Treasure

Earth calling! Imagine if everyone decided to plant one tree today. Climate change is real and is happening all around us. Listen to the cry of Mother Earth.@MumbaMusondam @CivsourceAfrica @CivFund_ @BeckyJuna @DesertSong_UG #GOG2022

👩🏾 Meet @Treasurelayola A feminist philanthropy practitioner and grassroots climate justice advocate at @CivFund_ she works with communities across East Africa to advance land rights, food sovereignty, and climate change . 📌 Leaders’ Summit 2026 #IWillBeThere #ROOTED2026🌳

The Groundbreaking of A Dream On May 1st, at 6:30 a.m., leaders began to gather. Mobilized by @Akeda4 , @MosesRutahigwa, @Owiny123 Leonard Mutesasira, and myself, they came together to walk The Road to The Leaders’ Oasis. Even now, I struggle to describe what I felt that morning. There was something profoundly moving about knowing people had woken up before sunrise, traveled several miles, and chosen to spend their morning walking beside us, not just to attend an event, but to witness a dream. A dream for leaders, for rest and for restoration. The leaders who gathered ranged from 11 to 84 years old. They came from different sectors, professions, communities, and countries. Some lead institutions. Others quietly lead families, movements, businesses, and ideas. Together, we walked. And fittingly, the walk itself became a metaphor. Parts of the ground were soggy, slippery, and muddy. At moments, difficult to navigate. But nobody turned back. People slowed down for one another. They offered support. They found pathways through the difficult terrain together. As I watched this unfold, I found myself thinking: this is leadership. Leadership is rarely a straight or comfortable road. It is responsibility, uncertainty, exhaustion, and carrying vision through difficult terrain. Yet even leaders need spaces where they can breathe, recover, reflect, and begin again. That is why The Leaders’ Oasis matters. At a time when so many leaders are overwhelmed and burned out, we believe wellness can no longer be treated as an afterthought. The Oasis is our response to that reality, born from years of walking with leaders, listening to their stories, and creating spaces for renewal and wellbeing. Our Chief Guest, Oweek @BobNsibirwa, the 2nd Deputy Prime Minister of Buganda, led the walk, planted a tree, and officially broke ground. Because The Leaders’ Oasis sits on land within Buganda, it was deeply important for us to honor the Buganda Kingdom. For centuries, Buganda has stood as a symbol of enduring leadership rooted in heritage, continuity, and people-centered stewardship. It felt meaningful that this dream for leadership wellbeing would begin on such historic ground. And as always, the @CivsourceAfrica team showed up fully and joyfully, welcoming guests with warmth and care. My heart remains full of gratitude to everyone who came, walked, listened, encouraged, and celebrated this dream with us. The groundbreaking may have marked the start of construction. But what truly began that morning was something deeper: a collective commitment to caring for the people who carry the weight of leading. And now, the work of building begins. #TheLeadersOasis #LeadershipWellbeing #RoadToTheOasis

Life defining moments find you when you least expect them. At the launch of And Then What? by Francis Kamulegeya, one message stayed with me: “Define your enough.” A powerful reminder to pause, reflect, and choose your own measure of success.

From Listening to Leading What an honor it was to finally meet and walk with my namesake, Jacque. She is part of @CivLegacy_F’s current GROW coaching and mentorship program for leaders. She is the third Kenyan to participate. That, in itself, makes us hugely proud. I want to begin by applauding Jacque’s patience. Anyone who has done long-distance or online learning knows the extra effort it demands. It requires a different kind of discipline. A deeper kind of presence. A staying power that goes beyond simply showing up in a room. And so I deeply appreciate that Jacque has stayed the course. Even though we had never met before, you would have thought we were long-lost sisters catching up. Our conversation flowed effortlessly: from motherhood, to parenting, to what it means to lead as women holding many roles at once. Jacque’s work is rooted in her love for children. She runs a nursery school, but her leadership has extended far beyond the classroom. By simply paying attention, listening to parents as they dropped off their children and lingered for a chat, she began to notice something deeper. And from that listening, she acted. She started hosting an annual breakfast for the mothers, creating a space for connection, learning, and shared experience. But she didn’t stop there. She began to see the challenges many of these women were facing in their businesses, struggling with what some might consider “basic” things: setting up an email, building a website, managing their operations. And so, once again, she responded. What began as listening became leadership that is practical, grounded, and deeply human. And I am reminded that this is what leadership asks of us: to listen closely, to notice what others may overlook, and to create solutions, again and again and again. That is the rhythm of leadership: Listen deeply. Learn humbly. Lead boldly. Leverage wisely. #WalkTalkConnect #WomenWhoLead #LeadershipInAction

