Category Archives: Students

Ugandan athletes in World University games in China

September 4, 2023News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of BusinessPatty Huston-Holm

Santos Okabo dressed in the Ugandan traditional wear of kanzu (tunic) and jacket at the opening ceremony of the games in China

By Kefa Senoga
When 33 student athletes from 10 Ugandan universities met in July to flag off participants to a global sports competition, one of the items on the agenda was to select the team captain. The athletes were heading to China’s Chengdu city to compete with students from more than 150 countries in the World University Games.

Santos Okabo, a Uganda Christian University (UCU) student in the School of Business, was chosen as team captain. Okabo, who had never been to a world competition, competed and guided others at the July 27-August 8 event in China.

Okabo (left) with UCU head of sports, Sam Rukaiire (middle), and another athlete

Okabo says his duties as captain included representing the team and country in meetings and other leadership engagements during the games. He also was expected to report to the organizers any challenges that Ugandan team members faced during the competition.

As expected, the second-year diploma student of business administration says one of the benefits he got as team captain was the opportunity to interact and share experiences with other team leaders, including sharing contacts with some of the leading athletes from other countries.

At the games, Okabo participated in three races – sprint race of 100 meters and two relay races of 4×100 meters. In the sprint race, where he emerged 6th out of 8, Okabo says he had hoped to perform better, but that two days before the race, he got sick, largely because he was not accustomed to the food being served in China.

He is, however, grateful that they were able to reach the finals in the 4×400 meter relay race, which he participated in with Chan-wengo Godfrey from Makerere University’s Business School, Akemkwene Peter from Ndejje University and Eyit Justine of Makerere University. In that race, the team broke the university national record for Uganda.

Okabo was not the only UCU student at the competition. Olipa Sharif competed in two races of 200 meters and the 4×100 meter relays. However, he and his relay teammates did not make it to the next round.

Okabo (back, left) during the relay race

The third UCU student at the competition was Nyamahunge Jacent, who got eliminated in the semifinals. In the preliminaries, Nyamahunge had emerged third in the 100 meter race for women. The athletes said UCU supported them by financing their requirements while in the camp, including paying for their air tickets.

According to Timothy Kabuye, the coach of the student athletes and one of 20 officials who went to China with the Ugandan athletes, the team could have performed better.

“Nyamahunge Jacent made it to the semifinals in her category even with a foot injury, Okabo ran a personal best while Olipa ran the second fastest best time in the 200 meters that he participated in,” Kabuye explained.

Next on the calendar of the UCU athletes is the Uganda inter-university competitions set for December.

Olipa Sharif and Santos Okabo after the race

At the Special Olympics World Games held in Abu Dhabi in 2019, Nyamahunge won Uganda its first gold medal in the 200 meters race, beating her closest challenger, Mayak Kimura of Japan, by more than four seconds in a lopsided race.

She is also a double gold medalist in the 200 meters and 100 meters at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.

The other Ugandan institutions that had students at the event in China were Makerere University, YMCA, Bishop Stuart University, Gulu University, Ndejje University, Kyambogo University, ISBAT University, Makerere University Business School and Victoria University.

Okabo says he has been an athlete throughout school. While at Amuda Primary School in northern Uganda Okabo says he emerged the best runner in the Dokolo district, earning scholastic materials and a mattress as a gift.

“After my primary education, I joined Dr Obote College Boroboro in Lira district on bursary. Upon joining UCU, I was also given a bursary,” Okabo explained.

He says his parents — Otile Oscar and Apollo Milly — were good runners during their youthful years, and so are four of his seven siblings.

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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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Ayikoru narrates arduous five years in dental school

September 1, 2023News, Students, UCU School of DentistryPatty Huston-Holm

New UCU graduate, Hilda Diana Ayikoru, said she has learned a lot about dentistry and is a different person from when she first started her university education.

By Pauline Luba
“Watching your peers graduate in their third year while you still have two more to go is hard,” Hilda Diana Ayikoru said. This is what Ayikoru had to contend with at Uganda Christian University (UCU) for two years as she completed her five-year course while those who were pursuing three-year courses walked out of the university with degrees.

But that was not the only challenge she faced while a student at UCU. The 24-year-old said she barely had any holiday time since medical students were constantly studying. As a result, she said she had to forgo many plans with her family and friends.

“That’s what makes me more excited that this day has come,” the 24-year-old said during an interview with Uganda Partners a few hours to her graduation at UCU on July 28 as she repeatedly said “finally” she was done with the course. She is not just a graduate with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery, but also is part of the nine members of the pioneer class of the course at UCU. They were among the 1,006 students who graduated on July 28. On the day, the university also graduated 45 pioneer students in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

“It was a long and tough journey,” said Ayikoru, adding: “I have learned a lot, and I am a different person now from when I first joined university.”

“I always wanted to be a doctor because doctors bring so much change into the world,” said Ayikoru, who was once a class leader at the university. Her love for the career started in her childhood as she often visited the hospital where her parents worked.

When UCU announced it would be starting a course in dental surgery in 2018, Ayikoru says she was one of the people excited about the development because of the university’s good academic and Christian reputation.

“The kind of course units we study, such as Christian Ethics and World Views, helped paint a picture of how best my dental sensitization dream will work,” she said in an earlier interview in 2021, noting that some of her friends in other institutions envied her especially when it came to the student-lecturer relationship for my course. “UCU lecturers know their students individually.”

While in school, Ayikoru also started a crocheting business in order to get money for her upkeep. She would crochet balls, wool or yarn into clothes for sale. When she discovered that the business was a promising one, she convinced two other students – one in the UCU School of Medicine and the other at the UCU School of Business – to join her. Most of her crocheting work was done late in the night, when she completed reading. She hopes to continue with the business of crocheting even as she joins the world of dental work.

For now, Ayikoru will undergo a mandatory one-year internship in a Uganda government health facility before she is able to practice her profession in a country with slightly over 300 dentists for a population of over 45 million people. After gaining more work experience, Ayikoru plans to enroll for a master’s course in the same field, before plunging into private practice.

The last born of four children attended Kirinya Parents School, St. Joseph’s Girls School Nsambya for O’level and Gayaza High School for A’level before joining UCU.

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New UCU graduate Wanyana narrates her medical school journey

August 28, 2023News, Students, UCU School of BusinessPatty Huston-Holm

Christine Wanyana in her graduation gown.

By Pauline Luba
In her early life, Christine Wanyana saw herself as a lawyer. However, all this was before she interacted with her Senior Four teacher of Biology, who saw her gifts with science. The year was 2016.

According to Wanyana, her teacher reasoned that it would be easier for her to study medicine because she was excelling in Biology. She followed her teacher’s advice and, on July 28, 2023, Wanyana was among the 45 pioneer students of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery course who graduated from Uganda Christian University (UCU).

“The major challenge with being a pioneer student in a course is there is so much uncertainty and, sometimes, that can be frustrating,” Wanyana said. She and her colleagues were admitted for the course in 2018.

She explained that at 16 years when she made the choice to study medicine, she had assessed the impact she wanted to make in the world.

“I believed that with it (pursuing a career in medicine), I could touch so many lives and be the change I wanted to see in the community and in the health system,” said the 24-year-old, who studied at Kampala Parents School for primary, Mt. St. Mary’s College Namagunga for O’level and Uganda Martyrs Secondary School Namugongo for A’level. All the three schools are located in central Uganda.

For those who know Wanyana’s family well, the choice of medicine as a career was not a surprise. Wanyana’s father, Henry Kajumbula, is a medical doctor. Her mother, Abalo Caroline, is a pharmacist. Her grandfather, too, was a medical doctor and so are many of her uncles.

As a student at the UCU School of Medicine, Wanyana says the disruptions caused by the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic were a setback to the momentum she had created soon after joining the school. Beyond the clinical aspects, the School of Medicine emphasizes mandatory community engagement programs, to enable the students to reach out to the sick. The approach is intended to cultivate character and instill empathy in future doctors. However, for some time, community outreaches were suspended at the UCU School of Medicine, in line with maintaining a social distance, a standard operating procedure in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

Wanyana says because of the intense nature of studies at medical school, she found herself losing touch with many of her old friends. However, she is happy with the satisfaction that a career in medicine brings. During the time of the placements in hospitals, she says, work would at times get monotonous. However, the news of a successful delivery of a baby or reverting a patient’s medical condition for the better always brought smiles on the faces of the medical teams. She says there were sometimes patients got admitted when many thought they would not survive the sickness, but that such people often brought joy when they were being discharged.

