January 2021 Message from Opportunity President Annet Nannnyonjo

Congratulations on celebrating another significant month that concerns us all! It is very encouraging that Rotary International recognized that it is through our Vocations that we extend services to humanity. 

It is often misconceived that whatever one does in service delivery is a vocation, but a vocation is when one has a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation. A vocation is a calling! Our vocations start with our passions, then training and qualification. The word was originally used among the religious and later adopted across. It is worth celebrating the vocational month to show our appreciation to those that serve diligently exhibiting the service spirit in all they do. Our pioneer Rotarians engaged in different vocations and Rotary has continued to promote this diversity. 

In the exercise of our vocations, Rotary plays a significant role in value disposition. If all people followed the four-way test in the pursuit of their duties, work would be more meaningful and rewarding to all. It is heart soothing entering any organization and identifying people with a Rotary lapel. It is a welcoming sign and a direct message that people serve with integrity. Rotary appreciates that without vocations we cannot contribute to the humanitarian causes that we uphold. This is further articulated in the Object of Rotary. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of all useful occupations and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society. This cements Rotary’s commitment to Vocation service and demonstrates the key competences to profitable business; integrity, transparency and commitment. We are further encouraged to promote the ideal of service in our personal, business and community life. 

As we celebrate the Vocational month, it is our tradition to award excellence. Usually, persons that surpass others in service delivery are picked out. This is not surprising to us. We have all had experiences when you go to the bank and want a particular person X to help you, or to a hospital and look for your preferred Doctor. Even in the market, there is a particular stall you buy from. It is an everyday practice to look out for those that do their vocations from within. I am grateful that Rotary is directly and indirectly affecting the way we conduct ourselves in business and professions. If you have not experienced any change in the way you do things since you joined Rotary, chances are high that you were not well mentored!  

Let us celebrate the Vocational month in gratitude that out vocations help us to be Rotarians and Rotary facilitates us to be better in all we do; our values and attitudes are well directed towards achieving the common good. Let us promote the Four Way- Test and Object of Rotary in all we do to yield more from our vocations. This will also attract more members to this family of people that do extra-ordinary things.

Congratulations to all Awardees of this year’s Vocational Award in all clubs.

 

 

The Brick December 2020

 

The Brick December 2020

The Brick October 2020

President Annet Nannyonjo's October 2020 Message

This month our country attained 58 years of Independence.  As much as many joined in the virtual celebrations, a big majority continue to wonder what kind of independence they have when they have not yet attained economic independence? Many religiously wake up every morning before birds begin to sing and work hard in the hope of improving their income levels and boosting their livelihoods. Studies show us that only a few people in the world live above the poverty line – the rest who are the majority still live below the poverty line which means they earn less than 1$ per day.  Welcome to the month when Rotary reflects on engagements to empower communities and boost economic welfare.

Economics rules the world! A person who is economically empowered walks with his head up, speaks with confidence, has a vision, communicates with optimism, and maintains positive social behaviour. Poverty and inequality deprive man of his God given dignity. Man suffers in the hands of a fellow man because of poverty. Empowerment is liberation, it is trust, it is maturity and autonomy.

Economic empowerment is a set of measures designed to increase the degree of autonomy and self determination in people and communities in order to enable them to represent their interests in a responsible and determined way, acting on their authority. This illustrates and helps us to understand why world powers are not nations with the tallest and strongest of men but rather ones that control world economics.

It is so amazing how Rotary is so broad and well-rounded to reach all key aspects of meaningful life, health, education, sanitation, peace and conflict resolution, water and sanitation, environment and economic empowerment. All these areas complement each other and are necessary ingredients of a better standard of living. Economically empowered societies are most likely to be peaceful as everyone is engaged in production, enjoying a better quality of life, having greater access to social amenities, valuing education, appreciating small families and committing more time to planning and positive thinking hence registering low crime rate. No doubt, they enjoy better health. As Rotarians, we have a duty to make the world a better place by offering opportunities for economic liberation.

I am enthused yet humbled by the numerous projects across the globe that have received funding from Rotary to promote peace through economic and community development, projects that individuals could never have imagined. Rotary commits to a theme every month and critical analysis of all leads to the same objective, service to others. We have just concluded the month of Education and Literacy and we all appreciate that literacy is crucial in economic empowerment. Prior to that, we had membership extension. Again, a question is asked, why extend membership? The answer is precise; to have more hands on the job. There is greater synergy in numbers, and we should embrace all efforts to bring us together. We must celebrate every life we impact. Life cannot remain the same in areas where Rotary operates, those that visited Buikwe at the inception of our project and now can attest to this. What about Katwe Bweya, does anyone remember that school before PP Charles Magala started the first engagement­? Friends, we aspire to do more, but let us celebrate what we have done so far that way, we will be more energized. 

This struggle does not require heavy machine guns, it is about identifying social needs, available resources, population analysis and helping people to use their environment to solve their problems. Empowerment does not lie in handouts! Teaching one how to fish is more rewarding than gifting him with fish! Rotary has played this role fervently and millions of dollars have been injected in communities all over the world. Bravo!