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.