Stories of service, leadership, and community transformation.

For many girls, managing menstruation at school can be a difficult and sometimes distressing experience. Without a safe, private and hygienic place to change, some girls struggle with embarrassment, discomfort and stigma, and some miss lessons or stay away from school altogether. At Ngora High School, that is beginning to change.

Under its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Menstrual Health Management (MHM) project, HADEO has handed over a newly constructed girls’ changing room and an incinerator to the school. The changing room gives girls a clean, private space to manage their menstrual health with dignity, while the incinerator provides a hygienic way of disposing of sanitary waste.

The handover was officiated by the Resident District Commissioner of Ngora and witnessed by the Chief Administrative Officer, District Education Officer, District Water Officer, representatives of the Rotary Club of Ngora, school administrators, parents and students. The Rotary Club of Ngora contributed cleaning materials to help maintain hygiene standards in the new facility.

Speaking at the handover, Past President Grace Akalo, representing the Club, said: “Rotary is proud to partner with HADEO. We are willing to work together on more projects that restore dignity and keep girls in school. This is Service Above Self.”

The initiative goes beyond buildings. Through a Training of Trainers approach, HADEO has trained three teachers from each of 12 selected schools. The teachers work with girls’ drama clubs to pass on practical skills such as making reusable sanitary pads, bar soap and liquid soap. Boys take part too, as male champions who use music, dance and drama to teach that menstruation is a normal biological process, neither a disease nor a curse.

HADEO is working with 12 schools across Ngora and Soroti Districts and Soroti City, many of which still need similar facilities. Organisations, development partners and individuals are invited to join the effort; learn more at www.hadeo.org.

For the mothers who walk for hours to reach a clinic, for children who need urgent care, and for the elderly in Kapir who deserve dignity in health, help is within reach. The Rotary Club of Ngora has officially launched a UGX 200 million fundraising campaign to lay the foundation for Kapir Health Centre III, a flagship project to transform access to primary healthcare in Ngora District.

This foundation phase is the first step of the Club’s five-year UGX 1 billion Health Project (2027–2031). Residents of Kapir Sub-county and surrounding parishes currently travel long distances for even basic services. The new health centre will provide maternal health care, child immunisation, outpatient care and support for vulnerable groups close to home.

Time matters: the Club must mobilise resources and complete ground works before the rainy season, to stay within donor timelines. To reach the target by the end of this Rotary year, two campaigns are running side by side: a member-led “Buy a Brick / Buy a Bag of Cement” drive, where every Rotarian contributes in cash or building materials, and a corporate, diaspora and institutional outreach coordinated by President Jane Aik and Fundraising Lead Rtn Maurice Olupot.

All well-wishers, partners and friends of Ngora are invited to join the weekly Saturday progress check-ins, commit a brick and help open doors to partners. “Service Above Self — let us lay the first stone together.”

Club presidents and leaders from across District 9213 gathered in Gulu for the Presidents’ Retreat, a time to look back on the first 100 days of the Rotary year and plan the priorities ahead.

For RC Ngora, the retreat was part of a strong first quarter that also saw the Club recognised in the District’s Quarter One storytelling for its malaria prevention work in Odwarat Parish. See more photos in our gallery.

A malaria prevention initiative led by the Rotary Club of Ngora, with funding from Malaria Partners International, has brought household protection to 150 families across Kopege, Agu and Kees villages in Odwarat Parish, Ngora District. The project pairs prevention at home with stronger diagnostic support at the local health facility, creating a more connected community response to malaria.

Through Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), 150 homesteads have been treated with insecticide to protect residents from malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Taking prevention directly into households reaches families where exposure can occur and gives communities an additional layer of protection.

The spraying completed so far covers 75% of the 200 households originally targeted. Budget constraints and insufficient chemical supplies prevented the remaining 50 households from being reached. Closing this gap is now the project’s most immediate priority, and the Club is considering whether chemical currently stored at the health centre can be purchased and used to complete coverage.

The project has also strengthened the malaria response beyond the household. Following a request from health facility staff, malaria diagnostic supplies were delivered to St. Anthony Health Centre, giving health workers additional capacity to identify malaria cases and respond promptly.

The Club is also pursuing environmental action, including plans to support the planting of 1,000 neem trees, in addition to the more than 200 neem trees distributed earlier under the Malaria Project.

September is Rotary’s Basic Education and Literacy Month. At a recent Rotary Club of Ngora meeting, Social Studies teacher and education practitioner Mr. Peter Mukula explained how Uganda’s Competence-Based Curriculum is changing the way children learn.

