27 onto 28

So today, I turn a WHOLE 28 years old.I`m getting closer to the 3<sup>rd</sup> floor and I am as excited as I am scared. I want to share with you some lessons I`ve learned over the last few years. The lessons could be more but I chose 27 as I step into my 28^th season.

Here we go:

1. Have a belief system. As a Christian, my belief system is hinged on/in Christ. Everything I do has a background to the bible. My values are formed by this.
2. Find your calling and purpose and pursue them wholly. This answers the why, reason for your existence. Take it a notch higher and invest in your purpose.
3. Don`t be afraid to say NO! When I had just started saying NO, it felt strange on my tongue and left me wondering if the person I had said it to, still loved me, liked or even wanted to be my friend.
4. Don`t criticize what you aren`t and can`t do. This lesson has been my motto since 2018. Appreciate the fact that someone woke up and did their thing. Hope you are doing yours too.
5. Mind your own business. Chilleeee *in Sarah Jakes Roberts voice*

Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You’ve heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. – 1 Thessalonians 4:11, MSG

Image source: Sarah Jakes Roberts

6. Have a healthy support system. I emphasize healthy because the support needs to be balanced. These friends cheer on, celebrate you but also call you out when you are doing foolish things, rebuke you ,ask you the tough questions and you do the same for them.
7. Read extensively. Forget the notion that, if you want to hide something from an African, put it in a book. Reading keeps you alive and on top of your game. Reading gives you insight into a world beyond your physical environment.
8. Speak up-Know what you want and speak up. Speak up against things you don`t settle well with you like injustice, sexual harassment, corruption, foul play, et cetera. But also speak up for things you like and love.
9. Die to opinions of men. I know in Uganda we are raised with the, `What will people say?’ line. It`s crippling and you need to outgrow it.
10. Support your friends and their hustles. It doesn`t have to be monetary all the time, broadcast their businesses, share their posts on social media, advise them when things aren`t going well, etc. Help them build their empires and careers.
11. Mentors are gold, find one. Mentoring sets you on a path of discovery, adventure, helps you push your limits and achieve over and above what you expected. I encourage you to find a mentor. I have had a privilege of being mentored by amazing people.
12. Acknowledge good things and dwell, savor them. We easily acknowledge bad things.
13. Don`t settle for less. Always aim for more and the very best.
14. Make that money and don`t apologize for it.
15. Have boundaries and respect them, others will too. In return, respect other people`s boundaries.
16. Keeping time is a thing. Dear Ugandans, it’s not just for bazungu –white people.
17. Run your own race and avoid the comparison disease.
18. Celebrate small victories/wins. These make up the big wins.
19. Spend time with people you love.
20. Travel. It is therapy. Start with small tours of the places nearby and go on expanding your territory. Don`t let people`s Instagram posts get you broke. Travel grows your perspective on people, cultures, mannerisms and a wider view on life and the world.
21. Seasons are part of life. There will be summer, winter, autumn and spring. Grow through all the seasons. Embrace them.
22. Practice letting go. It is a painful process but one that has to happen. Sometimes we have to let go of longtime friends, clients, lovers, clothes and pieces we acquired over time.
23. Be generous with your resources.
24. Practice MDD. I said it. lol!! Listen to music, its therapeutic. Sway and dance to that beat. Welcome drama, not every drama is 100% dramatic. Some has lessons, fun, revelation and so much more. Live life to the fullest.
25. Don`t give up on love. Sometimes being in love hurts but pain has never stopped its beauty. Love wholeheartedly and unapologetically.
26. Self-awareness is bae. Know thyself well. What makes you happy? What do you believe? What makes you sad? Be honest with yourself on every level.
27. Enjoy being alone but not lonely. I have learned to be with myself and still be comfortable. Years ago, I had an itch to be with people all the time but I`ve learned to be alone, have quiet moments and still be comfortable. Try it.

Here is a bonus;

Don’t hinge your happiness on other people.

Share with me some lessons from your years of living.

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Who is teaching you responsibility?

Dear boys 2 men,

Who is teaching you responsibility?

Who is teaching you how to treat the ladies in your lives?
Who is teaching you how to behave on dates? (I am not talking about opening car doors here.if you do it, awesome,if you don’t,it’s OK)
Who is teaching you how to disagree but not beat up that woman in your life?