Now that she has completed school, Wanyana is supposed to undergo a one-year mandatory internship in a government facility in Uganda under the supervision of a senior health practitioner. It’s upon the expiry of the internship that she will be eligible for employment as a doctor in Uganda. Wanyana eyes a future as a reproductive endocrinologist — a medical doctor with training to help women become and stay pregnant.

Wanyana also runs a home bakery, where she sells cakes and doughnuts. She says she enjoys chores that make her put her hands into good use. As a student, much of the money she used for upkeep was from the sale of her cakes. At some point, she says the orders she got increased the workload, that she had to turn down some, in order for the bakery business not to stand in the way of her studies.

Whatever she does, Wanyana says she draws inspiration from Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

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New dental school grad describes bitter-sweet, career journey

August 25, 2023News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of DentistryPatty Huston-Holm

Andinda Jordan, new dental school graduate

By Kefa Senoga
“Seeing people with admirable smiles makes me smile,” said Andinda Jordan, a fresh graduate from the Uganda Christian University (UCU) School of Dentistry. That means for Andinda to keep smiling, he has to ensure people retain and obtain straight, white teeth that are evenly spaced and proportionate to the rest of the face.

Some of the things that now await Andinda as a practitioner is teaching people about the importance of teeth and oral hygiene, and re-aligning people’s maligned teeth so that they can get the “admirable smiles.”

Andinda was among the nine students who graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery at UCU’s 24th graduation ceremony held at the main campus in Mukono on July 28, 2023. A total of 1,006 students graduated with degrees, diplomas and certificates at the ceremony.

Andinda describes his journey through the UCU School of Dentistry (SoD) as bitter-sweet.

“The course has many units to cover in quite a short period of time,” he says, indicating the level of sacrifice that any student desirous of pursuing a course in dental surgery has to commit. Andinda and his eight colleague-fresh-graduates in dental surgery were the UCU pioneer class of Bachelor of Dental Surgery that enrolled in 2018.

Despite challenges of suspension of education in Uganda at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the students completed their course on schedule. The time during the Covid pandemic was primarily used to cover the theory and then post-covid, the practicality of the course commenced. Dentistry is a practical course which involves meeting people and touching them.

The nine graduates are now expected to join a workforce in Uganda where there are about 300 dental surgeons in active practice, covering only 21% of the country. One dentist in Uganda serves about 142,000 people, a ratio dangerously unbalanced, considering the World Health Organization requirement of dentist to patient ratio of 1:8,000.

Andinda said because of the low number of students for the course at UCU, they were able to get undivided attention from their lecturers and faculty mentors for the five-year duration of the course. It is for that reason, Andinda noted, that many students have been able to identify mentors among their lecturers. Also, at UCU, students have a well-equipped dental clinic, where they are able to practice under the supervision of a doctor.

Andinda (extreme left) and his colleagues from the UCU SoD during their student days

“My current mentor, Dr. Catherine Kabenge, is from the UCU dental school; she has shared her career journey and taught me some of the important principles to live by as a dentist,” says Andinda, the first born of six children of Uganda’s High Court Judge Justice Jesse Byaruhanga and Mrs. Betty Byaruhanga.

The other faculty members are seasoned dentists who students would like to emulate. For instance, some of the members of the faculty, such as the Dean of the SoD, Dr. James Magara, practice in the profession. They are, therefore, the most appropriate human resource to impart knowledge since they offer it in the context of the real world of work. Dr. Magara was part of Makerere University’s pioneer class of dental surgery students that graduated in 1988.

During an interview that Dr. Magara granted Uganda Partners in 2020, he said UCU is committed to ensuring that students have good exposure to modern dentistry.

“The UCU Faculty of Dentistry’s teaching hospital has a very long history of teaching medical practitioners in Uganda,” he said. “The university has a partnership with Mengo Hospital, which has a dental unit that has been running for over 40 years now; this unit has trained dentists with internships throughout Uganda,”

Dr. Magara added that the hospital location is “recognized as the premium place to go for hands-on dental studies,” and the main reason any student wishing to pursue the course should look no further than UCU.

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UCU aspiring leaders get help from F.U.E.L.

August 23, 2023Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Some of the 25 pioneer members of the First Undergraduate Experience in Leadership (F.U.E.L.) Program

By Irene Best Nyapendi
The Uganda Christian University (UCU) guild government has started a leadership program, seeking to train students in management skills. The program, dubbed “First Undergraduate Experience in Leadership (F.U.E.L.) Program,” has been implemented at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana), Fordham University (New York) and Ohio State University, among other higher education institutions. .

“This program has given me confidence in the future of UCU,” said Timothy Ddumba, Mukono Campus Guild President. He believes F.U.E.L. will birth top-notch leaders while closing the gap of mentorship from one guild government to another.

“It is possible [for other guild governments to adopt the program] because the students trained might be part of the next leadership,” he said of the eight Saturday sessions with 25 student participants in June and July 2023. “The impact it creates could inspire the need to sustain it.”

UCU Guild president Timothy Ddumba addressing students during one of the F.U.E.L. sessions

The free mentorship and training program is meant for students who are interested in student leadership, especially those who are already leaders in the guild government.

Melissa Kamikazi Nsaba, the guild vice president, and Christy Asiimwe, the minister for presidency, are program leaders.

Asiimwe, a student in the School of Education, said the vision of the program is to be a foundation of transformational leaders who champion and spread the core values of UCU.

“One of the reasons why we started this program is to nurture transformational leaders who are ready to transform the university and the world in a Christian way,” she said.

Unlike F.U.E.L. implemented at secular universities, the UCU program looks at nurturing and equipping students with leadership skills grounded in Christian values. It is hoped that the classes will ignite leadership potential and empowerment among the students.

“I believe this program is good for the students because it helps them improve their managerial skills and abilities as future leaders, achieve better project leadership and improve risk management,” Asiimwe said.

She explained that by equipping and training those who wish to lead, those who vote them into power or are under their command are less likely to suffer the consequences of unsatisfactory and inadequate leadership.

Emmanuel Golyo, one of the beneficiaries of the program and a student of a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology, said he was taught what it takes to be a good leader. “I learned to understand and embrace the dynamics of the university and discovered how I can best serve to my fullest potential,” he said. He said the program helped him clarify his leadership and vision of self holistically.

During the course of the training, different speakers were invited to coach and mentor the trainees, speaking from real-life experiences.

Golyo said the program gave him a platform to understand the importance of team building and group motivation. “During each session we had a number of physical and interactive activities that nurtured in me the spirit of working with others on a project,” he said.

Mary Mangadalene Namwanje, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration, explained that the sessions enlightened her on how to be a problem solver as a leader. She learned the characteristics of a good team and how to build it.

Namwanje is now knowledgeable about governing authorities, hierarchy and bureaucracy.

“Through the sessions I attended, I learned how to deal with different authorities, conflict resolution and decision making,” she said.

The students trained in effective communication, branding and documentation as well as public speaking.

“While attending one of the sessions, we heard testimonies from former guild officials. One of the things they shared was how to balance life, responsibilities, relationships and work,” Namwanje said.

The students also were taken through lessons on discovering themselves in leadership.

The F.U.E.L. Program is one of the pledges the guild president wrote in his manifesto on creating an environment to nurture future leaders. The seminars were sponsored by the guild budget.

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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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Vice Chancellor’s wife mentors students toward meaningful lives

August 21, 2023Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Some of the students who attended the inaugural May “Talk to Mama Pesh” mentorship forum pose for a photo with their mentors, including Mama Pesh.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Should I get into a serious relationship now? Is it the right time to get married? How do I know if I have the right partner? How do I know if I am in a bad relationship? What about sex? How do I achieve academic excellence with all these pressures? How do I grow my career?

Patience Rubabinda Mushengyezi, fondly known as “Mama Pesh” (short for Mother Patience), has been guiding Uganda Christian University (UCU) on these topics and more during monthly forums since May 2023. The monthly “Talk to Mama Pesh,” sessions are designed to be open, honest and informal.

Patience Mushengyezi addressing students during the first “Talk to Mama Pesh” forum. She was with fellow mentors Faith Musinguzi (left) and Jolly Kavuma.