Under the competence-based approach, learners are expected not only to remember information but also to think critically, solve problems, communicate, collaborate, create and apply knowledge in practical situations. At primary level, P1–P3 use a thematic curriculum, P4 bridges thematic and subject-based learning, and P5–P7 follow a subject-based curriculum. The competence-based curriculum has been used at lower secondary level since 2020 and was extended to Advanced Level in 2025.

Teachers are central to successful implementation, yet many were trained under the previous curriculum. They need continuous professional development, practical teaching methods and the confidence to facilitate learner-centred education. Participants particularly emphasised retooling in rural communities, where access to training and educational resources may be limited.

Parents and communities also have an important role: helping children ask questions, solve everyday problems, communicate ideas, read, create and take part in practical activities.

“The question is not only what learners know, but what they can do with that knowledge.” Rotary Clubs, educators, parents and community leaders are invited to identify one practical way to support competence-based learning in a local school this term.

What does it really mean to be a Rotarian? Is it attending weekly meetings, paying annual dues and joining occasional service projects, or something much bigger? At its heart, Rotary brings together people who volunteer their skills, resources and relationships to respond to community needs.

A network that extends beyond Ngora. With approximately 1.2 million Rotary and Rotaract members in more than 200 countries and geographical areas, membership opens doors to mentors, collaborators, friends and partners who can help turn ideas into meaningful action.

Friendship with a purpose, and a practical school for leadership. Fellowship builds trust and belonging, and these friendships often become the foundation for partnerships that make service projects possible. Organising a project, chairing a committee or coordinating volunteers gives members real experience in planning, teamwork and accountability.

Turning local ideas into global impact. Through Rotary Foundation District Grants and Global Grants, a good local idea can grow into a larger, sustainable project, giving clubs like RC Ngora a way to address local priorities while drawing on the wider Rotary network.

A two-way commitment. Members are expected to participate, contribute their skills, support club activities and honour their financial commitments. As the article asks: What am I contributing? What am I learning? Who am I helping? Who am I bringing into Rotary? Connect. Learn. Lead. Serve.

Rotary Club of Ngora successfully hosted the 2026 Rotary Cancer Run on 30 August 2026, drawing more than 200 participants to raise critical funds for cancer care and awareness.

The Ngora run combined fundraising with public health education, remembrance, physical fitness, and community mobilisation. The programme included 21km, 10km, and 5km routes, with schools, health institutions, district leaders, Rotarians, and community members taking part.

Shairoz Medical Centre supported the activity by providing cervical cancer screening services, helping turn the event into a practical health outreach as well as a fundraising platform.

The club also sold more than 160 Cancer Run kits and continued strengthening partnerships with schools and health institutions so future editions can grow into an even stronger community movement.

The August newsletter highlights the expansion of a climate change adaptation and resilience effort supported through HADEO and Rotary Club of Ngora partnerships.

With support from Rotary Club of Ngora, HADEO, Iteso Cultural Development Foundation, and Ngora District Local Government, the project expanded to Kapir, Morukakise, and Mukura sub-counties.

A total of 5,000 fruit tree seedlings were distributed and planted by eight community groups. The seedlings include mango, jackfruit, and avocado, selected because they are well adapted to local communities.

The project promotes environmental restoration while also supporting nutrition, food security, income generation, and community-led agro-ecology learning through a demonstration garden at Kapir Sub-county headquarters.

The Dignity for Girls Project includes construction of a girls' changing room at Ngora High School to provide a safe, private, and hygienic space for menstrual health management.

HADEO and Rotary Club of Ngora launched the construction of a three-door changing room with a bathroom facility on 22 July 2026. The project is supported by HADEFO Netherlands in partnership with Rotary Club of Ngora and Ngora High School.

Beyond infrastructure, the project includes menstrual health education, training for Senior Women Teachers and community leaders, and practical skills in making reusable pads, liquid soap, and bar soap.

The model is intended to reduce girls' absenteeism linked to menstrual management challenges, improve wellbeing, and support expansion to more schools and communities in Ngora and Soroti.

The six-day counsellor training concluded on Saturday, 25 July 2026, marking the launch of a 12-month project focused on expanding community-based mental health care in Ngora District.

As host club, Rotary Club of Ngora is working with the Rotary Club of Denver Cherry Creek as International Partner and Fineminds as Implementation Partner, alongside Ngora District Local Government, Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, Rotary District leadership, donors, and supporting Rotary clubs.

The project is officially underway, with health-worker training already commenced. Its objectives are to train frontline health workers, increase community awareness, reduce stigma, and strengthen health facilities so they can provide quality mental-health services.

The project's contribution requirement has been fulfilled and confirmation of funds has been received from international partners. Rotary Club of Ngora recognises IPP Rtn. Godfrey Apusan and the project team for their leadership, transparency, commitment to reporting, and focus on impact. The club will continue sharing updates and stories from the field as the project progresses.

