FINANCIAL LITERACY & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

 The late Dr. Myles Munroe, a man I greatly respect and who had a remarkable influence on the world noted that trapped in every street child, a drug addict, a criminal and every person is a great leader . Throughout the world we see many cases of abuse of purpose .On a daily in news papers we see crime in society. What could be the cause? It is related to the abuse of purpose. There has been an increase in gang crime where youths gang up and steal people's property in Kampala and  this is related to ignorance of purpose. A close analysis of people or leaders who have positively impacted the world are characterized by a clear purpose . The lady who dumped her baby in a pit latrine in Kayunga was ignorant of her purpose. The student who gambles their university tuition is ignorant of his or her purpose. In his book the 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success , Brian Tracy notes that successful people or leaders think long term and this dictates their actions . The exampl

 Each person on earth has unlimited value. This statement seems obvious but it is not. As coach Iam observant of what happens in society and the question that I keep asking myself is whether we are aware of our exact potential in life? No body on earth knows their full potential, not even the president of the United States of America. Scientists believe that an average human being including the geniuses of the world such as Thomas Edison who invented the bulb after repeated failures only used 10% of his latent potential. Dr. Myles Munroe noted that the wealthiest place on the planet is the cemetery. This is because there are lot of unwritten books and unestablished companies that exist there.  I have had a privilege of asking trainees in the financial literacy trainings that I conduct (including myself) a question, who has come ready to borrow one billion Uganda shillings and I get mixed reactions or responses . This means each one of us has different experiences to money matters. My

 No one wants to fail. Failure is such a dreaded word especially in adult life. Actually when one fails as an adult, he or she is likely to be castigated. But when we were still children while learning to walk we were motivated to persist through failure. So what happens when we grow up. Fear takes over and we question every attempt that we make. Iam not supporting failure but rather trying to advocate for a change of perception about failure . A close analysis of the most prominent entrepreneurs such as Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers who invented the plane is that they all failed at a certain point. It seems to a successful person failure is an opportunity to learn and become a better person. In coaching we are trained that each individual holds a lot of potential. But unfortunately many people take their potential lightly. They tend to compare themselves with other people and end up burying their dreams. Dr. Myles Munroe noted that the cemetery is the wealthiest place on earth si

 I will not get that job is a statement that a certain graduate made recently. This statement is characterized by doubt. Brian Tracy in his great book The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success noted that doubt and fear are the greatest enemies of success. In his book, Think and Grow Rich : A Black Choice, Dr Dennis Kimbro gives numerous examples of black Americans who were born in poor homes but today are shaping the world. They lived in harder circumstances than we are living in .Today we have a lot of support services that can enable us to achieve our dreams but we tend to undermine them. Why would a youth decide to gun down a prominent businessman? Why would a person murder two innocent children as it happened in Kiboga District where a suspected witch doctor killed two children. Why would a person murder a fellow brother like it was reported in the news paper of a young man who beheaded his brother because they promised him wealth. Doubt and fear are the two greatest

 Why would a group of youth plot to harm an innocent person to take away his or her valuable property? In the news it has been reported that there is an increase in crime in parts of Kampala . What causes this crime and where is society heading? In a nation where majority of the population is below 30 years such cases of crime are bound to happen when many young people do not have a source of living (this is not by any means to suggest that all youths are engaged in criminal acts). However the probability of engaging in crime increases when the youths have no access to decent jobs. These days walking at night is so risky unlike in the past. It means that the moral fiber of society is weakening and something needs to be done. We must guide the youths to responsible living. Having read a number of books on success it has come to my attention that no person can succeed by accident. It requires having a clear purpose and guidance. Many of the youths believe that their success can come when

