OP-ED– Dr Sylvia Arinaitwe, the Deputy Managing Director, Finance and Corporate Strategy at National Water and Sewerage Corporation, is a Charted Accountant, holding a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA First class/Distinction) from Maastricht School of management Netherlands specializing Corporate strategy and Economic Policy. She also holds a Bachelors of Commerce degree from Makerere University.
She is a member of Association of Charted Certified Accountants- UK. She is married with children and hails from Kamwezi Sub County in Rukiga District.
Dr. Sylvia’s unique religious background, having been born from a catholic family to practicing Anglican, is a uniting factor. She is a member of KigezI Diocesan council (Bishop’s Nominee), and Buhangizi Archdeaconry Mothers union representative on synod of Kigezi Diocese.
Her support is not only limited to Catholics and Anglicans but extends to Moslems and Born-Again Christians.
Through WODA, there has been skilling of the women and youths in consultation with Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI). This is soon leading to setting up of a skilling centre for Rukiga district local government where all youths and women will be taught skills (Emyooga).
Dr. Sylvia was the mind behind Kigezi Farmers Transformation Initiative Co. Ltd that set up a coffee Nursery bed licensed by Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) in Kibanda Parish, Kamwezi Sub County. The Nursery bed provided temporary employment to at least 300 youths and women per working in the nursery bed for one year i.e 2022/2023 in different stages of nursing seedlings.
They would do potting, weeding, watering, transplanting, loading and distribution. During distribution, the project provided temporary employment opportunities to truck owners, drivers and turn boys.
On Water sanitation and hygiene, Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe has supported the construction of at least 60 boreholes and rehabilitated over 60 protected well springs in Rukiga district. She has supported various churches and mosques with water harvesting tanks, rehabilitation of shallow wells (boreholes). She looks forward to have at least one clean water source by 2026 in each of the 393 villages.
On women empowerment, Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe through (KABOX PROJECT) has mobilized 293 women groups in Rukiga district and the target is 55,000 women above 18 years of age.
These groups will be sensitized about savings and credit scheme as well as gender-based violence and improving their household incomes.
Dr. Sylvia has also contributed to Rukiga’s Health department by organizing and sponsoring a refresher course for all Rukiga District Village Health Teams (VHTs), facilitated the face-lifting of Mparo Health Centre IV by painting the entire facility, sponsored Health Camps at Mparo and Kamwezi Health Centre IVs, Donated CT scan at Kamwezi Health Centre IV. Dr Arinaitwe also sponsored dental health care for all Head teachers, senior women and science teachers in Rukiga district.
Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe has also contributed to Rukiga District’s Education sector by donating 8 computers towards the setting up of an ICT facility at Kihanga SS, Mparo Sub County. She also donated two water harvesting tanks to St. Cleria Nursery and Primary School at Kitanga, Kashambya Sub County, Rukiga District.
She has also rewarded teacher’s best performance in 2022 Primary Leaving Examination as well as donating mathematical sets to PLE Candidates.
Dr. Sylvia also sponsored teachers to go for benchmarking in Kampala and Mbarara traditional schools which perform very well. It is believed that from this background, Rukiga Schools excelled in 2022 PLE Exams.
Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe believes in the value of sports including wellness of people and income generation cannot be under looked. With this, she has started engaging the youths and sponsoring football tournaments for both girls and boys to discover and develop their talents in sports.
With the support from the district sports department in consultation with Federation of Uganda’s Footballl Association (FUFA), Dr Sylvia was able to launch a ladies football tournament this year at Kantare Playground in Kashambya Sub County presided over by FUFA officials.
Through this tournament, a good number of players were able to secure scholarships, financials assistance and talent.
In this regard, she also sponsored the Dr. Sylvia Rukiga Youths football tournament that saw Nyakagabagaba winning the trophy and Dr. Sylvia promised them to play against the Parliamentary team, the pledge she fulfilled.
These are part of the many she has done for the people of Rukiga District from her resource envelope. More is expected if she is given mandate in 2026 to represent Rukiga District in the 12th Parliament.
