By PP Elizabeth Kintu (RC Lubowa) Country Learning Team Leader (Ug) D9214
This Rotary year, District Governor Christine Kyeyune Kawooya has consistently reminded us that it is “One Act at a Time” that creates ripples leading to the biggest impact. On Saturday, 29th August 2025, District 9214 witnessed such an act, small in number perhaps, but historic in its significance.
For the first time in our District’s history, a team of facilitators graduated, marking the beginning of a new culture of learning that will strengthen Rotary well beyond this year.
Rotary International has embraced a significant paradigm shift, moving from the traditional model of “training” to a dynamic model of “learning,” where participants are placed at the very center of the experience. It is less about being taught and more about engaging, discovering, and learning together. This global shift came alive in Uganda, where ten members of the Country Learning Team graduated as the inaugural cadres of Rotary facilitators in District 9214. Their three-session journey blended physical practice with online engagement under the expert guidance of Coach Andrew Muguluma of the Rotary Learning Institute (RLI).
The theme was simple but transformative: Facilitation, Not Training. Over the course of the program, participants discovered that while a trainer delivers information, a facilitator draws it out, invites it, and makes everyone in the room part of the journey. The difference is subtle, but it changes everything. Under Coach Andrew’s leadership, the team shifted their mindsets from instructors to guides, and were consistently reminded that commitment, respect, and timekeeping are not “add-ons,” but the backbone of effective facilitation. (One might even say his stopwatch worked harder than all of us combined!)
The graduates included PAG Timothy Musoke Ssejjoba RC Kansanga, PAG Simon Peter Lubega RC Mbarara Ranchers, PP|MD Paddy Lukwago RC Nalumunye, AG Ntanda Douglas Mugyenyi RC Mbarara, AG Lwevuze Joseph Kisaakye RC Namasuba, PAG Mary Nalubowa RC Lukaya, and CP Dick Rwegaba RC Kigo, among others. They were led by PP Elizabeth Kintu, Country Learning Team Leader (Uganda) RC Lubowa, with the support of Country Chair Apollo Ampumwize RC Mbarara. Together, they steered the team toward this milestone, which represents far more than a completed program. It is the birth of a facilitation culture that will carry Rotary learning in District 9214 far beyond this year.
While this is a District milestone, the inaugural cohort happened to be drawn from Uganda, giving the entire District its very first group of facilitators, a foundation on which all future cohorts will build.”. This moment would not have been possible without the generous support of the Country Office, whose funding and encouragement ensured that the sessions could take place. Their investment is deeply appreciated, as it reflects a shared vision of building a sustainable culture of learning in our District.
This achievement is more than a skills upgrade, it is a cultural shift. Traditional training can sometimes feel like a lecture; facilitation, by contrast, is a conversation. It ensures that every member’s voice is heard, valued, and woven into the learning experience. In a fellowship as diverse and dynamic as Rotary, this shift is not just progressive; it is essential.