NTV’s Flavia graces the 7th #PRAUhealthrun

NTV's Flavia graces the 7^th PRAU health run

 

NTV's Flavia participated in the 7^th PRAU health run which was on Thursday October 27, 2016.She was the chief celebrant at the run.Flavia was invited by PRAU as the guest for the October run. Over 15 people participated in the run. The participants were PR practitioners in Uganda and some of Flavia's fan club members. PRAU's Monthly run promotes health living and professional networking.

 

It was the first time for PRAU to host a practicing media personality. No wonder the PRAU president had this to say "This opportunity gives us a chance to learn from her" Cynthia thanked all the GC members who were able to come for the run. Flavia surely loves to Keep Fit even if she has a busy Schedule. She participated in all the PRAU sessions of warming up and running.

Flavia received a certificate of appreciation form the PRAU president Cynthia Mpanga. "Yes, am very happy to take some time off and run with the PRAU team. What they are doing is very noble – to try and keep their hardworking members fit while achieving the highest success in their careers. For that I applaud them. See you PRAU next Thursday!" This is what Flavia posted days before the run.

Housing Finance bank was the official prize sponsor in terms of umbrellas for the October PRAU run. It was represented by Kiwooma Victoria.URA's Ian pledged to give twenty (20) clocks for the next PRAU Run.PR president also told participants that PRAU intends to hold the PRAU end of year party in December. PRAU president thanked Coca-Cola for being a PRAU run refreshment sponsor by providing Dasani water from the start.

Flavia Tumusiime is a Ugandan actress, radio and television host, voice-over artist, emcee and author of 30 Days of Flavia. She presents a mid-morning radio show (AM-PM Show) on 91.3 Capital FM and is a VJ for Channel O. She is currently playing the role of Kamali Tenywa (lead role) in Uganda's exciting, action packed television series Beneath The Lies. She has hosted local, regional and international events including the Guinness Football Challenge and Big Brother Africa.

 

The Public Relations Association of Uganda is the only umbrella body of all communicators and PROS in both the private and public sector in the country. It provides different platforms for member engagement and participation which include; awarding exceptional PR Excellence, thought leadership, training and development, corporate social responsibility, networking, advocacy, mentorship, online learning among others.

Top 3 Ugandan brand PR crises that rocked the month of June 2016

 

June had three outstanding PR crises. This article strictly offers academic insight meant to create awareness about crisis PR management in Uganda. Therefore, it should be used for educational purposes and not viewed as an attack on institutions or individuals.

 

1. Airtel Uganda Money system blackout.

Airtel Uganda Mobile money system was off for some day in June which sparked online complaints. Even the APP was off. Airtel did not urgently update its customers why the system was completely off and when it would be restored. I personally did not receive any update. This was bad PR and gave critics an option to come up with the theories to understand how it started. Airtel came up to defend it's position regarding the crisis surrounding it's mobile payments service. Airtel Uganda only remembered to apologise to is customers after restoring the system. During the same time there was a campaign for Airtel money subscribers from Wednesday 22 June to Sunday 27 June.Among other things customers sent mobile money for free.

 

Excerpt from a local website

"Following an upgrade of the Airtel Money platform, a few of our customers have experienced intermittent service over the last 7 days. The platform has been down undergoing a series of upgrades to enable our customers enjoy an improved and superior customer experience" Paul Langlois, Airtel Money Director. Airtel Uganda further explained that "In light of the growth that we have experienced in the recent past, it was imperative that regular improvements are carried out. This upgrade will eliminate issues of capacity in terms of timeouts while transacting especially during peak times,"

 

 

2. URA twitter account goes "mute" after a controversial discussion.

Social media fraternity was in shock after URA went quiet on Twitter. Uganda Revenue Authority [URA] Commissioner General Doris Akol found herself at a loss of words after a tweep engaged her over taxation. The authority was holding a live Twitter session running under the hashtag #AskTheCG. URA account did not respond to further questions of a tweep regarding taxation despite him pressing on. This incident dented the transparency culture of URA.It was as if they are hiding something. At least the URA team would have diverted the tweep or taken the discussion offline but not keeping quiet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. UCU allegedly bans non-Anglican worship at own campus.

A local Ugandan Newspaper broke the news that Uganda Christian University Mukono (UCU) had banned non-Anglicans from worshipping at the campus, saying the institution is founded on the Anglican faith and values which need to be given space and protected from interference by other religious faiths. . It is commendable that University came out to respond to the issue.