Who is teaching you how to go about proposals?
Who is teaching you how to be a present friend, husband,father, grandfather?
who is teaching you the basics of manhood?
Who are you having your manhood conversations with?

Who are you vulnerable with?(I know in our society,you’ve been told to man up. “abasajja tebakaba,” but that’s not even scriptural, Jesus wept openly)
Who are you showing your nakedness?Who is walking the marriage journey with you?Who is teaching you responsibility?

Who is teaching you how to protect your “Chic,kyana” physically,mentally,emotionally, spiritually and financially?
Who is teaching you not to have premarital sex to prove your manhood?

Who is teaching you parenting?some of you get kids while at campus, after campus and there in between and have no idea where to start from hence ,choosing irresponsibility.perhaps if you knew better,you would do better.perhaps.

Who is sharpening you? ``As iron sharpens iron,So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NKJV)

Who is affirming you? Who is speaking wisdom to you?

Who is praying with and for you?

Who is rebuking you?

Tell me,Who is teaching you?

Who is holding your hand and showing you the way to go?

Who is teaching you how to lead and be led?

Who is teaching you responsibility in every form?

 

Follow Kuteesa Foundation on Facebook ,because they are teaching the boys 2 men in our generation responsibility.

Comment below with a man ,men or group of men who are teaching you responsibility.

Book Review 15: No Makeup On

Book title: No Makeup On

Subtitle:The Rebirth of Identity

Author: Hope Babigumira

Pages: 150

I got this book from a friend (Hey Prossy) and I promised her that I would be done within a week,little did I know that a week was too long for me to devour 150 pages. Hope Babigumira thank you for sharing your story with me. Here goes my review….

No makeup on is a transparent book with a grace-filled story.

Hope is born into a good family with father ,mother,siblings, a good house and good schools and so much more. Her parents care so much to give them a good education and therefore ensure they enroll them into the best schools in Kabale, because hey, the right foundation is important.

As with many Ugandan stories, death snatches their father away from them and the once well off family lands on a stranger-STRUGGLE. Her mother has to pick up what is left and fend for her babies along with other dependents ,who she had to eventually release because she was unable to help them any longer. As if the loss of their father wasn`t enough, death visited again and snatched away their little brother. It could have been Hope but as fate would have it, the brother sat in her place and boom,the wall hit him hard.

Hope on the other hand goes through her own struggles. She struggles to fit in, be cool, body consciousness and sensitivity, sexual abuse, drinking and partying, daddy issues, abortion.

Armed with a distorted self image, Hope ends up getting pregnant for the first man who treated her like a queen. Her perspective on love was what Mills and Boon had served her with, a handsome money with a body to die for, would meet you and you fall in love instantly ,have sex and live happily ever after. But this wasn`t the case, this handsome man got her pregnant and he wanted nothing to do with her. Stuck with a pregnancy in her Senior six, her friends advise her to abort and she goes through with it. This left her with a feeling of guilt only God can heal anyone from.

She  moves on to Makerere University, her cycle never ends, drinking, partying, and sex never stop. She graduates, starts the work journey but has no idea of saving or handling money better ,which is the case with many graduates and those still at the university. She is on a journey to financial freedom and writing a book is one of the chapters on this journey.

She meets her husband, they fall in love and move on to start a family. She comes back to her church roots (she was raised in a christian home with strong christian values) because she was tired of life as she knew it and needed to be better for her daughter.

A friend recommends her to a church-worship Harvest where she heard the gospel of grace. She could n`t believe that God wanted anything to do with her after her dark past, but indeed He wanted everything to do with her. God has dealt with her daddy issues, distorted identity, sexual abuse trauma, low self esteem and so much more. He has restored her to Himself and to her purpose.

It is evident through her journey that she has learned invaluable lessons, found her voice and her purpose. She is ready to live her life with purpose and impact the next generation of young ladies.

I recommend this book to every girl/woman out there, we all have issues we are dealing with similar to Hope`s.We need someone to tell a story we relate too/with and Hope does that in her book.You are guaranteed to have `AHA!!’ moments as you flip the pages.

To all the ladies out there, you are enough.You FATHER loves you deeply.He rejoices over you with singing. Be brave.Be you.

Get a copy of the book  at Aristoc -30,000 Ugx

 

 

 

Book review 14: How to be happy though married

Book title: How to be happy though married

Pages:160

Author:Tim LaHaye

I am not married yet 😅 but this didn’t stop me from devouring this book. Tim LaHaye is a pastor and counsellor who openly discusses issues on how two Christians can write and overcome their issues in a practical manner.

