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,” Wankumaexplained.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
South Sudan during their performance.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities, and services, go towww.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
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”)
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.
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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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.
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.
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.
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.
Google Club Leader Jasper Ashaba
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.”
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.
The University of Pretoria has offered Jonathan Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research
By Pauline Luba Janitorial work increased the chances of a university getting at least one student. That’s part of the story of Dr. Jonathan Tumwebaze, who shared the role of a building custodian in his enrollment at Uganda Christian University (UCU).
Tumwebaze’s father, Kaganda Bbala, was looking for a university where his son could pursue undergraduate studies, and UCU was among those on the list. During the university tour with his father in 2011, Tumwebaze said that as his dad walked into the bathrooms in the Mukono campus Nsibambi Hall, he remarked that if custodians could do their job so diligently without close supervision, then there was something special about UCU.
The university journey that Tumwebaze started 12 years ago has seen him recently earning a PhD in a record two-and-a-half years. The course usually takes up to five years. The 31-year-old received his doctorate in public policy from the University of Pretoria in South Africa on March 21, 2023.
Titled “A Framework for Child Participation in Child-focused Policy Design in Uganda,” Tumwebaze’s research focused on inclusion of children’s voices in child-focused, policy decision-making processes. He describes a developing paradigm of thought in Uganda’s child-focused research literature.
Tumwebaze with Patty Huston-Holm, Uganda Partners communications director, when they worked together to conduct post-graduate writing and research clinics.
Tumwebaze has a unique passion for cross-disciplinary learning and knowledge systems, and has a breadth of experience working with students. Serving as the Interim Global Health Coordinator for Uganda Studies Program and Christian University Partnerships Manager, Tumwebaze’s doctorate meant he was the first student to graduate under the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research. The partnership is a collaborative venture in public policy and is currently offered in three universities in Africa – the University of Pretoria, University of Nairobi in Kenya and the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. In 2015, Tumwebaze worked as an intern for a new UCU postgraduate thesis-assistance program.
Tumwebaze and four others enrolled for the program as full-time PhD resident fellows in February 2020 at the University of Pretoria. Even though Covid-19 affected many education systems, Tumwebaze’s PhD journey was never interrupted, which is something he attributed to the robust nature of the University of Pretoria’s academic programs. He benefited from the financial support of the Carnegie Corporation of New Yorkand the University of Pretoria Doctoral Research Scholarship.The university has offered Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research, an academic mentorship journey he will be embarking on soon.
Initially, he did not want to pursue a B.A. in Development Studies at UCU. He also had been accepted for the Bachelor of Laws degree, which is where his heart was. However, upon the advice of his father that the tuition fee for the law course was too expensive, Tumwebaze switched to Development Studies.
“The first month at university was hard,” Tumwebaze recalled. “I saw myself as a lawyer and kept wondering what I was doing in another class.”
Agatha Ninsiima, a friend and an honors student, noticed Tumwebaze’s lack of ambition and encouraged him to avoid wasting three undergraduate years – to put zeal and energy into his development study. And Tumwebaze did just that.
Soon, his attitude shifted to positive and, since then, he topped his class until he completed the course. He was not just a member, but also the chairperson of the UCU Honors College, which is an interdisciplinary Christian leadership and mentorship program that empowers highly motivated and talented students to think critically and creatively about how their Christian faith influences their academic and professional goals.
Tumwebaze is the third born of Bbala and Adyeeri Kaganda. He attended St. Jude Primary School Kyegobe in Fort Portal, western Uganda and Mengo Senior Secondary in central Uganda for his secondary school education. While at Mengo, Tumwebaze got an opportunity to spend some time in Norway as part of an exchange student program.
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.
UCU alum Joyce Nakayenga earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering on March 23, 2023, at Japan’s Hiroshima University, where she has been retained as a postdoctoral researcher.
By Pauline Luba “A name is so important. A surname connects you to your past, to your family.” This quote is attributed to Canadian author Kelley Armstrong.
The life of Joyce Nakayenga, a new recipient of a PhD in engineering, is aligned with the writer’s assertion. Named after her paternal grandmother, Nakayenga grew up knowing that she had to uphold that matriarch’s legacy of hard work and overcoming challenges. Nakayenga’s grandmother struggled to educate her children despite having so little.
When Nakayenga was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering – Civil and Environmental Engineering from Hiroshima University in Japan on March 23, 2023, and as other members of her family as well as friends looked on, her grandmother’s spirit was ever present. With the degree, the 31-year-old also won three prestigious university awards. Her research earned her the Best Presentation Researcher, Academic Encouragement Award and the 2022 Hiroshima Excellent Student Award.
