#Mwekuume15 Handwashing Campaign.

Global Handwashing Day is an annual global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
It is celebrated annually on October 15, Global Handwashing Day was founded by the Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing, and is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.

Global Handwashing Day is designed to:
1.Foster and support a global and local culture of handwashing with soap

2.Shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing around the world.

3.Raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap

The first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2008, when over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries. Since 2008, community and national leaders have used Global Handwashing Day to spread the word about handwashing, build sinks and tippy taps, and demonstrate the simplicity and value of clean hands. Each year, over 200 million people are involved in celebrations in over 100 countries around the world.

Global Handwashing Day is endorsed by a wide array of governments, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies, and individuals.

The MWEKUUME FRATERNITY in D9211 launched a campaign on 8th October to create awareness in the community about the importance of Hand Washing within the community as a way of celebrating the Global Hand Washing Day.

Breast Cancer Awareness – Rotaract Club of Matopos Chapter

The month of October is universally dedicated to this cause, call it the pink month; a colour that was chosen in the early nineties (90’s) to highlight this cause. You have probably heard about breast cancer, know a person suffering from breast cancer or have lost someone to this cancer, so you definitely already have an idea as to what I am sharing on. Like any other cancer, early detection of the cancer can save a life. However, we are usually caught off guard when the cancer is past its early stages and can therefore not be curbed. The awareness campaign is ideally one whose base is; not just to know about breast cancer but rather detect the cancer at its early stages and encourage others to do the same whether you are male or female.

Many foundations, organizations, bodies’ etcetera have set out to create awareness to the best of their ability. Personally, one group of people have gotten my attention due to their consistent campaign across social media; The Rotaract Club of Matopos (all the way from Zimbabwe in D9210). These Rotaractors have dedicated their month’s activities to creating awareness about breast cancer. Everything they eat, walk, dress, talk is aimed at creating awareness.

To increase breast cancer awareness in Zimbabwe and all over the world, the club is using social media to the best of their ability. With the motto “Weeding out Breast Cancer from the roots”, they are targeting as many people as they can. Some of the hash tags (#) that are being used are #PowerOfPink, #PinkOctober, #ThePinkMove and #PinkMovement (do remember to check them out).

Further to their campaign, there are pod-casts that have been shared by club members to create awareness, something that everyone should listen to; https://soundcloud.com/rotaract-club-of-matopos/sets/breast-cancer-campaign-october-2015-weeding-out-breast-cancer-from-the-roots is one you can start with.

Thando (a member of the Rotaract Club of Matopos) also told me about “Pink Fridays”, Fridays where clubs members post “selfies” wearing something pink. A tweet by @peter_oracle from the same club saying his way of going pink was by getting himself a pink tooth brush; clearly a sign as to how committed he was to the cause. Therefore the next time you see someone putting on pink, do not simply admire the pink, but be reminded about the need to check for breast cancer. So whoever you are, whatever you are doing, join the pink cause during this month and let’s create awareness about breast cancer; but most importantly do remember to check your self-first (at least once a month).

How can you do that; here are 5 steps to an effective self-checkup as per the Breast Cancer Organization on http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps

Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips. Here's what you should look for:

• Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
• Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling

  If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:

• Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
• A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
• Redness, soreness, rash, or swelling

Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.

 Step 3: While you're at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

Step 4: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter. Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.

Step 5: Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in step 4.

Step 6 – Yes, I said they were 5; the 6^th is create awareness, spread the message and advise your friends to do the same.

“Let’s weed breast cancer out from the roots”

The taxi grind

The word "taxi" varies in meaning given your location on this vast planet of ours. However to a person living in the CBD, Kampala and its surrounding areas, it is simply associated with a fourteen sitter passenger vehicle that enables one move from place to place (of course it does, why else would it be a taxi?). Taxis in Kampala have been associated with chaos, disorderliness, indiscipline, to mention but a few. But why is it this way, I ask myself? Could it be that everyone who drives a taxi gets these traits or do we all have these waiting for an opportune time?.

At 8:00pm on a random evening, I stood in the taxi park with a number of people waiting to get taxis to head home. After a long day's work, the thought of getting home was top of my list, and what I wouldn't do to achieve this. What I wouldn’t do.

