Last year, CivSource Africa under the Mopane Leadership program had the opportunity to facilitate a wellness experience retreat for the National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders (NCHRD-U) team. As service providers in the eco system of human rights work, their safety, wellness and wellbeing are usually ignored and forgot about yet too face challenges burnout and fatigue. It is therefore imperative that development partners and institutions think about the wellness and wellbeing of service providers while making their workspace and operating environment accommodative and cognizant of people’s safety and well-being.

I had the pleasure of being part of a truly transformative experience – the Leadership Wellness Retreat & Strategic Dialogue, tailored for dedicated delegates from Civil Society Organizations in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. I arrived at the serene Great Outdoors on the evening of February 20, 2023, eager yet a bit anxious as I prepared to facilitate this leadership retreat.

Each morning, we find ourselves standing before a mirror, taking a moment to appreciate our reflections. We meticulously ensure our hair is impeccably styled, and our outfits are flawlessly chosen. Occasionally, we even practice our smiles and expressions, ensuring that when the camera captures us, our poses are just right.

At the break of dawn, a beautiful day unfurled, blooming with the promise of a beautiful mindset. Seeking solace and renewal, the weary NCHRD-U staff found their sanctuary at the lakeside escape resort, where tranquil vistas provided the antidote to their exhaustion.

CivSource Africa, you have my sincere gratitude. I would like to express my gratitude for making it possible for me to confront my fears and express my squabbles with my teammates. Grace, I am grateful that you took the time to listen to me and that you gave me the opportunity to be vulnerable in front of you. I cannot express how grateful I am for everything. You really are a gracious person. Read more

My Heart Cohort team and I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to you and the entire CivSource Africa team for your unwavering love and support. The paint and sip activity came at a time when it was truly needed and was wholeheartedly appreciated by everyone who had the opportunity to join.

The session that Grace had stood out to me as something special. It was open and sincere, and everything that was talked about was something that affects our day-to-day lives. Everything that was discussed was relevant. In addition to that, one more thing that stood out to me was the atmosphere of togetherness that permeated the whole area. The certainty that I can triumph over any challenge so long as I keep my feet on the ground and surround myself with the appropriate resources and people for support is the gift that I will always keep with me.

During the time that I spent at the Mopane` Leadership Experience Retreat, everything in my life that I've been trying to get rid of or let go of to progress further in my life was eradicated. I had the sensation of being able to look back on my life while I was washing my feet (almost as if I were reigniting a flame), and then I washed those memories away from my body after I had finished. It initially felt as though my heart was on fire, but after some time had passed, it settled down, and the experience as a whole made me feel a great deal lighter.

The reacquaintance with my smile was without a doubt the highlight of my time spent at this retreat. As a direct result of the extensive digging that took place during this retreat, my smile has made its way back to its rightful place on my face. On the first day of class, I found myself in a sensory paradise. The hues, the light, the aromas, and the words of encouragement written on the wall.

When told to go back in time and look at the beginning of everything during the Mopane' Leaders’ Experience Retreat, that's when I realized that something terrible had happened to me in the past.

The washing of my feet drew me to a place of self-introspection, I started to think about why I give out so much. I realized that I was fighting myself and that I was proving to others because of the words that they had used to abuse me, which were

In the course of the past three days, I came to the realization that God owns my heart. I am a powerful being

within myself. I am not a child; rather, I am life.

My body is unique, and my heart is good; together, they help me to always remember where I came from and where I am now. And in addition to that, to have the ability to create, tell me encouraging things because no one else will do that for me. I will be going back to my house with a clear head and feeling connected. This time away has been very beneficial to me. My mind and my soul have been expanded as a result of it. Thank you!

When asked, ‘what do you desire the most?’, I felt my heart come alive for a moment. I felt like I was going to explode. I had forgotten about the restlessness in my spirit and the need to be free through the pursuit of my most authentic desires, love, and happiness in all aspects of myself as I move forward in the pursuit of the success I require. Covering me in love, which resurrected and refueled all of me so that I could go back to the drawing board and figure out who I am and how I can best fortify and protect my desires amidst the life I live and exist in.