Mama Pesh, wife of Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi for 26 years, has been working with university students for over 20 years. She has nurtured over 12 non-biological children from childhood to graduation. She is a premarital counselor for young couples, mentor for young adults and leader at church. She is a mother of four. She is a Deputy Registrar at Makerere University,

“I developed a passion to talk to university students about values and morals to help open their eyes on things that can destroy their lives,” she said. “These are issues such as addictions, which lead to mental challenges and failure to complete their studies.”

Mama Pesh said that she was further inspired by the Bible, in the book of Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself…”. Mama Pesh acknowledged that vices of drug or substance abuse, sexual immorality, wrong relationships and unwanted pregnancies are not limited to secular universities.

“I love the UCU motto of ‘Centre of Excellence in the Heart of Africa’ because my desire is to have academic excellence with values,” she said. “I am passionate about all students, both male and female. When we talk to them, they grow into responsible citizens, wives, mothers, husbands, fathers and have strong Christian families in the future.”.

Students discuss among themselves before the question-and-answer session with mentors at a “Talk to Mama Pesh” session.

One of the goals of the forum is to provide young people a platform to be mentored into leaders of today and tomorrow. The forum is meant to be “a secure space where young people can discuss freely with mentors about issues that affect their academic, social and spiritual lives.”

Mama Pesh emphasized that the end goal is to see that students achieve academic excellence with values. She also provides a safe space for the students that would like to share with her privately away from the presence of their colleagues.

Mama Pesh does the mentorship in partnership with the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Directorate of Students’ Affairs, the Chaplaincy, Counseling Unit and the Guild. In addition, she invites experienced counselors and mentors for the forum. The value of peer mentors is learning from someone who has more recently been where they are.

The forum has become a beacon of inspiration in the lives of UCU students.

Jackson Leoru, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with Education, found the forum beneficial because it helps students prepare to be adults. “Through the forum, I got guidance to make healthy choices that create a positive impact in my life in school and in relationships,” he said.

He said he will pass along to others such learning as relationships need patience and prayer. “I learnt that sometimes you may see someone and think he or she is the one meant for you, yet they are actually not the ones, so we need to pray about it and also be patient.”

Natasha Alinda poses for a photo with Mama Pesh after one of the sessions at UCU main campus in Mukono.

Natasha Alinda, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, said the program is a good foundation upon which a student can build themselves “in order to be first and foremost a very good child to their parents, a very good student in school, and a good citizen in their nation.”

Through the forum, Alinda (a residential assistant at the female’s main university hall) has discovered the value of intentionality and self-worth. “I learned to value myself and carefully choose the people I associate with as well as the friends I make,” she said.

She adds that as a student, the talks have taught her to schedule and maneuver around student leadership, friendships and education.

“I am so grateful to Mama Pesh for sparing time amidst her busy schedule to talk to us and hold our hands through this journey of life at no cost because so many people are charged to get such guidance,” she said.

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From medicine to theology: ‘…follow Me’

August 16, 2023Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, StudentsPatty Huston-Holm

Martin Oluge and Rael Cheptoek on their wedding day. Oluge says it was then that he started “hearing the call” to serve God as a priest.

By Pauline Luba
Martin Oluge’s father, Ignatius Okello, raised many of his children in a hospital setting because that is where he worked as a police officer. It is during that time that Oluge became fond of the medical profession; he could not think of any other career. However, things changed. Oluge is now eyeing a career as a priest of the Anglican Church in Uganda.

As he grew up, he was attracted by the way the doctors carried themselves at the hospital and how they conducted their work.

But there was a hurdle for Oluge to jump. Okello and his wife, Juliet, had 16 children, including Oluge, to look after.

By studying Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics in A’level at St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School Naggalama in central Uganda, Oluge was more than sure that he was getting closer to his dream career. However, there was a hiccup. He did not get the required grades to get government sponsorship at Uganda’s public universities. He thus opted for a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery at Kampala International University (KIU), a privately owned institution.

“I enjoyed my time at KIU,” Oluge said. “It was great and the experience humbled me. I believe this is what pushed me to excel after my internship.”

Oluge said while in A’level, he had become too confident, and thinks it could have been one of the reasons he failed to meet the cut for a government sponsorship in medicine.

In 2019, Oluge did his mandatory one-year internship at Mengo Hospital, before securing employment at Ngora Freda Carr Hospital in eastern Uganda. For any newly qualified doctor to practice medicine in Uganda, they are required to undergo a year-long paid internship at a government health facility in the country.

Ngora Freda Carr Hospital, where Oluge was employed, is a rural private not-for-profit facility affiliated with the Anglican Church in Uganda. After three years of employment at the facility, Oluge says he got a “calling from God.” He says he heard this call in his head over and over until he consulted the reverends in his church. He was advised to fulfill the call and study theology. This was in 2021.

However, there was another hurdle. Coming from a staunch Catholic family, Oluge knew that he would not get the full support to pursue a vocation as a priest in the Anglican Church. And he was right. When he broke the news to his extended family, it was a double disappointment for them – one, he was leaving the medicine job, and, two, he was joining another faith different from what his family raised him in.

“It was not easy,” he said. “I had to tell my parents I was leaving the Catholic faith, as well as medicine. Yet, they had paid my tuition for the course.”

Oluge says it took two months of battle and prayer before he could apply for a Masters in Divinity at Uganda Christian University. Eventually he did, and is now a student.

The father of three – 6, 3 and 2 years – and husband of Rael Cheptoek had to resign from his job in order to study full time at UCU, where he enrolled in May 2023. For his master’s course, Oluge got a sponsorship from the Lango diocese’s Anglican Aid. The sponsorship covers his tuition, accommodation and basic needs for his family. He also works at UCU’s University Hospital, the Allan Galpin Health Centre.

Oluge now eyes becoming a pastor. To those pondering a career change in life, Oluge’s advice hinges on what Jesus says in John 10:27-28: “My sheep, hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

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UCU Arua campus hits 20-year milestone

August 11, 2023Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Social SciencesPatty Huston-Holm

UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi waters a tree planted at the UCU Arua campus during a visit in July

By Pauline Luba
From a trade school to a lay readers training college and now part of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) family, the Arua campus has shown a marked growth in both enrollment and importance to the community in the northwestern part of Uganda.

This year, the UCU Arua Campus marks 20 years of being part of the UCU family and 64 years of being a training institute. Before the campus was made a theological college and part of UCU in 2003, it was offering diploma and certificate courses in theology and also training Lay Readers in the region. However, in 1959 when it was established by the African Inland Mission under the leadership of its first principal, the Rev. Robert Booth, the institution was named the Rural Trade School.

When UCU took over the facility, it had four departments — Theology, Business Administration, Social Sciences and Education — all offering bachelor’s degrees. The facility also had 80 students and 27 staff. However, 20 years down the road, the four departments have still been maintained, but with an increase in student enrolment to over 650 and about 100 staff members.

UCU has since constructed a multipurpose hall, which also doubles as the University Chapel. Another building is the library and a block for lecture rooms to accommodate the increasing number of students. University education at the facility has been decentralized to train the much-needed human resource in the districts at more affordable rates.

In July, UCU Chancellor, who is the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu visited the facility, located in northwestern part of Uganda, for the first time as its chancellor, during one of the campus’ activities to mark 20 years.

UCU leadership, led by the Chancellor, His Grace Kaziimba Mugalu (center), at the celebrations in July

UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Assoc. Prof. John Kitayimbwa and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) David Mugawe, were among the team that went with Kaziimba to Arua. While welcoming Kaziimba, the UCU Arua Campus Director, the Rev. Julius Tabbi Izza, said that he was optimistic for future opportunities of development for the campus.

He said the campus had become a home to a number of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic due to their huge presence in the region. Last year, the campus won a regional award as the best higher institution of learning in West Nile for 2022. The criteria for selecting the awardees involved assessing their economic sustainability, operational effectiveness, level of technology adoption, progressive leadership and culture, as well as social and community contribution, commitment and perseverance.

The campus, however, still faces a major challenge of threats on its land. Izza said that the about 100 acres that the facility sits on are under threat from some individuals in the community. Izza, therefore, asked for the process of transferring the land title from the particulars of the African Inland Mission to the trustees of the Church of Uganda or UCU to be expedited.

Among the plans in the pipeline is elevating the campus into a constituent college, a massive student recruitment strategy expected to garner 1,000 learners by next year, beautification of the environment and infrastructure, implementation of the multi-billion masters plan project, development of an endowment project and a staff recruitment plan as well. To achieve the intended plans, Izza argued that unity among the key stakeholders will be crucial.