 I read a disheartening story of a taxi driver who killed about 5 women in a space of 3 months. Such stories do not depict well the Pearl of Africa. The major question to ask is, why should a person end the lives of other people simply because they are seeking to become wealthy. Every life matters and no one has the right to end the life of another person. I read a story of a lady who dumped her child in a pit latrine. I also read a story of a suspected witch doctor who murdered two children in Kiboga District. I also read a story of a man who cut young children with a panga after their parents refusing to give him a ransom. Another youth was killed by a mob after murdering a prominent business man in the city. Every life counts and matters. Each person was created in God's image and it is our duty to reflect that image and make the world a better place. Without enough exposure people tend to undermine their potential. It is said by most researchers that most people do not use more

" I have failed t get a job yet I have good grades is a statement that a young graduate made ". Such statements are very common today. There are over 30 universities in Uganda and they produce over 300,000 graduates per year. Youth unemployment has caused a lot of social challenges including an increase in insecurity.  No one can get a job in isolation. Most people who have jobs were intentional in associating with other successful people. Ask yourself why the most successful entrepreneurs in the city have an association called Kwagalana Group. It helps them to network and share opportunities. Jim Rohn noted that we are the average of the 5 people that we associate with. It is very common to find a university graduate who does not belong to any group. Such a person will miss out on opportunities. We now live in a globalized world and relationships matter . All successful people belong to a number of valuable networks where they learn good communication and leadership skills.

 It is the dream of every graduate to get their dream job. They invest a lot of time and money at university and the befitting gift to a young person who has toiled to get a befitting job. A youth with a job will be productive and can create so many other opportunities that can benefit humanity. Imagine what would have happened if the founders of Equity Bank did not establish it. Equity Bank has over 15 million customers in over 6 countries. This means there is power in every thought. Dr. Dennis Kimbro noted in his book, Think And Grow Rich: A Black Choice that thoughts have power. He noted that many black Americans such as Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Ben Carson were not born in very well to do families but due to conviction and determination they curved their path in a competitive world. We are privileged to be alive at this time and we can make a positive difference in our generation. Does this require money? To some extent yes and to another no. Purpose discovery is one of the greatest

 What is needed to transform Africa? Is it hand outs or knowledge? Africa is a resource endowed continent with talented people, a rich cultural heritage and fertile soils. That is why many Chinese are flocking to Africa. Why is it that mineral rich countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo are known for civil wars?  As a financial literacy trainer I have the privilege of interacting with so many young people across the country. The question that I have always asked myself is why do some youths prefer to be given physical cash rather than knowledge that will enable them to become agents of positive change in their communities. I remember a reputable company organized an entrepreneurship workshop with very good content but some youths cited lack of transport as the reason why they could not attend the course. But if it was a premier league match those youths will have borrowed immensely to attend.  The key question to ask is where are the priorities of the youths? I have had of case

 Of late there has been an increase in the wave of insecurity where innocent people are attacked and robbed of their valuable property. In the worst case scenarios even a life can be lost. This is not an easy situation to find yourself in . And we can not take it lightly. In the grand scheme of events what do these criminal acts depict and what causes them?  Chances are high that these criminal acts can be linked to the high levels of youth unemployment. Some one said a youth without an address in terms of a source of income can devise any means to survive. Uganda is known as the Pearl of Africa and such criminal acts do not paint a good picture. Leadership is about action and we have to do something about this situation before gets out of hand. The police and authorities will do their part and do their investigations to bring the culprits to book. However the long term solution to this state of affairs is to address the root causes of these crimes. Youth unemployment is caused by many

 It is the desire of every individual person on earth to become wealthy. Who would not want to be talked about as one of the richest people in the world? It is a silent desire of many people. However there are different routes to that dream of wealth. The other day in the news I saw a story of suspected witch doctor who murdered two innocent youths in Kiboga District. There is a youth who was killed by a mob for murdering a prominent business person in the country. Still there is a man who used a panga to cut innocent children because he wanted a ransom from the parents. Now these are wrong choices to wealth creation. One does not have to end a life to become wealthy.  Perhaps a wrong definition of wealth can be disastrous. When wealth is restricted to attaining material wealth it becomes so competitive and the effects can be manifested in form of crime in a bid to become wealthy. Wealth seems to be beyond having large sums of money but one can also have intellectual wealth. Why are me