A statement by UCU's Manager Communications and Marketing Ganzi M. Isharaza did know refute the claims but it offered sketchy details.

 

Part of the university statement read "We are unapologetically Christian and aspire to live up to that standard in faith and deeds. Because we are a university founded on Christian values, we are mandated by the University Council and ultimately the Province of the Church of Uganda, through the House of Bishops to affirm, defend and promote the Christian identity of the University, including on its campuses, in accordance with the University's Instruments of Identity."

 

Ivan N Baliboola

PR and organizational Diagnosis specialist.

nbaliboola@gmail.com

 

Its official…..don't drink and use a taxi in Uganda

Its official…..don't drink and use a taxi in Uganda

Last night, I was in a commuter Taxi. After a few miles, some gentleman came running as he waved for the taxi to stop. On stopping, the conductor noticed the man who wanted to board was holding a half empty disposable glass. So he subjected the passenger to an oral exam since other passengers looked at him like a drunkard sinner in stage five.

Conductor: Is that alcohol in the glass?

Passenger: This is water. Do you want to taste?

Conductor: Enter and we go

 

Conductor gave up the interrogation since it was getting personal. Passenger seemed steady while answering. That is why I think he was let to board. I think he was faking the calmness. He surely needed to be in good books of conductor while inside. Who knows the conductor would have refused him to board. Strangely the Passenger paid his fair to the conductor before sat down which never happens in Uganda. You pay when you reach your final destination. I don't think next time he will dare walk with beer takeaway from a bar.

Huawei‘s “Performance king” Y6II Phone launched in Uganda

On October 4, Huawei unveiled its Y6II phone which is a performance king in battery life, speed, and looks. Huawei Y6II is clearly the only smartphone in the country with unbeatable lightning speed. It system makes it extremely fast and storage space upgraded to install unlimited apps. The Huawei Y6II's Kirin 620, 1.2GHz processor coupled is  with the lightning fast 64-bit octa-core that allows multiple apps to be open simultaneously without sacrificing speed, power or performance. The 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory expandable to 128GB via micro SD card gives users more capacity, lower power consumption, faster speed and longer use than any smartphone currently in the market.

Ugandans from all walks of life will have an opportunity to buy an high end phone at the lowest price. Huawei Y6II will set back a customer by only UGX 655,600 at Huawei-affiliated dealer shops across Uganda.

The Y6II Battery is a "beast". Its ARM micro-processor technology has ultra-high efficiency for longer battery life. The phone has an inbuilt system to automatically switch off unnecessary apps that usually drain smart phone batteries. You don't need a power bank because it can also act as a power bank. The built-in phone manager monitors power consumption for extended battery life.

It's a Multimedia phone that has high end features for media like videos and selfies. Huawei Y6II's camera as a front enormous 8-megapixel camera which is great for selfies with 77-degree range. Meanwhile, its 13 megapixel super-powered rear camera has a wide-angle, 28mm lens with a 2.0 aperture that is made of scratch resistant, state-of-the-art glass which gives professional-grade shots in any light setting.

User s don't need to install phone Photoshop editing apps.This is enhanced by the big screen. its 10-millisecond face recognition creates beautification in real time, and can enhance personal photos as well as group shots. The Y6II also comes equipped with 8 beautification presets and customizable options, offering a range of natural effects and highlights including lip gloss and eye shadow.

During the launch, ABS TV's reporter Doreen Nantege won the phone in a raffle Draw during the press conference

Speaking at the Press launch, Jean Baguma Marketing Manager Huawei Uganda said, 'Today, smartphones are a part of our everyday lives and their performance in turn affects our delivery during phone calls, messaging, texting, chatting or even picture and video shooting. This implies that the processor is essentially the brain of a smartphone. To this end, Huawei Uganda has released the Huawei Y6II in Uganda, which is the first member of the Y-series family to use the Kirin High Silicon chipset 620 processor which offers smoother performance and ultra-high efficiency when it comes to opening apps and using the various smartphone functions.'