My thoughts were cut short by the flash lights of a taxi that had just arrived, and the outcry of the word “Kajjansi” by the taxi tout just made me lighten up. This was however blocked by the horde that rushed past me as I strode majestically towards the taxi.

As the door opened, I stood in awe, I looked on as drama unfolded, what some people call "katemba ataali musasulile" (luganda isn’t my first language and neither is it my second, so I will just leave the spelling to you).

I had been to a boys' school, break time was basically what one could term as “survival for the fittest”. With 3 canteens to serve a population of over slightly 1000 pupils within twenty minutes, you either stood up to the challenge, asked a friend to help you or simply forget about taking a snack from the canteen. The options were limited. Sweater on, money placed in your shirt pocket or any other place where one would easily access it once you made it through the mammoth of students to get to the canteen window; the battle to pave a way was officially on. We called it "nkonde" it was not about the small or the big, the weak or the strong but the strategist. I had witnessed "nkonde" of all sorts (of course I am not mentioning the option I opted for), but what stood before me now in the taxi park was a completely different play field, one I could not relate with. There were people of all walks of life struggling to get into the taxi. The woman with a baby pushing against a student well built at that (he could pass for a bouncer if it wasn’t for the uniform) who with one push would throw her and her baby flying. The nun standing out because of her veil fighting off a rather well suited up gentleman. The drunken guy staggering (probably had one too many) and struggling to find his balance yet being pushed away by everyone and seemingly the easiest target to everyone. It was no longer about who did what or who was who, clearly everyone wanted to go home and the how had already been answered. When everyone was done with the pushing and fighting, there was one seat left, and clearly the Lord had heard my silent plea, no need whatsoever to fight, but rather calmly take my seat and head home.

This was about ten years ago! How time rushes. Now I stood with the same challenge at hand. The dynamics had changed, I had rubbed shoulders with both sides of the coin; single and mixed schools, I was proudly a product of the only hall at Makerere University (silently whispers to self; “Gentility with a purpose”), I had joined Rotaract and the four way test and goals of Rotaract were running through my mind, age was definitely no longer “just a number” too much was at steak and yet I needed to go home. Should I, or should I not? I thought to myself….. As I kept thinking of what to do as of when the taxi showed up, the taxi flashed its lights, it was like a “Deja vu “. Would this play out as it had done so many years ago?

“Chief, will you be going to work today?” shouted my younger brother. I had been dreaming, the taxi lights flashing had been a result of him opening the curtains to the window. The question now lingered in my mind….”what would I do given the situation had actually been realized?” what would you do?

Tax at Bukoto

It’s either about Uncle Barry (POTUS Barack Obama) visiting Kenya and Ethiopia (a fact no one is talking about given that he blasted the presidents), Hon Mbabazi's ambitious presidential bid (which now seems like a joke) or Hon Byandala heading to the coolers (someone had to take the bullet, willingly or not). There is practically the same news in town, nothing much to muse about. Why not give you an insight of what happened at fellowship?

Wednesday is the day the Rotaract Club of Bukoto has its fellowship, and this week the tangerines buddy group took the horns by the cow, or should I say a cow by its horns. Oh well, either way, it was a fellowship that was a worthwhile.

In the president's absence, IPP Zahara chaired fellowship, and this she did well. With the Rotaract norms, make ups & visits, introductions and Rotary information out of the way, it was time for the guest speaker to indulge us on the topic of Tax as was expected of him.

A past interact president in his high school days and later on a secretary for the Rotaract club of Uganda Martyrs Nkozi, the question everyone asked was why this man had quit the Rotaract family.

Edgar from KPMG went on to take us through indirect and direct taxes before diving into the Income Tax Act and the Value Added Tax Act to discuss the various taxes levied in Uganda as summarized below;

Pay as You Earn, is levied on individuals and is the obligation of the employer based on the residency status of the individual and the amount of money they earn.

Corporation tax is levied on companies on all business income after allowable expenses as described by the Income Tax Act.

Withholding tax is an advance tax and is the responsibility of the person making a payment to the supplier.

