The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, has contributed US$10,000 (Shs37 million) to the Rotary Club of Kampala Central.
Oulanyah announced his donation while presiding at the virtual installation of the 27th President of the Rotary Club of Kampala Central, Sheila Naturinda, on Wednesday, 24 June 2020 in his boardroom at Parliament.
He said that Rotary is an enterprise worth investing in because it replaces despair with hope, adding that the under privileged deserve to be assisted to live their full potential.
“We find people poor and the question we normally ask is, if I stopped helping these people what will happen to me? But as Rotarians, we reverse this question; if we do not stop helping these people, what will happen to them?” Oulanyah, also a Rotarian and Major Donor, said.
He cited one of the recent interventions by the Rotary Club to renovate Ngora Freda Carr Hospital, saying that the hope of the communities in Ngora district was restored.
“I was in Ngora but you did not have to look at the buildings, you just needed to look at the faces of the people after the renovations were done. They were full of smiles – that is replacing despair with hope,” he said.
He assured the incoming President 2020/2021 of his support during her presidency and applauded the outgoing President, Charles Kiiza Lwanga for his contribution to the Club.
He also challenged the Rotary Club to increase efforts to conserve the environment. “How do we encourage young people to get involved in environment conservation? Nature is speaking, let us listen because its language is dangerous,” he said.
He applauded Kiiza, also the Director, Office of the Leader of Government Business at Parliament, for his timely leadership in the Rotary project, Mission Green which saw 5,000 trees planted in Nyenga Seminary and 200 variety of fruit trees at Sangalo Babies Home in the eastern district of Jinja.
Naturinda said that whilst her presidency comes during unprecedented times where the world is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, Rotarians must continue to achieve the set goals.
“Even with this situation, there are still vulnerable people in our communities whom Rotary must continue supporting. Their hope lies in us,” she said.
She added that based on this year’s theme, the focus will be on opening opportunities that strengthen leadership for both Rotarians and others in the community.
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