'The Huawei Y6II handset has a wide 5.5 inch display, 13MP and 8MP cameras, octa-core processors and an elegant design body style. It also boasts of a larger dynamic 1280x720 resolution display which is crystal clear and rivals existing top digital screens. The durable GFF transparent lamination protects the display from scratches to ensure long-lasting brightness. The Huawei Y6II also has customized round curves designed for easy one-handed use.' As usually, Huawei gives all users unique experiences. The Huawei Y6II comes in more than one colour.

International Data Corporation (IDC) listed Huawei as the world's third-biggest smartphone producer with a 9.4 percent market share in the second quarter of 2016, up from 8.6 percent in the same period last year.

 

 

--

PR & Organisational diagnosis specialist
Ivan.N.Baliboola
0752304274
Twitter: @mediasurgeon
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Poor Agriculture output may explain Africa’s average rate of productivity growth fall to 1.7%

Poor agricultural output had an additional inflationary effect in some countries especially as agricultural goods constitute a large proportion of East African exports. This, combined with weaker exports, undermined currencies in the region, further fueling inflationary pressure," added Armstrong. In Uganda for instance Tea prices have dropped from US Dollar cents 403.03 per Kg in July 2015 to US Dollar cents 237.99 per Kg in April 2016 while Copper from US$ 5,456.75 per tonne to US$ 4,872.74 per tonne.

Economies in Africa should be in a position to improve productivity in the agriculture sector and climate change has not hit hard. However, so far progress has been disappointing. The ICAEW report notes that the East African region has especially been s back by inflation. The recent El Niño rains caused major fluctuations in food prices across the southern half of the continent, with greater than usual rainfall in Tanzania and Kenya. On the other hand, southern countries suffered from severe drought. Ethiopia has been particularly hard hit by adverse weather conditions, with the worst drought in around 30 years pushing food inflation to a peak of 16.2% year on year in October 2015 and easing only gradually in the first half of 2016.

Strong GDP growth in Africa has masked disappointing productivity, according to The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW's) latest Economic Insight: Africa Quarter 2 report. Uganda in particular has seen a lower economic activity than anticipated during the past one year, primarily as a result of the sharp decline in commodity prices, which negatively affected export earnings.

 According to the 2016-2017 Uganda national budget, the lower growth of Uganda's economy arose from the drastic fall in international commodity prices of exports such as coffee, tea, minerals; the decline in private sector credit growth as a result of high interest rates, which have constrained domestic activity; and the strengthening of the US Dollar as a result of the recovery in the US economy which led to depreciation of Uganda's shilling causing domestic inflation.

The ICAEW report notes that from the year 2000 to 2015, the average GDP growth across Africa was 4.8% per annum, a full 2.3 percentage points faster than the global average during the 1990s. This is only marginally slower than the ASEAN region, which grew by an average 5.6% per annum and around 0.2 percentage points faster than the Middle East region.

Michael Armstrong, Regional Director at ICAEW Middle East, Africa and South Asia said "Matching the performance of some other emerging market regions might, at face value, seem respectable enough. But the truth is that Africa is starting from a much lower level of economic development than these economies."

 The ICAEW report further states that in an attempt to limit the acceleration in price growth, central banks across the region adopted tighter monetary policies, with some countries such as Kenya and Uganda aggressively raising interest rates. This was also echoed by the 2016-17 Uganda's national budget that stated that commercial bank lending rates have remained high largely due to the limited availability of long term capital, resulting in the mismatch between the commercial bank financing products and the nature of the investments being undertaken.

Tom Rogers, Associate Director, Macro Consulting at Oxford Economics, said: "Excluding oil intensive economies such as Angola, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique, average output per worker in sub-Saharan Africa grew by just 1.7% per annum from 2000 to 2015, and in half of sub-Saharan economies by less than 1% per year. The fact is that Africa has tremendous economic potential, but realizing it will depend on being able to move up the value chain and deliver productivity improvements. For example, crop yields in largely agrarian economies are typically lower than in other major producers. Solving these problems would enable African producers to compete more effectively with farmers from other parts of the world, freeing up labour to move to manufacturing sectors."

ICAEW is a founder member of Chartered Accountants Worldwide and the Global Accounting Alliance.ICAEW is a world leading professional membership organization that promotes, develops and supports over 145,000 chartered accountants worldwide. We provide qualifications and professional development, share our knowledge, insight and technical expertise, and protect the quality and integrity of the accountancy and finance profession.