The book is centered on how two Christians unite to form one spiritual, emotional, and physical body .Each chapter explores a key, giving scriptural backup,counselling experiences and realities,sealing it with research.

The keys include; opposite attract where he explores various temperaments (more on this in his book,spirit controlled temperaments).couples ought to know their temperament and understand it.

Key 2: Forget yourself.My favorite quote ,”do you want your wife to treat you like a king?then treat her like a queen!!”

“Most counsellors acknowledge three basic areas of marital adjustment -mental,physical and spiritual.Proper adjustment in each of these areas is necessary to create a well rounded marriage.”

The author raises must answered questions, “how do you socialise when married?is appearance important in marriage?how much information to give away to outsiders?how to raise children,church to go to and so much more. He offers answers and real examples from various couples he has counselled which makes the book very practical.

He takes time to talk candidly about sex,goes to length to give a detailed explanation of how the male and female body behaves during sex.

This book is highly educative with a balance of research from various authors and the greatest author -God. Being a Christian,the Bible verses and revelation put perspective on each point.

I highly recommend this book to all those courting and intending to marry, marrieds,marrieds mentoring other young couples. This can be used as a study book.

I recommend it for ladies who need perspective on information they get in bridal showers, relationship conferences.

Book image: bookdepository.com

Hosting tips 101

Ever had people crushing over at your place for a few days,weeks,a month or two,years?
I have been hosted before by friends and I have learnt a couple of things about hosting people. There are hosting Dynamics and today Rachel and I share tips on how to be a good host.These tips are in no particular order.

+Always know your people.What do they like to eat,what are they allergic to.This helps to plan better for their stay.

+Plan!plan ahead for their coming.Stock whatever you need to stock for their stay.

+Don’t change your menu for your guests.Make adjustments depending on who likes what but don’t do a 360 on your menu.This might be costly and draining as well on your pocket,house help if you have one or yourself too.

+Take/accept the help.The more people in the house, there is multiplication of house chores.Incase a guest asks to help out ,let them help.

+Ask for help.Remember some of these guests,like to work and if African ,they have been trained to work and might be uncomfortable sitting all day.Ask them for help.This helps you bond and you could learn something new about each other.

+You are bound to meet people of various cultures.don’t be alarmed.

+For guests who stay for long;months or years, purposefully involve them in the house chores and activities.If you go by a rota include them that way they appreciate and are part of the family and it also lifts the burden off of you to do everything. Everyone has to have some form of responsibility.

+It is important to know how long a guest is staying, especially if you are in a family setting, that way there is no uncertainty and family members are well prepared. Guests who stay for Ununspecified days can easily feel like a burden and there could be the anxiety of how long is the person staying.To avoid such discomfort and uncertainity,it is good to know the length of the stay.

+Be ready to be vulnerable.This comes with letting someone in your space.Be yourself and don’t adjust your lives completely. Let the guest adjust to your system (this can be added to the menu as well)

+It is great to learn from your guests as well, as much as it is your house, your rules, try to involve some of their ways especially if they are from a different culture. You could ask them to cook a common dish of theirs or show you how they do their things. This way the guest feels appreciated and is able to involve a part of them in the family

+When a guest does something wrong or off, it is OK and right to tell them directly and in a kind and polite way. It is so easy to find yourselves discussing the guest behind their back with other family members yet the issue would have easily been resolved by speaking to them. This can also breed contempt and ruin the whole experience.

+Always consult with your family members before agreeing to host someone, that way they are prepared cause even if you are the one taking care of most of the things, they have a right to know and agree as their space will be invaded/interrupted

+Considering all the above, it is actually OK to say no to hosting someone, it doesn’t make you a bad person, it does take grace and quite some work, so be willing to give 100% rather than say yes and your heart is not in it. Whatsoever you do,do it with all diligence as unto the Lord and not man.

This post was co-authored by Racheal Atieno-my Kenyan sister,who has hosted me and so many other people at her home in Nairobi over the years. It is right to say her home is international 😂😂.

Kindly leave your views in the comment section.

Photo credit: Gakosun Photography

©Racheal Kizza 2018

Bitature talk #2

Part 2 is finally here and this will mark the end of Bitature talks on the blog. Part 2  covers the business tips that stood out for me and the ones I am looking to implement. Feel free to pause and think critically on ever point and write down your answers. PS;They are in no particular order.

