efficient and commercial convertibility of land”

    What does Archer Daniels Midland (with a net income of USD1.2bn in 2012), Bunge (a net income of USD57bn) Dreyfus (USD67bn in 2014) and Cargill (USD1.5bn net income in 2015), all American and European owned companies, have in common? They purchase, process and distribute 90% of the world’s grain (corn, wheat, sun flower, sorghum, sim sim) production, buying cheaply from areas with a temporarily surplus due to either subsidies (in the West where USD374bn is spent annually- more than a billion dollars per day) to keep prices for farm produce artificially high) or by nature’s providence -when it rains deep and on time in Africa.

    These companies trade the grain at reasonably better prices than they bought at- at their pace and time, on commodity exchanges across the world. With their combination of large silos in grain producing countries, control and ownership of ports and ships for export; they are able to take a lion’s share of the world’s food import bill, currently standing at USD1.09 trillion. In between these grain companies, they generated gross revenue of USD348bn in 2013 or about 32% of the global food import bill. How does our agriculture play in this league? This is the question for our generation.

    www.odrekrwabwogo.com

  • ‘I will always talk to those who have ears’- Frank Gashumba

    ‘I will always talk to those who have ears’- Frank Gashumba

    I WON’T stop talking! Never!! Even if it’s one person who’ll take my message, I will be the happiest and satisfied at heart. No one will ever respect a poor person and to you women it’s even worse! No poor person will ever go to heaven….Every poor habit rotates on a poor person.

    Does the Bible allow cheating? To you ladies, aren’t there moments you sleep with a man because of money?

    Does the Bible or a Koran sanction that?

    Men don’t respect poor women; not at all. Women who aren’t ambitious, Women who aren’t hardworking and women without visions. We as men also love to have a woman who supports what we do and a woman who can push her dreams even if her boyfriend or husband passes on. No serious man can ever dare marry a woman who is everywhere and nowhere! If you are above 20 and you think you are still a kindergarten kid to be looked after, you are living in the 19th century not the 21st!

    Frank Gashumba

    Every successful person we have read about started small/young. Look at that picture!! A 25 year old lady is flying Boeings from London to New York from New York to Dubai etc! And you her age mate you are from club to club, from wink to Club play from Club Play to Casablanca from Casablanca to Deuces then to Nyondo Pub, name it. Surprisingly, millionaires who own properties where those bars are rented are in their homes watching documentaries on TV or in their libraries reading!

    Drinking fake alcohol and sleeping around with men. When you wake up with a terrible hangover sorry ekitambo, you go to your 20 useless WhatsApp groups  and load 1k for data and you start what you do best by sharing fake, false, negative stories nude pictures and gossiping about millionaires who are broke ie Wavamuno lost his WBS TV, how Sudhir is terribly broke etc!! The billionaire you are talking about is a third landlord in Uganda!!! Sijui his house is on sale etc, I bet none of your relatives can even buy any of his watches!! Even if he opens up his mansion in Kololo and auctions his belongings, none of you can even buy a fork from his palace! After sharing negative/fake news on social media, you switch to your 14inch TV to watch Telemundo. As your age mates out there are signing big contracts and deals!

    On Sunday, you visit these shrines sorry churches for super miracles which don’t exist and on Monday you post on your time line mbu Government etuyambe. Your age mates in Europe, Asia and the US are excelling and dominating the world. Let no Pastor manipulate your mind while they themselves drown in wealth like the kings of Saudi Arabia while you people are living in abject poverty!

    Money will only come your way if you worked this week or last week; there is no shortcuts. When you are invited to an event or party, you lineup for food for 2 hours!!

    When you are out there partying, what exactly are you celebrating? Poverty, joblessness or a fat account! The sooner you realize that you are not growing any younger, the better for you to start changing your life for the better! Becoming rich and living a good life doesn’t come easy, it’s worked for!

    Sisimuka Uganda Teri Kulinda Kulala.

    Changing Mindsets, Creating Self Belief,

    Transforming Lives and Communities.

    Thinking independently.

     

  • Barrister Fashions comes to town

    Barrister Fashions comes to town

    Latest info reaching our desk has it a fashion-studded Boutique has opened its doors to the general public in town. Barrister Fashions is located in Kisakye Mall near Tuskys and next to Chillies in Ntinda.

    The boutique/shop is located on the Ground Floor. They deal in both men and ladies attires and can do deliveries.

    “I dress and feel myself am smart!!! Courtesy of Barrister Fashions in Ntinda moreover at lower prices. They can even deliver to homes, offices with in town,” a customer said.

    “At Barrister Fashions, we have all kinds of classy gents and ladies clothes, bags, shoes, office, casual and party wear, visit us at Kisakye Mall next to Tuskys Ntinda, or make your order we deliver,” Hope T Nowe said.

    The boutique opens from Monday to Sunday 8:00am to 8:00pm. Come and support and make yourself smart. For details, call 0782/757961168.

  • Emirates turns the spotlight on women

    Emirates turns the spotlight on women

    Emirates is giving centre stage to its women employees on the upcoming occasion of International Women’s Day. Women make up close to 44% of the airline’s workforce and have been an integral part of the success story of Emirates over the last 31 years.

    Emirates currently employs more than 29,000 women from over 150 nationalities. Women employed at Emirates come from diverse backgrounds and work across the entire spectrum of airline operations.

    Emirates female cockpit crew come from 24 nationalities

    Over 18,000 work as cabin crew, while the rest are represented across technical as well as in professional and leadership roles. Close to 2.5% of the total female staff occupy managerial positions in the airline, and women are also increasingly working and advancing in functions that were more traditionally represented by men. Over the past decade, the number of women employees at Emirates has increased in line with the airline’s growth. The proportion of women as part of the airline’s total workforce has also grown by 6% during the same period.

    Captain-Nevin-Darwish from Egypt and first officer Alia Al Muhari from UAE fly the iconic Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft from Dubai to Vienna

    Abdulaziz Al Ali, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Emirates said: “Emirates is committed to providing equal opportunities at the workplace for both women and men across all business functions. We are proud of our women colleagues and their immense contribution to the growth and success of the airline.  We hope that they can continue to inspire and be role models for girls and women across the globe interested in pursuing careers in aviation.”

    From pilots to aircraft engineers, cargo supervisors to flight dispatchers Emirates’ female cockpit crew come from 24 nationalities and are aged between 20 and 59 years, including pilot cadets. Captain Nevin Darwish from Egypt and First Officer Alia Al Muhairi from the UAE fly the iconic Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft from Dubai to Vienna. Captain Darwish is the first woman of Arab origin to have captained the Airbus A380.  First Officer Al Muhairi, a UAE national, is currently the youngest Emirati female pilot operating the Emirates A380 aircraft.

    In Emirates Engineering, women work as licensed aircraft engineers, mechanics, and technicians for aircraft maintenance and repairs.  Women also work at critical positions in flight operations both on the ramp as operations managers, turnaround coordinators, aircraft loading supervisors and load controllers as well as in the operations centre as flight dispatchers and duty managers.