Jimmy Siyasa, the UCU Public Relations Officer, said there was hope that the Arua campus would morph into a fully-fledged college sooner than later. “In short, there is much to hope for,” Siyasa said.

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UCU’s treatment plant turns waste water into treasure

August 9, 2023Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, News, StudentsPatty Huston-Holm

The screening section of the plant where paper, pads and other similar waste is removed

By Kefa Senoga
Waste from water to flush toilets, take a shower and do laundry is not a waste at the main campus of Uganda Christian University (UCU). It hasn’t been wasted in 17 years. It’s recycled and used to educate students, primarily those studying engineering.

UCU constructed a $300,000 wastewater treatment plant in 2006. Two-thirds of the cost of the plant, the first of its kind for any institution in Uganda, was funded by the Diocese of Sidney’s Overseas Relief and Aid Fund of Australia.

Wastewater that is generated from various daily activities is toxic to both humans and the environment, hence the need to purify it, before it’s released into the environment. Wastewater is treated in 3 phases: primary (solid removal), secondary (bacterial decomposition), and tertiary (extra filtration).

According to Arnold Mugisha, a demonstrator at UCU’s department of Engineering and Environment under the Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology, the wastewater treatment plant that was developed by Prof. Steven Riley, uses a biological process to treat the sewage and clean the water so that it is safe enough for disposal into the environment.

Mugisha says that the plant uses an activated biological sludge water treatment process, where microorganisms are used to break down the organic matter, which would otherwise be hazardous to the environment.

The plant has several sections, with the first having screens, where paper, pads and other similar waste are removed. The screened waste water then drops into the equalization chamber, from where the microorganisms break down the fecal matter. The water is then pumped into the aeration chamber, where more oxygen is supplied to the microorganisms, to enable them break down the waste completely.

A view of the wastewater treatment facility

“The waste is broken down by absorption, where the microorganisms eat the waste, and adsorption, where the organic waste sticks onto the body of the microorganisms,” Mugisha explains.

According to Mugisha, this is the most important step of the plant because that’s where most of the biological oxygen demand is reduced.

At the clarifier stage, solid particulates or suspended solids are removed from the liquid. At this point, the deposited sludge settles at the bottom and the clear water remains up, says Mugisha. The sludge is used for both manure and decomposition by anaerobic bacteria to produce biogas. At the time of installation, the plant was able to treat about 350 cubic meters of water per day.

Robert Muhumuza, a plumber, operating the facility

At the chlorination chamber, chlorinated water is used to kill extra organisms that are still in the water. Mugisha says that if waste water is not treated properly, it can pollute water sources, cause illnesses and damage natural habitats. The treated wastewater is used for irrigating flowers, grass and plants in the university compound. People who would want to use the sludge for manure in their gardens are always granted permission to pick it from the facility.

Okot Innocent, a fresh UCU engineering graduate, says the facility provides a platform for engineering students to put their classroom knowledge into practice, learning in practical terms how the processes work.

“Some of the students who want to become water engineers have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the equipment and the systems used in the treatment process,” Okot noted.

In Kampala, the Bugolobi wastewater treatment plant is the largest in the country and serves about four million people per day. The plant is capable of processing 45 million liters of waste daily.

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Second Dartmouth team enhances UCU solar-powered water system

July 19, 2023Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, News, StudentsPatty Huston-Holm

Dartmouth’s Rujuta Pandit and UCU's Okot Innocent splitting a piece of wood at the site. — Dartmouth’s Rujuta Pandit and UCU’s Okot Innocent splitting a piece of wood at the site.

By Kefa Senoga
In the summer of 2022, a team of three students from Dartmouth College in the USA state of New Hampshire were in Mukono, home of the main campus of Uganda Christian University (UCU), to actualize a solar water heater project designed to help the users save money, improve the health of the kitchen staff and reduce the amount of carbon output to the environment.

The three students, with their team leader, Stephen Doig, an expert in mini-grid development and energy efficiency, were joined by a team of UCU faculty and students to set up the water heating system at the UCU kitchen.

Again, this summer, the Dartmouth team, this time composed of five students, and again with Doig as their leader, was back in Mukono. The team that was at UCU from mid-June to mid-July, did maintenance works on the system they set up last year, as well as double its capacity and make refinements.

The UCU team, led by Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi (front, third-left) with the team from Dartmouth.

Anna Hugney led fellow students Emily Liu, Jack McMahon, Rujuta Pandit and Avery Widen. At UCU, they were joined by Okot Innocent, a UCU final-year student of engineering, to offer domestic expertise.

According to Hugney, they were mainly involved in maintenance of the system.

“Upon arriving at UCU, we realized that the PPR (polypropylene random copolymer plastic) piping at the system was beginning to deteriorate because of the intense sun and heat, and could become dangerous for users and consumers,” Hugney said.

To solve this challenge, the 24-year-old noted that they swapped the PPR in the system with copper piping, which is far more resilient to hot temperatures and can last up to 20 years.

“While installing the new copper piping, we redid the clamp system to hold the pipes up in the shed and insulated each piece of copper,” said Hugney, who, along with her classmates, was visiting Uganda for the very first-time.

A data log-in system that was put in place to monitor temperatures and had broken down was also fixed. Hugney’s colleagues – McMahon and Widen – uploaded the new code to the system designed to monitor the temperature of the water in the tanks, and the system performance, before returning to the United States.

Since the water heater project is a pilot venture, everyone was adjusting and learning, with some even taking lessons from mistakes made. Okot said the system’s performance was affected because the “cooks in the UCU kitchen didn’t learn how to properly use it, resulting in low temperatures and lukewarm water.”

Some successes
Zachariah Owino, the Head Chef at the UCU dining hall, said the system has helped them save on time and the energy required to heat water to the boiling point, especially while preparing breakfast for the students. He said they also now save more than three tons of firewood per semester, meaning that sh450,000 (about $123) worth of firewood is saved.

Before the system was installed, every week, the UCU kitchen was using 10 tons of firewood, which translated to sh1.5million (about $400). In a year, firewood worth sh63million (about $16,700) was being spent on preparing meals. Now with the system, a reduction of over eight metric tons of firewood and 1.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere is expected to be realized.

Such success stories present good news to the global efforts to conserve the environment and mitigate effects of climate change, including the Sustainable Development Goal 7, which calls for the expansion of infrastructure and upgrade of technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries by 2030.

According to Uganda’s environment watchdog, the National Environment Management Authority, from 1990 to 2015, Uganda lost 63% of its forests. The need for wood fuel and charcoal contributed to this rate of destruction of the forest cover.

The UCU-Dartmouth collaboration has been a two-way affair. Hugney said that they got fascinated by the biogas plant at UCU, noting that it is one project they look forward to replicating back at Dartmouth “because the United States has a lot of food waste which can be used for making biogas.” The biogas plant at UCU involves decomposing food waste, which is mostly obtained from the kitchen. The decomposed matter produces methane gas, which is used for cooking.

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USP-sponsored sale raises $1,530 for needy students

July 17, 2023News, Students, USPPatty Huston-Holm

Different stalls at the garage sale in May

By Kefa Senoga
When students in the Uganda Studies Program (USP) at Uganda Christian University (UCU) depart for their homes and colleges in North America, they leave memories, experiences and some of their gently used items.

Every May, USP organizes a trade fair within UCU to sell second-hand articles to raise money for financially disadvantaged students. This year, the fair included donations outside of USP. Called a garage sale, the event raised sh5.6million (about $1,530), which was handed over to the university administration.

According to Lydia Wankuma, the administrator at USP, the international students in the USP program donate clothes, electronics, books, shoes, kitchenware, cosmetics and gadgets, among others, which are sold at the fair.

“We always hand over the funds we get from the sale to the scholarships office and they use them at their discretion for whoever they deem fit to receive the support; it goes into the pool for the scholarships office,” Wankuma explained.

She said members of the UCU community, including Uganda Partners and other well-wishers, also are big donors to the sale. In 2023, according to Wankuma, the garage sale partnered with the Just For 10k campaign, another fundraising effort intended to support the education of needy students at UCU. Dorothy Tushemereirwe, the coordinator of the Just for 10K campaign, brought in items that she had mobilized from people to be sold at the fair. Clothes at the fair were priced as low as sh2,500 (about 70 cents) per item.

