By Pauline Luba

As a child, Aiko Olwit often traveled with her father to their upcountry home in Lira district, northern Uganda. Each time she made the trip, Olwit says she would look with empathy at the kind of life most of the people there led. Some were unable to have more than one meal a day. Others lacked decent clothing; it was not unusual to see people dressed in tattered clothes. 

Could she help such underprivileged people? No. She had no financial means. What she had, however, was empathy. From then, she made up her mind that when she became of age, she would set up a charity to help the less privileged. That resolution kept haunting Olwit that she could not wait to complete school before putting her plan into action.

In 2019, she conceived the idea of starting a non-profit organization. One barrier was that same year, she was a candidate in the Senior Six national examinations. Her parents – Fredrick Olwit and Belinda Sebunya – had misgivings about her timing of starting a charity. However, she persuaded them. Aiko Olwit’s efforts gave birth to Pro Bono, a non-profit organization that creates positive change through outreach programs among youth in high school.  

Sooner than later, Olwit, now a year-two student pursuing a Bachelor of Procurement and Logistics Management at Uganda Christian University (UCU), realized that it was easier said than done. It became difficult for her to multi-task on her academics and run her newly founded baby – Pro Bono. Yet, she soldiered on. 

In 2022, Olwit got her organization registered with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. She says she spent between sh5million and sh7million (about $1,300-$1,800) to launch the organization. She spent the money in producing posters and promotional videos, among other things. 

The project that kick-started the launch of Pro Bono was a students’ activity, where Olwit’s organization partnered with Smart Girls Uganda, to teach students aged 16-18, from Kabojja International School and Aga Khan High School how to make reusable sanitary pads. Smart Girls Uganda is a non-profit, girl-centered organization that empowers and mentors girls to speak out, be decision makers and create visionary change in society.

Pro Bono also engages in drives to promote environmental conservation, as well as empowering youth to develop a reading culture. She said they host a virtual book reading session at 4 p.m. every Sunday.

Olwit, the first born of six siblings, believes that her family has been the bedrock of whatever achievements her organization has registered so far.

“Many people have role models outside their homes, but for me, mine have always been at home,” she  said. “My family members are my source of inspiration.”. 

She attended Kampala Junior Academy for Primary, Gayaza High School and Makerere College School for O’level and A’level, respectively. All the three schools are located in central Uganda.

Aiko Olwit giving a speech at the Budo League Dinner after sealing a partnership with an old students association.

She says it was while at Gayaza High School that she got involved in social activities aimed at improving people’s livelihood in communities. She did this through the Interact and Youth Alive clubs. At Makerere College School, as a student leader, she was tasked with planning students-led initiatives, such as movie nights, and car wash activities, to raise funds for the needy. She said such activities only helped to cement the resolution she made as a child to improve people’s lives, seeing less privileged people struggle to get a livelihood. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Vanessa Kyalimpa
Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) School of Business (SoB) is on a relentless mission to produce entrepreneurs, who “do” more than “talk” business. This new direction, the business school academics believe, will make them produce more relevant graduates for the world of work. As such, the SoB is putting emphasis on students participating in entrepreneurial projects and exhibitions.

“The first thing my colleagues and I agreed on at the UCU School of Business was to start teaching entrepreneurship, and not just talk about entrepreneurship. Those are two different things,” Aston Amanya, a lecturer of entrepreneurship and project planning, stressed.  “Many lecturers teach things that remain on paper and aren’t made practical, which doesn’t help the students.”

The implementation of mandatory exhibitions comes after a curriculum review process at the school.

“This has taken years to kick off,” Amanya said, noting that it took them five years to integrate the practical elements of the course into the existing curriculum.

“Now, every student who pursues a course in entrepreneurship is required to do a project in groups at the start of the semester, and participate in an exhibition towards the end of the semester,” he explained.

For the Trinity Semester, which runs from May to August, the School held its exhibition on July 28 at the International Christian Medical Institute (ICMI) block at the UCU main campus in Mukono. At the exhibition, students showcased entrepreneurial ideas and projects they had been working on throughout the semester.

The participating students were from the courses that form the SoB – Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality, Bachelor of Procurement and Logistics, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics and Bachelor of Business Administration.

Students explain how they make biogas as their project during the entrepreneurship exhibition at the ICMI building at UCU 

Seeing how the school pushed for the practical element to be included into the main curriculum, one might be surprised to learn that teachers were actually giving themselves more work. With the new addition to the curriculum, the academics will be expected to dedicate more time to mentoring the students, and this, sometimes, is not compensated for in terms of overtime payment.

Amanya said they are driven more by the desire to produce students who will go out into the world and create jobs for themselves.

Elsa Basemera, a year-two student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, said the exhibitions helped them to explore their creative and innovative mind. 