 We live in a society that prefers to look at success from the top. And indeed it is the right of every person to become successful. However are we ready to pay the price? When one reads the stories of the Black Americans who shape and shaped America many of them did not have a good start. Some were raised in difficult circumstances. I picked interest in the story of Oprah Winfrey who is one of the wealthiest and most influential women in the world. She had a difficult childhood as pointed out in Think and Grow Rich : A Black Choice by Dr. Dennis Kimbro. In this book there are several mind blowing examples of determined men and women who saw being in the United States of America as a great opportunity of realizing their dreams (The American Dream) . Oprah Winfrey had a clear vision and she realized it despite the circumstances. The message to Uganda's youth is for them to pick a lesson. They should value the process of success than success itself. I have seen youths wasting their

 Jim Rohn noted that we are the average of the five people you associate with. A youth asked me on the ways he would become rich and I asked him to list for me his best 5 friends. So it seems as pointed out to us by the leading figures in leadership and wealth creation such as Brian Tracy, John Maxwell and Anthony Robbins that our association determines our networth. Come to think of it , why are the leading businessmen in Kampala in an association called Kwagalana Group. This is a key lesson for all of us who want to change our financial landscapes. We should be intentional in looking out for people who can guide us to take the long term steps towards financial advancement.  Luckily now live in a globalized world where there is a lot of information about finances. The days of living in "financial ignorance" are long gone. At a click on my phone I can connect with a leading financial trainer in any part of the world. That means the chances of accumulating financial wealth are

 A certain university student asked me that he wanted to become wealthy but he did not know what to do. I told him that it starts with the change of mindset. Money accumulation is a mental game . This explains why some of the wealthiest people are life long learners. So many youths want to become wealthy but they ignore the steps of planning. Why is it that buildings that collapse are built so quickly. The builders neglect the foundation. The foundation is very critical in wealth accumulation. Without adequate preparation a youth will get a loan and divert it to unplanned expenses.  By advocating for starting now, it means there is no other time to start building our financial empires. It starts NOW. I t starts by a person deciding that they are going to change their financial trajectory for good. It starts by changing our financial behaviors. It starts by deciding to spend less that one earns. It starts by budgeting before one spends. It starts by setting clear financial goals for you

 Brian Tracy in his book , The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business success notes that successful people are very clear about their goals and their future. Clarity precedes achievement. Why are goals important in wealth accumulation? It is because goals act as a guideline in the way we conduct our lives. Since wealth creation is a mental game, without clear goals we are likely to miss the mark. A person with clear goals is likely to achieve them faster than a person without them. Many want to become wealthy especially the youth. The key question is do they have clear and written down goals? If a youth is given a loan and diverts it to unplanned expenses it may be an indicator of a person who lacks clearly written down goals. Goals enable us to begin with the end in the mind as advocated for by Stephen Covey in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. HOW TO SET CLEAR GOALS 1.Have a long term vision for your life. 2.Write down the long term ,medium term and short te

 We live in a society that believes in big things. But let me pose a question, what if there is a one thousand note missing to make one million Uganda shillings, it will not be equivalent. I have observed a number of youths in training who undermine the l ittle coins . There lies the problem . It is said that Warren Buffet who is one of the wealthiest men in the world does not undermine small notes. Until we appreciate the power of consistency in saving small notes we shall not advance financially as a nation. We need to encourage the youths who form the majority of the population to embrace the power of small savings. But one can not embrace the power of small savings when they do not have a clear savings goal. In the absence of a clear savings goal, one will divert the small amounts to unplanned expenses. WAYS TO ENCOURAGE CONSISTENT SAVINGS DISCIPLINE 1.Have a clear savings goal 2.Save as you earn 3. Have accountability partners  4.Avoid peer pressure 5.Save money in an account in a

