Emmanuel Eratu is a born of Acilo cell, Alengo Parish, Atiira Sub County in Serere County, Serere district. His dad, Eric Okiror, was a celeb back in the days at Delta FM. He was commonly known as ‘Esawa Lo Emoyo’ because of his spiritual Radio Program at that station
His dad is also the man behind the Catholic Hymn book ‘KOPOTU KETUROTO’ generally used through Teso Diocese.
ERATU VERBATIM:
My mother is Asao Grace and are happily married and both are song writers, composers and singers. They taught me how to sing and play musical instruments (Guitar, Keyboard etc) just as they did to the rest of the family members. I am a second born in a family of 8 children; 6 boys and 2 girls. I started singing at an early age and my rich and educative lyrics attracted a wider audience including BBC, Voice of Africa Music competetion and later the Guardian Newspaper UK, which interviewed and published my works in Teso following an interview with one of their journalists who travelled all the way to Soroti.
THE RISE OF ERATU
Eratu became an icon for the youth allover Teso and beyond as he engaged in running Youth Programs in Primary, Secondary Schools, Tertiary Institutions and Universities as well as Youth out of school which later took him beyond the boundaries of Uganda to The Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, UK before coming back home to embark on community development projects in Serere District.
EDUCATION
Eratu went to Atiira Primary School for his P1 to P.5, then moved to Kampala due to insurgency in Teso. He enrolled at St.Peter’s Boys Primary School, Nsambya for his P.6, Police Children’s School Nsambya for P.7, where he sat for his PLE and passed in Division one with 6 aggregate.
Reason for moving from St. Peters Boys Nsambya to Police Children's School Nsambya, was because they had music as a subjec. He went on to win the best Instrumentalist in the National Music Festival for Nakawa Division.
"I was admitted to Teso College Aloet for my S1, but due to the insurgency in Teso then, I went to Old Kampala SS and later Soroti SS for S2-S4 respectively.
For ‘A’ level I went to Soroti Central Secondary School. While there I campaigned and won the Entertainment Prefect position.
I got my Diploma in SWASA at Nsamizi Training Institute. While there I served as Guild Speaker, then Speaker TESDA and Councilor for Mandela Hall. Nsamizi now offers Degree Programs affiliated to Makerere University.
I got another Diploma in New Evangelization (youths Pathway) at Maryvale Institute of Religious Sciences-UK which I acquired while working in the UK. I enrolled at Makerere University for a Bachelor of Development Studies," Eratu bragged.
RESPONSIBILITIES HELD AT SCHOOL
- Guild Speaker- Nsamizi Training Institute of Social Development
- Speaker Teso Students Development Association (TESDA) - Nsamizi
- Entertainment Prefect- Soroti Central Secondary School
WORK EXPERIENCE
- Regional Coordinator Youth Alive Uganda (Eastern Region) for over ten years
- National Theater Arts Coordinator – Youth Alive Uganda Head Office
- Assistant Youth Outreach Program- Ireland and the UK
- Project Officer USAID funded Project for Youth Eastern Region- CEREDO
- Director Child Development Program- Africa Renewal Ministries
- Counselor/Interviewer –Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) project in Partnership with Uganda Prison Service
- Project Officer Global Fund- African Evangelistic Enterprise
- Program Coordinator Strome Foundation Funded Project- African Evangelistic Enterprise
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS IN SERERE DISTRICT
- Water and Sanitation - Constructed a deep borehole at Alengo Primary School
- Education- Constructed a Three Classroom Block at Acilo Township Primary School (the best in the District)
- Established School Feeding Program in Acilo Township and Alengo Primary Schools since 2014 to date.
Feeding 1,600 students daily (Porridge at Break time and Lunch time)
- Supported Sports and games activities in Primary Schools
- Supported Construction of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Apokor- in Atiira Sub County (Olio Parish) and donated chairs for the church.
- Supported Family health improvement program in partnership with Nsamizi Training Institute for Social Development
- Family Education workshops for Married couples
- Mobilized communities for improvement of Community Access Roads Including Eratu Road
- Founder, Community Support for Children in Need Uganda (CBO)
MUSIC
Singer, Song writer, Producer
Use of music to address social, cultural, education, family, religious and community related matters
Some of the songs I composed Include:
VISION FOR SERERE COUNTY 2021-2026
I have determination to make Serere Great again and a role model for Teso. With over 10 years of experience working with Youths, I have a very far reaching program for the youth of Serere, the elderly and all communities in general that I won’t mention right now. My focus is on Youth Empowerment, Education, Family Health Improvement and community development