#LongPostAlert I #ExpertOpinion Dear @UgandaMediaCent, here is some free (but expensive-sounding) advice on patching your brand before attempting to fix ‘brand Uganda’. To be honest. Right now, the centre feels more like a notice board. In a world where governments are building media ecosystems, the centre still issues statements and communicates as if it’s 2003. Here are 10 expert suggestions for how you can fix it. 1⃣. The centre has no identity, or does it? If it does, it’s a borrowed identity. The national emblem is not your logo in its entirety. It’s everyone’s logo. If you want to be taken seriously as a modern communications institution, build a distinct visual identity, including colours, fonts, templates, and brand elements (that can easily be associated with Uganda). You need to start thinking less of the “coat of arms” and be cleaner, sharper, and more recognisable. Even the central banks and revenue authorities have distinctive identities. 2⃣. What exactly are you as a media centre? Are you an NRM government mouthpiece? A national information hub? A media liaison? President Museveni’s personal media dissemination centre? Right now, you’re trying to be everything and, honestly, landing nowhere. Clear positioning builds trust. Without it, you are just another voice in an already noisy government choir. 3⃣. The media centre needs to communicate like humans. Like Ugandans! Not like circulars. Ugandans don’t read statements. A majority of today’s news consumers scroll on their phones.  If your communication sounds like it was drafted by three government committees and approved by ten people, it’s already lost. Simplify. Be direct. Be understood. Also, your press releases are a little too frequent. Your press conferences are too long. You might need to review that. 4⃣. Your digital presence needs an urgent revamp. Let’s not sugarcoat it. Your digital platforms feel scattered, inconsistent, and underwhelming. Your website is not befitting. It’s ugly. You have a paltry 7K followers on Instagram, and your Instagram page looks like a content-dumping ground. You have no strong LinkedIn presence (you’re missing out on engaging policymakers, professionals, and global stakeholders). There is an unbranded YouTube channel for a certain Uganda Media Centre with a paltry 700 subscribers (they should at least be double that). Visibly, there is no real YouTube content strategy beyond numerous clips of press briefings. No Flickr presence, your visual assets and depository. No Tik Tok. Visual identity? Inconsistent at best. Meanwhile, globally, over 60% of people now consume news via social media. That means your first impression is digital, and right now, it’s your weakest entry. Here is what you (could) need: ▪️A cohesive visual system across platforms. ▪️A content strategy, not just uploads. Invest in a studio setup and podcast format (owned and managed by Uganda Media Centre). ▪️Create some engaging formats featuring Ugandan voices from business, tourism, sports, and culture. Uganda is not short of interesting personalities for this. You have @wekesa_amos for tourism, and Joshua Baraka (currently a major export of Ugandan music). You have @rkabushenga et al. You can also partner with leading clean podcasters in the diaspora. The idea is for you to create a community. Please note that news narratives are no longer sourced; they are now scripted and produced. 5⃣. Not everything warrants a press briefing. The weekly podium-style media engagement format (with shabby banners in the background) needs to evolve. It’s tired and boring. Shouldn’t the media centre be a centre of excellence? Shouldn’t it be a brand custodian for the whole country? To break away from, or at least mix in with, these many press briefings, start by turning lesser-known policies into short videos, infographics, and explainers. That recent AI-generated video from filmmaker Loukman Ali was a weak attempt at content creation. For example, the recent copyright law that provoked debate among different stakeholders could have been fodder for the kind of content the media centre can break down for the public. What can you tell a 22-year-old Ugandan about it? If a Gen-Z doesn’t find your press briefings impressive in 30 seconds, you’ve lost an entire generation. 6⃣. Once again, media relations are not necessarily about hosting press conferences. Journalists don’t need an open-tent gathering every now and then; they need a partner. Build relationships. Visit newsrooms. Engage and cultivate media influencers. Recognise them monthly. Rethink the idea of media awards. Blogger awards. The most influential TikToker or YouTuber. Work with credible digital voices. Better yet, train and empower emerging media creators. If you don’t shape the narrative ecosystem, the naysayers will, and they already are. 7⃣. How ready are you for crisis communication? Uganda’s PR challenge is not breaking news, and we all know what is missing. ‘Bad news from Uganda’ is beginning to seem normal. The centre needs structured responses, including up-to-date fact sheets, rapid-response messaging, and consistent alignment among spokespersons. Recently, we were in a crisis over news that Uganda would send troops to Iran to defend Israel. This was triggered by X tweets from top officials. A Ugandan UN ambassador responded differently. A foreign affairs official responded differently. A friend of the top official involved in the debacle responded as well, differently. Uganda Media Centre didn’t pronounce itself on the matter. The centre was silent. The silence on such issues creates confusion and erodes reputation. 8⃣. Too many voices, no single message! With Uganda’s PR and communications today, the Uganda Police say one thing, the parliament’s spokesperson says another, the judiciary adds spice, and the Minister of Youth voices yet another opinion. The result? Confusion and, most times, global embarrassment. The Uganda Media Centre should coordinate messaging rather than compete with it. 9⃣. Not All Audiences Are the Same (And that’s the point). Gen Z, foreign investors, foreign diplomats, and foreign media are all different. And yet the Media Centre should be designed to speak to all of them using different tones. How does one respond to an article in The Economist, a professor at Harvard, a would-be Chinese investor, or a disgruntled youth in the Middle East? Segment your communication. Tailor your tone. 🔟. Lastly, the big question is: Who trusts you? Have you ever measured your credibility? The Uganda Media Centre needs to carry out surveys and perception audits, gather feedback loops (from the Ugandans it serves), and, from this, build thought leadership by publishing insights, issuing newsletters, hosting experts, inviting scholars, and creating a network of credible voices tied to its platform. This article is originally published on the Business Insights Africa I @Afro_Insights website here [link] bizinsights.africa/commentary-10-… #BrandUganda