+Have a plan.You can`t do anything well without a plan. For any business to succeed, you must have a proper plan, short and long term. Never start anything without a plan.

+What product/ service are you offering. You must be sure of what you are offering.Your surety is what sets you apart from the already existing products/services.

+What`s your marketing strategy? Now that your certain about your product/service, what`s your marketing strategy? How ill you get your product/service known?

+Do your research. Know all about your business. The pros and cons, who else is doing it, seasons for the business.

+Keep the business system simple-tailor it to suit you and those your working with.

+Have your accounts straight. I have personally run a business before and one of the things I struggled with was a financial system. I was the law and I got into the habit of using business money to meet my personal needs. Now I know better.

+On partnership in business, partner with people who have what you don`t have. Get people on board who compliment you. They will add flair and spice to the business.

+Find out what your strengths and weaknesses are. These help you to know where to specialize and who to hire for the business.

+On decision making, As the leader in your business, hear other people out and appreciate their opinions. However, make the right decisions for the business.

+Don`t be afraid to experiment. In experimenting, you learn the right way to do and not to do something. Your business will benefit from this greatly.

+Learn business language. Learn from those who are already in business,use google, network. Learn how to write a business letter, make receipts and  quotations. Learn all you can learn on this matter.

+Know where things are. Mr. Bitature narrated an old story where Uganda lacked sugar but he knew where sugar was-in Kenya. He got onto the bus and went to Kenya. He purchased lots of sugar and brought it back to Uganda and sold it off and made profit.

+Stay around progressive people. These are people who are achieving their set goals, taking on opportunities and progressing in all areas of their business. You can`t be around such people and not be challenged to be better.

+Read widely. Leaders are readers. Read on your business, read about people in the same business and learn from them.

+Pace yourself. He built Protea a four star hotel to host guests for  the common wealth meeting held in Uganda in 2007 and now he has built Naguru Skyz Hotel 10 years later. Don`t be in a rush. Understand your business patterns.

Protea hotel. Source: protea.marriot.com

I hope you can apply these principles from Mr. Bitature to your business whether a start-up or one already running.

Share business tips you have applied and have worked for you. Let`s learn together.

 

Extraordinaire 9:Drew The Artist

Andrew Odoch joins us today for our Extraordinaire series.he is an artist whose heart and mind speaks God’s language of creation. Learn more about Andrew and his DrewTete story.

1.Who is Andrew Odoch?

I wad born in 1984 to Mr. & Mrs. Umah Tete in Nsamya a Kampala suburb. I am a son, brother, friend, relative, mentor, father and husband.

2.What is your vision for Drew Tete?

Drew Tete is crafted from my two names An(Drew) and Umah (Tete)

The Drew Tete vision states,” created by the Creator to create works of art that inspire people to achieve their purpose in life.”

3.Share any childhood memory in regards to art?

My mother’s old diary which I used to draw “stick figures” in around age 3 or 4. In primary school it was all about drawing comic book characters; Spiderman, fantastic 4, x-men, etc when I got to secondary school at St. Mary’s college Kisubi ,I was introduced to painting by Mr. Katabulawo my then art teacher who gave me my first chance to exhibit in a school exhibition, from then on I fell in love with painting and continued to grow and learn from water color to oil paint and now acrylic paint and digital painting with a drawing tablet.

4.When did you start selling your artwork?

I started selling my artwork in my S.4 when I realized people liked my work and were willing to pay for it. I remember selling some paintings for 40,000/= about 8 USD.

5.Did you go to art school to grow the skill?

I didn’t get any education in art outside my secondary school education. When it came to university I was convinced by my family to study something else since I already had the art thing held down. Eventually I graduated with a degree in Accounting and Finance from Kyambogo University in 2009. I don’t regret the decision, it gave me a business mindset, which I realized many artists don’t have.

6.When did you register Drew Tete?

In 2011, I registered Drew Tete Ltd as a company, our vision is to produce all manner of artwork as inspired by Bezelel who God annointed to produce all manner of artwork. We do graphics design, branding, signage, animation, invitation cards, commercial printing and photocopy services, interior and event décor.

We target institutions, individuals and the international market. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder; to make art is to create something that is pleasing to the eye that has never existed before.