My beliefs and the values of my culture were particularly well reflected in the fireplace, which is one of the reasons why it stood out to me. I've finally come to terms with the fact that despite our divergent worldviews, all roads ultimately lead to the same blazing fire.

I had a sense of love and peace. The quality of the food was exceptional. The Mopane` Leaders' Experience Retreat was extremely beneficial to me. The lessons on health and wellness were excellent. The meaning of love, as well as the concepts of identity and self-love, became significantly clearer to me as a result of this experience.

The mood was consistently relaxing throughout the Mopane` Leaders' Experience Retreat that we were attending. On Earth Day, we reconnected with the natural world by spending time outdoors, breathing in the crisp air, and admiring the lush vegetation.

The fire session was a significant event for me because it had the potential to bring about a change in the way my life would unfold. In addition to this, it helped me heal both mentally and physically by instilling a sense of community. See more

The Mopane retreat came at an ideal moment for me. I loved that I was given the opportunity to pause and think about myself. It was awkward at first since I hadn't given myself enough time.

Our intrinsic value is determined by how we perceive ourselves in comparison to others and in connection to the world in which we live. I learned that if I don't feel I matter for what I offer to the table in terms of traits, talents, attitudes, and beliefs, no one else will. See more

The Mopane leaders' experience retreat was mind-blowing and life-changing. The retreat benefited my mind, body, and spirit, and I don't regret the time I spent there.

Constant demands, a demanding schedule, and never-ending ambitions to fulfil frequently compel us to cut corners and take shortcuts that harm our physical, mental, and spiritual health in the long term. At the retreat, I learned how vital it is to make time in my hectic schedule to relax, rejuvenate, and recharge my energies, as well as to balance my body, mind, and soul on a regular basis. See more

I had the most amazing time of my life. The retreat was exceptionally well-organized, inviting, and full of opportunities for learning and self-connection.

I was able to recognize, accept, and love myself for who I am. I learned how to love myself and why it mattered during the retreat. Self-love, I learned, is accepting myself completely, treating myself with compassion and respect, and nurturing my growth and welfare. This entails not just how I treat myself but also how I think and feel about myself. See more

I've been to a number of leadership retreats, but none compare to this. I appreciate your invitation and will be eternally thankful. Everything we did throughout the retreat was wonderful and enjoyable to me. Morning workouts: I loved them and planned to continue working out to keep my body in good shape. Before the retreat, I was struggling to find the time to exercise. It was hard to find the time and motivation to work out between family, errands, sleep, and, ideally, hobbies and relaxation. Wedging an hour of structured physical activity into my day felt nearly impossible at times -- and it also felt worthless when conventional wisdom told me to exercise at the crack of dawn (no thanks). See more

This may take a whole day, but to sum it up, the Mopane' Leaders’ Experience Retreat may have marked a new beginning for me!

“Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.” ~Carl Bard

At the retreat, I learned that each day of my life is a fresh beginning, not only the first of the year. I am committed to making new resolutions daily and any day is appropriate for doing so. Every day represents the start of a new, better, and happier life for me. See more

In ways I can't express, the Mopane' Leaders’ Experience Retreat was both soothing and self-revealing. It isn't easy to pinpoint what needed to be changed or improved because it is still occurring in subtle ways and processes.

Today, I'm a different person. I'm content, healthy, and aware of my life's mission. Even though I still have good and terrible days, I no longer feel lost. Rather than battling life, I'm learning to flow with it. I began to accept responsibility for my behaviour and sought to comprehend the implications of my thoughts and feelings. If you want to self-heal, I feel you must accept this. See more

First and foremost, I can't explain everything that happened during this retreat because words are too small to describe it. However, the experience was so unique that I pray that I can be a part of it again and again.