For many who know Nakayenga’s academic ability, the latest attainment likely isn’t surprising. In 2015, she was not only a recipient of a First-Class degree in Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Uganda Christian University (UCU), but also had the best marks in her class. For that feat, she earned an academic excellence award at UCU. Consequently, UCU’s Department of Engineering and Environment hired Nakayenga as a tutorial assistant for one year.
“I have always wanted to be an engineer,” Nakayenga told Uganda Partners. “I wanted a profession that showed where I could visibly see the fruits of my work thereafter.”
UCU’s location within her home district – Mukono – and its deep roots in Christianity were a good fit for Nakayenga’s higher education choice.
Nakayenga notes that the UCU community, including its lecturers, were instrumental in ensuring concentration in books, overall performance and continued learning. For instance, a former lecturer at UCU brought her attention to the existence of the Mext scholarship to study at Hiroshima. Nakayenga enrolled for a master’s at the university in 2017 and the scholarship was extended to doctorate studies because she had passed the first post-graduate hurdle with flying colors.
Nakayenga describes herself as someone “keen on promoting sustainable societal development, especially for developing countries, through innovative engineering solutions.” Her PhD research, under the topic “The re-use of stone quarry waste (i.e granite and limestone powder) to improve the properties of weak clay soils,” gives her the competence to be able to develop “sturdy infrastructure that will stand the test of time and natural disasters.” The research focused on how to make naturally weak clay soil strong, by using stone powder.
Nakayenga is the fifth born of six children of Dr. Wilson Mubiru and Specioza Nabatanzi Mubiru. Nakayenga’s family had to use resources sparingly, having at one time been an extended family of up to 18 members living under one roof. Her parents, now retired, were public servants. Wilson was the officer in charge of health in central Uganda’s Mubende district while Specioza served as an education officer in the same district.
Nakayenga attended Mubende Parents School for her primary education and Nabisunsa Girls School for her secondary education before joining UCU. Nakayenga balanced academics and student leadership roles at every school she attended. At Mubende Parents School, she was the assistant head prefect. At UCU she represented her faculty in the UCU students’ parliament. At Hiroshima University, from 2017 to 2018, Nakayenga was the university’s Study Abroad Ambassador, where she sensitized students on the benefits of studying in the Hiroshima Prefecture (municipality).
For now, she will remain in Hiroshima, where the university has employed her as a postdoctoral researcher in the geotechnical laboratory of Hiroshima University.
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.
Francis Acaye (holding pen), the studio technician, checks out the donated equipment
By Kefa Senoga The Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED) recently donated multimedia equipment worth over sh98million (about $24,000) to the School of Journalism, Media and Communication of Uganda Christian University (UCU).
The cooperation between UCU’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC) and the Norwegian NLA University under the NORHED project is one of the partnership models that has played a role in the growth of UCU’s School of JMC.
Among the equipment received in May were still and video cameras, laptops, projectors, and other assorted accessories. Because of the partnership, there has been a positive change at the school, most especially in terms of equipment. During the first phase of the $1.3milliom NORHED project that was signed in 2013 as a collaboration between the Norwegian NLA Universityand the Department of Mass Communication at the time, the latter acquired equipment, such as 10 Handycam video cameras, more than 15 DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras, with their accessories like tripods and a comprehensive journalism and communication book bank.
Some of the donated equipment
To build on the success registered in the first phase of the project last year, UCU signed another partnership, NORHED II, which is intended to bring more equipment support and faculty development through training, to attain doctoral degrees up to 2026. The funds under NORHED II also are intended to help the school to start a PhD program in Journalism, Media Studies and Communication.
The multimedia equipment that SJMC received in May is geared towards enhancing practical training in multimedia storytelling and production, a key emphasis for journalists today.
Film making, news broadcasting, drama and documentary production are some of the many practical projects within the School of JMC. The students produce a weekly TV news bulletin through the online channel The UCU Focus and multimedia stories on the The Standard website, the university online newspaper.
Geoffrey Ssenoga, the technical instructor at the school, says that the equipment donated by NORHED consists of user-friendly devices that will enable the students to appreciate the profession that they are pursuing, noting that it will also enable a smoother, more-real world teaching and learning experience.
Emmanuel Ilungole, a third-year student of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication and the head of production at the UCU Focus TV, says the new equipment will improve the quality of their production.
“Modern equipment offers good visuals, good sound, enhanced sound effects and easier editing tools which enrich the production experience,” Ilungole says.