With support from Malaria Partners International, the project has trained 24 Village Health Team members and Local Council leaders as community health champions, spray operators, data collectors, and mobilisers.

A baseline household assessment showed the heavy burden malaria places on families, including limited access to mosquito nets and repeated infections that cause financial hardship.

The Smart Home Campaign is promoting natural mosquito-repellent plants including Neem, Rosemary, Bottle Brush, and Night Rose. More than 560 seedlings were procured and distributed, with leaders trained on how to grow and use them.

Ten outreach sessions reached 238 community members, exceeding the original target of 180. The next phase aims to expand indoor residual spraying to more than 1,000 households and extend the Smart Home model to schools.

The project will construct a three-door changing room and bathroom facility for girls at Ngora High School, providing a private and hygienic space for menstrual health management.

Valued at UGX 10,192,900, the facility is expected to be completed within 30 days from the 22 July 2026 launch.

The work goes beyond infrastructure. Senior Women Teachers, Senior Men Teachers, and selected women's group leaders are receiving training in menstrual hygiene management, reusable sanitary pad production, and soap making.

The partners plan to expand the Dignity for Girls model to more schools across Ngora District, Soroti District, and Soroti City with support from development partners, corporate organisations, and well-wishers.

The club signed a memorandum of understanding with Centenary Bank, Kumi Branch to serve as an agent in Ngora for Cancer Run kits.

Activations included the receipt of 53 kits from Centenary Bank, instant sale of 14 kits at Ngora High School, and engagement with Galaxy Country Hotel and Ngora Girls Secondary School.

The Cancer Run remains an important public awareness and fundraising platform for cancer care, prevention, and treatment support.

The campaign reached Ngora High School and Ngora Girls Secondary School through school-wide presentations and the initiation of Drug-Free World Clubs.

Community sensitisation was also carried out alongside a football match at Ngora Township Primary School, creating a lively platform for youth engagement.

The message focused on hope, responsibility, and positive choices. Partners expressed commitment to expanding the campaign across the Teso sub-region through Rotary clubs and community networks.

Rotary Club of Ngora secured Global Grant GG2577896 - Mental Health Integration Project, valued at US$100,050, to strengthen mental-health services in Ngora District, Uganda.

The project is officially underway with training of health workers already commenced, the contribution requirement fulfilled, and confirmation of funds received from international partners.

With the Rotary Club of Denver Cherry Creek as International Partner and Fineminds as Implementation Partner, the project aims to create lasting impact by strengthening health workers, improving access to mental-health services, increasing community awareness, and reducing stigma across Ngora District.

“By investing in mental health today, we are building healthier families, stronger communities, and a brighter future for generations to come.

Rotary Club of Ngora acknowledges IPP Rtn. Godfrey Apusan, the project team, Rotary District leadership, donors, international partners, and club Rotarians for their commitment to transparent reporting and measurable impact. Updates and stories from the field will continue to be shared as implementation progresses.

Rotary Club of Ngora organized a medical camp in Kapir that provided essential healthcare services to hundreds of community members.

The outreach brought together healthcare professionals, Rotarians, and volunteers who offered free medical consultations, screening services, health education, and referrals.

More than 400 beneficiaries accessed services that would otherwise have been difficult to obtain, particularly for vulnerable families and individuals in remote communities.

“Accessible healthcare brings dignity, relief, and renewed hope to families who need it most.

The activity also strengthened community awareness on preventive healthcare and demonstrated the Club's commitment to improving lives through practical service projects.

Rotary Club of Ngora celebrated the installation of President Jane Aik during a colorful ceremony attended by Rotarians, guests, partners, and community leaders.

The event marked a new chapter of leadership and service, highlighting the Club's achievements and setting ambitious goals for the Rotary year ahead.

Members reaffirmed their commitment to service above self and pledged continued support for projects in health, education, environmental conservation, and community development.

“Leadership in Rotary is measured by the lives improved and the partnerships strengthened through service.

Under President Jane Aik's leadership, the Club aims to strengthen partnerships, grow membership, and expand its impact across Ngora District and beyond.

Rotary Club of Ngora proudly celebrated its Charter, marking a historic milestone in the Club’s journey of service and fellowship.

The colorful ceremony brought together members, the Mother Club, Rotary leaders, and guests as the Club received its official Charter, Rotary Pins, and Certificates.

This achievement represents the culmination of dedication and vision, laying a strong foundation for future service projects and community impact.

“ Today we celebrate not just a Charter, but the beginning of a lifelong commitment to Service Above Self.

The Club recommitted itself to living Rotary’s ideals and creating lasting positive change in Ngora and beyond.