Rotarians lauded for supporting charity

By Nelson Kiva

KAMPALA - American Rotarian, Melissa Prandi at the helm of supporting charity in Uganda has commended colleagues in Uganda for serving above self.

In a keynote address to the Rotarians at a fellowship convened at Muyenga International Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday (February 26, 2024) Prandi said Ugandan Rotarians have been instrumental in supporting the uplifting of communities in ways not limited to signature projects.

Prandi is a chief executive officer at Melissa Prandi Children Foundation which has supported children and women projects in Uganda.

 Melissa Prandi Children Foundation was founded by Rotarians in 2021 to transform conditions in Uganda’s slums.

“We empower children and young adults through education, vocational training and economic independence programmes and protect orphans and vulnerable children from exploitation and child labour,” Prandi said.

Prandi indicated that in the last three years, they have achieved tremendous work complimenting Rotarians as people of action who have been a key component in their accomplishments.

“We have a lot of Rotarians serving on our board from both the San Francisco Bay Area and Kampala Uganda. As you read and reflect on the work that we are doing to uplift and support women and children in Uganda, know that we need your assistance and involvement to continue to be successful,” she said.”

She implored Rotarians to continue giving invaluable time to help the mission of serving and transforming communities.

Among the successes registered included improving food security on top of water, electrical and education infrastructure in two villages under the sponsor-a-village initiative.

This, Prandi indicated has positively impacted tens of thousands of Ugandans in the long term.

The president of the Rotary Club of Muyenga, Edward Kitimbo Mugwanya, celebrated the outstanding contribution of Rotarian Prandi and making Rotary proud. (Credit: Alfred Ochwo)

She went on to indicate that they had achieved 100% success in their female empowerment programmes through micro-finance and vocational schools.

“We have given micro-loans to seven groups of Ugandan women in business, with over 30-50 women per group. 18 young women received technical skills training in knitting and tailoring at vocational schools, empowering them to be self-sufficient long-term and care for themselves and their families,” she said.

Prandi added; “We opened our first sewing center in Nsawo village where we now employ six seamstresses at our sewing centre, producing among other things over 700 hygiene kits per month.”

She said that by the end of last year (2024), six sponsored university students had graduated while seven had enrolled on different university programmes.

According to Prandi, the foundation supported the165 students in primary and secondary schools.

“Hygiene kits distributed to girls across Uganda were 7,089 on top of the 29000 books donated by SF Bay Area Rotary Clubs via the book exchange. Young mothers enrolled in vocational skills training school were 18, 250 plus women received livelihood strengthening microloans through seven business groups and 500 families from Kampala’s poorest slums gifted food and other essentials,” she said.

The president of the Rotary Club of Muyenga, Edward Kitimbo Mugwanya, celebrated the outstanding contribution of Rotarian Prandi and making Rotary proud.

“Thank you, Melissa Prandi, for your service to the community you have made Rotary proud,” Kitimbo said before inviting the deputy governor Bank of Uganda, Augustus Nuwagaba to hand her a certificate of recognition.

The fellowship coincided with the induction and pinning of 20 new Rotractors into service of Rotary.