Building to the retreat, the communication and coordination were impeccable. As we were preparing to start our journey to The Mopane’ Leaders’ Experience Retreat, safety measures were communicated, and the CivSource team was quick to recommend where the covid tests could be carried out. Proof of their concern for our health. A very thoughtful thing to do. See more

The major high for me at the Mopane’ Leaders’ Experience Retreat was the fire experience, where we connected to each other deeply. It gave us a sense of hope. The beginning of a new chapter and closing another is something that will always stay with me. There’s a whole new beginning that’s waiting once a chapter of life closes. Indeed, endings aren't easy, but somehow, we will learn to stop peeking at the footprints left behind and be excited about what is yet to come. See more

As commitments overlapped on my calendar and emails crowded my inbox, physical stress quietly building up in my body. I didn't realize the tightness in my jaw, involuntary squeezing of my stomach muscles, or that my shoulders were reaching for the ceiling. Sound familiar? The invitation to the Mopane’ Leaders’ Experience Retreat was an opportunity to take a moment and surrender to complete relaxation. See more

Mopane’ Leaders’ Experience Retreat is not a retreat for leadership. It is a space where one feels the love flourishing every day without discrimination. I learnt that sometimes it is so challenging to love ourselves. We have been raised in a society that didn’t teach us about self-love. At the retreat, I learned that self-love is one of the best things I can do for myself. See more

Around June 2020, I received a phone call from a very good friend asking if I had some time over the weekend, and indeed, I was free. She spoke to me about this retreat opportunity for women leaders, and given my passion for such growth spaces, I felt like, why not? I immediately signed up. It was very timely! Before this, I had a very hectic first half of the year, and in that particular month, I had just left a job that I felt I needed to think through well before opting to stay permanently. I had mental and emotional fatigue. Yet, I was involved in all these leadership spaces where I had to deliver. It's like I needed a cave to run into, find myself and then return to life. See more

I liked the whole experience of stepping out of Kampala coming to an Island location to learn and learn about myself. The retreat was the most amazing and learning experience for me. For once I don’t have to feel bad and beat myself up for not being online (slave to the internet) I like the fact that I did not have to spend a lot of time on my phone due to the internet connections. The retreat venue is indeed a getaway space to meet self. This whole experience taught me to stay away and not to always be on my phone. See more

MOPANE’ LEADERS’ EXPERIENCE RETREAT “The Hospital with the Best Doctors”

“I don't want to get into the Mopané Leaders' Experience Retreat program's program content because it will require me to make a movie out of it to allow you to feel what we felt about every item on that program. Probably, Prisca Amongin, a writer by profession (one of the retreat participants and now alumni), will help us write a book with illustrations. See more

The Mopané Women’s Leadership Experience Retreat – womankind that aligns inner acumen whilst unwinding

“As my day's programs were falling in place, it took a phone call from an acquaintance for me to make a spontaneous decision and launch out on a cruise to a four-day adventure at the Lakeside Escape in the company of calm and collected ladies. See more

MY EXPERIENCE AT THE Mopané LEADERS’ EXPERIENCE RETREAT

Not so long ago a very close friend that I respect invited me to the Mopané Leaders’ Experience Retreat. I was hesitant, I thought to myself who just invites you for a retreat. That is what came to mind. When I read through the profile, I honestly needed it. But I did not know how it was going to work out. See more

Where do I start from!!! It is lifetime experience that I got!
Before I knew it was the PLOT for me, in came the THEME and finally, the ACTION!

It all started with a phone call from a friend asking if I would be interested in taking part in a Women Leader's Retreat organized by CivSource Africa on the given dates. Immediately, I thought it was something I should give a go at since I needed some time to relax and unwind. See more

My experience with the Mopané Leadership retreat was life changing, amazing and perfectly achieved. When I received the email from CivSource Africa, it filled me with excitement. The CivSource Africa team kept communicating with us and updating us on what we needed to get ready for the retreat. Preparation came easy to me due to all the support and guidance from the CivSource Africa Team. See more

I was given a “gift of life” when I attended this leadership retreat. The Mopané Leaders’ Experience Retreat was something I didn’t really expect. I have attended several leadership trainings, but none prepared me for this personal reflection. I was able to concentrate on me as a person and find my grounding points, I was given room to appreciate the person I am and the person I aspire to be. The experience enabled me to re-commit to the kind of person I want and need to be See more

Mopane retreat is not just a treat but also a therapy and remedy to stress. A relaxing space where one can share and declare her ‘womanity’ in a new body structure full of love.

