Thursday, February 23, 2012 | Last Updated 12:56 AM
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Girl Power takes it positively
Publish Date: Dec 22, 2011
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    Guests at the Girl Power function

    By Roselynn Karasti and Brenda Asiimwe

    Girl Power took a journey to Delhi in style as they made a tribute to those living positively. Pastor Jessica Kayanja, dressed like a goddess, looked like she was born in Delhi.

    The girls looked so angelic and gorgeous with Indian ornaments, the colourful saris and shararas.

    The gentlemen, who graced the function to support their women in preaching the gospel of living positively with HIV, donned punjabs, Ninzam dresses, which they accessorised with maharaja shoes.

    “People living with HIV should know that they have got many years ahead to live, but the choice is theirs to make,” he said.

    Pastor Wilson Bugembe and Exodus heightened the crowd’s mood with their moving songs of Bamuyita Yesu and Igwe respectively. Isaiah Katumwa took the audience to the starry clouds with his saxophone.They savoured every moment of it.
    The life-changing testimonies of how HIV-positive people living positively were embraced with tears and smiles of hope. The Reverend Gideon Byamugisha told of how hard it was to disclose his status after losing his wife in 1989.

    “Being a Reverend, it was harder than it can be for any layman. I knew people were going to point fingers at me,” he recalls.
    He says God gave him the strength to stand through that trying time and in 1995 he remarried an HIV-positive widow, with whom he has two beautiful daughters who are HIV-negative.

    Byamugisha says it takes courage, strength and faith in God to find  the peace of mind and the perseverance to live for tomorrow.

    Twenty-seven-year-old Jackie Kemigisha, a second-year student  pursuing a  degree in commerce at Makerere University also had sad, but inspiring story. She was raped by her friend’s boyfriend in 1999 after she left her alone with him in his car as she went to buy something from the nearby shop.

    “He drove off with me and did the unthinkable,” Kemigisha explains.
    In 2004, she fell very ill and almost died.

    “The doctor did the test without my consent and told my step-sister, who let everyone else know. I was very stigmatised until 2010, when I found the courage to tell my story,” she narrates.

    Others who testified were Maj. Rubaramira Ruranga, Pastor Wilson Bugembe.

    Noerine Kareeba and the late Philly Lutaaya got awards in recognition of their efforts in the fight against HIV.

     

    She sold six books, one at shs2m, and two at sh1m each. Others went for sh100,000, sh851,000 and sh900,000, respectively.

