As Uganda marks Tourism Month and counts down to the 2026 World Tourism Day celebrations, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) has taken the spirit of the month beyond tourism destinations, extending a gesture of care and solidarity to children at Teresa Children’s Home.
The initiative, undertaken as part of the activities building up to World Tourism Day on 27 September, saw Permanent Secretary Mrs. Doreen Katusiime, accompanied by the Under Secretary, Mr. Sseremba Geoffrey, the Commissioner for Human Resource ms Rutah Kabugho and members of staff, visit the Home and hand over a token of support to the children.
The visit offered the Ministry an opportunity to reflect on a broader meaning of tourism and public service, one that places people and communities at the centre of development.
Speaking during the visit, Mrs. Katusiime said the Ministry’s responsibility extends beyond its core mandate, noting that public service must also be reflected in how institutions contribute to the communities they serve.
“Our responsibility goes beyond our core mandate. We have a responsibility to contribute to the communities that we serve.”
She said the decision to support the children was deliberate, noting that every child deserves to grow up in an environment where they feel loved, valued, protected and cared for.
For the Permanent Secretary, the gesture was not measured by the size of the contribution, but by the spirit of giving behind it.
The initiative builds on an earlier contribution by MTWA staff, who mobilised resources to support the Home with essential items, including food, scholastic materials and other necessities.
Father Raymond Kalanzi welcomed the Ministry’s intervention, noting that the children were happy to receive the visitors and the support extended to them.
He emphasised the importance of collective responsibility in caring for children, noting that the needs of children go beyond material provisions and include love, attention and a sense of belonging.
Father Kalanzi described the initiative as an example of the warmth and hospitality that Uganda is known for, values that should also be reflected in how communities care for one another.
The Under Secretary, Mr. Sseremba Geoffrey, commended the staff for embracing the initiative and encouraged continued commitment to community service.
He noted that while government institutions have defined mandates, their impact is ultimately measured by the difference they make in the lives of the people they serve.
Mr Sseremba also shared that the earlier contribution was used by the ministry to secure another home for the vulnerable children, in Nsambya, which gives the ministry an even bigger challenge to double their support to keep it running.
Putting people at the heart of Tourism Month
The visit comes at a time when the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities is using September to mobilise Ugandans to participate in tourism and appreciate the country’s natural and cultural heritage ahead of World Tourism Day.
This year’s World Tourism Day programme, under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” places innovation and technology at the centre of Uganda’s tourism agenda, while the month-long activities are also designed to deepen public participation in tourism.
With the national celebrations taking place in Mbale, the Ministry is also using the month to shine a spotlight on Eastern Uganda’s culture, heritage, nature, food and communities.
But beyond showcasing destinations, the Ministry’s engagement with Teresa Children’s Home reinforces another dimension of the tourism agenda, “people.
Tourism is ultimately an industry built around people: the communities that host visitors, the workers who deliver experiences, the custodians of culture and heritage, and the families whose livelihoods are connected to the sector.
The gesture to Teresa Children’s Home therefore adds a human face to the Tourism Month campaign, demonstrating that the spirit of hospitality can begin at home through compassion, generosity and a willingness to care for others.
As Uganda prepares to welcome the country to Mbale for the World Tourism Day celebrations, the Ministry of Tourism continues to call on Ugandans to not only explore Uganda but also to embrace the values of care, responsibility and community that make the country a welcoming destination.
Because tourism is about destinations but at its heart, it is about people.