EVENTS GALLERY
Girl Child Conference in Commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child—With Her: A Skilled Work Force
25 October 2018
This conference was hosted by AWAGO in honor of the International Day of the Girl Child. It was held at the Hunger Project Epicenter in Namayumba, Wakiso District. Conference participants included students and school leaders, as well as leaders of the Hunger Project, Afripads, and Samaritan’s Purse. The guest of honor was Mrs. Janet Bugembe, a young entrepreneur with a thriving business career—owner of 2 companies, and coordinator for the Young Business and Professional Women (BPW). She spoke about tips for helping young female entrepreneurs meet the challenges they face. The talk given by AWAGO National Director, Judith Nassali was entitled: Developing a Skilled Girl from Within Through Transcendental Meditation.
AWAGO HOSTS FIRST CONFERENCE—Leave No Child Behind for Uganda Development
14 June 2018
This first-ever, very successful conference hosted by AWAGO, involved various presentations by Ugandan leaders, heads of schools, and other women’s organizations, as well as break-out sessions with school students from around the region. Participants included the Minister of State for Transport, leaders of TASO (The Aids Support Organization), and leaders of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Women Forum, resulting in new partnerships with these organizations. Students from Peace High School in Kampala, a secondary school that offers TM as quiet time to their students, were among the participants. Our talk was entitled: Self-Development is a Critical Feature for Every Child: Developing Empowerment from Within Through Transcendental Meditation.
Makerere University Business Exhibition
17-20 April 2018
AWAGO was invited to participate in this annual conference sponsored by Makerere University Business School. The title of the conference was Connecting With the World of Work. Our talk presented Transcendental Meditation as a valuable tool for work-life balance.
Health Education Camp for Women in Rukungiri, Uganda
19-23 February 2018
At the invitation of the National Treasurer of the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union, AWAGO leaders gave presentations on TM at a Health Education Camp for Women in Rukungiri. Activities there included a 1-hour Radio Talk Show speaking about TM, as well as presentations to women receiving cancer screening, malaria testing and treatment, HIV testing, and health care for pregnant mothers. Thirty-two women received training in the TM technique.
TM Clubs for Girls and Boys
January, 2018
TM Clubs for girls and boys, a joint program between AWAGO and UWOPED, brings over 200 children together to enjoy group meditation and after-school knowledge and activities designed for their gender groups. At the TM club meetings in January, 2018 club members participated in a global project called Quilts That Unite Us where all the kids painted fabric squares that will be made into a patchwork quilt and included in a worldwide exhibit to promote peace.
1st National Congress of Psychology and 3rd Eastern and Central Conference on Psychology
Held in Kigali, Rwanda
15-17 November 2017
At the invitation of Sara Stender, Founder of African Healing Exchange, AWAGO National Director, Judith Nassali and Board Member Dr. Leslee Goldstein spoke to over 100 conference participants at the 1st National Congress of Psychology in Rwanda. Sponsored by the Rwanda Psychological Society and the University of Rwanda, the theme of the conference was Psychology for Sustainable Development. Dr. Goldstein presented an overview of scientific research on the benefits of TM, including a study with women in Uganda; and Judith shared the activities of AWAGO for women and girls in Uganda. The title of their talk was An Evidence-based Intervention for Women to Discover Their Full Potential Through Transcendental Meditation: Offering a New Perspective for Psychology. While in Rwanda, AWAGO leaders and Dr. Goldstein also provided training in the TM technique to 50 women in two rural areas.
Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union Conference,
9-12 May 2017
For the second year in a row Judith Nassali, AWAGO National Director, was invited to speak to health professionals at the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Conference. This year’s conference theme was Nursing: A Voice to Lead – Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. She spoke about the Transcendental Meditation technique as a practical tool for reducing nurse burnout, emphasizing the need to first take care of the health and well-being of Uganda’s nurses, midwives, and administrators, so that they can become a voice to lead ‘to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ (SDG #3).
Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union Conference,
21-24 June 2016
It was a great honor for Judith Nassali, AWAGO National Director, to speak at the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Conference nurses and address over 1000 health professionals, speaking about the problems facing nurses and midwives in Uganda and around the world. The theme of the conference was Nurses: A Force for Change—Improving Health Systems’ Resiliency. The Transcendental Meditation technique was presented as a practical tool for building resiliency under stress, and providing a solution to the problem of nurse burnout.
Presentations to Student Nurses and Midwives, September, 2016
The presentation by AWAGO National Director Judith Nassali at the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Conference in June, 2016, led to two subsequent invitations to speak to student nurses and midwives. She spoke at the Uganda National Association of Student Nurses and Midwives (UNASNM) Conference , 1-3 September giving a talk called: Transcendental Meditation for Nursing Students and Midwives: Developing Resilience Under Stress and Reducing Nurse Burnout to Prepare For a Successful Career, and on 15th September she gave a similar talk at the Lubaga Hospital Training School’s, Nurse’s Life After School Conference. Judith spoke about the practical application of the Transcendental Meditation technique in a nursing training curriculum, to prevent the build-up of stress as preparation for a successful nursing career.
Girl Child Students Conference,
6th October, 2016
The Girl Child Students Conference was sponsored by ‘Own Your Way’ in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child. The conference was attended by over 600 participants including girl students from 10 secondary schools in Uganda. AWAGO National Director Judith Nassali was one of the 5 guest speakers and spoke on: Self-Development as a Critical Feature for Education for Girls: Developing Empowerment from Within Through an Evidence-Based Meditation Technique.
UWOPED Celebrations
AWAGO and UWOPED (United Women’s Platform for Empowerment and Development) leaders and UWOPED mothers who have been enjoying their TM practice since 2012 have participated together in celebrating this successful collaboration that has resulted in over 600 vulnerable women and more than 200 children learning the TM technique.