@KigongoNunda @asiimwe4justice @CivsourceAfrica Thank you Musumba 🙏🏾

@asiimwe4justice @CivsourceAfrica @Treasurelayola well done 👌🏻

Go And Catch Your Dream At @CivsourceAfrica, we call her Justice Treasure. Not because she sits on the bench yet, but because four years ago she made a brave decision: she returned to a dream she had quietly carried since childhood. For many years, that dream had been set aside. Life had intervened. Responsibilities had multiplied. The path toward becoming a lawyer had slowly faded into the background. But dreams have a curious way of lingering. One day, during one of my one-on-one conversations that allow me to know the people I lead beyond their job descriptions, I asked @Treasurelayola a simple question: “What was your dream growing up?” She looked down shyly, almost as if the dream itself might be too fragile to say out loud. Then she whispered, “A lawyer.” I smiled. Because as we talked, something struck me. Treasure had spent much of her professional life working alongside lawyers. First Patricia Munabi at FOWODE. Then Ashanut Okille. And now, with me. So I said to her, gently but firmly: “Instead of working for lawyers, go and be one. Go and catch your dream.” Later that year, she enrolled in law school. Anyone who has studied as an adult will understand what that requires. Late nights after long workdays. Assignments squeezed between family responsibilities. Exams taken with exhaustion quietly sitting in your bones. Treasure was doing all of this while working full time and raising four children. There were moments when the road became steep. She watched some of her classmates drop out along the way, not because they lacked intelligence or commitment, but because sometimes the weight of life becomes too heavy to carry alongside a dream. But Treasure held on. Some days, she says, it felt like she was hanging on by a thread. Still, she held on. And today, the first part of that dream is complete. This August, Treasure will graduate with her law degree. Which is why her nickname now feels almost prophetic. Justice Treasure. And if you listen closely around the CivSource office, you might hear a quiet hope among her colleagues… that one day, perhaps many years from now, she might even become Chief Justice of Uganda. After all, you never quite know where a dream, once spoken out loud, might lead. And that is why I treasure those one-on-one conversations with the people I lead. Because leadership is not only about targets and performance reviews. It is also about listening deeply enough to hear someone’s buried dream… And speaking a word that helps them find the courage to go and catch it. #WalkWithTheCEO #DreamsDontExpire #LeadershipThatListens

