Rotary Club of Akright City · Uganda

I Walk So Others
Can Rise

Mbanda Shyaka has walked over 2,000+ kilometres across Uganda — for mental health, peace, disabled children, and refugee dignity. He just finished 400+km on foot to fund a church in Kasese. TEDx speaker. Rotary peacebuilder. Every step tells a story.

❤️ Support the Cause 📖 See The Finished Journey
Featured in Nile Post · AllAfrica · Daily Monitor · New Vision · TEDxLubowa
2,000+
KM Walked
8
Major Journeys
70M+
Ishekye Fund Raised
92→64
KG Transformation
12+
Years Impact
TEDx
Speaker
The Mission

One Walk Down. The Mission Continues.

Faith In Motion is complete — target smashed, church still counting on support. What's actually happening now is Holistic Health: an ongoing community learning to rise the way he did, and a book telling the story of how he got here.

✅ Faith In Motion · Completed 31 July 2026

Mission Accomplished — Target Smashed

Mbanda Shyaka walked solo from Akright City to Rwembyo, Kasese District, to fund the completion of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He set out to walk 345km. He walked 400+km — 13 walking days, 19 calendar days, a police stop mistaken for a guerrilla sighting, and a brass-band welcome into Kiburara. The church community's fundraising target is UGX 414 million; every contribution still counts.

345
KM Target
400+
KM Walked
13
Walking Days
19
Calendar Days

The full day-by-day journal — the domestic-violence encounter he stepped into near Mabaale, the police stop over a selfie stick near Kibara, the Hope Heavens school he's now championing, the brass band at Kiburara, all of it exactly as he wrote it — lives on its own page so it doesn't turn this homepage into an endless scroll.

📖 Read The Full 19-Day Story → 🙏 The Church Still Needs Support →
🔥 Happening Now
Ongoing Community

Holistic Health, For Everyone — No Age, Religion Or Background Required

Faith In Motion is done — the agenda now is Holistic Health: collective support and encouragement for people of every age, faith and walk of life. Phoenix Rising lives day-to-day as a WhatsApp community, and regularly gathers in person for Qigong & breathing retreats.

Every retreat includes
  • A guided Qigong & breathing session for body and mind
  • Light, healthy shared meals
  • A human bio-energetics talk
  • Personal transformation stories from past walkers
  • Connection with a genuinely supportive community
✅
Just Wrapped
New Season Refresher · 19 Sept 2026 · The Treehouse, Entebbe
💵
Typical Fee
Around UGX 185,000 · early-bird pricing usually available
📅
Next Retreat
Date TBC — register interest and you'll be personally alerted
Sponsor A Community Member's Seat →
📖 Coming Soon

The Book Is On The Rails

Requested by more than one reader of these journal entries: a proper book — the 400+km trek, the people met along the road, the lessons in holistic health — told in full. "Book will come in its time. It is definitely on the rails," Shyaka confirmed in August. No release date yet; register your interest below and you'll be first to know when it lands. All proceeds are intended to support his charitable work.

Notify Me When It's Out →
The Journey

2,000+ Kilometres. One Mission.

From personal transformation to national impact — every walk tells a story.

~2020 · The Genesis
Personal Transformation Ignites a Mission
During lockdown, weighing 92kg and battling anxiety, Mbanda embarked on radical self-improvement — exercise, meditation, Qigong. Inspired by Elitom Elamin. Dropped to 64kg. The Walking Rotarian was born.
Feb 2023 · 80 KM
Kisoro → Kabale
First mental health awareness walk. Addressed Rotaractors and Rotary Club of Kabale.
July 2023 · TEDxLubowa
"From Unhealthy to Unstoppable"
Delivered a TEDx talk on personal transformation and holistic health advocacy.
Sept 2023 · 150 KM
Masaka → Akright City
Maiden long-distance trek for mental health. Addressed Uganda Martyrs University students.
April 2024 · 370 KM
Jinja → Busia → Kampala
Largest mental health awareness walk. Addressed Rotary Clubs of Jinja and Busia along the route.
Nov 2024 · 310 KM · 70M UGX Raised
Magic Steps → Ishekye Primary School
Raised 70M UGX for modern kitchen, water tank, solar lighting, and safe walkways for disabled children. Flagged off by former Rotary District 9211 Governor Kenneth Mugisha.
Dec 2024 – Jan 2025 · 300 KM
Walk for Peace: Nakivale → Makerere
Peace walk from Nakivale Refugee Settlement to Makerere University, commemorating visit of Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick. Flagged off by former District 9213 Governor Mike Ssebalu.
Since 2025 · Ongoing
Phoenix Rising Community Launches
One-day Qigong & transformation retreats begin at Life Beach, Busabala — turning his personal method into a recurring community. See next retreat →
13–31 Jul 2026 · 400+ KM · Completed
Faith In Motion: Rwembyo Church Construction
13 walking days, Akright City to Rwembyo, Kasese — a 345km target smashed with 400+km actually walked. Brass band welcome into Kiburara, special Mass at Nsenyi Parish. Read the full story →
28 Jul 2026 · En Route
Hope Heavens Community School, Kibara
A detour during Faith In Motion surfaced a new cause: a school being built from nothing by a 27-year-old social entrepreneur. Shyaka is now championing it to fellow Rotarians. Read what he saw →
Date TBC · ~290 KM · Coming Soon
Return to Ishekye: A Walk of Impact
Returning from Akright City to Ishekye to witness the transformation. Learn more →
Ongoing · Target: 500M UGX
Walking for Rehabilitation · Butabika Hospital
Raising 500M UGX for renovation of the Teenage and Adolescents Centre at Butabika National Mental Health Referral Hospital.
On The Rails · Coming Soon
The Book: Faith In Motion
A memoir telling the full trek in his own words, requested by readers of the WhatsApp updates as it happened. Register interest →
2,000+
KM Walked
8
Journeys
70M+
Ishekye Fund Raised
92→64
KG Transform
12+
Years Impact
TEDx
Speaker
Fuel The Next Kilometre →
🚶 Photo pending — add from the Admin Panel
(Content → About Photo)
The Walking Rotarian

