Making: Time to love people practically. I am part of a ladies mentoring programme and in February, our mentor challenged us to show love practically to people. The stories were amazing.
Eating: healthier meals because we have health goals to achieve.
Drinking: millet porridge. Do we drink porridge or we eat it?
Reading: Buy the Future: Learning to Negotiate For a Future Better than Your Present by Mensa Otabil (March read). My February reads included Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi and Good Morning, Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn.
Photo source:Google
Wanting: Money to fall on me because I`m a money magnet.
Playing: music because music is good for the soul. I can`t stress that enough.
Wasting: no time with and on certain people.
Creating: content about products and services I have used before.
Wishing: for 2020 to overwhelm me with money, books, travel and every good thing.
Wondering: about my March.
Hoping: for good news.
Marveling: at how unique God has made us. A friend recently told me what he does and I was amazed at his brilliance. God has created each one of us for a unique purpose.
Smelling: a set up because I see the signs.
Wearing: my hair out.
Following: God`s leading or at least trying.
Noticing: how God is opening doors for me.
Knowing: that God was good to me in February especially amidst the storms.
If you were here last week, you probably know we are loving on some businesses through a blog Series- Inspired by Love. If you missed last week`s business, find it here- http://tiny.cc/o243jz
Today, I put the spotlight on Yonja Multipurpose Liquid Detergent run by ProssyNamulindwa, a hands-on firebrand lady fascinated by chemicals and is commonly known as chemical by her peers. Here is what Prossy had to share about her business.
They say cleanliness is only next to godliness. As a child, I was nurtured to adore cleanliness. It is one of the instructions that is always repeated all over again. And naturally, clean spaces are always inviting. They beckon you to come and stay. Have you ever cleaned a house and felt unworthy of entering it because you will make it dirty again? Yet it is also human that at times we fail to bring to ourselves the things we dearly want. That is where we at Yonja come in. We come into your usually busy lives to help you put “the house to order”. Yonja Multipurpose liquid detergent helps to ease your cleaning, leaving your space sparkling clean.
Origin of Yonja
Yonja was birthed when I was referred by one of my former bosses to work with a particular company given my academic background in chemical engineering. It’s from there that I picked interest in the various cleaning products and cosmetics, a couple of which I got trained in. I later decided to start making liquid soap. At first, it was for pleasure and I freely gave out liquid soap to my neighbors, friends and relatives. This to me was a season of experimenting until I decided that I wanted to make money from my new skill.
I started out with producing one and five litre Jerry cans of Yonja and have now expanded to producing 10 litres and 20 litres. The prices are as follows-one litre- 2000 ugx, five litres – ugx 10,000, ten litres –ugx 20,000 and twenty litre -32,000 litre. We are also working on producing Yonja Shower Gel and Yonja hand wash soon.
Meaning of Yonja
When you listen to yourself speak, you realize the word Yonja has an onomatopoeic reference to its literal version; to clean. And as thus, like they say, the apple doesn`t fall far from the tree. Yonja is simply all about cleaning; to clean and make clean. The name was born out of the desire to be unique with a global goal of cleaning and being clean.
2020 plans
Yonja is a young brand with intentions of growth. Hopefully into a household brand that goes on to live in every household. The dream is that big. However, we had to start somewhere and that is exactly what we are doing; creating cleaning detergent and making it available for consumption. To this we are casting our net even further, by training others on how to make simple detergents like liquid soap in March.
However, we are also tirelessly working to make our new products readily available on the market. Be on the lookout for our shower gel and hand wash all branded with the boldness that is the Yonja logo.
Where can the products be found?
The products are produced in Lugala along Philip Morris road and one can place an order of any volume via a call on 0781838040/0703211939 and the order can be picked or delivered.
People can also connect with us on Facebook @Yonja Multipurpose Liquid Detergent
It’s Christmas day and day 25 of the Best of the Year blog challenge. I made it this far,that’s what Christmas looks like-achieving that resolution you set and being grateful.
Thank you for staying with me for this 25 day challenge. Afro bloggers thank you for the prompts. I`m filled with gratitude for ending my year on such a high note.
Christmas is a time when I remember the greatest gift of all time to mankind-Jesus. The christian story begins with a boy born in a manger. What manner of love is this that God gave us His only begotten son? Now more than ever,I know the significance of today.
Day 23,woow!! To be honest,I have wanted to give up since day 20. This challenge has stretched me so tight.
Here are the personalities that I have enjoyed following.