 Everyone wants to get wealthy. This is because money is the currency of life. Without money life becomes very tough that one can easily die if they do not have money to enable them to access good health. This means that there is no doubt that money is vital for social advancement. In my experience as a financial literacy practitioner, it has come to my attention that there are so many perceptions to money in society. We all have individual experiences and beliefs about money. In his book Secrets of A Millionaire Mind , Harv Eker points out that each person has a  financial blue print. So with different financial blue prints in society it is difficult to meet our financial goals without conflict. Let me give an example suppose there is  a family that  has people with different financial blue prints. Suppose some sections of the family want to preserve family land for investment but there is a section of the family that wants to sell off the land, this is a recipe for conflict. That mea

 In a certain training, the Executive Director of Shine Leadership International proposed that every youth should start an initiative geared towards creating positive change in their communities. There is no community in the world that is not prone to problems. Even the United States which is the most advanced country in the world has challenges such as gun violence. Our education system is wired to make the students to look for jobs after university. That is why it is very common to find a student at university whose sole focus is to pass exams and hope to get a decent job. Unfortunately times have changed because we have over 30 universities which are producing over 300,000 graduates a year yet it is estimated that the economy produces about 70,000 jobs per year. Youth unemployment is one of the biggest challenges that Uganda faces yet over 70% of the population is below 30 years of age. The other day on the news there was story of a group of youths who wanted to beat up staff of a s

 It is said by leading scholars that our attitude determines our altitude. It is also a fact that life is tough. There is no difficult scenario for a university student who toiled up to graduation and they fail to get a decent job. This is the common song in society. Youth unemployment is real . Some of the socioeconomic challenges that society is witnessing are due to unemployment of the youths. Just this year a youth was killed by a mob for killing a prominent businessman in the city. There is an increase in crime especially at night where unemployed goons attack people to steal their property. Not good signs in the Pearl of Africa. So the question is, is unemployment a curse or a blessing? It goes back to attitude. There are countless stories of imaginative and innovative youths who have used their pressing challenge of lack of decent jobs to create companies. There is no limit to human potential. In his book, Think And Grow Rich : A black Choice, Dr. Dennis Kimbro cites examples o

Over 70% of Uganda's population is below the age of 30 years. They face various socioeconomic challenges such as lack of access to dignified employment. In addressing the challenges that youths face at university, Dr. Daniel Ruhwenzo notes in his book, We Do Not Teach at the University, that our education system must embrace a multidisciplinary approach. I have interacted with university students whose sole focus is to pass exams so that they can get the "ideal job". But it seems times have changed. A university student can no longer afford to study for the sake of studying. Education is supposed to bring total transformation to the student. A student must be able to use his or her acquired skills to address community challenges. A student must have a critical and imaginative approach to the development of the world. The world is changing at a very terrific speed that even education policy makers are at a crossroads. In a country where universities produce over 300,000 u

 In the New Vision of 23rd May 2024 it was noted that global firms down graded Uganda's credit rating. Moody's was the latest credit rating agency to revise Uganda's long term credit worthiness downwards citing fiscal challenges ,external vulnerability and economic concerns . It was noted that by the end of December 2023,total public debt had  increased to sh 93.38 trillion. In New Vision it was reported in the Finscope survey that over 70% of Ugandans survive on loans. It was not reported that Ugandans thrived on loans but rather survived. As a financial literacy trainer I fully support borrowing because when businesses borrow more jobs are created and businesses are able to pay tax to government. From a financial literacy perspective it is important to ask some important questions. Does national debt replicate the individual borrowing practices in Uganda? If Uganda is perceived as risky to lend won't it affect resource mobilization especially from investors? Where do

 In the New Vision of 21st May 2024 I read an agonizing story of a taxi driver who had murdered 5 women in a space of 3 months. He was tracked down by crime intelligence . It is a pity that someone can end other peoples' lives. Every person was created in God's image and is valuable. This act has far reaching consequences on society. Just this year a youth was killed by a mob for killing a prominent business in the country. In the media I read of a story of a mother who dumped her baby in a pit latrine. All these stories indicate the abuse of human potential. HOW TO MAXIMISE HUMAN POTENTIAL 1. It begins with potential. The abuse of human potential starts with not knowing that God is the author of life. 2. Have a clear vision for life. People with a clear vision are the ones who add value to humanity. For 27 years Nelson Mandela was imprisoned but he had a bigger vision for his life .Today we have youths who focus on petty issues instead of looking at the bugger agenda of their

