Rotary Uganda Builds first private Blood Bank at Mengo Hospital

As Mengo Hospital, the first modern Hospital in Uganda celebrates 119 years of existance, the Rotary Uganda Country Office under the leadership of Past District Governor Emmanuel Katongole, has constructed a Blood Bank at this Centennial Hospital.

Rotary Blood Bank at Mengo Hospital under construction.
 In the Background is St. Paul's Cathedral Namirembe 

This is the first private Blood Bank in the country. The first being the government owned National Blood Bank based at Nakasero run by the Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS).

The Project was conceived by  Rotarian Emmanuel Katongole as the pioneer Governor of District 9211. The D9211 comprises of Tanzania and Uganda; 39 clubs in Tanzania & 76 clubs in Uganda
With a Ugandan population of 37.58 million people, there are  2,362 Rotarians, The Rotary Blood Bank will be the second largest public-private partnership  service initiative taken up by the Clubs in Rotary District 9211, the first being the Rotary Cancer Center at St. Raphael of St. Francis Nsambya Hospital.

PDG Emmanuel Katongole

‘‘Blood is an essential component to human beings and should be free of charge; no person should die due to lack of blood”.

‘‘You have not lived today, if you have not done anything for anyone without expecting anything in return, that’s your true net worth”,JC Maxwell.
The Blood Bank 7,500 sq. ft, centrally air-conditioned, state-of-the-art facility and set up on 800 sq. meters in Mengo Hospital.

Photo of the Blood Bank Building at Mengo Hospital
 shot today 23rd April 2016 at 9:00am

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, Uganda needs at least 300,000 units
of safe blood per year to meet the minimum requirement. To acquire this number of units, at least 350,000 units have to be collected annually.

However, due to inadequate funding, the current Blood Bank is able to collect only 250,000 units a
year. This explains the usual inadvertent blood shortages.

It is based on this shortage that the Rotary clubs in Uganda have decided to build a Blood Bank at Mengo Hospital in Kampala, to bridge that gap.

The Estimated Overall Cost of this project is US $ 1,305,219 for construction of the Blood Bank building, procurement of equipment and staff training. This is to be partly funded by local initiatives and so far we have raised

Behind the blood bank building at Mengo Hospital

Funds needed to complete the building will be US$ 856,000.   On Tuesday 11th August 2015, members of the Rotary fraternity in Uganda together with the management and staff of Mengo and the Bishop of Namirembe to dedicate the place where the Rotary Blood Bank project was going to be constructed.

The good news is that eight months down the road, work has been going on smoothly. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Standard Chartered Bank, the major partner in fundraising for this Blood Bank project. Rtn. Herman Kasekende, the Managing Director of Standard chartered Bank has been at he forefront in organising fundraising events to see that this project becomes a success.

Once the construction of the blood bank is done, we shall equip it with sophisticated Blood Bank equipment and specialized staff training through a Rotary Foundation global grant of USD 449,219.

Rtn. Hannington Sebuliba the author inspecting the construction
of the Blood Bank today at Mengo Hospital

Voluntary blood donation is a selfless service and an expression of love for mankind. Blood knows no caste, creed, colour, religion or race. Blood donation is harmless, painless and absolutely safe. No one holds the future, you will never know when you need blood.


STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

1. Rotarian Sam Owori  (Trustee-Rotary International in charge of The Rotary Foundation.)



2. Rotarian Emmanuel Katongole "Pioneer District Governor 2013/14 District 9211(Tanzania &Uganda"

3. Rotarian Stephen Mwanje (Past District Governor, District 9200)
4. Rotarian Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa (District Governor D9211)
5. Rotarian Ruth Nvumetta Kavuma (Chair of the Rotary Blood Bank )
6. Rotarian Ronald Kawaddwa (Assistant Governor Rotary District 9211)
7. Rotarian Sam Bwaya (Past District Secretary District 9211)
8. Rotarian Ken Mugisha (District Governor Nominee and Head of Fundraising)
9. Rotarian Peace Taremwa (Assistant Governor Rotary & Chair Finance Sub-Committee)
10. Dr. Rose Mutumba (Medical Director Mengo Hospital)
11. Rotarian James Serufusa (Board Chairman Mengo Hospital)
12. Rotarian Peter Kimbowa (Past Assistant Governor)
13. Rotarian Sarah Odongo (Past Assistant Governor & Chair Grants Sub-Committee)
14. Dr. Ian Senkatuuka (Chair Technical Sub-Committee)
15. Rotarian Wilson Sendikwanawa (Member Technical Sub-committee)
16. Rotarian Stephen Matovu Muwonge (Chair Blood donation, Training and Capacity building)
17. Rotarian David Sekiziyivu (Member Fundraising)
18. Rotarian Dr. Brenda Anena (Secretary to the Management Committee)
19. Rotarian Hannington Sebuliba (Rotary Club of Kajjansi Graphic Designer)

Members of the Rotary Blood Bank Steering Committee

Once completed, the Blood Bank will look like the artistic impression above

St. John's Church Entebbe - building a bigger church after 100 years

What started as a dream, has now turned into reality. Christians of St. John’s Church Entebbe have constructed a much bigger and spacious Church building from the colonial one they currently worship in. 

