Kwesiga cares for the less privileged

Diane Kwesiga describes herself as a mother, wife, philanthropist and administrator. The IT expert, who works with Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), has opened her home to 12 disadvantaged children.

Some are orphans while others were abandoned. She feeds them, pays their school fees and cares for them as her own.

The 32-year-old also spends most of her free time building houses for the elderly back home in Lyantonde.

She is also known for visiting the sick and counselling the troubled. She does this through her charity initiative, Ripples by Diane Kwesiga, which seeks to reach out to the vulnerable.

Kwesiga is also a director at Sail Global Corporation, an advisory, strategy and management consulting firm.

She dreams of a world where the less privileged children and elderly experience love.

"I collect donations and also rely on my savings for facilitation," she says.

"I was taught to love and to share my love with others, especially the orphans, elderly and needy children," Kwesiga adds.

She strongly believes in Mother Theresa's quote: "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples."

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Kwesiga has been helping families and individuals to put food on the table.

"I have rendered a hand with my family through small tokens of financial support and deliveries as the need arose. We mostly did this in our neighbourhood in Munyonyo," she says.

The mother of two has also been organising and participating in webinars on parenting and finance management.

"These sessions empowered me and increased my appreciation of creating an impact in society and support to my family," she says.

Tough journey

Kwesiga talks of her life as a journey that has been marred by challenges.

"I was raised by my grandparents, who were largely home people.

I come from a cattle rearing background but with very high Christian moral values," she says.

"It was a humble extended family, but my grandparents strived to see me through school," she adds.

Upon graduation with a bachelor's degree in IT from Makerere University, Kwesiga started working at MTN Uganda.

She thereafter moved to Tangerine Uganda (current Lycamobile), which she gladly calls the highlight of her career because she was exposed to a lot and learnt a lot too.

She then joined SGR, where she currently works. In April 2016, Kwesiga started Ripples Foundation to reach out to disadvantaged children.

"I aspire to support at least 10 orphaned homes and not less than 100 children by 2022," she envisions.

Kwesiga's desire to see change and the impact that her work makes, keeps her going. It creates an exceptional thrill within her to face the next day.

She is also inspired by her grandmother for her amazing love, care and support to the family and people from all walks of life, and for having a high moral regard for family values.

"No matter what she does, Nkunku has remained a loyal, submissive and respectful wife. This has won her admiration, favour and love from many," she says of her grandmother.

 Balancing responsibilities

Just like many working mothers, every day Kwesiga is faced with challenges of fulfilling her responsibilities to the best of her ability.

"As a woman, the opportunities are many and everywhere. It is equally draining to strike a perfect balance as the demands of work, family and charity tend to compete," she stresses.

However, by virtue of her practice as an administrator, she pays special attention to schedules and delegates effectively.

Working with people from different walks of life who have wild expectations is a challenging experience as many have interests that are quite hard to deal with.

"I have largely trained the people I work with and equipped them with vast skills necessary to carry on tasks in a way that I want and deem satisfactory," she says.

"I thank God for a supportive husband. In all I do, I have his helping hand and a firm fallback position always," she says.

Kwesiga's strategy of coping with challenges is also hinged on trusting and believing in God, prayer and humility.

She is also open to learning at all times, upholding her values and esteem.

Who is Diana Kwesiga?

Kwesiga was raised by Charles Kagweza of Lyantonde and his wife, Nkunku. She is married to Ronald Kwesiga and they have two children.

She is the founder and executive director of the Ripples Foundation, a non-profit organisation, that supports less privileged children and the elderly.

 A word to mothers

To the working mothers, Kwesiga advises that life has no perfect formula. All one can do to be a star is to know their worth, roles both at home and work as well as to uphold the religious and moral principles.

A mother should have it at heart that if you do not do what you are supposed to do, no one will do it for you. Loving your children, supporting them and the family is your cardinal duty.

Work and friends come and go, but family stays forever.

You are who you are because of your decisions, discipline and the values that you cherish. Life is a journey which women have the capacity to shape for themselves and the others as mothers of the nation. We have the power.

Women learn faster and can inspire. Strive to influence and create change for the better.

Family is a core nucleus of our society and should not be abandoned.