By Our Reporters
Prompted by the enthusiasm pioneers have exhibited thus far, the Kyabazinga of Busoga has embraced the activities of Busoga Education Initiative (BEI) and agreed to serve as its patron. BEI is an intervention eminent sons and daughters of Busoga have chosen to use to revitalize the region specifically through education. And to raise the profile of the initiative, architects have reached out and secured active backing of powerful figures like Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and others like Mubs Principal Prof Wasswa Balunywa. Prompted by State Education Minister Rose Seninde, the BEI architects are in part motivated by the fact that the sub region is blessed with some of the most educated and most successful corporate leaders who can be harnessed into a resource for the mobilization and inspiration of the youngsters. Incorporated late last year, BEI has attracted many eminent Basoga including those still active in public service life and those who have lately retired to private life. For instance the Chairperson Amb Agnes Kalibbala retired late last year after many years of fruitful and dignified service in the Lands Ministry where she served as Director Housing & Urban development directorate. She is now into private business as she enjoys her retirement. Fellow architects were unanimous during the preliminary meetings that she was the best suited person to serve as pioneer chairperson. Such obligations require somebody who is financially well solidified and Kalibbala fits that billing. She is deputized by Eng Batumbya. The other steering committee members that were agreed upon by consensus include SOS Uganda Country Manager Olive Lumonya whose works in the philanthropy world are well known (she also sits on the Board of CAA), former Minister Daudi Migereko (now a thriving hotelier & farmer), Dr. Rose Badaza, Dr. Edith Basalirwa, Dr. Patrick Ibembe, Dr. Hamis Mugendawala, Prof Wasswa Balunywa, Prof Katwalo, Ms Annet Wakabi and Florence Tagola. Other key pillars include MoES’ Musa Birungi, Dr. Lusambu, Asuman Isabirye and Richard Minze. The team has already secured strong partnership with the education ministry whose leadership is equally concerned about Busoga’s educational backwardness and is determined to do something remedial to reverse that trend. Since its launch by Speaker Kadaga November last year, BEI has organized many education-related outreach activities in Busoga sub region many of which have been graced by both Kadaga and Kyabazinga. The two powerful figures have embraced the initiative as one whose unveiling was long overdue and they have promised full support for the steering committee members. Kyabazinga has motivated the architects by passionately popularizing BEI wherever he goes addressing his subjects during public functions. The idea is to use such outreach programs to bring motivational speakers to inspire students, teachers and parents to overcome self-pity and have the conviction that with sufficient investment in education, Busoga can become a model of excellence to be emulated by the rest of the country. The idea is to help teachers, parents and students to overcome low esteem and begin to realize they too can excel, conquer and dominate nationally through education. Increased education will gradually lead to improvement of hygiene standards at home, school and the workplace and thereby ensuring that disasters like the jigger invasion never ever return to torment Busoga again. There is conviction that through education, the populace in Busoga will become civically more aware and thereby begin to meaningful participate in patriotism initiatives and the general governance of their country. One of BEI’s strengths is the fact that raising cash for bursary and scholarship programs to uplift the economically vulnerable but yet intelligent won’t be a problem because they have a reservoir of members who are well connected either because of their current or past public office positions which always come with a lot of networking and plenty of social capital. People like Juma Kissame, the immediate ex-MD DFCU bank, are fully available to fundraise and mobilize resources for the BEI cause. Others like Daudi Migereko, Kalibbala, Lumonya and Balunywa equally have lots of connections both in government and corporate private sector. Gratefully most of the Basoga heavyweights (both in retirement and active service) have exhibited willingness to volunteer their time to speak to and inspire teachers, parents and students in the populous sub region. For instance Prof Balunywa recently brought fellow academicians and spent the whole day motivating teachers from the sub region on how to inspire their students to overcome self-pity and work towards succeeding in life. The progress that has been achieved so far in such a short time has inspired the architects and founding promoters to anticipate a much brighter future for Busoga through education-oriented interventions.