1.Flavia K. Tumusiime
This chic is a power house. I love her because she knows what she wants and goes for it. Her YouTube channel is a breath of fresh air. Follow her YouTube channel and see what I`m talking about.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Wrah32jvLXksRNCwsyPeQ
2. Billy Chapata
I follow Billy on twitter and love all his tweets. His writing is soul deep.
Billy Chapata is a Zimbabwean writer, author, and creative based in Atlanta, Georgia. Billy’s work aims to touch on the concepts of love, healing, connections and growth, through poetry, storytelling and narrative.
This lady is unapologetic about what she wants in life. No goal is too small. I love her and I`m honored to call her friend.
4. Afro bloggers
I follow them on twitter. They formed the #BOTY2019 challenge and I can`t believe I have made it this far. These are the online friends I need in 2020, my writing will thrive.
Share with me your online personalities that you learnt something from,or people whose content you appreciate.
Sharing is Caring. This is a phrase that you`ve probably heard be said over and over and over. For the next few weeks, I have purposed that I am going to be practical with that slogan.
I`m all about sharing with the world what I do but I especially love sharing what my friends do. Not to brag, but I have some pretty cool friends.
I plan to do a 3 part series showcasing what my friends do. I`ve titled this series, “My Friends Hustles”.
I want you to know them and one day, give them business. I know I`m being ambitious but hey, that`s life mwattu.
1. Hweza Creations
Hweza Creations customize items like tees, vests, hoodies, cushions, cups and so much more .
AJ Beauty Glam provides bridal styling, makeup for every function including weddings, bridal entourages, photo shoots, private events and so much more…
Photoshoot make up📷: Ninnojackjr Photography &Peter Paican
3. Kitiibwa Designs
Kitiibwa (Kitiibwa Designs) is a growing brand in high class fashion and design. Currently, they produce and sell handcrafted leather sandals and flip-flops for women and men that come in diverse and creative designs. They also welcome custom designs and sizes to suit the individual tastes and needs of our customers. Their social media handles are:
This is an enterprise that focuses on providing videography and photography services for both traditional and church weddings, kukyalas (official visitation by the groom to the bride`s home), corporate events, social events and so much more.
5.Peaches Events Planning
An event planning company that provides complete, management, consulting and supervision for both Corporate and Social Events. They provide clients with spectacular events through creativity and unique planning.
He said to me, “There’s been a bank robbery and you fit the description.” Imagine the magnitude of those words as told to a person who has just spent just two weeks in America for the first time. By none other than a cop.
Now that’s a glimpse into the confusion and shock Okey Ndibe experienced as he stood face to face with an American officer on the street as he was being mistaken for a suspect in a bank robbery which he didn’t participate in nor had any idea that it had even happened. I haven’t even told you yet about how he couldn’t look the officer in the eye just because his Nigerian uncle, riding on cowboy Hollywood fanaticism had told him that it was great a sin payable by death if you looked an American in the eye. Gun slinging.
“True education is where you tap into the talents of the learner.’-Athiemoolam Logamurthie
Athiemoolam Logamurthi facilitating a session
Day 3 of the 11th Pan African Literacy for All Conference brought in a spectacular topic using Tableaux to enhance literacy development by Athiemoolam Logamurthie from Nelson Mandela university among other topics that were discussed in the various sessions.
Drama in education is the use of drama to convey meaning through voice,gestures and actions usually within a classroom setting.
Strategies for including drama in education include tableaux,role play,improvisation and plays(theatre-in-education).I will shade more light on tableaux which is the least used among the mentioned strategies.
Tableaux is a frozen scene or simply a still picture. According to google,Tableaux is a group of models or motionless figures representing a scene from a story or from history.
Tableaux demonstration.Delegates had to identify what each character represented.
Tableaux enhances literacy development. It facilitates learner comprehension since they have to visualize the actions and events that they need.
A range of skills are involved in developing their sense,building and activating background knowledge and asking questions.
The tableaux creation process is quite simple and worthy of all the work;
-Start by identifying a a text to a theme or issue that you want to be discussed
-Attach reading material to a text
-Start discussion on the topic
-Divide text into scenes and act it out
-The facilitator asks learners what they get from a character.
-The characters too are asked what they are portraying.
This form of learning is quite captivating especially for the learners. It allows them to develop their thought process and engage at all levels.
I enjoyed this session because tableaux was a new term to me and I can`t wait to try it out in various workshops I will be facilitating.
Professor Mahmood Mamdani`s key note address kicked off day two of the 11th PALFA conference.
Prof.Mamdani during his key note address
I attended the session titled, `Literacy Curricula for Equitable Student Achievement’ which was facilitated by Lindsey Allene Hall, Education specialist with Save the Children, Uganda. The topic here was the 3M Challenge (Multi-age, mixed ability, multilingual)
Lindsey asked delegates to mingle and find someone who speaks their mother tongue. Everyone did this with much enthusiasm and many were soon paired up. They were tasked with discussing what their experiences were when they first learned English as a second language.