 Uganda's population is mainly a youthful population. Over 70% of the population is below 30 years . One of the biggest challenges that youths face is lack of access to dignified employment opportunities. I have interacted with a number of youths because it is my passion to empower youths especially in the area of enabling them to access dignified employment opportunities .One of my observations is that many of them would seek to go abroad for greener pastures. It is not a bad thing to go abroad but if it is a predominant mindset of the majority of the population(the youths) ,then there is a cause for an alarm. Imagine a scenario where all medical doctors have plans of leaving the country for greener pastures, the future of the country would be at stake.  The youthful age is very risk taking and very ambitious. They want more money which seems to be "hard  to get" in their own country. This explains why many youths sell off their property and borrow heavily to acquire tra

 Recently I met a young graduate who asked me what he could do to get his dream job.  My advice was that he needed to take the first step. There is no successful person who succeeded in a day. Most of them took the long route to the top. Dr. John Maxwell started his preaching or speaking at a small church. Today he is an international public speaker and author. The late Dr. Myles Munroe was born in a poor family in Bahamas. By the time of his death he was one of the most celebrated authors and an advisor to so many governments. The Wright Brothers just used their imagination to invent the plane. They faced many critics during their era. What would have happened if they had decided to listen to their critics? Each and every person has a lot of potential. Unfortunately many of us  wait for big breaks to launch  companies and other ideas. The youths of today are wired to dream big and that is noble .However many of them take it to the extreme by waiting until they get a lot of capital to

 Over 70% of Ugandans are below the age of 30 years. One of the biggest dilemmas of a youth is lack of access to dignified employment opportunities. The youths hold the future of this country but they face numerous challenges especially those related to economics. It is always a moment of celebration when a student graduates from university. However what awaits them after graduation? In the past when there was only one university a graduate was assured of a job. Today the situation is different. Uganda has over 30 universities. Research shows that over 300,000 graduates are churned out every year amidst a job creation rate of about 70,000 jobs. This is a total mismatch. So the question is where do the graduates who are not absorbed in the formal sector go? It is said that Uganda is one of the most entrepreneurial countries and this is worth celebrating. However the sad fact is that most of these young enterprises do not celebrate their second birth day. So what is the state of affairs

 There was a youth who joined university and because of lack of guidance he misused his time and joined wrong groups. He was on government scholarship but due to failure to meet expectations he was expelled from university. A number of students have joined university after passing national exams highly and have failed to meet expectations . It seems society thinks that when a student joins university he or she is mature enough to make the right decisions. On the contrary there are students who totally get "lost" at university. University is supposed to be a place where a student is supposed to explore their potential but there are students who only focus their attention on passing exams. They do not take time to use the time at university to explore other dimensions of life. By the time they graduate they are shocked by what awaits them in the real world.  Students who maximize university life are those who from the initial stage have a clear purpose and are open to learning.

 God created every person with the capacity to alter their circumstances. Indeed various researches have shown that Africa is one of the richest continents in terms of mineral resources. But why is it that in terms of real development we are lagging behind. As a continent we have a lot of potential but there are many barriers that inhibit our potential such as cultural norms and other structural bottlenecks. I can cite a number of practices that prevent us from getting ahead in terms of wealth creation. Why on earth would a person murder another to become wealthy? Just recently in the news papers I read a story of a suspected witch doctor who murdered 2 children in Kiboga District. A few months back a youth was killed by a mob after the youth killing a prominent businessman. The mind is the driving seat for wealth creation. However some of the practices that I witness in society need to be revisited or reexamined. I met a group of youths who said they do not believe in entrepreneurs wh

