The gems of wisdom offered at the 2014 health Camp

It was women getting empowered by learning from and sharing with fellow women, women who have made a mark in various lines of profession. Here are some key points from the different speeches;

Nnabagereka, Sylvia Nagginda

In her speech about maintaining tradition in the 21st century, Queen Nagginda gave the following advice;

Preserve good cultural norms
We ought to disregard western cultures that do not necessary add value to our wellbeing but preserve our good norms such as teach children values of greeting and showing respect.

Respect for diversity
There should be mutual respect; the need to respect each other’s cultural values. Ekisakaate programme, for example, is all-embracing. We have received invitations from other regions to take a similar programme there. While designed on Kiganda culture, we shall emphasise upholding local cultures in those regions.

Teach native languages
It is good to encourage children to learn Spanish, German and other languages but better if they first learn their native language. My daughter tells me one of the things she loves when we travel abroad is being able to speak to me in our language about something she does not want other people to hear.

Training children at home
In the traditional setting, it took a whole community to raise a child. Therefore, the responsibility to educate children should not be relegated to schools. Then, there were no schools but learning was through observation and skills which built character, imparted more wisdom – and wisdom is more important than knowledge, humility and auspiciousness.

Build strategic partnerships
Build strategic partnerships to improve the socio-economic livelihood of people. I have, for example, used the office of the Nnabagereka to carry out socio-economic projects through the Nnabagereka Development Foundation and Ekisakaateprogramme that are transforming lives of people.

Live in harmony
Back in the day women and men lived in harmony because society understood that the survival of a community depended on cooperation not divisions.

Care for the environment
Our cultural norms such as clans and totems conserved the environment. We can care for the environment in this generation by teaching these values to our children.

Amina Hersi Moghe: My mother is my business teacher

Renown entrepreneur, proprietor of Oasis Mall and other commercial properties in East Africa, some co-owned with her family, tipped;

Know what you want in life
Never base on what other people tell you but what you want in life. When my father died in 1971, my mother didn’t want to get married again but run our family business and take of her children, six of us, and teach us business skills.
She taught us never to be idle. If indeed there was nothing to do, she would pour rice on the ground and tell us to collect it and weigh it, just to ensure we were busy.

Competition that is healthy is good
At 12 years, I used to feel jealous of my sister who made much more sales and hence profits than I was making. My mother chose me a small shop business to run while my sister ran a bigger one.
One day, I made Kshs1,000 (about Shs30,000) in sales and my mother was pleased. However, my sister was making about a million shillings. I was restless. I would not even eat but sought to know why she beat me at sales. This was my sister but I was competing with her. Competition that is healthy is good.

Benefit from your failures
One time I had tax debts worth Shs700m. It was two years of stress but a blessing. I received bad press coverage but that made me known nevertheless and people approached me for business partnerships.

Success takes sacrifice
It is not the material things that will show how great you are and what you can achieve. People wanted me to own Range Rovers with serialised number plate because I was rich.
I said let me first work and I will be where people want me to be some day, not in word but in actions. Today, I’m being celebrated because of the sacrifices I made.

Understand your business
You are the promoter of your business and that requires you to understand it very well. I have many managers but all I demand from them are two things; my money and my stock.
Relying on figures alone can be deceptive. Some managers will give you a good financial report when you are in debts.

Teach your children business
I employ my daughters on the construction sites which keeps them busy. I demand from them a report each single day. This way, they are productive rather than be idle surfing the Internet.

Trust in God
I have received several national and international awards. It is not that I do business better than everybody else in Uganda, but only God has given me his grace. I am grateful to God for He has made me what I am.
Take business risks
We all have the ability to do business and make money, but just don’t want to take risks.
Don’t give out free money
I do not give out free money but give where people can invest and pay back.

Beatrice Were: Women are most vulnerable to HIV

Culture obstructs women progress
Some cultures leave women with no property and no bargaining power, leaving her vulnerable. How can she, for example, negotiate for safe sex with no power? It is like sending a rat to negotiate with a cat; will that rat come back alive?

Face your fears
When I tested HIV positive in 1991, I asked the doctor how long I had to live and he simply looked down, meaning I was to die soon.
There were no ARVs then. The only thing I had was courage to confront stigma and denial.

Know what you want in life
I defied culture that required me to be inherited when my husband died. I knew who I was. I wanted my freedom. I would be counted among the dead, but I am still alive.
Seek support
Look for support and information. Seek treatment from the professionals for today HIV care and treatment is free. It’s your right to be healthy.

Live responsibly by protecting yourself and other people
Protect your children, husband and community from contracting HIV. Women need financial power to escape HIV and unwanted pregnancies.

Ethan Musolini: Life rewards results not excuses

• You have hope for the future, a bright future, but is that enough? You must know the future you want. Have a vision and act on it, for life rewards results not excuses.
• Celebrate first what God has given you. You may probably not be endowed with nice legs but you have nice eyes. Wake up every day and thank God for the nice eyes.
• Believe in yourself. Someone else’s opinion of you is not your reality.
• Associate with women who have been empowered for you to be empowered.
• Invest more in your inner beauty than the outside beauty, for what you wear does not really matter but your inner beauty. If your inner beauty is well, regardless of what you wear on the outside, your femininity will come out.
• Face your challenges. The attitude you need when you fall is one that says ‘I can do it better next time’, an attitude of excellence.”

“ Women impact communities most. The destiny of this country is in the full woman. When you educate a man, you have educated an individual. But educate a woman and you have educated a community, a nation, for women impact families and society because they are selfless.”

Alex Asiimwe, Managing Director Monitor Publications Limited

“ • HIV positive anti bodies begin to manifest in the body system after one and half months.

• Even if you are born with HIV, you can still reach your potential. There is care and treatment. Get started on treatment as early as possible.

• Breast feed for at least six months while on ARVs.
Dr Sabrina Kitaka on HIV care and treatment

“ I started up Mama Club because when I discovered I was HIV positive I felt alone. This club provides counselling and psycho-social support for such women. We are also reaching out to men because we have discovered that they are integral to the wellbeing of women living with HIV, and the fight against the virus and stigma. If you test positive, ensure to have enough rest, eat well, protect others from infection and have a positive attitude.
Dr Lydia Mungerera, to people living with HIV