ICAEW are leaders in accountancy, finance and business our members have the knowledge, skills and commitment to maintain the highest professional standards and integrity. Together we contribute to the success of individuals, organizations, communities and economies around the world.

 

 

 

Mate 8 phone is the blogger’s tool of work.

It’s one tablet phone every blogger or writer should carry in their toolbox. If you are a person whose second name means reading and writing, it’s the phone for you. The screen is big which is ideal for typing or reading any text on the move.

 You don’t need a PC if you can get a Huawei mate 8. Mate 8 has 4 GB worth of RAM which means it’s a phone with double speed. It’s a hybrid phone also referred to as a phablet.This means it combines tablet PC and phone features. Mate 8 has Powerful heavy duty battery. It is made for Africa synonymous with constant power cuts. The Mate 8 battery comes with a big capacity. It built with fast charging capability. A mere thirty two minute will take it to more than 33% battery charge power.

They say a pic tire says a thousand words. A blog is not completer without images. Mate 8 has clear front and back cameras. Mate 8 can edit pictures in a story. Mate 8 is more affordable at 1.5million shs in Uganda compared to its known rival phones.Mate 8 is one of the latest Phones from Huawei, a Chinese phone manufacturer.

With a great voice recorder that can document interviews and experiences. The phone has audio output even on loud speaker.It has advanced dual simcard technology so no need to carry a second phone.

Easy to carry with just 185g.It gives you a firm grip not to easily slide from your hands. It is slim with 7.9mm thickness. It’s about millimeter shorter than the iPhone 6s. It’s more than just a phone with its 6-inch screen size. You would just call it a soft touch laptop with phone functions. Its screen is bigger screen compared to Samsung Galaxy note5. The 6-inch display on Huawei Mate 8 has Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.

Comes with impeccable security features. Mate 8 comes with Android Software. Beauty with Google play store is that you will always be spoilt for choice with millions of free android apps. Exceptional performance of the Mate 8 against Galaxy note5, iphone6s on speed cannot be ignored as one of the fastest smartphones on the market today. Huge phone internal memory of up to 32GB is not something not to buy before the year ends. Mate 8 Connectivity features includes but not limited to; Wi-Fi, hotspot, Bluetooth, 4G, and gpRs.

The phone comes in different shades of colour like Space Gray, while, Moonlight Silver, and Champagne Gold. This works well for the stylish type whose tastes and preferences are unique. Huawei is the third biggest handset maker on the planet, behind Apple and Samsung. Why not buy one before the year ends

Ivan N Baliboola

nbaliboola@gmail.com

Mate 8, a phone you should have this year

 You don’t need a tablet PC if you can buy a Huawei mate 8. Mate 8 has 4 GB worth of RAM which means it’s a phone with two brains. Another gadget that works like a ‘human being’ you must have before the year ends. It’s a hybrid phone also referred to as a phablet. it has both tab and phone features. You get more from its price than if you were to buy a tablet and a phone separately. It has advanced dual simcard technology so no need to carry a second phone.

Mate 8 is too cheap and affordable compared to its closest rival phones. With all its impressive look and feel, the Mate 8 costs only about 1.5million shs in Uganda. Nothing beats its priceless metal and glass components finish. It’s from the Huawei mate family following in the footsteps of the Mate7. Mate 8 is one of the latest Phones from Huawei, a Chinese phone manufacturer.

Easy to carry with just 185g.It gives you a firm grip not to easily slide from your hands. It is slim with 7.9mm thickness. It’s about millimeter shorter than the iPhone 6s. It’s more than just a phone with its 6-inch screen size. You would just call it a soft touch laptop with phone functions. Its screen is bigger screen compared to Samsung Galaxy note5. The 6-inch display on Huawei Mate 8 has Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.

Comes with impeccable security features. The back cannot be detached and there is no access to the battery. The Mate 8’s fingerprint sensor at the back doubles security of the phone and its data all the time.

 Today a phone is not identified as one unless it is internet enabled. The Mate 8 battery comes with an extra-large capacity - 4,000mAh.It was built for fast charging. A mere thirty minute charge will take it to more than 37% battery charge power. The phone has clear audio output even on loud speaker. A phone isn’t selfie ready if it has only one camera. It has a back and front camera. The   Camera uses a 1/2.8" sensor.

