PR Directors and bulletin officers given tips on good PR practices for Rotary Clubs

By Hannington Sebuliba

The Country PR Desk two weeks ago organised a one day seminar for all Club Presidents, PR Directors, and Bulletin Officers at Hotel Africana. It was attended by over 80 partcipants.

The purpose of the trainning was to impart skills and knowledge to Rotarians in line with Rotary International’s focus on the image of Rotary.

Dr. Peter Mwesige a media consultant gave participants the essentials of media which included what he termed as the “Ws”. These he said included What’s your message?

- Who are you communicating to? [Mass or specialised/class e.g. Rotarians]

- What are the best channels to reach your audience? Radio, TV, newspapers, digital, online, or multiple platforms?

- What tools are most effective? Press releases, news conferences, talk shows, media

interviews, or supplements? – For ex. Do you have the convening power to call a Press Conference?

He advised Rotarians to use media mileage to deal with larger issues in the country/society instead of myopically focusing on just getting your club visibility. He went on to give them advise in that  when they are dealing with the media, they need to know the sight media contacts? Reporters, editors [Newsroom structures]

He said that it was very vital for Rotarians to have facts on their fingertips when they are dealing with journalists as this would build confidence in them. He said that they need to Focus on the most important aspects, Keep it simple [KISS!].

 He reminded them that  journalists work under tight deadlines which means that they have to submit their work early. He further told them to always maintain  a professional relationship and never to bribe journalist. They will have much more respect for you even when they don’t run your story. He also  advised them to respond to media inquiries, and promptly too

 Rtn. Niyetegeka made a presentation on  the use of social media within the clubs to enhance public awareness on Rotary activities and to encourage participation and support of Rotary programmes.

 He informed Rotarians that there was really no need to dwell too much on the technicalities since Social Media is really about Communication;

He informed Rotarians that there were  too many tools and one just needed to know what  he/she wanted, his/her target audience and how to reach out to them – pick tools that are going to work for you and not a “Me 2” Strategy where you copy what everyone else is doing. “You do not need to have a website or a facebook if they will not be regularly updated”.  He noted

He pointed the most  common mistake is that we spend a lot of time on tactics and not the strategy.

He said that Social Media Strategy has to have a two-way communication: “You need to keep it active, communicate regularly, engage the followers: More and more people ignore one-way communication – websites need to be interactive” he said

He also advised Rotarians to  listen directly rather than ask a lot of questions – listen to what people are saying about Rotary; Learn how to share videos through You-tube, twitter, Facebook, Flicker; Do not just do an ok job: Check your impact ; Do not rely on “social media gurus” – You can do it on your own and to  Be transparent and don’t pretend to be something we are not.

The other topics presented included  Club Communication Organiser by  Fred Masadde, Country PR Chair, Managing your stakeholders- A plan for engagement and Partnership by Rtn. Henry Rugamba; Internal communications Basics by Jimmy Kiberu, Corporate Affairs Manager Tullow Oil and SMS media.

The training was opened by the Country Chair Rtn. Robert Wagwa Nsibirwa who said that the RI Board selected Enhancing Public Image and Awareness of Rotary as the 3rd focus area in order to make Rotary the organization of choice for those who want to serve community and support Rotary. If we are more coherent in our communications, we should be able to build membership; build partnerships with Corporate partners and donors.

Closing the training, District Governor Elect, Rtn. Emmanuel Katongole thanked all participants for making it to the Seminar. He stressed the importance of the Public Image focus area to Rotary International and requested the Country PR Chair to continue these sessions regularly to ensure that Rotary in Uganda spreads far and wide.

President Enid takes DG Manek to Prison for two hours

By Hannington Sebuliba

It is unusual for a president of a Rotary Club to take a District Governor to Prison, but this time President Enid Asingwire of the Rotary Club of Kajjansi had to take District Governor Geeta Manek to Kigo Prison.

