ESTHER NAMPIJJA REGINA, KAMPALA.
HR Manager, Care International, Uganda.
A Human Resource Manager with Care International, Nampijja who describes herself as outgoing and fun loving says she loves her chilled Tusker Malt Lager once in a while.
A resident of Kibuli, a Kampala Suburb, says she had been collecting her crowns, waiting for the ‘right’ time to send them.
Her Story;
I had always watched on TV and read in papers about the Sip Sip Samba Promotion. In the beginning I thought it was not a genuine promotion. When I saw many people winning, I decided to give it a try. So I started collecting my bottle crowns.
I had managed to keep about six. On Heroes Day, I decided to give two of the crowns to my sister because she had pestered me for them. So I told myself, ‘Let me try to be a hero and send these codes. After sending the first one, I noticed I had only been charged Ush100…I imagined, ‘this is really cheap’ so that is how I ended up sending all the four I had remained with.
While interviewing an applicant for a job at my work station, I received four calls in quick succession from a strange number.
I decided to answer just to tell whoever was on calling that I was in a meeting and would get back to them later. ‘Don’t hang up, this is Sip Sip Samba,’ was the response I got. What convinced me was the music in the background. At that moment, I even forgot that there was someone I was interviewing still seated in front of me. I was making a lot of noise in office.
What she plans to do while in Brazil
I have already secured my leave from office. I am only waiting for the day to come. I have read and heard a lot about Brazil’s beaches. I would like to take a stroll along those beaches. I can’t wait for sure.
JOAN NAMAZZI, KAMPALA.
Self-employed, mother of one.
A resident of Cape Munyonyo near Kampala, Namazzi despite participating in the promotion did not believe the news of the win till the Sip Sip Samba crew followed her to her compound.
“You never know…with this Uganda of ours, there are so many conmen. I had even stopped receiving calls from strange numbers,” she says.
While receiving her ticket, the mother of one who owns a cattle farm and agricultural land where she practices farming said it was a dream come true for her.
Her story.
I had been participating in this promotion since the Easter period. Prior to this, I had only won airtime worth USh5,000. Winning that airtime somehow gave me the impetus to continue sending codes.
When I received that call, informing that I was the lucky winner of an air ticket to Brazil, I just refused to believe.
The only thing I had ever won was that air time in any promotion of any kind. With that at the back of my mind, I feared to receive any more phone calls fearing that conmen were after me. But here I am, I have my ticket. In fact I am only waiting for that day.
What she plans to do while in Brazil;
Honestly, I have not really thought about that. I think I will decide when I get there. But top on the list is of course shopping. I have to get some memento for my daughter.
PORTAL NDYOMUGENYI, KASESE.
Company Administrator, Mpora-Geo-Tech Consultants in Kasese.
The 49 year old former civil servant on confirming that he was a winner of the trip to Brazil, decided to travel to Kampala to collect his air ticket.
“The excitement was too much. I just could not wait for them to come over (to Kasese). So I borrowed some money and traveled to Kampala,” he says.
His Story;
I used to watch those draws on TV and I was seeing people winning. I decided to also send because I saw that everybody was winning.
One evening as I was seated at home, I received a phone call informing me that I was a winner. I did not want to begin celebrating because I was not very sure if this was real or simply a hoax.
The people who called, insisted that I was indeed the winner. I reluctantly agreed and then they told me that someone from Uganda Breweries would call me with the details. Later on, I called back that strange number that had called me just to see whether the person would be consistent with the story that they had earlier on told me.
On ascertaining that I was indeed a winner, I started planning to travel to Kampala to collect my ticket.
What he plans to do in Brazil;
First and foremost, this is going to be the first time I am flying out of Uganda, let alone in a plane. I am looking forward to the experience.
I just need time to adjust to this reality. I had never imagined that I would be flying out of Uganda anytime.
IRENE KIBUUKA, GAYAZA, KAMPALA.
Clearing Agent
A mother of two and married to Mr. John Esamai, Kibuuka describes herself as fun loving and is looking forward to the whole experience.
Her Story.
One day while heading home from work, I decided to pass by a bar, asked for a cold Bell Lager. Because I had had a rough day at work, I called for a second one.
I then remembered about the Sip Sip Samba promotion. My husband had been collecting so many bottle crowns with the intention of sending many at once.
So I reluctantly decided to send the codes to 6050. I mean each SMS was only Ush100, so I sent them.
After a few days, I received a call informing me that I was the lucky winner of an all-expense paid trip to Brazil.
Naturally, I did not believe them because I only sent two and won and yet my husband who had been collecting so many for the same reason had won nothing.
On seeing that I had won, my husband is now sending so many codes everyday because he also wants to win. Of course my wish is that he also wins so that we travel together.
With the nature of my job, I have collected goods from the cargo section of an air plane but had never boarded one. I am looking forward to the experience of flying.
What she plans to do while in Brazil;
I am looking forward to the whole experience. I have seen so many magazines and books describing the beauty of Brazil. I want to basically do everything, from shopping to visiting the beaches to sampling their delicacies.
EDWARD LUZIGE,
Cesspool emptier truck operator, Wa’nkoko, Kampala.
Luzige was calmly perched onto a bench when the crew tracked him down to his work place.
When he was informed that we were there to see him, a skeptical and inquisitive Luzige put us to task, asking all sorts of questions, probably trying to eliminate any loop holes before believing this Brazil story.
His Story;
Honestly, I decided to participate in this promotion for fun. In my mind, I thought those people who were winning had insiders at the brewery who tipped the promotion in their favor. Now me here… as you can see the type of work I do, who do I know over there?
I did not want to commence my pre-mature celebrations because I was not sure whether this was a prank or reality.
I cannot believe I will be on a plane to Brazil. I am still recovering from this excitement. I will think about what I will do while there. For now, I am still celebrating.
What he will do while in Brazil;
For me, I just want to have all the fun I can have. This is a once in a life time chance.
PATRICK OKENE, GULU.
Produce dealer, Gulu
An ecstatic Patrick Okene on did not wait for the Sip Sip Samba crew to track him down in Gulu, instead he jumped on the next bus to link up with them in Kampala.
Okene went to different people including the largest UBL depot in Gulu to confirm whether it was really true he was a winner.
His story;
One day, I just made up my mind to send the codes I found under the crown of my beer bottles. I sent five and received instant cash worth Ush15,000. This encouraged me so much because it proved to me that the promotion actually works.
So the next time, I was out with my friends at a party. I bought them beer and kept the crowns. My aim was to win more money. So I sent 35.
Instead of winning cash, I was informed that I had won an air ticket to Brazil. Actually when they called, I was attending to an urgent family problem, so I didn’t answer the call.
So I received a text message telling me it was the Sip Sip Samba crew and that I was the lucky winner of an all-expense paid trip to Brazil. I did not believe it. I stopped doing what I was engrossed in and hurried to get airtime to call back. Afterwards, I went to the depot in Gulu to confirm. The depot manager called Kampala and told me it was true, I was a winner. I just didn’t think twice. I informed my aunt I was traveling to Kampala and that she should make preparations for the process of securing a passport for me.
What he plans to do while in Brazil;
I don’t know… I will just enjoy whatever I see over there. I am so excited. In fact, I do not have the right words to express how I feel at the moment.