New St. John's Church Under construction

This was the Church where all Governors of the Uganda Protectorate used to worship in. It has served all successive governments and is the gateway to Uganda since it is the first Church from Entebbe International Airport. It is also adjacent to Entebbe State House, the official residence of the President of the Republic of Uganda.

Thanks to the Church leadership under their vicar Rev. Emmanuel Ssewannyana. Before the end of this week, they will have completed roofing the office’s two weeks ahead of schedule. They will then embark on roofing the main worship centre. They need your prayers and finances.

Church under construction

According to the Church's Blog,  The first St. John’s Church building was errected in 1908 and  was built by the first British Governor, Sir Hesketh Bell. It was for the officers who served in government with him. (Sir Hesketh Bell was the Governor of Uganda from 1905 to 1909.) It was built on a 2-acre piece of land, which was located near the Marine school Entebbe. In 1926 Ashton Warner, a church member and Lands Officer, advised the Board of Trustees to exchange the church plot for plot 25 Circular Road, 0.96 acres, the site of the current church. In June 1927, the Board of Trustees accepted this proposal and the church building, known as the Chaplain’s house, was pulled down on 2 October 1928.

The Church is organising a major fundraising on 29th May 2016. They are inviting all well wishers to come o their rescue. 

St. John's Church Entebbe Parish

Rev. Birungi bya Yesu thrills St. John's Entebbe Church on Mothers' Union day

Sunday  April 17, 2016, was a day the Mothers Union of St. John’s Entebbe celebrated the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. The guest preacher was Rev. Birungi Bya Yesu. He contributed 1m/- towards the completion of the New Church. He said that when God touches your heart, you touch your pocket.

Theme: living a godly life in the contemporary world.

Rev. Birungi Bya Yesu and Rev. Lazrus after the service

Below is his sermon:
He gave two examples of Mary the mother of Jesus who lived a godly life in a sinful world. The second one was Daniel who lived a godly life in a sinful Babylon.

The contemporary world has produced sins the world has never seen.

Sexuality / sex revolution is another problem where people are saying that they can have sex anyhow with anybody or any animal. Everywhere you go it is sex. On TV, adverts in newspapers. Sexual sin has even penetrated into the Church.

How do you live a godly life when the world is sinful. Recently Maama Fina was made the Archbishop of the witch doctors.

There are so many fake pastors. Fake churches and people have removed God from their lives/ marriages.

World views have destroyed our values and property. World view is that marriage is based on love but a not between man and woman. You will one of these days be shocked to find that homosexuality will be accepted in Uganda.

Everything against the bible is not permissible.
The contemporary world talks of political correctness. If you speak what the government doesn’t want to hear they will say you are not politically correct.

Our children are mentored by TVs. Husbands and wives are these days spending a lot of time cheating on whatsapp. The world has become a global village.

The contemporary world is against family. In America they have so far aborted 52m zygote s.

It is a power hungry world where leaders don’t want to leave even when one is 90 years and reads a wrong so speech.

It is a world of selfish and egoisitic people. World full of rebellion and terrorism.

Africa is today invaded by radical Islam. The other one is homosexuality from America.
The rise of African traditional religion and animism from South Africa and Nigeria. That’s why Uganda is at the forefront in African witchcraft. We are also invaded by the far east religions.

Members of the Mothers'  Union sing their anthem

Mothers Union of St. John's Entebbe leading the praise and worship

The contemporary world rejects eschatology.

How can we now live in a contemporary world in a Godly way.

1. To put God at the centre of our lives
2. Repentance: We need to repent to God in all situations. It is important for us to live a godly life in this sinful world. This nation needs to repent because there Re terrible issues affecting this country.

3. Powerful prayer. Prayer will open doors to you. We need to pray against witchcraft. A prayerless person is powerless.

4. To read scriptures everyday. Like Daniel and Mary read scriptures. We need to use biblical values.

5. Fellowship with one another and fellowship with God. Don’t be a loner. You need someone to encourage you. Don’t get infellowship with bad people. Mary was surrounded with four Mary’s and Daniel was with Shadrack Meshach and Abednego.

6. Forgiveness: Daniel was a forgiving man and Mary was also a forgiving person till she died.

He showed us a reverend from Rukungiri  Rev. Lazrus who had been a very hard-core criminal. He said that at one time they speared him to death and was taken to the mortuary. His time had not yet come. On removing his body from the mortuary, they found that he was still alive and was operated and spent six months in the hospital but when he came back home, his mother revealed to him that it was his father who had hired the killer’s but they were all imprisoned.