Phone runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) Software. Beauty with Google play store is that you will always be spoilt for choice with millions of free android apps. Exceptional performance of the Mate 8 against Galaxy note5, iphone6s on speed cannot be ignored as one of the fastest smartphones on the market today. Huge phone internal memory of up to 32GB is not something not to buy before the year ends. Mate 8 Connectivity features includes but not limited to; Wi-Fi, hotspot, Bluetooth,4G, and gpRs.

The phone comes in different shades of colour like Space Gray, while, Moonlight Silver, and Champagne Gold. This works well for the stylish type whose tastes and preferences are unique. Huawei is the third biggest handset maker on the planet, behind Apple and Samsung. Why not buy one before the year ends

Ivan N Baliboola

nbaliboola@gmail.com

Natural hair says a lot

Check out @Floramujaasi's Tweet: https://twitter.com/Floramujaasi/status/624183131881533440?s=09

PR insight: Capital shoppers’ alleged rotten margarine sale scandal

Capital shoppers Ntinda is in the media for the wrong reasons. A Uganda Baker Asha Batenga was shocked when she found out that the margarine she bought from them was rotten. The incident happened on May 25, 2015 at Capital Shoppers Ntinda branch. According to her media interviews, she was ignored after seeking help from management. Management allegedly said that it was the problem of supplier not them. As usual Uganda has a weak civil society. There has not been any statement from Uganda consumers Association and other regulatory authorities like KCCA and UNBS on the matter. Asha found rotten margarine when she visited the supermarket the second time. Asha has evidence of a receipt and rotten margarine.Asha alleged cyber bullying after posting about her experience. Asha has since lost her Facebook account to hacking after the post. It teaches us to try to frequently change passwords and invest in cyber security systems.

This is something that would have taken five minutes to resolve but continues to drag on from the month of May. This story started as a simple social media rant in May and dragged into to June when a local TV interviewed the unhappy customer. This is a case of poor customer care and reputation management. Why would Capital shoppers wait for a customer to have an opportunity to share her experience outside the supermarket premises?

The supermarket has not even responded to her fears. People in the service industry must always ensure that they get feedback and act on it before customers leave their premises. They say a stitch in time saves nine. Shifting blame is not damage control. Why would a supervisor at Capital shoppers refuse to exchange or refund her money? Capital Shoppers Ntinda is currently selling a batch of Marine margarine Fat at about Shs 61,000. Is shs 61,000 worth their reputation damage? Asking a customer to follow up with a product supplier is unrealistic and insensitive. Do customers have direct contracts with suppliers?

Power of the media. Media can break or make an organisation. In fact pictures were taken perhaps using a phone and soon they were on most media platforms including YouTube. Online communication or traditional media like newspapers can never be hidden. The rise of citizen journalism has made the situation get more attention.

Is this a case of bad customer service? Customer experience portrays the quality of staff. There seems to be lack of staff understanding and training in: Media relations, Crisis management, quality control, Media monitoring, Customer relations,and responsibility. Asha has a Capital reward card from the supermarket as a loyal customer. Capital shoppers Loyalty card customer system is under question then. If she is a loyal customer, why not treat her like one than tossing her around. Some people on social media have been pushing for a boycott against capital shoppers. The capital shoppers reward card has a slogan 'set to satisfy'. Their act was not in the same spirit obviously. Does Capital shoppers run customer care audits for their service levels? Audits look out for alertness of staff, service quality, and adherence to other acceptable customer standards. Audit results guide on possible course of action whether re-skilling, job rotation or punishment. Uganda companies must understand the difference between customer care and customer service.

Customers are taken for granted world over and this affects sales of businesses in question. The ABC of customer satisfaction starts with building effective customer care systems and thinking like a customer. Any action by staff has a trickle-down effect on the entire business operations. Patience and a positive attitude is the most important life skill for staff in the service industry today.

Asha has already expressed threats on her life. Capital shoppers needed to come out and clear its name on the matter. Every crisis requires that someone must be held accountable. Organisations must be seen to take some responsibility for the incident. Capital shoppers can go public about suspension of the staff who were on duty that day. This may help buy time and cool the pressure. The supermarket has not even bothered to communicate their quality control policies as a message of reassurance to existing and would- be customers. We are yet to get a statement from Mukwano that makes the Margarine.

There is no sorry in the service industry. You must get it right the first time and always. Customers will always be kings.