Mbanda Shyaka

A Rotary peacebuilder and transformation coach who turned personal crisis into a national movement. During the 2020 lockdown, weighing 92kg and battling addiction, Mbanda embarked on a radical journey of self-improvement — Qigong, meditation, exercise. He dropped to 64kg and decided to walk that same path for others.

12+ years in social mobilisation. 2,000+ kilometres walked. 70M UGX raised for disabled children, plus a church in Rwembyo funded on foot. A TEDx talk that captivates. A Rotary Peace Fellow nominee. And a vision: that walking, the simplest human act, can change the world.

"In a world where you could be anything, be healthy. Your personal transformation is the first step towards a healthier, more impactful world."
🚶 Walking Rotarian 🧠 Mental Health Advocate 🧘 Qigong Practitioner 🎤 TEDx Speaker 🌿 Karibu Shop Founder ⚙️ Rotary · Akright City 🕊️ Peace Fellow Nominee
Back Mbanda's Mission →
What's Happening Soon

Return to Ishekye: A Walk of Impact

In 2024, Walking Rotarian raised 70M UGX for Ishekye Primary School for disabled children. Once Faith In Motion reaches Rwembyo, he plans to return on foot from Akright City to Ishekye to witness and document the transformation that funding created.

📅
Start Date
To be announced — after Faith In Motion concludes
📍
Route
Akright City → Sheema District (~290 km)
🎯
Destination
Ishekye Primary School, Sheema District
🏫
The Cause
Documenting education & accessibility impact for children with disabilities
Get Notified & Support Early →
As Featured In

Press & Media

Nile Post
Walk for Peace: Mbanda Shyaka embarks on 300km journey from Nakivale to Makerere University
Read Article →
AllAfrica
Rotary Club of Akright City flags off 310km walk for disabled children in Sheema
Read Article →
Daily Monitor
Featured: Elitom Elamin — the guru who walked 6,700km to Uganda, stayed at Shyaka's home
Read Article →
New Vision
"A Walk for Accessibility" — Uganda's biggest daily featured Rotarian Shyaka Mbanda's walk towards better accessibility for persons with disabilities
View Post →

Figures and press mentions on this page are researched from public sources, not fixed at launch — last checked 25 Sept 2026. Know of coverage or a total we're missing? Tell us via the WhatsApp community or admin panel and we'll add it.

Featured Here? Help Fund The Next Story →
Join The Movement

🔥 Unbreakable Spirit Challenge

You don't need 300 km to build an unbreakable spirit. Walk 3km daily for 21 days and prove your step counts.

🚶 Walk 3+ km daily 📅 21 days straight 📱 Record & post it 📸 Tag @walkingrotarian

Win a Karibu Shop Care Package — herbal coffee + natural skin care, delivered to you.

Join on Instagram →
#UnbreakableSpiritChallenge
Can't Walk? Sponsor Someone Who Is →
Karibu Shop

Crafted with the Same Spirit

Natural ingredients. Handcrafted with purpose. The same philosophy that fuels the walks.

☕
Herbal Coffee Blends
Unique herbal infusions. The fuel behind every walk.
🧴
Natural Skin Care
Clean, sustainable, powerful. Infused with nature.
💆
Hair Care Collection
Natural hair care crafted for African hair.
Shop Karibu Products → Or Give Directly →
Support the Mission

Every Step Needs Support

Your contribution fuels the walk, feeds the cause, and amplifies the message. 100% goes directly to the mission.

Your Support Powers

  • Completing St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Rwembyo — Faith In Motion
  • Walk logistics — transport, meals, medical support, accommodation
  • Education for disabled children at Ishekye Primary School
  • Mental health awareness across communities along the route
  • Rehabilitation initiatives at Butabika Hospital
  • Digital inclusion kits for refugees at Bidibidi Settlement
  • Media documentation to amplify the message globally
  • Karibu Shop growth — creating sustainable livelihoods
Brand Management & Digital Implementation Partner
HERAD Intercontinental Services Ltd
Plot 443 Rendezvous, Akright Estate, Bwebajja, Uganda
Choose Your Way to Give
MTN
MTN Mobile Money
+256 757 112 376 · Mbanda Shyaka
Airtel
Airtel Money
+256 757 112 376 · Mbanda Shyaka
Sponsoring Faith In Motion? Add "Step / KM / Leg + your name" as the mobile money reference so it reaches the Prayer Book.
— or for international donors —
PP
PayPal
mbandashyaka@gmail.com
🏦
Bank Transfer
Email us for account details
All donations go directly to the mission via Walking Rotarian & HERAD ICS.
For corporate sponsorships (Legs, retreats, or bulk KM sponsorship): mbandashyaka@gmail.com
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