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sodha owe bombo | united kingdom
hannah you talk nonsense. PLEASE GROW UP DONT MAKE FOOL OF YOURSELF.your mum brain washes you.you have thousands of prisoners at LUZIRA bad people,DOES THIS MEAN ALL UGANDANS ARE BAD AND THIEVES.you talk about amin he did not kill indians but slaughtered ugandans in millions and dumped them in rivers.SO SHUT AND DONT MAKE FOOL OF YOURSELF>
hannah | london
WHILE I FEEL ASHAMED OF THE WAY AMIN EXPELLED IDIANS FROM UGANDA I DON''T STOP TO THINK THAT HE DID WHAT HE DID BCOZ OF THE WAY INDIANS TREATED UGANDANS.THE WAY THEY SPOKE TO AND TREATED UGANDANS WAS APPALLING.THEIR SCALES WERE FALSE i.e IF YOU BOUGHT A KILO OF SUGAR IT WILL BE LESS AND YOU PAY FULL PRICE. MY SINGLE MUM WHO MANAGED TO RAISED US INSPITE OF MONEY HARDSHIP, SUFFERED MANY TIMES AT THEIR HANDS WHENEVER SHE TOOK HER COFFEE TO SELL WAS TOLD MOST OF HER COFFEE BEANS WERE NOT GOOD AND THEREFORE PAID HER LESS THAN WHAT SHE SHOULD HAV GOT.ONE TIME AN INDIAN SHOPKEEPER GAVE HER AN EMPTY RAZOR BLADE COVER WHEN SHE TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS NO RAZOR INSIDE HE GOT VERBALLY ABUSIVE,FALSELY ACCUSED HER OF STEALING RAZOR AND ASKING FOR ANOTHER.HE DIDN''T EVEN REFUND MONEY BUT JUST SHOUTED AT HER TO LEAVE EMBARASSING THE POOR WOMAN IN . IT WAS SAD BCOZ AS A KID THEN I KNEW MY MUM EVEN POOR AS POOR AS SHE WAS, SHE WAS A WOMAN OF INTEGRITY&COULDN''T HAVE STOLEN AND IF SHE DID STOLE WHY DIDN''T HE CALL POLICE ON HER? TIME WILL FAIL ME IF I TOLD ALL THE MANY SUFFERINGS.NOW SEE AND HEAR THAT INDIANS ARE HELPING UGANDANS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, MANY ARE PROUD TO BE CONNECTED,AND TREATING NATIONALS AS FELLOW HUMANS WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY INSPITE OF THEIR COLOR ,EDUCATION,JOB,FINANCIAL STATUS,ETC PLEASE DON''T THINK I''M A RACIST,MY FAMILY HAVE SOME MIXED INDIAN &BLACK UGANDANS DABROAD I MEET MANY WHO LEFT UGANDA AND THEY GREET AND TREAT US WELL AND EVEN PROUDLY SPEAK SWAHILI AND LUGANDA TO US.TO ALL INDIAN FRIENDS OF UGANDA, CHARITIES AND ANY INDIAN WHO LOVE UGANDA AND RESPECTS UGANDANS GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. WEARING AN INDIAN COSTUME IS A SIGN OF RESPECT TO OUR INDIAN FRIENDS AND IDINTIFYING WITH THEM.THANK YOU MRS KAYANJA AND THE BORN-AGAIN COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING THAT JESUS DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE,COLOR,NATIONALITY,GENDER,RELIGION.ETC JESUS DIED FOR US ALL AND RECIEVES ALL WHO CALL UPON HIS NAME FOR SALVATION. PLEASE KEEP ON REACHING,PREACHING AND TEACHING GOD''S PEOPLE HIS TRUTH.HANNAH.UK
Suubi Henry | Kampala-Uganda
After all had been done and said, there was a moment of silence, we were all touch for each family has ever been affected by this HIV/AIDS scourge and the testimonies which were shared were moving. I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to Mrs. Kayanja for organizing such a thing. Let’s stop stigmatizing and condemning the victims but support and encourage they. "For there is no condemnation.........."
Ruth | Nansana
They looked gorgeous, smart and decent. If we were putting on like that we would have been so much respected era Mum Kayanja used that trick of indian attires to avoid mini skirts, leggings simanya what what in the girls power. Big up to you and let God give you bless you
Timohty | Kampala
Pastor Wilson Bugembe has also been grouped among people who gave testimony.What was his testimony all about. Is he also living positively with HIV?
Wahid | USA
So inspiring to read! God bless Uganda
sodha owe bombo | united kingdom
in reply to last commentator.YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.IT TAKES ONE PERSON TO RUIN THE COUNTRY IN A SECOND AND THEN IT TAKES A MILLION PEOPLE TO PUT IT RIGHT IN 4O years.amin in 1972 mr musevani in 2012. mr onek has tarnished REPUTATION of uganda BY CALLING INDIANS SAMOSA CHAPPATI.it IT DOES NOT COST MONEY TO BE POLITE. IT CAN BE HEREDITARY OR NEVER NEVER.one thing you got to admit our uganda women are PEARL OF AFRICA.NO DOUBT NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.if you have a DECENT TALENT OR MANNERS PASS IT TO PEPOLE LIKE ONEK or be quiet.that is my opinion.you should feel proud when we talk so highly of OUR UGANDAN WOMEN>
soda, if you are still indian, then you are not ugandan, but indian. it seems you have an identity crisis. fashions can be borrowed from other cultures. i have seen white women wearing gomesi or busuti, or others wearing swahili khangas, or other women both white or other wearing nigerian women''s outfits. societies borrow from one another and that is how you ended in uganda at one time. now you are in u.k. although you are not english originally. but foreigners selling samosa in uganda as foreign investors are unacceptable. so there is no attacking onek who is the minister of internal affairs for tackling a vice in his ministry.
sodha owe bombo | u.k
NEW VISION well done for this new indian image of our uganda FEMALES.i always said ugandan women THEY LOOK GORGEOUS AND BEAUTIFUL EVEN IN BLACK DUST BIN BAGS.now in indian outfit kugambye mye bakazi mulabika nsufu nyo nyo nyo.world has seen it.ugandan female are PEARL OF AFRICA. it is not only character make our ugandan female but indian outfit now TOO. let us all be proud AND I AM PROUD BEING AN INDIAN ORIGIN OF UGANDA BY BIRTH.
Wahid | USA
So inspiring to read, God bless Uganda.
siima | kandahar
With God evrthng is possible cos he has a plan fo evry one..so neva loose hop in al u do pliz...as long as u trust in him..jst knw all will be ok..Merry xmas to u all..sorry a bout Kemigisha...
Carpet Cleaning Melbourne | USA
Thank you so much for this blog, I have not been this thrilled by a blog post for quite some time, whatever that means in blogging. You’re definitely someone that has something to say that people should hear.
Anthony Kadama | London
A good report. Carry on the good work.
mr b.m. sodha | uk
the indians do all these for fellow ugandans and what do they get from onek just Abuses like SAMOSA AND CHAPPATI.onek should apologise to india and indian high commissioner to uganda.i am surprised why indian high commissioner did not walk out in protest during oneks briefing.indians are helpful and god gifted.indians in uganda and those expelled during 1972 still respect uganda and ugandans/because uganda is our motherland.onek change your attitude next you will critise russia and makerere where he were brought up.katonda ayambe uganda