Two of the pairs shared saying that it was difficult. There was fear, they were punished in school for speaking their mother tongue or vernacular. Many delegates harbored the same feelings.
Lindsey Allene with the first pair of participants giving their experience of learning English for the first time.
Lindsey went on to share a case study of children in the refugee context and society in Uganda. It’s important to know that the ultimate goal for primary education is English competence.
She shared on three English language acquisition strategies ;engaged learner background knowledge and interests, use of visuals and graphic organizer, and use of movements and gestures.
Under the use of visuals and graphic organizer is the KWL (Know, Want, Learn) chart which helps people understand better. In a class setting you find out what students know about a subject, what they want to know and what they want to learn on that subject.
There are many types of learners in a learning environment. Different learners learn according to different senses. Some learn by visual, others auditory and some tactile. She admonished delegates to use gestures where words fail.
I personally learn by seeing and whatever I see I don`t forget. The session enabled me know and appreciate my difference alongside other people`s differences. Moving forward in whatever session you are chairing, or preparing learning aids for, be sure to apply the information provided here.
The 11th PALFA 2019 conference held at Kampala Serena hotel with the theme: Literacy: A bridge to Equity.
The conference was officially launched by Hon.Rosemary Seninde: Minister of State for Primary Education. Some of the partners of the conference include Ministry of education and sports, GEMS, NSSF, Twaweza, MK Publishers, The New Vision, UCC, URSB, World Vision, Stanbic Bank, NEMA, Fountain Publishers, CODE, International Literacy Association, Mango Tree Literacy Lab, and Bosasy Logistics.
Hon.Rosemary Seninde speaking during the conference.
Presenters during the conference hailed from over 40 different countries in Africa and elsewhere.
The day`s keynote speaker was Dr. Robinah Kyeyune a senior education professional with a rich background in language education, and equipped with exposure in the wider educational context of policy and development work on national level and profession dialogue at an international scale.
Later delegates were divided into parallel sessions covering topics like role of mother tongue, literacy for equity outside the frame work, early childhood teaching and learning, rethinking literacy and inclusion, Gender and Sustainable literacy.
I will focus deeply on the role of mother tongue which was chaired by Tonya Sprank and Lydia Tree with case studies from Congo, Kabale and Nigeria.
The term mother tongue emanates from the notion that a linguistic skill of a child is refined by the mother since children, on average, spend more time with their mothers.
It’s important to know that learning begins at home in the learner`s home language and when learners acquire a new language, there are possible similarities in vowels and therefore the other language is easy to understand. This is referred to as transfer literacy.
One of the session presenters quoted Nelson Mandela,“ If you talk to a man in the language he understands, it goes to his head, but if you talk to him in his mother tongue that goes to his heart.’’
Mother tongue facilitates learning. It is a child`s basis for social identity and also the medium of learning/social interaction in schools and society.
Parents are crucial in helping children learn their mother tongue as well as building and bridging the gap in literacy.
Margaret Nankinga suggested that mother tongue should not be cut off after primary three. They should be maintained. When children are being weaned by their mothers, they don`t cut them off suddenly, they take measures day in and day out to wean them until they eventually stop breast feeding. The same approach should be taken for the mother tongue. It should n`t be done informally in schools. Children need to be able to attain certain proficiency both in mother tongue and English while in school.
In conclusion, mother tongue and parental participation are highly related. Sign language is the mother tongue for the deaf and parents of these children ought to be taught sign language in order to help their children. This will help in achieving meaningful literacy.
Group photo of all delegates
Did your mother tongue help you grasp things better in the school environment?Join me in this discussion by leaving a comment below.
Words carry such pungent worldviews-Binyavanga Wainaina, One day I will Write About this Place
I love to read and I’ve been reading since I was a child. Books allow me to dream, think, have conversations with myself and the book characters.
I get lost in the book’s world created by the author and I desire to create my own world.
Today, I will share with you some of my 2019 reads that have left me with stories worth telling.
1.Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
2. Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers
3.Becoming by Toke Makinwa
4.Arrows of rain by Okey Ndibe
5.One day I will write about this place by Wainaina Binyavanga
6.Red Dust Road by Jackie Kay
I could go on and on but I would love to hear what books have left an impression on you this year.
I challenge you to mention 5-6 books that have left an impression on you this year in the comment section 👇👇👇👇.
Okey Ndibe 
No Ordinary Scribbles 