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Oliver Nakakande documents her escape in book
Oliver Nakakande. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- In the sensational tell-all book titled My Escape, Nakakande bares her soul and recounts her astonishing journey from the depths of despair to the pinnacle of success.
Oliver Nakakande was crowned Miss Uganda in 2019, but her reign was prolonged for another year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which automatically made her Miss Uganda for two years.
Despite the crown and everything that comes with it, Nakakande bears scars of the struggles she went through growing up. She recounts instances of sexual assault and does not want any other youth to go through the same experiences she faced, which is why she decided to put everything in a book.
Titled My Escape, Nakakande launched the book last Friday evening at an event held at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, where she invited different stakeholders, family, friends and the media.
In a sensational new tell-all book, Nakakande bares her soul and recounts her astonishing journey from the depths of despair to the pinnacle of success. With an unyielding spirit and unwavering determination, she escaped the clutches of sexual abuse, turning her life around in a remarkable rags-to-riches story that is sure to captivate readers.
This book offers readers a glimpse into the extraordinary resilience that transformed her life.
“I decided to share my story with the world because of two reasons; First, I feel it is the right time to tell this story sharing what I went through from childhood to my teenage years and how I came to be who I am. Secondly, I want people, especially young girls to be inspired by my story and understand that they can be anything they want to be if they work hard enough,” she shared.
The model cum humanitarian also noted that by writing this book, she wants to create awareness about sexual abuse happening against young girls and how immediate and extended family members typically handle such issues.
My Escape has seven chapters, each looking at different topics with the first chapter looking at her childhood, the second at her holidays, the third tackling love letters, fourth the escape plan, fifth starting over, sixth wanting more and the last chapter looking at how others can do it too.
Speaking about this, she said she only wrote seven chapters because she wanted the book to be timely and with a clear purpose of empowering and uplifting young girls.
Before her speech, there was a panel discussion from Cleopatra Koheirwe, Nana Kagga and Joram Muzira, who all gave tips to everyone that attended the event, especially young models.
A panel discussing My Escape during the launch of the book. Left: Nakakande displays her book. PHOTO/COURTESY
They encouraged them to be confident and believe in themselves in order to survive in this world, giving reference to themselves and what they had to go through to reach where they are in their different fields.
Brenda Nanyonjo, the CEO Miss Uganda, spoke highly of Nakakande during the event, saying she saw something different in her the first day she came for auditions and she was not surprised to see her excelling every day.
Nakakande is a renowned fashion icon, captivating speaker and devoted humanitarian. Beyond her glamorous title, she was an inspiration, passionately committed to uplifting young mothers who have faced adversity and dropped out of school. Through her visionary organisation, The Oliver Nakakande Foundation, she champions second chances, igniting hope and ambition in those who have faced life’s harshest realities.
Nakakande promised to use all the profits from the sale of the book to go to her foundation.