“My team members and I spent quite some time discussing what project we were to exhibit,” she said, noting that the ability of their project to solve a community challenge was a key concern.

“In the tropical climate, the challenge of mosquitoes that spread malaria is big,” she explained, giving justification for their choice of the project of making a mosquito repellent. 

“Besides teaching us how to work as a team, we’ve also been able to earn money from this project, so we don’t always have to call home asking for money,” Basemera said.

Other projects that students made and were showcased at the exhibition included a biogas plant, art and crafts, confectionery, candles, petroleum jelly and soap.  

Student Arinaitwe Griffin Eddy said the knowledge they get can support them to earn money  after school, even as they continue to search for jobs.    

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Kefa Senoga
The Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Business (SoB) has become the fourth of UCU’s 11 schools/faculties to have a formalized professional group for all its programs. For the SoB, it’s called a “society.”

For the School of Law, it’s also a society. For the School of Social Sciences, the name is Social Work Association. For the School of Journalism, Media and Communication, the group is the Media Link Association.

On August 2, 2022, the UCU Business Society, which is now the official fraternity unifying all students under the UCU SoB, was launched after tense elections. These were the first elections conducted by the Business Society and organized to usher in a democratic leadership. Ayebare Phillip Bravo emerged as the winner with 76.35%, with Mujuzi Paul Richard at second with 23.65%.

The founding committee members of the UCU Business Society shaking hands with the new committee.

As with all four groups, the rationale for the Business Society is primarily two-fold: Student sense of belonging, and building of skill sets, relationships and connections beyond the classroom.

Giving his speech at the launch, Ayebare discussed the importance of implementing a four-point program as follows:

1. Establishing favorable partnerships both in and out of campus, for example, with other associations in the university, in order to intensify student-related programs.
2. Engaging students in extracurricular and developmental activities (i.e., intensifying sports activities, such as the business league).
3. Advocating robust academic-oriented programs, such as mentorship and career guidance seminars.
4. Ensuring student subscription policy, such as a semester-based mode of payment.

Natasha Alinda, the Vice President-elect of the UCU Business Society, says the student body will promote culture and values of UCU, “policies concerning students of business can easily be passed through our association, which is student-oriented.”

The SoB Dean, Vincent Kisenyi, says that “through this society, students will be able to do a lot of things as students, build their self-esteem, work on the different activities in the school and build that oneness among themselves, hence enjoying their stay at the university.” Kisenyi adds that one of the important ingredients in the UCU Business Society will be a strong business fellowship that will guide students to understand everything is anchored on God.

Ssemakula Musa, the former guild member of parliament (MP) for the SoB and who spearheaded the formation of the society, says that as he was contesting for the position of MP SoB, he noted in his manifesto that he would pioneer the establishment of a body that unifies all students under the SoB.

“Many students were coming to me, requesting for the formation of an association that brings them together,” Ssemakula said. “They always related to the UCU law society, which had demonstrated its visibility at the campus.”

Ssemakula says that it was important to come up with the UCU Business Society due to the fact that there are so many courses under the SoB, for example, Business Administration, Procurement and Logistics, Accounting and Finance, Tourism and Hospitality.

He adds that besides the Business Society encouraging unity and mutual relationship among the students, it is also meant to establish relationships between the students of the UCU SoB and other external stakeholders.

“We are looking at partnerships from bigger business entities like Stanbic Bank, Uganda Revenue Authority, global companies like Coca-Cola,” Ssemakula said. “Therefore, the Business Society will mediate all these processes, beginning with sourcing for students’ internship opportunities in these big companies.”

Ssemakula adds that another core reason for establishing the business society was to create avenues for financial support for students, for example, “we have plans of introducing the 1k campaign to help, in one way or another, our colleagues who may lack tuition.” This campaign will be in addition to UCU’s recent launch of a “For just 10K, Change a Life” campaign, seeking a small donation of 10,000 shillings per person. 

UCU has a process for such groups to be legally recognized by the university. A motion has to be tabled in the house of the students’ guild parliament and if this parliament passes it, then the guild vice-president, who is the guild official in charge of associations, forwards the matter to the Director of Students Affairs, who then presents it to the Vice Chancellor for approval.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Vanessa Kyalimpa
Making jewellery started out as a pastime for Rosemary Ndyemanya Marion. As a young girl, she learned the activity by helping her mother make necklaces and earrings, which she sold to supplement her monthly salary. 

During her Senior Six holidays, she took the activity a notch higher, by starting to make her own jewellery for sale. 

“I often went to town with my mother, to buy the beads and threads and all the other products she needed for her jewellery business,” she narrates. 

On one of the trips, Ndyemanya asked her mother for money so she could also buy what she would use to make her own products. 