The reason for taking her to prison was not for criminal charges to but to visit the Kigo Prison inmates who are part of the Rotary Club of Kajjansi’s  Women Inmate’s Craft Project and to launch the  Functional Adult Literacy Project. 

The day was Wednesday August 8, 2012, the gates of the Prison were opened to usher in the members of the Rotary Club of Kajjansi. The Prisoners clad in their yellow Uniforms (men) and Pink for women wera ll happy to see Rotarians coming to their facility.  We were welcomed to ululations and drum beats. You could note that these people were really happy to receive the visitors.

They sang songs welcoming us to the prison and danced the traditional kiganda bakisimba dance which led to the District Governor to shake a bit to the beat. It was an evening to remember.

President  Enid told the District Governor that  the Club  had decided to start a Functional Adult Literacy Project in the Prison to enable Prisoners leave the facility with skills.

One of the female inmates who had benefitted from the Craft project told the District Governor that  the project had equipped them with skills and now they have something to do behind the walls of the Prisohn. “ When we go back to our homes we shall not be the same because we shall come out with skills in making mats” she narrated.  “Whatever we do, is sold and the money is deposited on our accounts and we use for our own benefit, as you see all these ladies look great” she said amidst applause from fellow inmates. She was also happy that the Functional Adult Literacy programme was going to be launched to enable them learn how to read and write.

As the fellow prisoners narrated how they came to prison in a song, many of the Rotarians including the DG Geeta Manek and AG Ann Munywevu could not  hold their tears back since the story was very emotional.  In a part they were saying that we are the mothers of Uganda, please treat us like human beings.

As if that wasn’t enough, another prisoner, this time a male one  sang while playing  a guitar narrating how a thieve called Kapere lost his  life because of being un-repentant. He was advocated for parents to give parental guidance to their children.

On her part, the District Governor Geeta Manek, was happy to be in Prison for the first time, she told prisoners that she knows that is was not their fault that they were in prison but it is society that had failed them and that they shouldn’t be in prison “ You should all be in gainful employment, the ladies should be at home looking for your children and the men should be out looking after your families.” She counseled them. She appealed to them to follow what the prison warders tell them so that they go back to society when they are reformed people.

DG Geeta  told the Rotarians of Kajjansi that they had moved her to tears “ I cannot thank you enough because you’ve moved me to tears, you are truly,  truly serving above self” she confessed . She added that they would have chosen another project  “ You could have chosen a million projects but you chose to come to this place where you are needed most. This is a place where you are needed because these are our brothers and sisters that we have failed as a society” she said.  She went on to say that the fact that Kajjansi had recognized that there was need here, there was need to give them more support, more skills and to do better so that it becomes an exemplary poject. She said that this was the most touching humanitarian experience she had ever had.

The Officer in charge of Kigo Prison a lady thanked the Rotary Club of Kajjansi for choosing to take such a project to the facility. She said that she was short of words.  “This a miracle to Uganda Prisons, I want to appreciate Commissioner General Dr. Johnson Byabashaija who open the doors for  Inmates to receive visitors from outside” she said adding that “ We are saying bring more.” She said that 52% of them are young men. “ Rotary has played a big role in this place, we appreciate. They have gone ahead to bring here a new project Functional Adult Literacy which you are launching today” she said. She went to request that  Rotary gives them computers so that inmates learn how to use them and also requested the DG to arrange Prisoners from Kigo to go and visit their fellow in-mates in Kenya see that things are done.

After launching the project and buying some of the products done by the inmates, the Board members went to Rtn. Apollo’s Kigo Beach for a meeting with the District Governor. She was happy to see that Kajjansi had done the meeting in  fashionable way which made it a club that is very innovative.

At the end they  had a photo shoot by the lake showers showing how “we are this close” to eradicating Polio

Rotary Uganda Country Office has organised a one day Public Relations Seminar for PR Directors of all Rotary Clubs in the Country. 

The Seminar looked at among other topics, Internal communications, Media and Public Communication, Sms Communication and Social Media. 

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