7.Whats your take on Ugandans and art?Do they appreciate it?

Ugandans have an eye for beautiful things but the question is whether they are willing to part with their hard earned cash to acquire a piece of art and do they understand art? Initially I only used to sell actual (original) paintings but with time I realized that not many people are able to purchase expensive pieces of art, with my design skills I started to put photos of my paintings on greeting cards and also selling prints of the actual paintings at a lower price point while generating income and waiting for the right buyer and price for the originals. I also diversified my art portfolio to things like graphics design, which is an art form that people will easily pay money for because they see the immediate impact of the artwork.

8.How important is social media when running a business?

Social media has really come alive over the last 10 years and it’s not going to go away, it is only going to grow and adapt with trends and times. Top organizations and individuals now as a must, have presence on these platforms. Social media can be of huge importance to any business because it gives the business what every business needs, an audience. Now what you feed that audience is what gets you results.

In 2009, when I decided to go professional as an artist, there were two options, to have galleries sell my work or to sell it myself. I went to one of the leading galleries in Kampala ( I won’t mention the name here) and they said no, “ we don’t appreciate your style.” I didn’t quit, thank God at that time facebook was really on the rise, I started putting my work on social media to cause awareness and I also started working with a mentor Mr. Taga Nuwagaba. I have since landed some great business off facebook. This year I joined Twitter and Instagram and next year I will be on YouTube @drewtete.

9.Achievements .

I have exhibited my work at the Nommo gallery, Fireworks Exhibitions, Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) Trade Show, Bayimba International Festival of the Arts and most recently at the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting held in Uganda. My paintings hang on walls in Uganda, Kenya, UK, USA and all over the world. My company and I have done work for notable brands like; Parliament of Uganda, American Chamber of Commerce, Non Profit organizations, churches, etc. In 2011, I was commissioned by the Central Bank of Uganda to produce painting for their 2012 calendar. We have employed over 10 people since we were registered as a company 8 years ago.

10.Future Projects.

Together with a team of young people who I mentor, we are working on a comic book called Valor coming out before the end of the year. I am working on having my first solo exhibition this December 2017. I desire to exhibit my work all over the world and perfect my craft till I harness all the potential in me and die completely empty. Lessons to sustain a start up………let’s leave that for another day

Catch me on: Facebook/Instagram/Twitter @ drew_tete

Website :www.drewtete.com

Call:+256 704211864 &Whatsapp: +256 782639282

Email: drewtete.ltd@gmail.com

©Racheal Kizza 2017

Book Launch

Ever wondered what sets you apart from the thousands of people around you? Ever thought that your not good at anything? Thought that the odds are against you everytime. It’s like the universe is hell bent on making you score last on your progress report? Then this book is for you.

Noeline Kirabo is launching her first book ,”Find your significance” where she shares her journey of discovering her significance through the highs and lows. It is clear when she was at her worst,God was at His best.

As a young girl excited about University like many of us were in our senior six vacation,her hopes were dashed to say the least.Her mother was diagnosed with cervical cancer and she had to take care of her and that ended her University dream.

Her mum was the bread winner and her being down with cancer meant no school for Noeline. How does one survive such pain, crushed dreams, “shame” when you don’t have an answer for your former school mates now at University?

Noeline beat the odds and is currently the Founder of Kyusa, an organization that empowers youth to become employable by developing passion-driven sustainable careers. www.kyusa.org and Facebook.com/kyusa

For more on this story and how Noeline made it through, come be apart of the book launch.

Details.

Venue:Innovation village,Ntinda complex

Tickets on sale at 50k and they come with an autographed book, a complimentary book and wait for it a SNAAAACCCKKKK.

Time:6-8pm

See you there.

For bookings call 0783-571457/0783-729186.

Extraordinaire 8: Live Martha

1.Who is Martha?

Martha Ainomugisha Mugisa is a Leadership Development enthusiast who is passionate about empowering others. Her heart is sold out to youth, children and the vulnerable. She’s been married to Gideon for the last 8 years and is a mother to 2 precious girls, Hannah and Hadassah! She loves a good read,travelling and having a good hearty laugh!

2.Genesis of Livewire.