“She gave me sh5,000 (about $1.5) and that’s how I started,” said Ndyemanya, a student of Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance in the Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Business. She is in second year of her study at UCU.

Some of the excitement as Stanbic bank announces the winner

When Ndyemanya sensed that she had learned enough about making jewellery and was able to fly alone, she started a company, Anya Wrist. The year was 2021. 

With the business, she has been able to make money. For instance, she says there are months she earns up to sh900,000 ($237) in sales. It is not just the money she is reaping from the business. In July, Ndyemanya won a business start-up challenge in the National Schools Championships that was organised by Stanbic Bank in Uganda. The competition attracted participants from 100 schools.

The award, in a competition where her pitch was the Anya Wrist business, saw her walk home with a prize of sh5million (about $1,300). At the awards gala, a short profile of Ndyemanya’s pitch wowed the event’s chief guest, Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament. In addition to the sh5million, Tayebwa also gave Ndyemanya another sh1million (about $260).  

The competition, in its seventh year, was held under the theme “Empowering Job Creators of Tomorrow.” Upon the selection of the applicants in March, they were taken for a boot camp in April, where Ndyemanya learned valuable lessons, which she believes will be able to make her business grow. The knowledge and skills provided were in the areas of how to grow the business, sell and market products and use the numerous opportunities that social media offers to close the physical gap between the producer and the customer.

“I’m not from a financially stable family,” Ndyemanya said. “My mum is a primary school teacher and my dad is a reverend. In order to make ends meet, my mom would make crafts, soap and wine for sale at church after service.” Ndyemanya thanks God for the opportunity that the Stanbic Bank entrepreneurship challenge offered her.

Just like any student running a business, Ndyemanya is not short of obstacles. “When I’m in school, I find it hard to balance both academics and work, so I find myself having to leave out some orders that need delivery in distant places so I can attend my classes,” she said, noting that she has extra roles as a student leader. At school, Ndyemanya is the student custodian of her hall of residence. 

“During my holidays, though, I give my all to the business, making up for any losses during the semester.”

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Israel Kisakye
Professors from Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, the Netherlands, have shared teaching and learning skills with their counterparts and students of Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) School of Business. 

Johan Henjik and Jaap Mannes from the School of Business, Marketing and Finance at Hanze recently introduced the strategy of student-centered learning, which aims at developing the learners’ autonomy and independence. The student-centered learning approach offers students the chance to choose what they learn and how they learn it, thereby becoming decision-makers in the learning process.

“That approach can have prolific impact on the students’ knowledge and experience,” Jaap said. “There’s a big difference between theory and practice, so there is need to close the gap.” 

Hanze University professors talk about student skill building

Jaap, who is Hanze University’s Director of Internationalization Committee at the School of Business Marketing and Finance, added that under the approach, companies and organisations learn from the students just as the students learn from them. 

The Hanze representatives also emphasized the importance of students applying their classroom-acquired knowledge to create projects for themselves. 

Johan said that he was interested in Hanze University students interacting with those of UCU. One benefit is cultural since many of the Netherlands students “don’t know much about Africa.” 

The duos late June 2022 visit to UCU was courtesy of a partnership that the two universities signed in 2021 to support one another in research, teaching and learning. The agreement reinforces the value of both academic and cultural infusion into university teaching and learning. In mid-April 2022, UCU Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi visited Hanze University, where he interacted with some  UCU students who early this year traveled to the Dutch institution for a six-month exchange program related to the Diploma in International Marketing Management. 

Both UCU staff and students were impressed by the approach of student-centered learning and believe it will help the students connect directly with the industry. 

The Dean of the UCU Business School, Vincent Kisenyi, noted that the approach was more appropriate in the fight against unemployment among university graduates. 

“I can’t wait for us to implement it and test its efficiency,” Kisenyi said. 

Elsie Nsiyona, the Assoc. Dean of the School of Business, said she was excited about the new approach and could not wait to see the results. 

Jonathan Kivuna, a year-three student pursuing Bachelor of Business Administration, said he was already excited about the student-centered approach. 

“There is a lot of practice involved; I think it’s going to benefit students’ business projects,” Kivuna said.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Ivan Tsebeni
“I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” This is a quote attributed in 1929 to German-born physicist Albert Einstein. Had he not been a scientist, he said he would have chosen a career in music. 

In 2022, Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Business student Brian Muwanguzi’s life epitomizes the statements. While he pursues a Bachelors of Tourism and Hospitality Management, he has a passion for music. 

By the time he was age eight, Muwanguzi was already demonstrating musical talent. While a pupil at Ekubo Christian Primary School in Luweero, central Uganda, Muwanguzi exhibited exceptional skills in the school choir, and eventually won a scholarship for the rest of his primary education. 

