Who is Eligible?
To enroll in the Maisha Community Clubs program, one must be a youth aged between 12 and 23 years, and a permanent resident of Nakuwadde village or the surrounding parishes of Nakabugo, Ssumbwe, Buloba, Bukasa and Kyebando. Participants must be morally upright, responsible, with no criminal record, and in good standing within their community. All participants shall be seconded in writing by their parent(s) or guardian(s) and endorsed by their local village council (LC1) leader.
How Do I Sign Up?
Prospective participants are required to fill out a registration form and have it signed both by their parent(s)/guardian(s) and by the LC1 chairperson within their area of abode. Application forms may be obtained at the Maisha Centre. The applicant will be required to attach a recent passport photo and a photocopy of their National ID (or Village ID card where applicable). Duly signed and stamped forms must be returned to the Maisha Centre prior to commencement of participation in program activities. However, the Maisha Centre reserves right of admission to the program.
Upon successful enrollment, participants will be issued with membership cards, which will be the means by which they will be permitted to access facilities and services under the program. The membership cards will be valid for a specified duration of time, after which they may be renewed, provided the participant still meets all eligibility criteria and requirements. These membership cards remain the property of the Maisha Centre, and are to be used solely for the purpose of participating in the Maisha Community Clubs program activities.
How Much Does it Cost to Enrol?
Participation in the various weekly activities under the program is free of charge for qualifying youth. However, there may be some optional special events or activities arranged under the program from time to time, for which an appropriate participation fee may be charged.
What Should I Expect?
Participants in the Maisha Community Clubs program will have the opportunity, each week, to engage in a variety of individual and group sports and recreational activities. These include but are not limited to the following categories:
- Mind and strategy board games (chess, checkers, scrabble, monopoly, morabaraba, Go, mancala, etc.)
- Field and court games (soccer, basketball, volleyball, netball, badminton, table tennis, etc.)
- Music and performing arts (guitar, piano, dance, drama, etc.)
- Swimming and aquatic sports
- Creativity and life skills training (knitting, sewing, cookery, baking, art & crafts, etc.)
- Reading and creative writing
Periodically, participants may be enrolled in short entrepreneurial skills training workshops, where they will be encouraged and equipped with skills to start up their own business ventures. There may also be motivational talks arranged from time to time on a variety of topics of importance and relevance to the well-being of the participating youth, as well as community team-building activities.
Rules and Code of Conduct
All participants will be required to adhere to a strict code of conduct and a set of rules, covering the areas outlined below. These rules may be revised or adjusted by the Maisha Centre management from time to time as may be required.
Attendance and Punctuality
Participants shall be required to actively participate in program activities and to keep time. The program strictly runs on Saturday mornings between 9:00 am and midday. After this time, participants shall be required to vacate the Maisha Centre premises. Any stay outside of the designated hours shall be subjected to the normal Maisha Centre guest rates.
To foster a sense of punctuality and good time-keeping, participants shall not be permitted access to the Maisha Centre after 9:30 am, unless they have a very good reason for being late that has been communicated in advance. Likewise, in order to promote commitment and consistency, any participant who misses three weekends in succession without a sound and valid reason shall be discontinued from the program.
Passion, Teamwork and Fair Play
All participants are expected to maintain a positive attitude and actively engage in program activities with passion, zest and enthusiasm. Irrespective of the nature of activity they are engaged in under the program, participants shall be required to display and maintain a high level of teamwork and fair play. Participants shall cheerfully and dutifully heed to instructions issued by trainers and facilitators of the various program activities, including the Maisha Centre management team, as long as these instructions are ethical and do not contravene the law or violate the program objectives and code of conduct. Any rebellious or rabble-rousing behavior shall lead to immediate suspension or expulsion of the perpetrator(s) from the program.
Ethics and Integrity
All participants under the program are required at all times to exhibit a high degree of ethics and integrity. No immoral speech, dress or behavior shall be tolerated. Any behavior of an overt or covert nature that amounts to sexual harassment or impropriety, untoward behavior towards the opposite sex, dishonesty, wilful disobedience and waywardness, violence and hostility, negative behavioral excesses, engagement in social vices like smoking, drinking, drug abuse, gambling or prostitution, any and all forms of criminal behavior, and any other misdemeanors or felonies not expressly mentioned here, shall not be tolerated. Any participant acting in contravention of this shall be suspended from the program for a prescribed duration of time, and repeat offenders or those in gross violation shall be summarily expelled and barred from future participation in program activities.
Access and Scope
Participation within the Maisha Community Clubs program is limited to the scope of activities under the program, and does not entitle participants to other facilities or activities of the Maisha Centre that are outside the scope of the program. However, the Community Club participants may, from time to time, be called upon to participate in other activities of the Maisha Centre on a purely voluntary basis, and are encouraged to be willing and responsive when called upon to do so.
How Do I Exit the Program?
Enrolled participants who would like to exit the program are at liberty to do so at any time of the year. They should, however, communicate their intention in writing at least three weeks in advance, and make necessary arrangements to return all Maisha property in their custody, including their Community Club membership cards. Once having exited the program, if an individual wishes to rejoin the program at a later date, they are at liberty to do so, provided that they previously left the program in good standing and in the prescribed manner, and that they still meet eligibility requirements under the program. In this case, the normal enrollment process described above applies.
Maisha Community Clubs. Transforming our Community through Recreation and Sports!