  We live in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous world(VUCA) . The other day I read a newspaper article where a mother dropped her new born baby in a pit latrine. I also read an article where a suspected witch doctor murdered two children in Kiboga District. Today Uganda is becoming insecure because many people have lost hope in the future. One can not move at night because iron hit men can destroy their lives. Some of these thugs are arrested and they come out. What is the cause of all this? Could it be hard economic times or something else? It is said that hope is one of the most needed commodities in the world. The world is desperate for leaders who inspire hope in the population. Uganda is privileged to have over 70% of  its population below the age of 30 years. When I move across the country I see a number of youths who are working hard to make ends meet. That is very commendable. However I have also witnessed a section of youths who misuse opportunities because of a nega

" I want to be as successful as the other man was a remark that a certain youth made" . In a nation that has majority of the population as young people, the desire for quick wealth is common. In the media we have seen stories of companies that have duped innocent investors of their hard earned money. In particular there is a company that collapsed last year after promising the public of abnormal profits.  We live in a fast changing and competitive world where a youth wants to drive a car or build a mansion within a month. It is noble to want to succeed but do the youths trust the process of becoming successful. Harv Eker in his book Secrets of a Millionaire Mind notes that rich and successful people think long term. This notion is supported by other leaders and writers such as Brian Tracy and John Maxwell . Long term thinking is so key in wealth creation because a number of youths have been invited to financial literacy trainings and they do not turn up because they are busy

 "I do not have money so Iam not wealthy is a remark a certain youth made in relation to his circumstances". As a financial literacy trainer I have the opportunity of relating with so many youths and each of them has their own financial blue prints. In a nation where over 70% of the population is below 30 years, the subject of wealth creation is very vital. Without adequate finances life becomes tough. Most of  the crimes are related to finance . Recently a youth was killed by a mob for killing a prominent businessman in town. Also so many youths steal people's phones in order to make a living. This means there are many routes to wealth creation. What I want to dwell on is the concept of invisible wealth which seems to be neglected by the current generation. Stephen Covey in his book , The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People notes that every thing is created twice ,first in the mind and then in the physical. We live in a generation that focuses on the physical. Many

 On the 16th of May 2024 I attended the celebration of the Day of the African Child that was organized by Golden Africa Foundation at Makerere University Business School Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center. The messages were tailored on the state of the male gender. It got me asking , that as males are we are at a crisis?  The first signal was the low attendance of male youths at the event. The various speakers also pointed out how the male youths are neglecting their critical roles in society. Is it any wonder that most crimes implicate the male species?  Walk across town and you will see most idle youths are males. Most street children are males. In the grand scheme of things what does this signal? The male species is the foundation of a family and a nation and in case they are in a crisis ,what does it imply? I have made an observation that most vibrant investment groups among the youths are mostly composed of girls or ladies who embrace the efforts and the males are busy elsewhe

Every one wants big accomplishments .It is in our natural DNA. The question is, did every successful person start big? Did Oprah Winfrey start in a big way? Did the Wright Brothers start in a big way? Did Apple computer start in a big way? Did Equity Bank start big? It seems the power of starting small needs to be given attention in today's fast moving or changing generation. We are living in a generation that seems to be fascinated by the glamor and pomp without appreciating or learning from the process of " becoming". Last year I saw on the news a candidate being arrested for attempting to cheat national exams. This year there is a suspected witch doctor who was arrested for murdering two innocent children in Kiboga District. This is also linked to the desire for instant wealth. The fast paced nature of change is doing us good as society if used in a positive way but we are also at crossroads. In the New Vision there was an article about how lecturers are struggling to

Debt is good when put into the right use . As a financial literacy practitioner I spend a lot of time training youths in money issues and I should point out that there is no better satisfaction when  a youth or client opens up to financial guidance. There is no perfect person and we all commit financial sins from time to time only that we conceal them😀 . The issue that I want to discuss today that concerns society is the interest rate charged on loans . Ugandans borrow from different sources such as banks, savings and Credit Cooperative Society(saccos) and loan sharks. In financial literacy we advocate for a client to take time and understand the terms and conditions of the loan. Part of the main problem in society is that people do not take time to read these terms and conditions. They need the money as soon as yesterday. A loan has a cost attached to it and that is in form of interest charged. A lender is obligated to earn interest on money lent. The key issue for the borrower is to