@asiimwe4justice @CivsourceAfrica Grateful for the lessons in leadership, courage, and purpose. Thank you @asiimwe4justice. You showed me that everything and anything is possible.🙏🏾🙏🏾

@nakiboneka1 @asiimwe4justice @CivsourceAfrica Thank you @nakiboneka1

@asiimwe4justice @CivsourceAfrica Beautiful ♥️👌 Congratulations to @Treasurelayola . And thanks to you @asiimwe4justice for leadership that has a soul— the kind that is intentional to your team beyond their titles!

Sometimes the greatest classrooms are the people we walk alongside. Grateful for the lessons in leadership, courage, and purpose. Thank you @asiimwe4justice for showing me that my dreams can become reality.

Teach children to be internally motivated, ethically grounded, and confident in their inherent worth.

✍🏾Artist Opportunity 🎨✈️ Head to the Icelandic east fjords for a month of uninterrupted making at Fish Factory Creative Centre (Stöðvarfjörður). 📌Deadline: 1 Dec 2026 ⁉️: International, multidisciplinary artist residencies (Africans eligible) ✍🏾🔗resartis.org/open-call/open…

📌Financial Resilience On The Interview hosted by @SolomonSerwanjj , Dr. Joyce Tamale (@Capitalsolns ) and @asiimwe4justice (@CivsourceAfrica ) unpacked what financial resilience looks like for civil society today. 🎥Watch: 🔗 youtu.be/rHkkUOy9xo4 #financialresilience

💪🏾Join our way of living _ Generosity! Generosity Through the Lens: Ugandan Giving in Every Frame Get Your Copy Today of Our generous Spirit, a coffee table book courtesy of CivSource Africa! Now at @AristocBooklex1 And Jinja at Local Flavours. ℹ️🔗: civsourceafrica.com

8️⃣ days to 8️⃣ years🙌🏾 In just eight days CivSource Africa Galaxy celebrates its eighth Birthday! We count grace in footsteps,God in every mile and the faithful hands that laid our ground. 💃🏾What began as a whisper is now a chorus! 💃🏾 #civsourcesafricagalaxy🌍

Yesterday we launched GROW Cohort 5! That is a big milestone for us! We’re honored that these incredible leaders chose to invest in themselves and trusted GROW to walk with them on this one-year journey of coaching and mentorship. Somewhere along the way, I was nicknamed the Headmistress of GROW 👩🏾‍🏫 — and yesterday, like a proud head of a school, I welcomed my new “learners.” Here’s to a year of discovery, growth, and transformation. Here’s to Cohort 5. 🌱 I am elated once again to be the “Headi Misituress of Guuloow!” 😉✨ @CivLegacy_F @CivsourceAfrica #WeAreGROW #Cohort5 #LeadershipJourney

🤝🏾 CIVFUND Connects 🤝🏾 @SamburuWtrust marked 10 years of the Indigenous Women’s Council 10 years of land defended, voices amplified & futures rewritten. From Laikipia, Kenya: when indigenous women rise, they raise entire communities. 💚 📸 @lillian_tamale @Treasurelayola

You can’t protect what you don’t understand. That’s why climate education isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Just spent 2 weeks across China studying their green revolution. Prof. Li Jian (Yuwi) showed circular economies at scale. Dr. Wang Xiaoping (Tsinghua) proved industrial decarbonization works. Yet Africa gets asked "Can you afford sustainability?" while our lithium powers their EVs & kids study by candlelight. The Global North built wealth on ecological destruction and now they profit from climate loans. Africa's green transition MUST happen on our terms: equitable, revolutionary, or not at all. #ClimateJustice #GreenAfrica

10 years. 10,000+ voices. One unstoppable movement. Celebrating the resilience, power & journeys of Indigenous Women and Girls across Africa. @TamaleLillian @asiimwe4justice @CivsourceAfrica @CivFund @SamburuWtrust #IWC10 #IndigenousWomenRise #HerVoiceMatters