Why Arise????

Yesterday we gathered together as family, friends, service providers and well wishes to thank God for the far we have come as a business. 

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Many of the people that attended asked several questions but the one that was asked multiple times was, ‘Are you Sseko or Arise?’ And if Arise, why the name Arise Kollection.

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Tough question for because both names are dear to me. But today let me focus on Arise:

I had about 6 names to choose from to name my new company, the others I will not mention here . One of those names was Arise, just Arise. You will excuse me, but I pray about most of the things I embark on. So I begun asking God which name I had to use among the 6.

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On one night I received Isaiah 60:1, I had read this scripture before but never pondered about it. At 3am that night I opened my Bible and read it and saw the word Arise.

““Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”

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I called my friend the next day in Washington and he said, you’re crazy, he didn’t approve. I got discouraged.

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About 2 months in, I was still not sure about the name . I received an invitation from the Speaker of the Ugandan parliament for the annual national prayers for the Ugandan Day of Independence and their theme was ARISE and BUILD. I was energized that I had to Arise and build plus different guests talked about coming out of ruins and rebuilding.

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After the breakfast prayer meeting, I said Lord, this is it, no body knows Arise but I am growing this brand with you.

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After being energized, I went to register the name at the Company Registrar and they declined it and noted that they had several NGOs with Arise Foundation blah blah.

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This crushed my confidence and I went back to zero.

I shared with my sister, friend and business partner Hope Balash Mak about it and she said let’s pray, she also said I love the name. She encouraged me to go on with it.

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While in Texas, USA in Jan 2023, I printed my Arise stamping brands and returned to Uganda with them. The name was not approved for the company, yet I had branding heads and putting them on our products. I told God, if you chose Arise, please come through.

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On May 1st 2023, my lawyer called me and said the Registrar of companies had approved ARISE KOLLECTIONS. Best news on Labors Day.

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Between days and weeks, I had fears and doubts if people will ever like our products without our old name. I grew weary and anxious and when I turned to the lord, I got Isaiah 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

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I have seen dry days where I wasn’t sure of the next employee’s pay checks, monthly taxes, meals for the ladies, name it but I have also seen the lord approve the name ARISE multiple times.

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On June 3rd, I received friends who are business owners and are faith driver as well, Daniel Ololia, Wilter Ololia of Tiva water, Ps Moses and his wife of Victory city Church Rubanga, Ps Makubi of Sumuna church, CEO Doreen and Andrew of ETA who prayed with us and 2 of them said the lord had directed them to share Isaiah 60. I received the confirmation.

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When Madeline Grace Tipton embarked on bringing Arise to life in branding, she didn’t leave any stone unturned. We are grateful to the branding work she put into every detail to bring our brand to life: our brand colors, font, patterns, logos, themes, name it. Madeline nailed it.

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2 weeks ago before our anniversary, I received another text message from a friend Deborah S. Hanson who shared that Crowned Free had launched Arise and Shine T-shirts and she wanted to bless my team. She shipped 5 of them from the US to me and they arrived early enough for me and my team to wear on our big day celebrating the one year aniversary of being an independent company.

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What is that new thing that you need to embark on? May be your peers and loved ones are not perceiving it now; keep pushing, keep looking into the little details and the answers are right there within you. I encourage you today to Arise and Build it.

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New Name, same great commitment of empowering women through dignified jobs while creating beautiful and functional products.

-Agnes Netunze