A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT
MR. NICHOLAS WAKOU
Balebe,
You are welcome to the NAMCA 2010 AGM being held in this beautifully city of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. It has been a
year since we met at a similar function in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A lot has happened since then. At this meeting we shall
review our journey since Minnesota and shall attempt to leverage our successes and learn from the challenges. We had a
good measure of both.
This year’s AGM theme is ““Partnership for Developing Masabaland“. This theme could not have been more relevant this
year. It has been a difficult year for the Bamasaba. The Bamasaba at home in Uganda continue to face the usual challenges
of Poverty and Disease and those in the Diaspora are plagued by the uncertainties occasioned by the global economic
meltdown. As if that were not enough we had the devastating calamity in Bududa in which we lost close to 500 people with
villages and trading centers being obliterated by Landslides. It was a time of pain, anguish and helplessness. I remember
the emergency meeting we held the day after the disaster. We were faced with a monumental disaster that we had never
witnessed before in our lifetime and yet we had so little to offer to the victims. We resolved to do our part to ensure that the
victims’ plight is not forgotten as just another day in a little known corner of Africa. Our members contributed generously to
raise money that we sent as emergency aid to the camps for displaced people in Bududa. This assistance was distributed
by our task force in Uganda led by Bishop Samwiri Wabulakha and coordinated by our Vice President, Joyce Wanda who
was on the ground in Uganda assessing the situation on our behalf. We tapped into partnerships and networks we have
built over time in North America to come to the rescue of our people. And they responded, swiftly and generously. For that
we shall forever be grateful.
This disaster came at a time when we had just registered some success with the completion of the Udungu project in
Budadiri, Sironko district. We supplied sewing machines and hoes to a grassroots, community-based organization that
helps to equip women and youth with some of the skills they need to be productive citizens.
As we meet and have fun in Toronto, we shall review our successes and how we could have done better. We shall map out
strategies and roll out a plan that will propel NAMCA into the future beyond 2010. It is always great to meet and share our
heritage.
It has been a great year but a painful one as well. We shall not forget those that could not make it because they passed on.
It is those losses that remind us that in this short journey we need our communities for love and support.
Thanks for coming.
Alinde
For God and our Country
Nicholas Wakou
President, NAMCA
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