Monday, 12 March 2018

Celebrating Women Leaders at Kampala Toastmaster Club - Sophie Nampewo Njuba




Sophie Nampewo Njuba:
Sophie is an economist by profession.  She is currently working as a Budget Policy Specialist with the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG).
Sophie joined Toastmasters hungry for a need to sharpen her public speaking skills. Today, she boasts of the benefits of being a Toastmaster.
This is her Toastmasters Journey:
The need to get over my fear of public speaking drove me to join Toastmasters in June 2016.
Today, I am confident to say that I can address a gathering, crowd or group of people without hesitation.
Toastmasters has also given me an opportunity to exercise my leadership skills. I am currently the Vice President Membership (VPM) for the newly formed Ntinda Toastmasters Club. The VP- Membership on-boards new members to the club.
Toastmasters is also helping me polish my English. I am cautiously managing to let go of pause fillers which were a common part of my speech. Pause fillers are meaningless words, phrases or sounds that mark a pause or hesitation in speech. Some of the common filler words include; you know, um, uh, er, ah, like, okay and okay.
Above all, Toastmasters is helping me build my confidence in public speaking and has taught me the need to prepare for all my speeches. It has also presented me to a network of people who are from all spheres of life hence improving my networking skills.
As we conclude the Women's week, we as women need to conquer our fears by facing them, and it starts now. Not tomorrow, not today but NOW.

Wednesday, 7 March 2018

Celebrating Women Leaders at Kampala Toastmaster Club - Linda Nabayinda (Club President 2016-2017)

My name is Linda Nabayinda – Kampala Toastmasters (KTM) Club President 2016-2017.


I joined Kampala Toastmasters Club (KTM) in August 2015 after receiving an email invite. All I wanted was to improve my public speaking because I realised the lack of good public speaking was a limitation to my career growth but the benefits of my decision are more than I bargained for.
To date, I tap myself on the shoulder for the decision I made two and a half years ago. Toastmasters has enabled me grow into a leader. I was privileged to serve as The Club President 2016-2017 and as the Vice President Public Relations 2015-2016.
During my tenure, the club membership grew by 25%. I also organised the team to participate in the Best of East Africa Speech Contest in Nairobi where we got semi-finalists from Uganda in both incidences while I was Vice President Public Relations and also while the Club President.
My former Managing Director with this awestruck expression said to me, “You have become a good communicator.” To me, that was an indication that my objective of joining Toastmasters was being met. Hearing those words from someone I held with high esteem boosted my self-confidence and also  translated into amazing results at work.
I have also learnt lots of great stuff from a team of like-minded people that value personal development. For example; I have been invited as guest speaker for events outside the Club and through Toastmasters I got a Mentor for a book I am currently writing.
My parting shot is from the famous Maya Angelou, “People can forget what you said, people can forget what you did but people can never forget how you made them feel.”  Bottom line is, always leave a good impact when you interact with everyone, make at least one person happy everyday.
Thanks Toastmasters.

Celebrating Women Leaders at Kampala Toastmaster Club - Dr Connie Nshemereirwe

Dr. Connie Nshemereirwe holds an Advanced Leader Bronze, an award given to Toastmasters that have completed a series of Toastmasters programs. With steady progress, she will be the first member in Uganda to become a Distinguished Toastmaster - the highest level one can get in Toastmasters as a Speaker and Leader. 



Dr Connie is a Civil Engineer turned Educator, a former Lecturer at the Uganda Martyrs University in Nkozi and currently working with Cavendish University. Despite all her educational accomplishments, Dr. Connie is described as young, vibrant, ever-smiling, jolly and an amiable lady.

This is her Toastmasters Journey.


I joined Toastmasters in October 2012 while in the Netherlands where I was pursuing my PhD. My first club was Twente Toastmasters where I was a member for two years. While at Twente Toastmasters Club, I completed my Competent Communications (CC) and Competent leadership (CL) Programs- A CC and CL is a program club members take on to become better leaders and communicators.

When I came back to Uganda I immediately joined the Kampala Toastmasters club. Toastmasters offers its members an opportunity to carry out practical leadership projects and as part of my advanced Leadership progress, I established the Nkozi Gavel Club (Gavel clubs are a way of providing the Toastmasters experience to groups who may be ineligible for regular membership due to age, inability to pay dues or other circumstances (https://www.toastmasters.org/membership/how-to-start-a-new-club/gavel-clubs) ) . As a club mentor, I also helped in the establishment of the Bukoto Toastmasters Club which meets at Skyz Hotel in Naguru. I am currently a member of the Bukoto Toastmasters Club where I am Vice President – Education.

As an educator, being a Toastmaster the last 5 and a half years has led to a lot of benefits, chief among which is improving my confidence in speaking both in prepared and impromptu situations. I have also had the opportunity to mentor many aspiring speakers as well as be mentored by many inspirational speakers and leaders.

Currently, I am on track to complete my advanced speaker bronze by June- this is the second level out of four needed to become a Distinguished Toastmaster- the highest distinction a Toastmaster can achieve. I will also achieve an Advanced Leader Silver by end of June and this is the last of three stages on the Leadership Track of Toastmasters.

All in all, I believe that Fortune favours the Bold but the bold should be prepared for the opportunities that present themselves, and improving one’s public speaking and leadership skills is an invaluable investment in oneself.

My message: Don’t be shy, take up those opportunities that will make you raise above the ordinary.