Rev. Lazrus shows the scars to the congregation

He forgave them and paid money for their release that’s why he is now serving God who brought him back.

7. Visionarism. We should have visions for the future. If the Church has to survive, it has to have power shift from Bishops to God.

Let the Church engage in outreach. Go out to prisons and on streets to preach to where people are. Home cells are very important.

Program shift from events to relationships. God is a relational God. People matter a lot.
.principal of worship. We need to worship God only but not worshiping money and politics.

At the end of the sermon he made an alter call. Over fifty people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. One young women who was possessed with demons started crying as the demons departed from her during the prayers.

The service was led by the vicar of St. John’s Church Rev. Emmanuel Ssewannyana  a dozen couple were inducted in Mother’s Union Fellowship

Abagagga abatalina Yesu balina ebiku by'ebizibu'- Mukyala Ssekidde (Seroma)

Mukyala Margaret Ssekidde nga ayogera eri abafumbo e Jjanyi

Mukyala  Margaret Ssekidde omugagga wa Seroma akubirizza abantu okukomya okwegomba abagagga olw'okuba bajjudde 'ebiku by'ebizibu'.

Bino Mukyala Ssekidde yabyogeredde mu Kanisa ya All Saints Jjanyi mu Busumba bw'e Kitende ku Ssande bweyabadde abuulira ku lunaku lw'abakyala abafumbo aba Mothers Union.

Yagambye  "abagagga abo bemulaba mu Kampala balina ebiku by'ebizibu. Bwebafuna ssente zijja nebiku by'ebizibu. Ne bwoba otudde mu ntebe bikuluma. Ate bw'oba ofumba bikuluma. Kale temubegomba nnyo." Yayongeddeko nti
Amaka agataliimu Katonda mazibu nnyo.Era n'asaba Abakristaayo okugenda okwenenya eri Katonda kubanga amanyi bbuli muntu bwali.

Yakubirizza abazadde okuyigiriza abaana baabwe okutya Katonda nga babakuliza mu kanisa. era yagambye nti kiba Kirungi nnyo taata ne maama okubeera nga babuulirira bulungi abaana baabwe.

Yennyamidde olw'abantu okubeera nga bakoowu mu ngeri zonna. Era n'agamba nti abantu kyebambadde kirala naye nga munda kirala. "Abantu kyebali ku maaso si kye kiri mu mitima gyabwe." Yagambye nti omuntu ayinza okulaga munne nti amawagala nnyo naye nga bwebuziba ate yekukuutiriza ku bakabanne.

Yewuunyizza engeri abantu ensangi zino gyebasazeewo okugulumiza abanywi b'enjaga nga babayita bassereebu. "Abaambala obukunya be basereebu, olwo baba kyakulabirako ki?" bweyebuuzizza. Tulina Katonda awulira era akola ebyamagero. "Bassereebu bangi mu Uganda naye tewali nomu agasa nsi. Eggwanga kkoowu. Tetulina misingi. Abantu abagasa eggwanga tubalaba nga ababi" bweyennyamidde.

Mukyala Ssekidde ne bamemba ba MU e Jjanyi

Yasabye abazadde okuyigiriza wamu n'okwogereko n'abaana baabwe ku bikwata ku kwegatta. "Bwemuba temusobola kwogwera nabo mu luganda mubategeeze mu lungereza" bweyagambye. 

"Abaana mubanyonyole era mubafumbize nga mbeerera nze tonnimba era nkukebera buli kimu kyonna" bweyagambye era n'agattako nti bbo mu maka gaabwe bakozesa abaana baabwe endagaano ne Katonda era nebafumbirwa nga tebalina bbala lyonna.

Yagambye nti ebintu ebireetera abantu okugwa mulimu sente. Yategeezezza nti waliwo omukyala w'omu ku baggagga eyamutuukirira n'amutegeeza nti yejjusa olunaku lwebaafuna ssente mu maka gaabwe nti olwokuba Sitaani yayingira amaka ago nga ayita mu ssente. Era nti omusajja n'atandika okukwana buli kiramu.

"Ssente si kyekimala byonna. Ssente zizimba enyumba naye tezizimba maka" bweyalabudde. 

Yalabudde abasajja abaganza bakabannaabwe nti Mukama Katonda agenda okubakolimira.

Yasabye abasajja abazaala abaana ebweru baleme  kubakweka ate babaleete nga bamaze okufa. "Bw'ozaala ebweru jangu wenenyeze mukyala wo" bweyagambye.

Ye Omubuulizi w'e Kanisa eno Charles James Ataliwandha yebazizza Mukyala Ssekidde n'omwami we Lt. Col Robert Ssekidde olw'okubawa ensawo za sseminti 50 ezaakozesebwa okuzimba ekanisa empya.