John Semakula, the Head of the Department of Undergraduate Studies at the School of JMC, says with the new equipment, students will be able to produce quality multimedia stories. One of the key focus areas for JMC is producing competent and multi-skilled journalism graduates who meet the demands of the current job market. Semakula believes availability of the equipment will support the objective.
Prof. Monica Chibita, the Dean of the School of JMC, affirmed that the support from the NORHED project has played a vital role in the school’s capacity building since 2014. The support has helped build the school’s reputation as one of the top journalism, media, and communication institutions of higher learning in the region.
The first phase of the NORHED program led to the training of five members of the faculty to acquire PhD, as well as sponsoring graduates for master’s studies. The graduates have since joined the school as members of the faculty. Cumulatively, UCU also has procured equipment and books worth over sh800 million ($214,500) for the school. This includes over 600 book titles and equipping of four training studios.
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.
Daniel Kunya is a student, a banking officer and a farmer
By Kefa Senoga Daniel Kunya has no power to change the perception people may have about his abilities because of a disfigured right leg. His power is in his reaction to that judgment.
Kunya,born with a significantly shorter right leg, says his parents prepared him well for a world of ridicule, where some people cast doubt on ability for those with disabilities. He says he has been mocked by contemporaries throughout his life. In November last year, as he campaigned to be the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mbale Campus Guild President, a competitor took jabs at Kunya’s uncommon gait.
Kunya with UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyenzi
“One of the candidates in the race told students not to allow a man with a disability to lead them,” Kunya says, adding: “However, the students chose me.”
According to the 30-year-old, the counseling and support he got from his parents enabled him to develop a thicker skin to persevere through bullying to become a student leader throughout his education. He is the second of four children of Kunya Fred and Mukimba Rose of Namutumba district in eastern Uganda.
He attended St Henry’s School Wakiso for his primary education, where he served as the pupils’ leader in charge of sanitation. At Kawala College School, where he attended O’level, Kunya was the student leader in charge of the dining hall.
While he had no official, documented leadership role at Apass Secondary School in Kampala, where he attended A’level, he jumped back into leadership when running for the apex student position of Guild President, which he got.
At the same time, Kunya, a UCU year-two student of Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration, is leading and working in finance and farming.
Kunya in his onion farm
Through his work as a Social Banking Officer with Opportunity Bank, a financial institution in Uganda, Kunya has been responsible for formal banking clients. As a community-based trainer, he has been able to train more than 1,000 youths in Village Savings and Loans Association, as well as in financial literacy.
He also is actively engaged in farming, dispelling perceptions that this physical work is beyond the grasp of a person with special needs.
“This season, I harvested five acres of rice in Namutumba and last season, I had an onion farm in Namisindwa,” Kunya says. Both Namutumba and Namisindwa are districts in eastern Uganda.
Seeing the challenges that people living with disabilities often face in communities, Kunya appeals for a society that is more tolerant and appreciative of their unique physical challenges.
On many buildings in Uganda, including in schools, there are neither ramps or lifts, meaning Kunya and many people like him will find a challenge in accessing such places.
Despite his accomplishments and the brave face that Kunya usually has, at the end of the day, he has human emotions. He says although he stays purpose-focused, especially when he is mocked, there are days when the psychological torture that he encounters overwhelms him, sometimes reducing him to tears.
He has a message to those who invoke psychological torture to those living with disabilities.
“All of us are candidates for disability because you can be moving around and you get involved in an accident,” said Kunya.
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.
Students and farmers from Bugujju in the greenhouse at UCU
By Pauline Luba Farmers in Katente Village, Nakisunga sub-county in Mukono district, have long benefited from the classroom knowledge of students at Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. Likewise, from these workers among crops and livestock, students have gained an understanding of how their curriculum is applied outside of lectures and textbooks.
This exchange of ideas, experience, and knowledge is part of an outreach program designed specifically for third-year students pursuing a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Entrepreneurship.
Students and farmers learning about improved agricultural practices from an instructor.
“We extended the outreach to different villages across Uganda, and all of them were identified through the church,” Ms. Sheila Namuwaya, the head of the Department of Agriculture, said.
She further explained what the outreach entails. “The students are assigned households, after which they identify what the farmers have and their respective needs.” They then plan how to help the farmer achieve more value for money.
Ms. Namuwaya has been in charge of these programs since she joined UCU 11 years ago. Among the recommendations that students often make to the farmers is setting up a vegetable garden so that the farmer’s family is able to partake of the benefits that come with eating vegetables. Also, it is intended that the surplus vegetables can be sold to the community. Another recommendation involves rearing livestock.
“I believe this program is important because it helps students realize they can do things in a practical sense,” Ms. Namuwaya said.