The first LiveWire forum was held sometime in 2012. Early 2012, I was visited by 3 young men who I had mentored years back. They were at a point in their lives when they were completing university and they felt we needed to meet, catch up and chat like old times and especially talk about issues of love and relationships that were a puzzle to them at that point in their lives. We agreed to meet over some nyama choma like old times. Two weeks to our meeting, a few other friends from the good old times showed interest in coming so we opened it up and decided to find a venue, and do logistics for a real meeting. I think we had over 30 young people in attendance. At that meeting, it was agreed that another meeting should happen. When I met with the initial 3 guys for an evaluation meeting, we agreed to tentatively call the meetings live wire and this is why: I had met these precious people during a time when I worked with Scripture Union Uganda. They used to volunteer during youth conferences during which one of the most popular parts of the program was a session we called live wire (intended to mean that things were discussed as openly and bluntly as could be). And your guess is as good as mine, the hottest topic during live wire at the conferences was relationships, love , sex and everything in that line. So, without really planning to, we started having regular meetings. The name has still stuck. It was only modified to The LiveWire Forum”. We have debated over the years on whether to change it but well, let’s see what the future holds. The Spark team(a group of volunteers who plan and execute the forum’s activities) was constituted and here we are. The rest, like they say, is history.

3.How do you juggle livewire and your day to day life of being a mother and managing other ventures?

From the very start, we appointed a team of volunteers to plan and execute the activities of the forum. This means that the burden does not lie squarely on my shoulders. So I have learnt to empower others to be part of the work so that the responsibility is not heavy. As earlier said, this team of volunteers at LiveWire is called the Spark Team! There is also a group of married people who are burdened about this ministry who have come on board over the years. We call them “Elders”. They are a great source of encouragement and support.

4. How often is LiveWire held?

We hold 4 forums a year usually around March, July, September and November. The November forum is custom made for those planning to walk down the aisle. It’s code-named “Planning To Say I Do”. This September our forum is happening on 30th,dubbed ,”lad_lady in Waiting.”

5.Achievements so far?

The testimonies of impact are so many. That is what has brought us this far and gives us the grace to keep going. We have interfaced with over 500 young people over the years. Seeing young people finding courage to face tough situations, make tough but life changing decisions, arise to pursue their dreams or deciding to live right is what we live for at LiveWire. Also, we have since defined our niche and focus and also gone on to expand our scope of reach. The LiveWire forum is now a program under a registered non-profit, IGNITE Initiatives (www.igniteinitatives.org), whose vision is to empower the next generation of influential leaders. We are excited about what the future holds!

6. Challenges faced.

Like earlier stated, the start of this forum was not planned. It really just happened. So, along the way when it became clear that we needed to keep going, my team and I had the challenge of deciding where we wanted it to go and how. We have had to go before God to give us direction and guidance. We have had to embark on Long term thinking and planning. This process is actually ongoing. I like what the future looks like. Our other burden and challenge has been follow up. In this kind of work, you must follow up on people and build support systems if you are to have long term and meaningful influence and impact. But because this is something we do part time and with a small team, it’s been a challenge. However, since we have decided to think long term, we are working on processes and systems to help us be more effective.

7.How does one join the forum?

LOL!!! you don’t have to recite any creed OR be a certain way. Are you a young person keen on making godly decisions on matters of love, relationships and marriage OR are you keen on discovering God’s purpose for your life and pursue it? Just attend one of the forums or join us on the WhatsApp group and you will officially be part of the family.

8.What advice do you give to youth who are struggling to find their purpose?

My first word would be breathe in and out and go easy on yourself. Every single person you see around you goes through that phase at some point in their life (especially those who seem to have it all together)! Now, you won’t believe it but your purpose is closer to you than you think. All you have to do is look around you and inside you. I believe and have come to appreciate that our purpose is woven intrinsically into every fibre of our lives by God our creator. Who you are; your personality, likes and dislikes and your experiences in life will quickly help you define your purpose if you take a close enough look. So a good place to begin is by asking the one who made you- God. In simple terms, pray about it.

9.Social media sites

Whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHHqtln3GQt1sJ541y1n1T

Facebook:https://web.facebook.com/groups/244871502271995/

Twitter: @LiveWireForum

Join us!!!

©Racheal Kizza 2017

Extraordinaire 3 : Noeline Kirabo

Women empowerment can best be done by women who know and understand fellow women. Meet Noeline Kirabo who is building an active legacy when it comes to empowering young ladies to live out their God -given potential. Many know her for Kyusa but today, she tells us all about the New Generation Mentoring Program and how to be apart of the upcoming cohort in September.