 Every one wants to be successful and there are so many routes to success. Money is one of those important ingredients to success. Without adequate money life becomes a burden. Most crimes in society have an economic element. Just this year a suspected witch doctor murdered two innocent children in Kiboga District .Chances are high there was an economic element to this disturbing murder. Why a savings plan? With a clear plan for saving the hard earned money is subject to unplanned expenses. This is especially true in a country where majority of the population is below 30 years. A savings plan enables a person to take charge of their finances. Once we allow money to control us instead of us controlling it we are in most cases headed for financial trouble. There are so many youths who spend by the dictates of society or peer pressure. This is very common at university .That is why teaching society about a clear savings plan will enable a person to have a clear reason for saving and for a

 I recently counselled a young man who was heavily in debt and that is why I realize that the problem of debt management can not be taken for granted. A recent article in the New vision showed that 70% of Ugandans survive on debt. From a financial literacy perspective this requires deep analysis. If this is the case, the questions include do all Ugandans know how to utilize debt? Do they have the capacity to negotiate good loans terms?  Are they able to run  their businesses smoothly? Where do they borrow from? It is good to note that debt is good when used for the right reasons . For examples banks discourage a loan that is for consumption. A good loan is one where the borrower wants to expand their business or buy an asset. A loan is good when put into production. However in the news I saw an article where a person borrowed for betting .(This is equivalent to an addiction) . In a nation where over 70% of Ugandans are below the age of 30 years responsible debt management is critica l.

 There was a tragic incident that happened this year where a young man was cornered and beaten up for gunning down a prominent business man in town. There is also a suspected witch doctor who murdered  two innocent children in Kiboga District . These two example allude to the fact that there are different routes to accumulating wealth. The question that I pose , Is it only money that defines our potential? I am not denying the fact that money is a very important currency in our lives. But then aren't there other salient features of a wealthy person apart from money? In his book secrets of a millionaire mind, Harv Eker noted that rich and successful people think long term. We have witnessed some music artistes and sportsmen who had a lot of money but ran bankrupt.  We are living in a generation where the youths who form over 70% of the population majorly appreciate physical cash than anything else. In fact I met a group of youths who noted that they do not agree with stories of busi

 There is power in human potential. This world is full of examples of people whom the world had given up on but went ahead and did incredible feats during their time. A classic example is Dr. Ben Carson who is a neurosurgeon who is remembered for separating the Siamese twins. A brief history about Dr. Ben Carson is that he was born in a poor family where his mother had to do menial work to support the family. Ben Carson was always the last in class due to lack of a clear direction. With the mother's intervention and encouragement, Ben Carson started to go to the library during holidays .He picked interest in sciences and that is when his story changed. He started to top his class and went on to become a medical student at the prestigious Yale University. When one reads Think Big by Dr. Ben Carson the full details are there. The story above shows us the power of human potential. It teaches us never to write off people. The worst behvior is even discounting ourselves especially throu

 While in traffic jam on a certain road in Kampala I heard a group of boda boda men criticizing their colleague for respecting traffic lights. They asked him whether he was a traffic officer. This is an indicator of how discipline is regarded in certain sections of society. It seems in certain quarters when adults behave in a disciplined way they are viewed as outcasts. Some people dread visiting Mulago Hospital because of the traumatizing scenes of patients whose legs have been amputated because of accidents caused by boda boda cyclists. If one has ever been a passenger on a boda boda in most cases you see just death staring at you. Unfortunately the boda boda sector employs very many youths who tend to take risks. Why is the concept of discipline an important topic in today's society? It is because over 70% of the population is below 30 years. This group of people prefer instant success. With this we have seen youths who cheat exams so as to pass. We have seen previously well beh