Dr Jonathan Tumwebaze, a USP staff member and UCU alum who recently earned a PhD in public policy at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, said he is one of the beneficiaries of the UCU scholarship through USP garage sale funds.

Madison Lowe, a USP alum who came back to work as a program assistant and one

A receipt showing the funds that were deposited on the financial aid account.

of the people who donated items that were sold at the fair, said she found satisfaction in giving what she was no longer using, rather than carrying the items back home. She said it felt good to donate to support student colleagues.

Anita Nshakira, the director of UCU Kampala Campus and one of the people who donated items for the sale, said: “I love giving because I know it will make a difference in someone’s life.”

She said for the time she has spent at the university, her interactions with students have given her first-hand experience of the challenges that they go through.

“I have witnessed tears of students who have not been allowed to sit for exams because they have a fees balance; that’s why when an opportunity comes for me to help out, I can’t resist,” she said, adding, “I offered nice clothes which I felt would raise good money for the cause.”

Claire Kiconco, who donated kitchenware, shoes and electronics for the sale, said she did so because she also previously benefited from charity. Kiconco said in addition to donating items for sale in the fair, she also has been donating separately for the Just For 10k campaign.

USP is a study program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The US-based Christian higher education consortium is composed of more than 180 institutions around the world, including UCU. Twice a year, in the September and January semesters, the UCU community welcomes 25-30 students from North America. Since it was started 19 years ago, UCU has hosted more than 800 American students in Uganda.

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UCU student dinners offer networking platforms

July 14, 2023News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication, UCU School of LawPatty Huston-Holm

Cutting cake at last year’s dinner of the UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC) are (Right to left) UCU’s JMC Head of Undergraduate Studies John Semakula, Corporate Communications Manager at Umeme Peter Kaujju, veteran journalist and chief guest John Kakande, School of JMC Dean Monica Chibita, Managing Editor for Nation Media Group in Uganda Tabu Butagira and student leaders.

By Pauline Luba
“People are lonely because they build walls, instead of bridges.” That timeless quote, by Joseph Fort Newton, an American 20th Century priest and author, is relevant today and fitting to social and networking opportunities at universities.

For university students, including at Uganda Christian University (UCU), dinners among students, faculty and professionals are among the ways of building these bridges to support and not interfere with studies. Of the 11 faculties/schools, one third usually have such dinners.

The live band that performed at last year’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication dinner

In July last year, after a four-month preparation, the UCU community, majority from the School of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC), alumni and invited guests descended on Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi in Kampala, for their annual media dinner.

Held under the theme “Media Ethics under Attack,” the dinner hosted students, UCU alumni, and media and public relations practitioners.

At the dinner, Ugandan veteran journalist, John Kakande, advised the students that to earn respect, journalists should be able to produce “believable, accurate and impactful stories.” It is such stories, Kakande argued, that will influence policy and bring the desired positive change in society.

From a meal and networking to live jazz music and speeches, most of which were by renowned media professionals who painted for the students a picture of the kind of journalist today’s job market needs, the evening’s activities gave the students value for their time and money – at just sh100,000 (about $27) that they paid for the dinner.

“We were blessed to have a very talented team,” one of the organizers, Elsie Tukahirwa, said when asked how they managed to pull off the event. “Many students offered services, such as photography and decorations, at a subsidized fee.”

A screengrab of Uganda’s Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka (left) presenting a plaque to a student at last year’s UCU Law Dinner. Right is Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi.

And several other faculties, too, hold annual dinners. The UCU School of Law, for example, also held its dinner last year, at an event where students used the opportunity to socialize. At the event, the student leaders of the UCU Law Society, an umbrella association of law students, were recognised. And this year is not any different. Students from both schools are again organizing their annual dinners.

Tukahirwa said it is the duty of the students to “push for their dinners to take place.” She adds that sometimes some students do not wish to have one, because of the level of commitment and engagement required to organize it.

This year, the UCU School of Business will host its dinner on July 22, at Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi. At the dinner, according to the organizers, there will be recognition of outgoing student leaders and introduction of new ones.

Elsie Tukahirwa at a dinner she helped organize last year.

Sidney Mugenyi, a third-year student pursuing Bachelors in Procurement and Logistics Management, and is one of the organizers of the July dinner, said they have faced challenges of funds and marketing of the event to the students.

“In spite of the challenges, this dinner is important because it will provide a platform for the students to get entrepreneurship advice from sector players,” Mugenyi explained.

John Semakula, the Head of the Undergraduate Department at the School of JMC, said the dinners are a platform for students to interact with colleagues in different years of study.

The students also invite special guests from the industry who give them tips on how to be a successful professional, Semakula explained.

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UCU Mbale Campus gets new principal

July 12, 2023News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of EducationPatty Huston-Holm

Erisa Kigenyi, the new principal of UCU Mbale University College.

By Pauline Luba
Dr. Erisa Kigenyi Mazaki, the new Principal of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mbale University College, was twice “acting” in the role over the past five years.

In August 2018, he joined the institution as a full-time staff member. Just four months later, the UCU Vice Chancellor at the time, Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, shocked Kigenyi by appointing him the acting principal of the college. The position holder at the time had retired.

“I was shocked because I thought there were more capable people than I was,” Kigenyi, an ardent teacher, said. “I was wondering why I had been tasked with the responsibility.”

Kigenyi was the acting principal until March 2019, when Mrs. Mary Gichuki Manana joined the college as the substantive head. Again, last year, when the position fell vacant in November, Dr. Kigenyi was appointed in acting capacity.

In June 2023, the month when Kigenyi was celebrating 50 years of age, he received a notification that he had been appointed as the college’s substantive principal.

For now, his eyes will be focused on ventures to improve the state of the infrastructure of the college, located in Mbale city, eastern Uganda. With improved infrastructure, there is hope that the enrollment and welfare of students at the college will improve.

Last year, the college launched a fundraising drive to raise money for the expansion of the institution’s infrastructure. At the event, more than sh240million (over $64,000) was collected in cash and pledges. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, who was represented at the function by Mbale Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Ahamada Washaki, pledged sh200million (about $53,000).

Should any challenges surface during Kigenyi’s tenure as principal, he feels assured of victory. He says his armor is Psalm 121:1-3 “I look up to the mountains, does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth. He will not let you stumble; the One who watches over you will not slumber.”

To deliver results in his new position, the father of three boys and one girl hopes to rely on his ever-present and supportive wife, Janet Kigenyi, in affairs of the home. Her management of family affairs enables him to have a peace of mind at work.

Born in 1973 to Mr. Nsangi Amunoni and Annet Nasiyo, Kigenyi had 10 siblings – three boys and seven girls. He attended North Road Primary School in Mbale city for his primary education and then Bukedi College Kachonga from Senior One to Senior Five. He was unable to return to the school for Senior Six because his father faced financial hardships and could not afford to pay the tuition. Kigenyi was then enrolled at Mbale Progressive School, where he completed Senior Six, emerging as one of the best candidates in the national exams.

The top performance earned Kigenyi a government sponsorship for a Bachelor of Arts with Education at Uganda’s Makerere University. In 1988, Kigenyi graduated as a teacher. Soon after, he teamed up with two colleagues and they started their own school, Mbale Comprehensive High School, where he is still a director. He says teaching and molding students into useful citizens is a satisfying experience.

“Students are the reason teachers like me exist,” he said.

In November 1998, he joined Mbale Secondary School, where he taught until 2012. Here, he was a classroom teacher before being promoted to the position of head of the history department. He was also appointed as the chair of the staff of the Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) and patron of student leaders in a school of over 4,000 students.

In 2005, Kigenyi joined UCU for post-graduate studies, graduating in 2007 with a Master of Science in Human Resource Management in Education. In 2010, he enrolled for a Post-graduate Diploma in Public Administration and Management at Uganda Management Institute, graduating with a first class in 2011. Two years later, Kigenyi went back to school, enrolling for a PhD in Management Science at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. He graduated in 2017.

Before joining UCU as a full-time staff member in 2018, Kigenyi served the university on a part-time basis for seven years, up to July 2018.