Disclaimer. This article strictly offers academic insight meant to create awareness about crisis PR management in Uganda. Therefore, it should be used for educational purposes and not viewed as an attack on institutions or individuals. The writer assumes no responsibility for contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.

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Ivan .N.Baliboola

PR and organisational diagnosis specialist

nbaliboola@gmail.com

nbaliboola.wordpress.com/

 

Get into the habit of sending flowers

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way" said Walter Hagen. It is common in Africa for someone to ask you why you had to send them flowers. Many people do not attach value to flowers. Some even ask you to send them the monetary equivalent of the said flowers next time. I must admit the thing about sending flowers is not purely an African but it is slowly growing.

Though the market is now flooded with plastic flowers, the scent and feel of natural flowers can never be replaced. The artificial flowers give off the feeling of taking people for granted. There is no particular season when not to send flowers.

People buy flowers for different reasons. Whether they are for a funeral, congratulations, loved ones, quick recovery, and decoration, flowers are mood changers. It is important that a lot of attention is paid on what types of flowers you want to send and who is receiving them.

They are particular flowers for different occasions. If you are sending them to someone then you may need to dictate on the choice of colours florists picks. You may have to blend in some red or pink if they are their favourite colours. Do you really want to find your flowers in a dust bin? It makes sense to send flowers to people you have at least know for some time .It communicates that you care and always think about them. It is easy to miss a stranger's taste in flowers.

Do not send flowers alone even if you are working with a shoestring budget. Slide in a written note and send along a gift. Gifts can include chocolate and other physical items. Remember you want to have a lasting impression on someone and the rest of the world. Wrapping must also be outstanding and not any wrapping paper should work. You may wrap them in one with birthday logos yet you are sending them on valentine.

If it was delivered at their workplace, it will help you mark your territory. If the bouquet of flowers was really big, they will have to explain to everyone they meet in the lift, Taxi Park or office. Do not forget, love is a good thing.

As I mentioned, flowers can be sent for different reasons at different times. Gauge the mood. Is it appropriate or not?  Ask yourself what packages of flowers are ideal? Decide whether they will be handheld, a bouquet, basket or just one stem.

It is advisable that you get someone else to deliver flowers on your behalf. Everyone wants to be surprised. Always get a florist to send than you delivering them if it is not for funeral .Give the florists the physical address details of your loved one. Take the initiative to keep track of the florists until they deliver. Wait for a thank you message from your loved one through text, phone call or social media. Flowers can change someone's crappy day and you will be the reason that happened. If someone knew the impact of flowers in relationships, they will have added florist on the list of their standing orders.

 

 

Ivan.N.Baliboola

Blogger

nbaliboola@gmail.com.

 

Why June is your month of achievement

June is a month of achievements and miracles. May was a month of the overturn. It marked the beginning of God's unlimited provision. God works in numbers. The blessed numbers of the month are: three, two and six. They symbolises victory and achievement. The bible says Jonah was in the belly of the big fish three days and Jesus was in the grave three days.

June(6) means hard work, love, marriage, relaxation, happiness, and achievement in the bible. God created the world in six days. It marks the completion of God's creation work task. Man is expected to ideally work for six days and rest. God rested on seventh day after creating man in his own image on the sixth day (Genesis 1:27, 31). It is message that we can do anything we want through Lord God. God commands us to achieve more with what he has given us.  Genesis 1:28, God commands us t be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it. Its God who completes humans and remains the only source of their strength. June will always be a month of miracles. Jesus' first miracle changed six pots of water to wine for the wedding event according to John 2:6-9. A wedding represents love as does the number six. Boaz gave Ruth six measures of barley symbolic of his love and protection (Ruth 3:15)?  This month if we want miracles to happen in our lives, we just need to pray and trust God.

June is the sixth month of the year. Six symbolizes human weakness and the existence of satanic powers According to the Bible book of revelation. Christians are likely to face temptation in June but they need to watch out.

 In order to be an achiever this month, take some time off this month to do a self mirror talk concerning your life. 2015 is already less by five months. It is a great time to reflect on your life physically, financially, mentally, and spiritually. It does not necessary mean you have to be in front of a mirror. You can decide to go before a wall. What matters is that it is you having a conversation with yourself alone. You need to figure out how you will handle the remaining seven months. You cannot handle the seven without critically reviewing how the five months have been. Ensure you have your updated goal and resolution list .There is no better way to push yourself   than talking and reminding yourself of your abilities. Keep a Victory and failure list you will review during the session. Make sure the environment has visible symbols of your success like trophies won, latest newspaper clip about you or certificates you have accumulated over time. Mirror conversation helps you visualise the world and things you want. You can act like your role model by highlighting three great qualities about them. Then present them as yours and give yourself a deadline to realistically have them. This private mirror talk helps you fake it till you make it.