From Ekubo, Muwanguzi joined Kololo Secondary School in Kampala for O’level, and Bishop Secondary School in Mukono, for A’level. Both schools are in central Uganda.

The first born of five children said he chose to make a mark on the music scene by building his capacity to play a harp-like musical instrument locally called adungu. The arched, nylon-stringed instrument is wooden, with a sound hole provision and normally with a leather covering of animal skin.

When he discovered his love for the adungu, Muwanguzi started spending more time learning how to play the instrument. He had one challenge, though. He did not own one to practice and perform with. However, a few years down the road, Muwanguzi acquired his own adungu. 

“It took me two years to learn how to play the music instrument,” says 24-year-old Muwanguzi. “When I was borrowing the instrument from friends, I would not have enough time with it. It was not until I got mine that I came to fully learn how to play it.”

Muwanguzi’s is a common face at UCU’s Nkoyoyo Hall, mostly during creative arts exhibitions. His music has slowly gained acceptance by the students, and he largely attributes this to the songs having “therapeutic potential.”

Having gone through more than two years of restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, he feels he has a community duty to provide therapeutic melodies, to help people recover from the post-Covid trauma, among other mental health issues, which will eventually inspire psychosocial transformation. He has so far recorded five songs in the studio, and looks forward to releasing an album “soon.”  

What others say:

Martin Kajubi – lecturer
Muwanguzi is a talented and focused student. His outgoing personality has earned him many friends. I’m sure his music will contribute to this community’s transformation. In times such as this, people need something that will help heal their souls of the wounds caused by the destruction of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Esther Asiimwe – classmate
When in the company of Muwanguzi, no one gets bored. His music is highly inspirational and full of hope. 

Mark Walusimbi – student
Music heals! His skill of playing the adungu instrument excites many of us. It is educational and yet kills stress. Whereas some youths find happiness in other avenues, Muwanguzi believes that the best joy is hidden in counseling and serving fellow learners through music. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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By Eriah Lule
From primary school to secondary, and now to university, one thing has been consistent with Gerald Wambalya – leadership. That is why Wambalya’s assumption of duty as the 13th Guild President of the Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Mbale Constituent College did not shock many who have been following his leadership journey.

Students who voted Wambalya into office in the elections held towards the end of 2021 say he was their choice because he is an ambitious and strategic leader. He was described as a leader who identifies problems and is quick to offer solutions.

As Guild President, the 24-year-old is now fully aware of the expectations he carries on his shoulders.

He said he expects to be questioned for anything that goes wrong and to be held accountable for his actions.

For his term of office, Wambalya has promised to liaise with the administration so that some of the policies regarding tuition payment and strict registration deadlines can be reviewed. Currently, the UCU tuition policies impose a fine of sh50,000 (about $15) on students do not meet the deadline for paying full tuition.

“I have a passion to serve the interests of students so they can enjoy their academic life and stay at the college,” he said. 

To achieve the promises that he made in his manifesto, Wambalya hopes to rely on the leadership experience that some of the members of his Guild Government have garnered. For instance, the Speaker of his Guild Government, Joweri Wobeyila, is the District Youth Chairperson of Sironko district in eastern Uganda.

To prepare himself for the top student leader job in the university, Wambalya started off in 2020, by contesting to become a member of parliament in the constituent college. He represented the students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Economics Management, which also was his course. In the same year, he was appointed Guild Speaker. Using the leadership exposure that the two positions had given him, Wambalya in 2021 contested for the highest student leadership office.

He attributes his victory to courage and having a supportive team.

“I got a dedicated team, which helped me mobilize support in such tough times of Covid-19,” he said.

Alfred Musasizi, a second-year student pursing a Bachelors of Business Administration, is confident of the leadership acumen of his new Guild President.

“He is a problem-solver,” Musasizi said.  “Gerald is one of those people you approach with a problem and you are sure to get help.”

Background
Wambalya is the second-born of eight children of Edmond and Robinah Wamurubu,  who live in Mbale district in eastern Uganda. They are subsistence farmers who mainly depend on coffee as a cash crop.

Wambalya says every holiday, he returns home to help his parents in the coffee plantation since it is where they get the money to pay his tuition.

He attended Farewell Primary School in Mbale, where he served as the head boy. From Farewell Primary School, Wambalaya joined Nabumali High School for O’level. At Nabumali, he was the chairperson of the students’ council. For his A’level, Wambalya attended Hilton High School in Mukono district, central Uganda, where, again, he was a student leader. At Hilton, Wambalya was in charge of the school’s library and information.

All the leadership positions that Wambalya has held, he hopes, will be the springboard for him to launch himself in national politics when he is finally done with school.  

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.