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UCU hosts cultural gala for international students

July 10, 2023News, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

The Rwandan community in a traditional dance

By Pauline Luba
When one travels to new lands, they always leave a part of them at home. It is that part of them that has a tendency of evoking homesickness. In Yemi Alade’s song, Africa, the Nigerian singer could not have put this feeling of the allure of one’s home clearer than she did in the lyrics:

Anywhere you go
London, USA
Nowhere be like Africa
Nowhere be like home
Anywhere you go
New York, Chicago
Nowhere be like Africa
Nowhere be like home

Uganda Christian University (UCU) is aware of the impact of being away from one’s family members and friends, especially for students whose study means they spend a longer time in a foreign country. Every year, the university organizes the International Students Week to give students a chance to celebrate their culture and heritage.

This year’s celebration, held under the theme “Celebrating Diversity and Unity,” was held in the week leading up to June 25 with June 23 being the day a cultural gala was staged in the UCU Nkoyoyo Hall. The university is home to both national and international students from the region of East Africa and beyond.

In the culture week, organized by the student leaders, in collaboration with the Directorate of Student Affairs, activities such as community outreach, movie night and food exhibition were held. Students with the same heritage prepared their traditional cuisines, something that brought fun out of the activity, as well as to remind them of “home.”

On June 23, the day of the gala, the decorated Nkoyoyo Hall was filled to capacity by 8 p.m., the time the cultural gala started. The students, many of whom wore their cultural attires, cheered on their colleagues during the performances. After the national anthems of the participating countries, different speakers educated the audience about the unique attributes of their countries.

Guild President Timothy Ddumba with UCU students from the international community.

Justus Kashasira, a student from Tanzania, made use of a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate the beauty of his country, showcasing the Serengeti National Park, where one can see the “big five” animals – elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard and the lion – and the Kilimanjaro National Park, which has the highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro.

A student from South Sudan bashed the stereotype of war and famine that others label on her country.

“I’m here to change that and show you what my country really is,” Emmanuella Morris said amidst cheers from the crowd, as she explained the beauty of the family bond that people in her country have, the “stunning food” and the hospitality of the South Sudanese.

The groups also showcased their traditional dances and stunning attire with the crowd cheering the Rwandan students as they gracefully performed the Kinyarwanda dance.

Speaking at the event, the acting Director of Students’ Affairs, Simon Tusubira, expressed the university’s commitment in serving the international students and ensuring that they handle their needs, such as acquisition of visas, accommodation and safety, in order to make their stay at the university a memorable one.

The student leaders in charge of international students at UCU – Precious Kasemire and Moise Kituka – said sh1.5million (about $400) was used to purchase the costumes that the students used for the gala, banners and the food that was cooked for the exhibition, and other expenses incurred in organizing the cultural week.

UCU Guild President Timothy Ddumba said the cultural gala is intended to help build cohesiveness and a stronger association for the international students.

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When Uganda Martyrs sowed the seed of Christian faith in the world

July 8, 2023Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

The altar during prayers at the Namugongo Anglican Martyrs Shrine on June 3.

By Pauline Luba
When King Mwanga, a former Ugandan traditional leader, ordered the killing of fresh Christian converts more than a century ago, he might not have known that his actions would lead to the sowing of the seed of Christianity in the country. Now, 137 years down the road, the death of the Uganda Martyrs is a reference point to the special grace that God bestowed on the 45 converts who chose death over renouncing the faith they had received.

The converts, who were pages in the palace of King Mwanga of Buganda, having learned about God, put their loyalty first before the Almighty and denounced the time’s unchristian practices such as polygamy. Mwanga was a polygamous man. However, the shift of allegiance from the king to God, the King of Kings, enraged Mwanga. He thus ordered the execution of those who did not renounce the new faith.

Every June 3 is a public holiday in Uganda, to allow a pilgrimage to Namugongo, near Kampala, to pray in remembrance of the martyrs who were killed for their faith.

Pilgrims traveled from far and wide to attend the celebrations. In the foreground is an artist’s depiction of how the converts were killed under the orders of Mwanga

At Uganda Christian University (UCU), the theme of the week preceding June 3 is most times centered around faith, endurance and grace, taking the example of the action of the Uganda Martyrs.

“The Martyrs help build our faith,” said the Rev. Capt. Esther Wabulo, the UCU Church Relations Officer. “And since UCU is a key center for the building of faith in our community and students, celebration of the day is important.”

She also emphasized that as a Christian university, propagating the Gospel is its main aim hence they derive inspiration from the courageous act of the Uganda Martyrs.

Many members of the UCU community often participate in the activities of the day at the Uganda Martyrs Shrine on June 3. For instance, for this year’s event, Wabulo, Bishop Joel Obetia, Dr. Isabirye Moses, the Rev. Richard Mulindwa and the entire Church Relations Department joined the organizers at Namugongo. Theology students at UCU served as ushers at the prayers.

The Anglican Church organized this year’s prayers under the theme “United for Service and Growth.” Dr. Foley Beach, the archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, who was the day’s guest preacher, lauded the church for sticking to the word of God. “Do not allow the devil to tempt us and lose faith,” Beach told the pilgrims, urging church leaders to “prepare people to do ministry everywhere.”

The pilgrims such as these attendees were urged to stick to the word of God, and not to allow the devil to tempt them.

In UCU’s 25 years of existence, the Anglican church in Uganda has on two occasions bestowed the responsibility of organizing the Martyrs Day prayers on the institution – in 2004 and 2013 – an opportunity the university maximizes to advertise its programs to the world. In 2013, there was a double celebration for the institution as the Bishop Tucker Theological College was celebrating a century of existence.

The Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro, the UCU Chaplain, said in the spirit of the faith whose seed the Uganda Martyrs sowed with their blood more than a century ago, students should follow Revelations 2:10: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.”

Ssembiro said faith is not a casual affair, and that, therefore, one must be willing to show resilience, no matter the test.

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UCU upperclassmen reinforce value of ‘soft skills’ to younger peers

July 3, 2023Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of LawPatty Huston-Holm

Doreen Naiga and Solomon Esadu offered career guidance and mentorship as well as tips on how to best use social media, write cover letters and create a Curriculum Vitae during a May 27 workshop at UCU.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
As she waits to graduate, Doreen Mbabazi Naiga is already giving back to Uganda Christian University (UCU) through equipping the continuing students with what most call “soft” but nevertheless vital skills. Naiga, who will receive her Bachelor of Laws degree when she graduates in July, partnered with Solomon Esadu, also a student pursuing a Bachelor of Laws in his fourth year, to reinforce employability skills of communication, teamwork and more..

“We saw that after finishing school, students face a challenge of getting jobs because they lack some of these soft skills like perfecting their Curriculum Vitae,” Naiga said.

Some of the students who attended the May training at UCU’s Nkoyoyo hall.

Naiga said they wanted to be proactive at offering students knowledge on some of the softer skills they need to get a job. Along with their organization, United Nations Association of Uganda (UNAU), Naiga and Esadu organized a one-day workshop on May 27, 2023, at UCU on the theme of “Career exploration and professional developing: Mapping your future.” UNAU works in conjunction with UN agencies to achieve aims and objectives of the UN.

Naiga and Esadu were among 20 delegates selected by the Africa UNAU. Naiga was inspired to join the fellowship because she wanted to be part of the solution.

“I wanted to be in a position where I am able to help and influence communities,” she said.

Esadu joined UNAU because he is passionate about leadership and social development.

As delegates, they were offered a skilling program, mentorship, training and workshops where they learned about what they need to do in their community. At the workshop, the two passed some of this knowledge along.

“We learned that more people in society would love to obtain the same skill, so we brought it to our brothers and sisters at UCU to help them understand the skills they ought to have as they go to seek for jobs,” Esadu said.

Esadu noted that with so many graduates hunting for job opportunities in the competitive work world, soft skills make one stand out.

Esadu cautioned students about spending many hours on the internet just watching fun videos, but rather invest that time networking on the various social media platforms and learning about potential employers.

Doreen Mbabazi Naiga training students on how to stand out in a competitive job market.

He also encouraged students to volunteer while they are still in school so that by the time they graduate, they would have acquired more experience needed and desired by employers. He commended the university for the soft skills it offers through the undergraduate course units of Writing and Study Skills. However, he observed that students don’t realize how important the course unit is early in their studies, necessitating that students re-study it later.

“The students were able to learn and re-learn some of the pertinent issues they have not been paying much attention to such as resume writing,” Esadu said of the workshop. “When the speakers emphasized them, they got to understand them more.”

Eborty Ntami, a governance and peace fellow with the United Nations Development Program, taught students how to write an attractive Curriculum Vitae (a resume), how to answer interview questions, how to prepare for an interview, among other skills.