Once the selected households have agreed to the project, students are then
Students applying manure before planting banana suckers
transported from UCU to Katente, a distance of about 10 miles from the UCU main campus. The students spend time with the farmers they have been attached to once a week, from 8a.m to 1p.m, for the duration of the outreach.
The safety of the students is ensured because the local council leaders and the police are key figures in the project. The farmers are not provided with funds, nor are the students given any financial compensation by the farmer for the work done for them except that a farmer may give something from their farms as a gesture of courtesy.
Funding for student transportation has been a barrier overcome by combining the off-campus experience with farmers coming to the Mukono campus.
Some of the vegetables in the garden
Of the on-campus outreach, Ms. Namuwaya said, “We got a number of farmers from around the university community in Bugujju to come, interact, and learn with the students.”
This year, the farmers and the students participated in outreach activities in the gardens set up at the university demonstration plot. Students choose their desired enterprises to work with. However, the number of students participating in the outreach exercise has been dwarfed by the enthusiasm from the farmers in Bugujju. For instance, during one of the in-campus sessions, there were 30 farmers for the nine students. The department hopes to undertake measures that will see an increase in the number of students pursuing the course.
“We are carrying out aggressive marketing of the course so that the student numbers can increase,” Ms. Namuwaya said.
She hopes more students can realize the benefit they accrue from the outreach activities conducted so they put into practice the knowledge gained in the classroom.
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.
Carroline Kihumuro is one of the successful candidates for the ICPAU Student Scholarship program
By Kefa Senoga Mid last year, Carroline Nyange Kihumuro stumbled on an advertisement by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU), calling for applications from graduates who wished to pursue a course in professional accountancy as scholars.
“When I applied for the scholarship in June last year, I was required to write an essay, stating why I needed the scholarship; I was also required to provide my grades,” says Kihumuro, an alumna of Uganda Christian University (UCU) and one of the three female students of the 10 who got a scholarship for the two-and-a-half-year Certified Public Accountants Course.
Unveiling the winners of the ICPAU student scholarship program. Standing are the scholarship recipients while seated are members of the senior management at ICPAU.
The beneficiaries of the scholarship are expected to have scored a First-Class Degree or Second-Class Upper Division. Every year, ICPAU admits students to its programs. In every cohort, the institute sponsors 10 students from either public or privately-owned universities. Kihumuro is in the fourth cohort of the Student Scholarship Program.
According to ICPAU, becoming a Chartered Professional Accountant offers opportunities, such as international recognition and affiliation with the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), access to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs, opportunities to represent the accountancy profession on the ICPAU Council, access to accountancy information and updates through ICPAU portals and platforms, as well as enhanced credibility with the CPA professional designation, among others.
Kihumuro says enrolling for the course is a big milestone towards achieving her dream career. She has long had a strong passion for working in finance-related fields. And it is this desire that influenced her to pursue a Bachelor of Business Administration. “When I joined UCU, I didn’t have second thoughts on pursuing business studies,” states Kihumuro, who will write her first CPA exams in August.
ICPAU is mandated with regulating and maintaining the standard of accountancy in Uganda, as well as prescribing and regulating the conduct of accountants and practicing accountants in Uganda.
Kihumuro joined UCU in 2018 and graduated on October 2, 2021, with a First-Class degree. However, had it not been for the outreach by the UCU career and guidance department to the western-Uganda school of Kyebambe Girls School, where Kihumuro studied A’level, perhaps she would have ended up at another institution of higher learning.
“I got the chance to meet Madam Connie Musisi, the then careers officer at UCU who encouraged me to join the university and pursue my dream career in business and finance,” Kihumuro says, noting that she wanted a university that would also groom her spiritually.
She says the schools she attended gave her the opportunity to hone her leadership skills, something she believes gave her lots of exposure.
While at UCU, Kihumuro served as a student leader in different capacities. She was the guild representative for the School of Business and a residential assistant in the Sabiti Girls Hall of residence. She was also a student leader at the UCU Honors College, which is designed for exceptionally motivated and high-achieving students. At Kyebambe Girls School, she was the deputy head prefect in her O’level and the head prefect during her A’level.
Kihumuro attributes the successes she has attained over the years to God and her single mother, Martha Tusiime, who she says was quite supportive and paid all her tuition fees.
Besides her mother, her fiancé, Patrick Shikobo, has played key roles in her life. “When I thought of changing my career due to some disappointments that emerged, Patrick encouraged me to push on.”
Kihumuro is currently employed as a banking officer with Bank of Africa, a commercial bank in Uganda, where she has been for over a year.
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.