1st NGMP cohort, Further left, Sumaya, Cathy, Grace, Noeline Kirabo , Fifi and Justine on the extreme right. Certificate ceremony.

1.Who is Noeline Kirabo?

NK: Noeline Kirabo is a family therapist by profession and a social entrepreneur by passion. She has over twelve years’ experience in the nonprofit sector mainly working with children, youth, women and community self-help groups.

She is the Founder and Executive Director of Kyusa, a registered organization that empowers out of school youth in urban slums to become employable by developing passion driven sustainable careers.

She is the Co- Founder and director of Newen Consults a personal and business development consulting firm.

Noeline is also the founding president of Christian Women Entrepreneurs Network (CWEN); a platform that brings together Ugandan Christian women in business to connect, create and collaborate.

As part of her passion for women, Noeline has also pioneered a four months coaching program called New Generation Mentoring program for young adult women 20 – 35 years preparing them to identify their potential and use it to strategically influence in the market place.

Noeline is an author, writer, motivational speaker, life coach, career mentor, trainer and business development consultant. Her life mission is to empower people to identify their life purposes and turn their passions into skills for fruitful living.

2.The name Noeline is synonymous with kyusa,but what is New Generation Mentoring Program (NGMP)?

The mentoring program was birthed out of my passion and commitment to nurturing young women to actualize their potential so as to influence in the market place. I had been mentoring and coaching ladies one on one for years so I just decided to turn it into a group mentoring because of the number of ladies that were approaching me for mentoring.

New generation Mentoring Program is a four months mentoring program that aims at developing outstanding female leaders. It is an experiential program that nurtures holistic development and equipping of women for kingdom service in the market place.

Noeline Kirabo

3. How many Cohorts has NGMP had so far ?

NK: Currently, we are running the third cohort and applications for the fourth cohort that will be starting is September are open.

Bonding moments with cohort 3

4.How does one apply to be part of the program? Any qualifications needed?

NK: We are looking to work with:

 Women who actively seek ways to maximize their own potential

 Individuals who enjoy problem solving and creative thinking

 Women who thrive when working with other people

Ultimately, we are looking for 20 women per cycle who want to use their talents to make positive change in their lives and the world.

If you are thinking “wow, this sounds like me!” we would like to offer you an opportunity to apply for the next class of women influencers.

Weekly sessions will be held every Tuesday evening at Kyusa community library in Kalerwe.

Program requirements:

 20 – 35 year females

 Commitment for the entire four months

 Commitment to team work

 Positive attitude towards learning

 150,000/= program fee

You can apply through this link: https://goo.gl/forms/p9X65h1AgsD9H41x2

5.Benefits? what is it set to achieve?

NK: Selected Mentees will be receiving:

 Individual mentoring and coaching

 Field study exposures

 Leadership opportunities in different projects

 Opportunity to take part in community service projects

By the end of the program participants have developed life plans, mapped out career and personal development goals, acquired leadership skills, public speaking skills, ability to effectively work in teams, financial management skills and have a supportive network to enable them continue growing into their full potential.

6.Achievements so far?

NK : NGMP alumni are influencing in different industries which include the legal fraternity, business, fashion, education, social entrepreneurship, telecommunication, IT, agriculture, writing and Beauty industry among others. This provides a wealth of networks and resources that alumni can continuously draw from as they advance in their career and personal development goals.

At the moment 30 ladies have gone through the program and are accomplishing great things both in their personal and career lives.

7.Future of NGMP

NK :At the moment we are focusing on smaller groups for the cohorts with the intention of consolidating the learning experience.

Alumni are expected to also run their own mentoring clusters thus producing a ripple effect of the program impact.

Recently we inaugurated the first Executive Committee that is spearheaded by program alumni with the intention of having alumni take a lead on the growing alumni network so as to strengthen networking, collaboration as well as community impact.

Future plans (starting 2018) include:

• Hosting an annual women in the market place conference
• Monthly seminars for women in the market place
• Quarterly community outreach activities
• Annual Rising Woman award

The rest will be unveiled with time.

8.As our chat ends, how do people connect with NGMP on Social media ?

NK :You can follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/New-Generation-Mentoring-Program/

We share learning experiences from the program participants as well as inspirational articles written by the mentees.

We shall soon be sharing different offers and opportunities.