“I urge you to aim at having an attractive CV, to read about the job details and understand them before you apply and carry out research about the organization you are applying to,” Ntami said.

Ntami emphasized that having knowledge about a company before going for the interview not only increases the student’s chance of being hired, but also helps that student decide whether the company will be a good fit.

According to Ntami, knowledge, networking, empowerment, inclusiveness and persistence are key in determining what people become. She encouraged the students to be ready for opportunities when they come and to leverage on Information Technology to overcome in the dynamic world.

“Interviews are always tricky,” said Alex Kaitale, a student pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration, after the workshop. “I am now prepared for the marketplace. I am sure I will submit the appropriate documents and respond to interview questions in the right way.”

Elijah Biimbwa, a second-year student of a Bachelor of Tourism in Hospitality Management, said he learned about the importance of networking.

“I learned that we need to network to increase our access to job opportunities, increase our visibility and advance our career. It is important for us to engage with others,” he said, adding that he also learned to make the best use of his social media platforms to network.

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Ubuntu Leadership Centre strengthens ties with UCU

June 30, 2023News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of LawPatty Huston-Holm

The team from UYLC and UCU pose for a photo on the day they signed a MOU. Vice Chancellor of UCU, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi is in the center; Dr. Sabrina Kitaka, the chairperson of the board at UYLC, is at third right.

By Kefa Senoga
“Ubuntu: Humanity towards others: I am because we are” is emblazoned on the main Web page of one of Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) newest partners to help financially challenged students. Ubuntu Youth Leadership Centre (UYLC), a not-for-profit organization that supports needy students through contributing to tuition fees and mentorship, has joined the effort.

Namiiro Benita, a soon-to-graduate UCU Bachelor of Laws student, is among the UYLC first recipients.

After completing Senior Six, Namiiro did not think her family was able to afford university tuition. She felt that her mother had toiled enough to get money for her school fees and wanted to leave the opportunity for her younger siblings. But Namiiro’s mother encouraged her daughter to continue her education, reasoning that once she was accepted, finances would come.

UYLC board chairperson, Dr. Sabrina Kitaka

“My mother wanted me to serve as a good example to my siblings, and so she encouraged me to enroll for a university education,” Namiiro, who lost her father when a young child, stated on Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) The Standard website.

Namiiro’s journey was often filled with chance. For instance, during the first semester of her first year, Namiiro was unable to pay full tuition in time. Learning of her financial dilemma, Bulungu John, one of her lecturers, topped up the balance, so Namiiro could sit her end-of-semester exams.

From then on, her family struggled to get whatever money they could while Namiiro pursued different financial relief opportunities at UCU. She subscribed to the work and study, financial aid, saving a buddy and the guild fund, as well as moving around hostels to ask for financial contributions from student colleagues. She also is among the beneficiaries of UCU’s latest tuition relief project for needy students, the Just For 10K Campaign.

Namiiro and two other Bachelor of Law students – George Ojocheyi and Apili Peninah – are confident of meeting financial requirements to graduate after the UYLC intervention. The three are the first to get UYLC help since the center signed an MOU with UCU at the end of 2022.

Ubuntu Leadership Centre entered into a partnership after learning about the Just For 10K Campaign. Dr. Sabrina Kitaka, the chairperson of the board at UYLC, noted that they want to go beyond just contributing to school fees to supporting students through mentorship.

“We would like to see mindset change,” Kitaka said. “We would like to see these young people leaving the university and adding value to our country.”

She added that UCU’s holistic education in both academic and Christian values made the UYLC partnership a good fit.

“Working with UCU is just part of our moral fabric to promote Christian values and provide a holistic academic system,” Kitaka said when the team made a recent visit to UCU.

The head of partnerships and grants at UCU, Dr. Angella Napakol, said “UCU is keen on students’ mentorship and apprenticeship and fully welcomes the UYLC initiative.”

The Vice Chancellor of UCU, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, lauded UYLC for their “good vision of touching lives,” noting that the world needs more change agents and intellectuals, and that UYLC is doing a good job in promoting such a cause.

Mushengyezi invited the UYLC team to “feel free to come and organize any seminars at the university,” as well as come and talk to the students during the UCU community gatherings that take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Dorothy Tushemereirwe, the Fundraising Consultant who is coordinating the Just For 10k Campaign, noted in mid-June that UYLC has raised a total donation of sh15,299,060 (over $4,000) in student fees.

How to donate for the ‘For Just 10k’ campaign

For direct deposits: +256774530810 in the name of Dorothy Tushemereirwe or +13344240964 in the name of Mark Bartels (Reason for giving should be “For just 10k fundraiser”)

Online donations: Use GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/f/needy-university-students)

Direct cash deposits on Stanbic bank: Account name: Uganda Christian University. Account Number: 9030005916673.

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Story of 600: Mentoring students to launch

June 28, 2023News, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

Margaret Noblin with some of her mentored students making brownies in the kitchen of the Kingdom View Ministry House, Mukono, Uganda

By Margaret Noblin
Like most Christ-centered, higher education entities, Uganda Christian University (UCU) exposes students to the Bible, God and Jesus along with rigorous curriculum in a choice of study and extracurricular opportunities.

But how do these things come together helping them to know themselves and launch successful careers? Being an accomplished student nearing graduation is a scary proposition. Being a star on campus does not translate to being a professional success.

Margaret helping students with the CV part of mentoring

A very bright student in social work came to me years ago. She had tremendous empathy along with strong fiscal skills but hadn’t considered a career in finance. After understanding her skills, she got her first job as a bank teller in a small city. There, she was promoted and finally ended up in a well-respected position at the main office in Kampala. She helped entrepreneurs get loans and was a creative problem-solver. When the bank restructured, they sent her to an international conference in Paris.

She transitioned to another finance job continuing to help small businesses. Along the way human resources asked her if she would like to mentor high school students on how to manage money and open bank accounts. The bottom line, she is using all her God-given skills, including social work and business.

This UCU graduate is one of about 600 students God placed in my path to mentor. Over 80% of the students that complete the process I designed get jobs they enjoy, and some even break the cycle of poverty in their families. These career professionals are becoming the middle-class of Uganda and changing the country one person at a time. They build houses for their moms, pay school fees for their siblings and become role models and impactful disciples.

Humbly, I didn’t choose this mentorship role for my life. God did. When a youthful undergraduate at the University of Missouri, I didn’t see this coming. My husband, Mark, and I got the calling to Uganda roughly two decades ago with a belief we were to be fishers of men to teach men and women to fish. The form that would take for me became a mentorship to university students. As we now reside in Dallas, Texas, it brings me great joy to see UCU students and alum practically empowered to be all God wants them to be.

Students need to know their God-given practical skills to gain the confidence to be successful.

Mentoring from a Biblical perspective is discipleship, and helps the mentee talk through the issues of life and how they fit the pieces together. There is fear of what is ahead. Most have high parental expectations that as they say “puts them on pressure.” What is ahead after university? Will I look foolish in new situations? What do I believe about the world around me? How do I live out my faith in Jesus with all the corruption and ungodly things around me? How do I handle carpet interviews (sex for jobs) or harassment? These are just a few things that have come out from years of listening to students.

As with listening to and talking to God, the same is true for those around us on earth. Most college students don’t have that as an integral part of their education.

As a follower of Jesus, my approach is holistic and Biblical. First, we need to understand our Biblical worldview to have a “true north” for God’s best for us. Then we need to comprehend how God wired our brains when we were created.

A process of writing short stories reflecting things the students loved doing, that were easy for them to do and eyewitnesses telling them “You are great at this,” lets me know the heart of the student. The revelation is fascinating to the students that complete the process. They are shown with evidence throughout their life of why they are secure, unique, significant and loved by God.

As their God-given practical skills are revealed and labeled, they begin to see the puzzle pieces fitting together.

The next step is developing their CVs(resumes), so it paints a picture of who they are on one page. It is like an interview on paper. They have shared, “I wasn’t scared in the interview. I was able to explain why I loved doing certain things.”

The best opportunities in Uganda are companies that do business internationally. They pay their employees on time, have international standards of behavior and generally pay better salaries and benefits.

Part of the process that God led me to create is viewing two presentations I take them through. One is about the basics of who you are and understanding your identity in Christ and the other deals with what industries in Uganda have lots of jobs. Most students are totally shocked when they see the industry presentation showing pictures of different large businesses. Comments range from, “I thought I had to be a doctor, engineer, lawyer, doctor, nurse, or teacher. I had no idea…” to “This is really cool. No one ever told me this stuff.”