Value Added Tax is an indirect tax that is levied based on the nature of the supply and can be standard rated, zero rated or exempt as per the provisions of the Value Added Tax Act.

The talk about Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) got many by surprise given its necessity and importance in the days that lay ahead.

Rotarian Solomon from mother club gave the vote of thanks and awarded the guest speaker with a certificate of recognition from the club.

July babies were then celebrated. Cake was on the house and celebrations were in order. P.P Amina and Hellen from the club were joined by P.E Martin of Kyambogo for the cake cutting.

The final toast followed shortly, and fellowship was done.

A round of applause to all our guests who joined from the various Rotaract Clubs.

Do join us next week for another fun and informative fellowship.

Salsa with Daphne & Viola

Two ladies (our day’s guest dancers), a bunch of dudes and a few ladies; how was this going to work out?

It was no ordinary fellowship at the Rotaract club of Bukoto. It was the “Salsa themed fellowship”.

The dancers (supposed guest speakers) were in high spirits but the Rotaractors and guests were exultant. They could not wait to get started.

The ones who had danced before, those who thought they had danced and those who had never danced were all fiddling with their footsteps showing off their not so good skills to one another. It was theatrical.

“We will start in lines as we go through the basic steps”, said Daphne who was now worried that the time wasn’t going to be enough.

“Wait, we aren't dancing with girls”, responded someone from the crowd. Majority believe it was either Arthur or Keith who queried.

Nevertheless, people were on their feet and moving to the best of their ability in no time. The thought of some people dancing was a no brainer, but on the other hand; the likes of... (Names withheld) simply made everyone’s day.

 

The call for coupling seemed like it was one everyone awaited. The gentlemen jumped at the opportunity, as the ladies waited anxiously for who would pick them. No sooner had body contact been established than the just learnt dance moves vanished. People were now off beat, not sure what to do when. We were back to level one, and the guides were tasked to reteach almost everything.

Douglas of Rct Kampala North was now showing off his recent acquired skills, Racheal of Rct Kampala West was getting her groove on, Viola Rct ISHU (also our day’s dance trainer) was twiddling, while Brian of Rct Bukoto wondered how people were able to do this. The zeal to learn surpassed JPAM’s determination to take power (By the way, how far with the Nomination Forms?).

Keith’s hand was now mid-way Daphne's back (steadily dropping), this she quickly brought to everyone’s attention and a few other rules of the dance.

 

1.      The guy's hand should always be on the ladies’ supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles (no, I wasn’t in Med school), anything below that is a "horny touch", (you can imagine the screams to that).

2.      The gentleman is the leader, and the lady is the follower, (guess this is one of those places where woman emancipation hasn’t yet infiltrated)

3.      You have to wiggle a bit, for the guys; dancing in lines will do the magic. For the ladies; feel free to check yourself out (you can let your imagination go wild as to what happened thereafter).

4.      Whatever you do on the dance floor, keep the rhythm and don't lose your footwork.

5.      Most important: KEEP DANCING

Given all good things come to an end, Daphne and Viola opted to close the session with a performance. An idea that was quickly rejected by a squeal from the public; "LOKODO" was word enough to let these two know that no one was going to let a lady dance with a lady.

The ladies were thence tasked to pick partners. Someone shouted Paul, and the joke caught on. Paul from Bukoto (yours truly) was summoned to take on the challenge. The music started and the two (Paul and one of the ladies) got to it, no idea what was driving him, but Paul wasn't the usual stiff person that he is. For lack of a better word, he was "swishy and wiggly" (don't bother checking your dictionary), commented one of the Rotaractors.

It was now 1900hrs and the fellowship had to come to an end.

The Final Toast by Douglas marked the end of fellowship.

The majestic walk in by Lewis of Rct Kyambogo and President Tonny of Rct Kyengera Kampala reminded us of the term “African Time”, these two had just redefined it. On the bright side, “After Fellowship” was on and the evening was just getting started.

Did I mention Alex and Gideon of Rct Kololo had left Burundi and a honey moon respectively at the mention of Salsa Fellowship; oh well – that is the kind of fellowship it was.

Till the next fellowship