Dorah Mwima former Miss Uganda 2008-2009 has kept her candle burning even after the beauty pageant, unlike so many other winners. The beautiful, tall mother of one started a charity campaign to create awareness to fight for change in the many societal differences especially health. Three years ago Dorah Mwima started a unique innovation in the socialite class dubbed the celebrity match with this year's event slated for 17 December . Well today, we sat her down to talk about the campaign, life and more.
First things first, why celebrity football?
Chuckles... Three years ago I came to realise that we (public figures) in Uganda and me being one of them..(smiles as she says this) have been blessed with different opportunities, platforms and talents but we sometimes get very busy with our schedules in the limelight in that we rarely get that time to give back to the community.
My message is simple, let's come together in oneness, play football have fun but raise funds for a serious cause that will help change our communities and make an impact that will be remembered.
What's the motive for this initiative?
The foundation focuses on fighting maternal, newborn and child mortality in Uganda by having different projects and most of the projects have come up due to personal encounters. This year I will be launching the MAMAPort Project...
We have partnered with Nish Auto Ltd the distributors of BAJAJ BOXER and 3-Wheelers (TUK-TUKs). They will be supplying the foundation 3wheelers(TUK-TUKs) at a discounted price.
This TUK-TUKS which will be the MamaPorts will be giving expectant mothers, new mothers and their newborns free, safe and comfortable transportation to and from the hospital.
By look, isn't this more of an high-end purpose, I think a number of public figures that appeal to the downtown class are frightened to participate.
Sighs... That is absolutely not true, we are inviting on-air personalities from television/radio, comedians, pastors, singers, past beauty queens, politicians, footballers and socialites who are both very famous and less famous.
We have a huge number of public figures in Uganda but unfortunately, we are limited to a certain number that's ought to be on the pitch though we try our best to annually reach out to as many celebrities as possible.
Furthermore, we also ensure that our entry fees are very affordable 10k standard and 50k VIP to grant the chance to everyone watch their top celebrities tussle out but also set money for a good cause.
Evidently which organisations have benefited from the past collections?
The past 2 Editions of "A celebrity for charity" football match have helped us reach out to The Uganda Cancer Unit - Pediatric Ward , Mwana Mujimu Nutrition Unit, AMCET children’s home-Soroti, Bambino Foundation and Philomena babies -Iganga
Okay, way from the charity works what does Mwima do for a living ?
Keeps quiet for a second..... Apart from the Dorah Mwima Foundation, I run a small business called Dorah's Touch where I get to exercises my profession as an interior decorator and get to explore my creativity by revamping things that are thrown away or considered useless to beautiful adornments that I get to sell or hire out.
What's your take on Miss Uganda pageant currently:
Well, I believe Brenda is doing a good job as far as being the franchise holder of the pageant. With my experience as far as management is concerned, she is delivering to the girls what she promised and helps push them as much as possible which was not the case during my reign.
We sometimes might not agree with the girls that are chosen to represent us but we have to understand it all just doesn't start on that final day. There is a lot of factors that determine the winner and it is those factors like personality, character, ambitions among many others that are seen and stand out during boot camp that gives the management and judges points to crown one as Miss Uganda.
What is the future for the Mwima foundation:
Well, I know for sure that we have come from far and we are going higher and higher. I see the foundation doing a lot for the community and it's my prayer that it continues to do so even when am gone.For now, we are looking at firmly grounding the MamaPort Project because we can't do this in a year or two. We want to see a fundamental change in maternal mortality rate and hopefully, in 5yrs we will be able to do so and continue to do so.