I love “aha” moments when I see the lightbulb of opportunity go on. But then fear sets in. It takes time to refine the CVs, even though the evidence is there. They see the proof of who they are as career professionals.

Another challenging issue involves their self-image. Many of the students on their first visit still think of themselves as high school students, not career professionals. At this point, I have to have what one of our employees called “the talk” pertaining to becoming a serious adult and professional. How you dress, present yourself and your expectation of who you are and who you want to be is key. It is a reality check so they can make the transition.

I explain to them that I will help them, but they have to be willing to do the work and put in the time. I have found if they don’t, they don’t get good jobs.

Discipleship is developing a holistic intentional relationship between the two people. When I first started in 2008, I mainly listened and tried to get to know the person. As a believer in Jesus, I explained to them my starting point and thanked them for opening up their minds to share our perspectives about life. As things have changed with how we communicate, WhatsApp, text and email have been valuable tools. WhatsApp has been my favorite for sharing pdf presentations, audio explanations and making video calls to have a more personal connection. Praying together, explaining challenging situations and inquiring of the Lord can be done online.

In the past, our organization had a scholarship program, built a clinic, and started four homes for orphans. Through it all, we came to realize that mentoring youth was the most important work.

We saw more positive change from the university students and how they changed the lives of others spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Each time another student gets a job they hoped for, I feel like jumping for joy. And the credit and glory go to God.

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Margaret Noblin was a missionary to Uganda from 2003-2022 and continues to disciple UCU students virtually from the United States. Along with her husband, Mark, they led The Rock Outreach non-profit that funded the establishment of Kingdom View Ministry House and Pavilion donated to UCU in late 2022. More about the Texas-based Outreach can be accessed at www.rockoutreach.org.

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UCU’s Kitayimbwa appointed chairperson of a not-for-profit organization

June 26, 2023News, Students, UCU AlumniPatty Huston-Holm

The Rev. Prof John Kitayimbwa is the second UCU administrator to head the RENU board

By Kefa Senoga
The Rev. Assoc. Prof. John Kitayimbwa, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs at Uganda Christian University (UCU), has been appointed the chairperson of a Ugandan not-for-profit organization that facilitates research and education networking. The appointment of Kitayimbwa to the apex position of the board of the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU) happened during a recent retreat for the board of directors of the organization.

At the same retreat, Prof. Janice Desire Busingye, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration at Kampala International University, was appointed to the position of Deputy Chairperson of the RENU board.

The member-based organization founded in 2006 was established to end the extreme isolation of Uganda’s researchers and higher education practitioners from their national, regional and global peers, through the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.

The organization, which now has over 500 campuses connected to its network, is Uganda’s National Research and Education Network, and supports the needs of the research and education communities. Among the member organizations of RENU are schools, tertiary institutions, universities and research organizations.

Kitayimbwa said connectivity through RENU has afforded the agency access to vast information and resources, facilitated communication and collaboration and enabled the use of online education and research tools. He also mentioned the opportunity to share education and research infrastructure across Ugandan institutions, and facilitating the easier dissemination of education materials and research findings as some of the other benefits the member organizations have realized.

Kitayimbwa, a computational biologist, replaces Ugandan technologist Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello, who held the position from 2020 to 2023. During the same period, Kitayimbwa was Okello’s deputy on the RENU board. Okello is the Dean of Makerere University’s School of Engineering.

Kitayimbwa, a highly qualified professional in education and research, now becomes the second administrator from UCU to hold the position at RENU. Former Vice Chancellor, the Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll, was RENU chairperson from 2008 to 2011. Other past RENU board chairpersons are Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba (2011-2014) and Prof. Michel Lejeune (2014-2020).

According to Kitayimbwa, who is a priest in the Anglican church in Uganda, when Vice Chancellors of universities and Chief Executive Officers of research institutions formed RENU in 2006, the initial but very important challenge that they sought to address was the provision of reliable and affordable connectivity to research and education institutions in Uganda.

And it seems some progress has been made. “In addition to the reliable connectivity, RENU has also ensured that the bandwidth unit price drops and becomes more affordable. From a bandwidth unit cost of approximately $630 ($/Mbps/Month) in 2013, RENU has ensured a steady drop in pricing as more members have joined the network,” Kitayimbwa wrote in his message to member organizations following his appointment.

He explained further: “Today, the bandwidth unit cost is only 6% of what it was in 2013. This means that if an institution spends exactly the same amount of money that they were spending in 2013 on connectivity and bandwidth, it is able to enjoy a service that is 16 times better than what it was in 2013 for the same cost.”

Kitayimbwa holds a PhD in Computational Biology, an MPhil in Computational Biology, a Master’s in Mathematical Sciences and a BSc in Science with Education. For the more than 17 years that Kitayimbwa has worked as a university lecturer and administrator, he says he has developed passion for the development of science, technology and innovation.

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UCU students reap rewards from Google Developer Student Club

June 21, 2023Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, News, Science and Technology, StudentsPatty Huston-Holm

Patience Ankunda, who started the Google Developer Student Club at UCU and became the first woman to hold such a position in Uganda

By Pauline Luba
It was a simple request. Patience Ankunda was asked to help start a tech club at Uganda Christian University (UCU). At the time, she was a second-year student of Bachelor of Science in Architecture at Uganda’s Makerere University. She went to UCU and didn’t look back as she became a new UCU student, enrolling for a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

Ankunda abandoned her Makerere, government-sponsored course, which she had already studied for two of the four years, for a privately-sponsored one at UCU. And she was at peace with the decision.

“I saw computer science creating different opportunities for me in the future, which it is already doing now,” Ankunda, who graduated in 2021 with a First Class degree in computer science, told Uganda Partners during an interview last year.

For her switch of programs, she says many people branded her a failure because they thought she was substituting a more prestigious course for a lesser one. And many more people prophesied that she would not go far in life with a career in computer science.

Looking back, Ankunda believes the real spark of her love for computer science was her joining the Google Developer Student Club (GDSC) at Makerere University. She says the club helped her realize her love for technology.

“I was able to learn more about tech before I started to study it,” Ankunda said in late May 2023. “I got a number of opportunities and that boosted my confidence.”

Google Developer Student Clubs are university-based community groups for students who are interested in technology and cutting their professional teeth in developing applications. In the GDSC clubs, the learning is usually peer-to-peer, with emphasis on creating local solutions for local challenges. There are more than 1,900 college and university chapters across more than 100 countries in the world.

When Ankunda completed her switch from Makerere to UCU, she helped to found the GDSC in the latter university and later headed it, becoming the first woman to hold such a position in Uganda. Considered the most successful story of the club at UCU, Ankunda is already implementing the knowledge she gathered from both the classroom and her peer-to-peer interaction in the club. She likely will always be found at the intersection where technology meets business, finance and fitness.

She has co-founded Culipa, a financial technology company offering digital payment solutions for individuals and businesses of all sizes. With Culipa, Ankunda believes she is keeping the GDSC slogan of innovate, inspire, and ignite alive. Culipa has a mobile application that enables individuals and businesses to send and receive money – something that Ankunda believes is helping to make the lives of people better.

As part of its recruitment drive, on May 26, the GDSC UCU chapter held a sensitisation meeting, targeting the university’s fresh entrants.

Jasper Ashaba, the current club lead at UCU, urged first-year students to join the club, giving himself as an example of a beneficiary of serious membership in the club. Ashaba says a Ugandan transport and tracking company hired him to build for them and help them to manage their networks. From gigs like these, Ashaba says he is able to pay for his amenities at the university. Just like it is expected for any working student, there are times when the work has clashed with Ashaba’s time for class work.

“Every night, I pray to God to give me wisdom to be able to properly manage my time well,” Ashaba says.

Arthur Yawe, a first-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, said the session with freshers on May 26 gave him the opportunity to appreciate more the influence of technology in people’s lives.

Hassan Bahati, a member of the club, communicating to new students

“I will join the club,” Yawe said. “I want to learn new skills and get opportunities.”

Hassan Bahati, a member of the club, currently in his final year at the university and a student of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, said the club offers opportunities for a diverse array of talents.

“I’m in my third year, and I’m grateful for all I have learned from this club, as well as the opportunities that have come my way,” said Nabirye Joan, a student of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. “I advise others to join it.”

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