Nile Explorer Bus Hosts 2nd Students’ Leadership Retreat

Kampala, UGANDA – Upon the completion of six stops so far in the districts of Kampala, Mukono, Kumi, and Mayuge by the Nile Explorer Bus – wherein a total of 40 students were carefully selected from each school for a structured training in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) as well as age-appropriate health information including issues like HIV/AIDS, school gender-based violence and malaria – a Students’ Leadership Retreat from 4th December to 7th December 2022 was organized for 24 students, including 4 exceptional students accompanied by their teachers from each of the 6 schools already visited during the project’s second phase.

Leadership is a process rather than a position, and therefore the leadership retreat sought to build the students’ capacity through education, and training as a gate and to develop their unique gifts, abilities, and skills, thereby broadening the diversity of the students’ knowledge.

During the retreat, the students participated in group and one-on-one mentoring sessions on how to develop their leadership skills. These leadership sessions included games that taught useful skills (public speaking, critical thinking, and communication), and personal development sessions that inspired them to maximize their potential and establish leadership roles in their educational and social environments. 

In a session led by the Student Hub Uganda, the students embarked on a self-discovery journey of desired careers using the scientific Holland Code model to show which jobs would suit their interests, talents, and aptitude. Following that, the students dived right into the session on personal leadership and goal setting.

Scheduled at the retreat too was a designated day for a field trip to the American Center Kampala. During the sessions held at the center, various people had a chance to share on their experiences including the Public Engagement Officer , the PEPFAR Country Coordinator Mary Borgman & the PEPFAR Small Grants Officer Nell Wilson who shared about various United States Government funded opportunities and information related to the work PEPFAR supports in Uganda to end HIV/AIDS, but also American culture and education systems in comparison to Uganda’s.

The students also told of the projects they embarked on in their schools by clubs they had created and initiated other members into after the visit by the Nile Explorer Bus. An example is of the Kinaawa High School students who told of their project of liquid soap and how, ever since the training of the bus, they have managed to cut costs to purchase materials as opposed to buying actual soap.