When I was invited for the retreat, I imagined how the retreat would be and look like; however, I was very optimistic and positive about the program. When I reached at the retreat venue, the setup, the melodic welcome at the lake shores was unique, making me feel loved with lots of butterflies flowing over me. See more

When I first received a call inviting me for the Mopan Leaders’ Experience Retreat, I was confused to what it was about. But, I did not hesitate to say YES. Because for me, anything that brings me into a room with fellow women to discuss something developmental is worth a very quick yes. See more

It is a little over a month since my Experience Retreat! This surprise invitation for female leaders came very early one morning. The minimal content was irresistible: “an opportunity to rest, reflect and recharge”! I needed this badly! I imagined minimal lecture-based sessions for our time together.

To my surprise, the retreat was, simply put, a demonstration of tools. Gifts. Sleep. Exercise. Mirror. Meditation. Nature. Visualisation. Questions. Gratitude. Affirmations. Ceremonies, and many more. The difference between a lecture and a demonstration site, is that all the senses are engaged by the latter. See more

The times we live in today is very unpredictable. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the experience retreat team for giving me an opportunity to rest, relax, reflect, and rejuvenate amidst the pandemic. The retreat was exactly what I needed.

I was/have been pushed to think beyond surviving, I now look at pushing for wellness of my mind, spirit, and body. A lot of who I am has been struggling for acceptance and swirling through living with rejection for survival thus affecting my work, and social wellbeing, plus I have run away from myself long enough. See more

I came for the Mopane retreat with great expectations, because someone I know had shared with me about their experience, and I have been following her positivity in life.

I came beaten by the world, feeling rejected, a failure and non-achiever. These had eaten me up because all I was seeing were many unaccomplished tasks and projects, a political journey gone bad, and these had grounded me.

Not to get your readers bored, my coming for this retreat has got me back onto my feet and nothing excites me like knowing that I have a ‘KEY’ to my life and that my life is constantly under construction. Knowing that am under construction and that there’s always something to improve comforted my soul, spirit, and body. I learnt that I need be me, whether things do not go the right way in my life at any one moment but keep myself in check for a balanced body, spirit, and soul. Read more

‘A kingly life is your birthright. Embrace it now!’

‘You deserve good people and good things. And they deserve you too.’

Those have been my thoughts and meditations from the time I crossed Lake Victoria from Lakeside Escape Resort, back to Kampala.

For a long time, I have lived my ideal life in my head and always postponed it for later, ‘when I get there.’ At the Mopane retreat, I had the luxurious opportunity to pause, disconnect from the hustle and bustle of life so I could meet with all of me, body, soul and spirit. And I am grateful to God that I could afford such a luxury of time. Read More

I was not sure what to expect. My expectations were neither here nor there. I wondered if this was going to be another one of those trainings where they lecture you about leadership.

Well Mopané Leaders’ Experience Retreat, was a surreal, out of this world experience. Rather than lecture you on how a leader should behave, they help you find and empower the leader in you. Read more

I had always wanted to be part of the Mopane Leadership retreat. So, receiving an invitation email from CivSource Africa was exciting.

I really had a good experience at the retreat as I interacted with inspiring women from all walks of life, different backgrounds, different ages, different professions with lots of knowledge to share. Trust me, I learnt a lot from them as many challenged and inspired me to be a better version of myself. I loved the challenge. Let me share my testimony. Read More

The wonderful journey started with blessings from the Almighty with a shower of rain while I and my colleagues waited for the boat to a destination across the waters that would be a turning point in my life.

