Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva: Invitation to The Oscars, Again

Serving is like being a mother. Seriously, the list is endless…

In 2005, I was invited to watch the Oscars Ceremony, live.

Well, working on radio as a morning show host, I received prominent invitations. As an esteemed guest, the black-tie affair required I arrive at The Sheraton Hotel in Kampala by approximately 6:00pm. An invitation by senior managers at M-NET Uganda. They live streamed the Oscars and invited Kampala influencers (i.e. mostly T.V and radio presenters and journalists), since WhatsApp and Facebook weren’t yet invented.

When I think about it, I recall watching Chris Rock, who hosted the 2005 award ceremony. In East Africa, that would have been at about 4:30am. I won’t work around this befuddlement of the time. It was grand, and I mean grand. Celebrities at the impressive Sheraton Hotel. The most prolific journalists and media personalities, including businesswomen and business men.

There was another red carpet event, held on 29 January 2023, a virtual premiere ceremony, one of a kind.

Since 2016. I have been serving in Toastmasters in so many categories. Starting the second club in Uganda, with the held of a super cool team, Bukoto Toastmasters, founding the District’s newsletter, serving as the District’s Public Relations Manager and in other ways, mentoring, coaching, leading contests, meetings, events and seriously, this list is endless. It’s like being a mother. The list is endless.

On the evening of 29 January, District 114, which includes the entire East Africa, with Ethiopia, held its first recognition awards. What an event of such monumental scale. Hundreds of members and friends online, with a shimmering welcome, glamour, glitz and greatness.

For the first time, members who had been serving diligently, as I said, like a mother who works ceaselessly without any reward or nod of a thank you, actually received the nod.

Under several categories, the District leaders named individuals who had shone their shine. And then my name was read, for championing the most dazzling and impactful event of the year (June to December 2022), which was The Grand Toastmasters Reunion, whose aim was to revive and reenergize the oldest club in Uganda, Kampala Toastmasters Club. Yes, with a super fantastic team, I put my heart and soul into the planning and precision and it certainly paid off. Not only with over a hundred guests but also the membership of Kampala Toastmasters doubled, and a new club was formed too.

While I was still relishing in that recognition, pinching my cheeks and sucking my dimples in, The District Director calls my name. There were only a handful of us in this special District Recognition Award category, amongst the hundreds of Toastmasters, for showing service beyond the expected, with diligence and unwavering commitment.