Ivan.N.Baliboola

Blogger

nbaliboola@gmail.com

 

 

Ettoffali: Crowd funding is a pillar of development.

Crowd funding is a method of raising project fund through joints effort of friends, family, public, and organisations primarily through media. From tapping into a wider investor pool to enjoying more flexible fundraising options, there are a number of benefits to crowd funding over traditional methods. Uganda has seen an increase in donation based Crowd funding. Donation based crowd funding does not involve financial returns to those who contribute to the fund. 

Crowd funding engages everyone to donate money towards particular projects that are in public interest. Instead of waiting for aid from abroad, Some Africans have decided to bring together communities with the little they have to cause change. Crowd funding has taken the world by storm especially with what it can achieve. The most successfully crowd funding case study in Uganda would be the "Ettoffaali" project by the Buganda Government. The "Ettoffaali" project has raised over shs7b since its inception from the public and orgnisations. Other Ugandan crowd funding projects are: 40 Days Over 40 Smiles, and Afri-aid( Project Bucket).

40 Days Over 40 Smiles is a foundation started by a Ugandan woman Esther Kalenzi who is passionate about positive change in society. It started in 2012, when Esther Kalenzi opened a Facebook page and asked her friends to donate anything they had during the Easter weekend. The donations were   delivered to two orphanages. The organisation relies on the use of social media as a platform for raising awareness and find solutions. 40 Days Over 40 Smiles  has so far raised over Ush 100million through social media and outdoor fun events. The foundation has impacted over 500 children.40 Days Over 40 Smiles is living proof that crowd funding works. Their model uses social media to fundraise and launch fundraising events.

Crowd funding requires impeccable leadership that is equipped with  advocacy  and lobbying skills. The leadership should not easily give up on their goals. As it is the case with any project, some people may be against the project. Sheik Nuuhu Muzaata attracted public outcry after criticizing the Buganda government fundraising project known as "Ettoffaali" He attacked the project for collecting money from the poor. The Sheik also attacked people who contribute to the "Ettoffaali" project yet they have other personal problems to deal with. Muzaata's statements come off as insult and a boycott call towards "Ettoffaali" project which made it a PR crisis. The Ettoffali tea did not suspend their activities.

As you come up with a project that requires crowd funding, you must have clear key result areas. This must involve intensive research on what is required and how it will be achieved. If it is a building to be constructed; make sure all the details of the plan and costs are well documented. These must then be made available to the public.

In all you calls for donations to a project, always ensure transparency, accountability, and consistency in everything that is done. If you are asking people to raise money towards a construction of a girls' dormitory, do not again abruptly change the call to buying an ambulance. Crowd funding participants are sceptical and always watching out for signs of fraud. Inconsistency and mistrust may be an eye opener about fraud in a given campaign may withhold their donations.

 

Transparency and accountability must be shown directly and indirectly. Some organisations run fundraising campaigns and use mobile money numbers registered under individual names not campaign names. The accountability example is the public tour by The Buganda premier Peter Mayiga to "Ettoffali" funded projects. The issue of giving receipts and accountability for each coin received should not be forgotten.

There are many projects that can be crowd funded for example surgeries, research, disaster relief, causes, better social service provision, and political campaigns among other things. Platforms that can be used in Uganda to collect money may include mobile money, sms platforms, bank accounts, physically collections, and other online payments.

Any project that is to be funded by crowd funding must have the emotional appeal to the public. For example "Ettoffaali" and 40 Days over 40 Smiles. Government funding is will always be a challenge for social services. Most   crowd funding projects do not make business case to be funded through the normal processes. Crowd funding projects must also be given specific time frames within which to run otherwise if they take long, people may lose faith. They may think their money was just mismanaged.

Ivan .N.Baliboola

PR and organizational diagnosis specialist

nbaliboola@gmail.com

Twitter:@mediasurgeon

Wordpress:nbaliboola.wordpress.com/

Blogger:http://mediasurgeon.blogspot.com