It is so easy to just live in this life with a lot of self-blame, resentfulness hate, unhappiness and insecurities owing to what you experience in life. Circumstances keep you bondage in your own body and you become a prisoner in your own body. See more

I healed! Let me tell you about this healing. Grab a chair sit calm, hear yourself breathe, catch your breath and on your third breath read along. (chuckles away)

The Mopané leadership experience retreat was nothing short of my expectations. I follow CivSource Africa online and the moment they announced the Leadership retreat, I sighed and promised myself that I would be a part of it one day. See more

My Testimony:

Stepping into that threshold was the most amazing thing about joining a whole bundle of cheerleaders.

Through the three days journey, I learnt to appreciate the laughter, the serene vibe, the home, and the sisterly roll. It was indeed worth the journey. See more

This retreat was something I really needed. I had the much-needed alone time. I was craving to sift through the stuff in my "basement". I was able to see things through a much clearer lens and make sense of them. In a nutshell, the retreat helped me offload and recharge myself. See more

First, I would like to thank you for having given me the opportunity to be part of this unforgettable and enriching experience. It was truly worth it. It was very relaxing, the venue amazing and calming. CivSource Team, you know how to give it your all. Thank you!  More

Today, my phobia for water has given me a wonderful experience! A memorable ride. This ride to Lakeside Escape Hotel, after getting off the Kampala – Mukono highway is mostly through woods on a marram road, aside from the occasional homesteads I can see through my dim headlights. The road is narrow and the car severally kisses the undergrowth which protrudes from the woods. I raise my door glasses in case of reptiles as I wheel through the bends that wind their way into the depth of the silent woods. More

Before the experience, I felt blocked, stuck and confused. I felt stuck in my journey as an entrepreneur, transformative leader, and CEO. I wondered if I was pursuing my life’s purpose. If it was all worth it for Amek. If I was happy and satisfied doing the work, I did. I was scared of achieving the dreams I once had, built, planned and hoped to achieve. More

My name is Doreen. I have never had the kind of experience I had at the Women’s Retreat. I am grateful, so grateful. I drove into Lakeside Escape, at 8:30 pm blank in regard to expectation and yet full of several unsettling thoughts regarding my personal ambitions, work and workplace. I had so much negativity weighing on me. More

The past years have been tough, heavily burdened, filled with emotional, physical, spiritual and psychic shifts which pushed me to hard places filled with painful, chronic fatigue and burnout.

During this retreat, I experienced positive energies which helped me out of the trapped burnout. It helped me challenge the myth that leaders must always be strong and selfless because everyone depends on us, and we cannot afford to have a “breakdown”. More

My thoughts were everywhere. I had forgotten what keeps me grounded. Forgotten that running sets me free. Personal prayer keeps me sane. I carried these unprocessed thoughts to work, family, friends and yes I got the results of these thoughts. Shouting and quarrelling to get myself heard better were among the results. Getting out of bed was a hustle for me; I have always been an earlier riser. More

I can't thank you enough for the things I gained from the extremely informative and inspiring retreat because it was incredibly useful and it came at the perfect moment in my life. Exactly when I needed it the most.

Previously I felt so empty and disconnected from myself. However, the retreat helped me question my life's purpose, my energies and my soul's desires. I now feel more grounded and optimistic because I managed to burn or get rid of my Oh Shit! moments that were hindering my success and certainly pulling me down. More

I am still perplexed at how little I knew about myself and how poor I was at managing my entire ecosystem. For the first time in my life I woke up after the retreat and checked in with my body to assess how I was feeling. I never did that and didn’t know how to do it. For many years I had a fixed routine, of simply waking up (whether up to it or not), pray and hit the ground running More

I bring you greetings from Gulu. It's hot, it's breezy but beautiful as ever.

The retreat healed me!!! I found a family in the sisters I met, the love from Civsource team and most importantly Hope's teaching.

I went to the retreat amidst the worst bout of depression ever. I was hurting. I had given up. Looking into my life in the past helped me confront my deepest, darkest fears.