Mu kusaba kuno abakyala bazannyiddemu omuzannyo ogulaga omwami omufumbo atafaayo ku buvanyizibwa bwe nga abulekera mukyala we n'apatikana na buli kimu. Akazannyo ako kawandiikiddwa Andrew Benon Kibuuka (azannya nga Ddube Ssempaata Atasasula Booda) era nga naye mukulisitaayo mu kanisa eno.

"Stop admiring rich men who don't have Jesus in their lives" counsels Mrs. Ssekidde of Seroma

Mrs. Margaret Ssekidde of Seroma Ltd and Seroma Christian High School has called upon Christians to stop admiring rich men who do not have Jesus Christ in their lives.

Mrs. Margaret Ssekidde (Seroma) talking to
the marrieds at All Saints Church Jjanyi

Mrs. Ssekidde said this on Sunday April 3, 2016 during a Mothers Union Service held at All Saints Church Jjanyi in Kitende Parish, Entebbe Archdaconry in Namirembe Diocese 

She said that people are very tired and fatigued. They just do things anyhow and many nolonger have a sense of shame. She said that the physical  outlook people is the direct opposite of their inner man. 

members of the mothers union at All Saints Jjanyi

She said that currently men have abandoned their calling of fending for their families and have left it to their wives. She wondered how men have stooped so low in that some have decided to commit incest with their own daughters. She said that, it was such an abomination.

She told the congregation that most men have forgotten their responsibility of paying school fees for their children and have left it to their wives. 

She said that children need to be monitored even when they grow up. She said that such children get bad groups even when they are saved because they are human beings.  She advised parents to always be on the lookout never to be left out by their children. "Buli kyabeerako kibeereko aleme kukuleka. Omwana bwabeera ku social media be there and monitor him." she advised.

She wondered how the morals in Uganda have degenerated to so much that immoral people whpo are half nude are praised and 'worshiped" as "our celebrities". She said that people need to serve a living God, the God of miracles.

She advised parents to talk to their children about sex education if they are to "If you fail to say it in Luganda, please use English" she advised.  

Mothers Union members acting in Church

She went on to say that it was important for people to give sex talks to their children and ensure that they all get married when they are virgin and pure. she said that people ought to make Convenants with their children to ensure that they remain pure and holy not to engage in sex before marriage. 

During the service, members of the mothers union played a short skit written by professional playwright, Andrew Benon Kibuuka on the irresponsible husband, who fails to fend for his family, leaving all the responsibility to the wife, from school fees, food and even buying his own clothes.

This play strengthened Mrs. Ssekidde's Sermon and said that it depicted well the irresponsibility among men in Uganda today. She advised Christians to always read their bibles and engage in prayers and fasting. 

From left, the Head of Laity Hannington Sebuliba and his wife Gloria,
right is Dr. Ddungu Secretary for Development and Andrew Benon Kibuuka
with members of the Mothers Union outside All Saints Church Jjanyi

She called upon Christians to stop admiring the rich men in Kampala because their riches are full of "bed bags" of problems. She said that such people have a lot of problems in that many spend their evenings and nights in bars hoping they would go away. 

She said that such families where God is absent, are very problematic. They shouldn't be a yardstick for success society. She called upon Christians to return to God and repent of their sins because He is a God of mercy.

She requested members to always teach their children to fear God and always attend Church services and fellowships

She said that Luke 15:11-24 teaches us to look after our children. 

She wondered how people in Uganda have ended up praising immoral people who are smocking ganja and marijuana and they take them as their role models. She said that people who are doing constructive things are not praised at all. She said that money can build a house but cannot build a home. She lamented that Uganda has stooped so low leaving it without values.

Mrs. Ssekidde and members of Mothers and Fathers Union Jjanyi 

She pointed out a few issues that children want from their parents and they are as follows:-

1. Don't embarras us (temutuswaza)
2. Give us a choice to choose.
3. Give us good advice
4. Don't give us orders
5. Do not spoil us
6. Check on us every now and then

She advised parents to prophesy good about their children but not to damn them and also to teach them how to save money. 

Later on they had a closed session at the Sanctum Hotel Kitara off Entebbe Road on parenting in a Christian way led by Mrs. Ssekidde and moderated by Mrs. Ddungu and Mrs, Sebuliba.

She advised women to give birth when they are still able to do so but not to regret later when they have reached menopause. 

She advised them to guard against unnecessary contraceptives o else they risk being swallowed up by the ever growing muslim community. She also advised Christians to engage in politics business and all other public offices. 

She finally advised men to always bring home children born out of wedlock and ask for forgiveness from their spouses if they are to leave in peace and harmony. 

The Chairperson Mothers Union, Mrs. Rose Kayanja addresses the congregation

during the discussion