The last decade was transformational for me. I can't really say I planned all the things I accomplished. Most of them happened almost by chance. And as the years rushed by, I found myself stuck in fear whenever I considered that I would not survive this next decade on the same luck. Then I saw the advert for a Retreat of Female Leaders. Instinctively, I just knew this was it. This was the way to start a decade! The name was quite intriguing; "The Experience"! More

I loved the no gym exercises. I have continued to do them. Set of 2*20! The apology letter to my body parts was an eye opener. I am using the breathing exercises several times a day. They center me. I also have learnt techniques to silence voices of negativity that threaten to drown my creativity. More

Eighteen female lawyers from the Uganda Law Society gathered for The Experience, a leaders’ retreat organized by CivSource Africa. After braving the rain and travelling by boat and land to an exotic secluded location in Mukono, the evening started with a conversation around a fire. More

The Retreat re-introduced me to the idea of having conversations with self, which I had neglected for over 5 years. I judged myself harshly without reflecting on its impact on my emotions, body, family, friends and career. I can say I was reborn. I am taking baby steps in fulfilling my dreams while passing on what I learnt to those willing to lend a listening ear. I have a sister with whom I chat daily and do not fear sharing my weaknesses with her. Some things happen for a reason, and I will never doubt why I met ‘the witch’ in 2019!

The Executive Directors' retreat was such an amazing New Year's gift to me. I had the opportunity to connect with amazing ladies doing amazing work. Being able to share my story and speak about my challenges made my heart feel so light and at ease. The retreat made me appreciate the need to exercise regularly and take care of myself first before others, keeping in mind that we can't give what we don't have. We can never empower another person if we are not empowered ourselves. Thank you, Hope Chigudu, the facilitator, for the wonderful person you are; I wish I had met you 10 years earlier! But it’s never too late, I am glad I did at the retreat. My tomorrow must be greater than today.

In many ways, my work involves being on the frontline, being the face, and having to show up. But what that really means is that I have to show up with the full awareness of who I am and where I am with whatever is in front of me. If I am to truly give my best effort to my work, I need self-reflection. These are not necessarily things that we learn at school, and having spent a longer time in the academia than in organization management, I have felt the imbalance quite often and not had the tools to make a proper self-assessment.

Participating in the EDs Retreat was one of the greatest gifts for me for 2019! I discovered that I had a lot of self-pity for myself given my previous vulnerable background. However, during the sharing sessions, I felt the power within me to change all the circumstances around me including to stop blaming my relatives who actually had played a big part in making the person I am today.

The retreat gave me an opportunity to be in a space that was full of so much positive energy, and an atmosphere to be ‘me.’ Listening to the wonderful ladies doing a lot of incredible work made me appreciate, much more, the power of women in making lives of people meaningful and beautiful. The moderator opened us up in a manner I could never have imagined and connected us to each other in a way that was so sweet and sisterly. We were people from diverse backgrounds but we connected so well as individual women, as Ugandans. Everyone was so helpful, I was so challenged.

It is often said that “It’s lonely at the top” and as a leader, I identify with that saying. Executive Directors in the nonprofit sector can sometimes feel isolated and this retreat enabled us to create an effective peer network to share experiences, empower, encourage and learn from each other. Getting to spend a few days away together as leaders and reflect on our leadership journeys and take the opportunity of the new year as a fresh start to challenge ourselves to do, be and lead better in 2019, was a blessing.

The retreat’s timing at the beginning of the year was nothing short of perfect. It was a great time to reflect on the past year and make commitments towards a more fulfilling 2019. The beautiful, serene environment was the cake; the facilitator, Hope, plus the wonderful women present, the cherries on top. I loved hearing everyone’s story and understanding how their experiences wove to make them the people they are today.

The EDs Retreat was a much welcome escape from the buzz of the holiday season. It provided the perfect downtime to reflect and re-orient my goals - both personal and professional goals for 2019. It was a good space to meet like-minded Ugandan women shaping the future of our country, and I know that our future is in good hands. I learnt that I will need to take time to ‘pause,’ to be aware of my energy points and, accordingly, work on dialling them up or down; to focus on self-care and spend more time on self-reflection.