By Kefa Senoga For an example of a life of twists and turns, look no farther than that of Isaac Christopher Lubogo. Lubogo is a lawyer whose father wanted him to pursue a science career. He is an academic, but initially chose to be a pastor.
During his early days, Lubogo lost his mother, but instead of pulling him down, her demise catapulted his desire to succeed in life. He says he used the depression that the death of Margaret Mugeni caused to create the energy to carry on with life. His father, Patrick Kunya, a minister in the Uganda government in the early 1980s, also had passed on.
“I do not remember lacking anything in life when my mother was alive,” Lubogo says, casting doubt on if he could have achieved whatever he has done now because he “lacked any ambition” before his mother died.
Because Lubogo knew that with the demise of Mugeni, he was all alone against the world, he had to make use of the resurgence in his energy and spirits. And that is partly responsible for an achievement that the law lecturer registered. He recently won the Legal Tech Innovation Award, Africa, for a digital platform that he uses to demystify the law. Lubogo, an alum and former lecturer of Uganda Christian University (UCU), said the judges at the annual awards were impressed with the Suigeneris Law App that he created because they believed that “it changed people’s mindset.”
Lubogo with the writer, Kefa, and some of his over 35 books
Through the application, Lubogo teaches the knowledge of the law to people from certificate to doctorate level through the academic resources and materials. On the platform and without charge, one is able to access previous judgments, a legal dictionary, inspirational material, audios and books. Lubogo also has written more than 35 law books, many of which he shares on the platform through an e-book.
“I got confirmation from one university which is using one of my books in their syllabus,” Lubogo said. “Another book, Obuntu Bulamu and the Law, is also taught in some law schools in the country under jurisprudence.”
Had Lubogo not made a turning point at Busoga College Mwiri, a school in eastern Uganda, where he studied A’level, possibly the world would have missed his resourcefulness in as far as sharing law literature is concerned. He first studied science subjects – Physics, Chemistry and Biology –with the hope of pursuing a course in human medicine at university. However, the grades he got could not grant him the opportunity to study the course on government sponsorship at university. He thus chose to repeat A’level at Kira College Butiki in eastern Uganda, where he abandoned science subjects, opting for arts.
Despite passing his final examinations in A’level, Lubogo had second thoughts about joining the university.
“I studied a course in theology at Alpha-Omega Seminary in Jinja, but did not complete it,” Lubogo says, adding: “My desire to do theology was because of my strong Christian foundation.” He even started a church, Wairaka Miracle Centre, in Jinja. The church exists to date.
After four years of ministry, Lubogo joined UCU to pursue a Bachelor of Laws. By then, he already had a daughter, Zion, who is now at Makerere University, pursuing a Bachelor of Law degree.
Since he did not have money for tuition, Lubogo sold the only piece of land that his mother gave him to get money for the university fees. In his second year, he was lucky to get a scholarship that catered for his tuition needs until he completed his four-year course. After university, Lubogo pursued a Diploma in Legal Practice at Uganda’s Law Development Center, Masters in Law and is now pursuing a doctorate in law and a doctorate in psychology.
The legal scholar says after acquiring his Master of Laws degree at Makerere, he settled for a career in academia. He is currently teaching law at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) and Nkumba University. He was previously the Principal of UCU’s Institute of Petroleum Studies.
Lubogo notes that as an academic, he has interacted with students who have helped him come up with ideas. He says as a lecturer at UCU, one of his students, Muchwa Christopher, introduced to him the idea of creating an application from where legal literature can be shared. It is this app that won Lubogo international acclaim through the Legal Tech Innovation Award, Africa.
Lubogo recently wrote the Future Lawyer, which is meant to give upcoming lawyers information on how to deal with artificial intelligence. He is currently writing another book about oral examinations, aptitude tests and sitting interviews for law students at undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels.
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.
By Kefa Senoga Yohana Eyob Ghebrekristos always held the notion that her dream would not become a reality through magic, but rather, by sweat, determination and hard work. Yohana dreams of a career in dental surgery. And she is almost there. She is in year five, the final year of study for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery at Uganda Christian University (UCU).
Yohana began university studies from her home country, Eritrea. However, due to some difficulties at her university, in 2018, she traveled more than 1,000 miles to relocate to Uganda to cement her dream.
“I studied at the Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistryfor a couple of years, but due to some challenges that our school was going through, I decided to relocate to Uganda to continue with my studies,” Yohana said.
Yohana dressed in her medical attire.
She was among the pioneer students for the Bachelor of Dental Surgery course at UCU. With that UCU pioneer class expected to graduate in July this year, there is hope that the high dentist to patient ratio in Uganda will drop. Uganda has 320 dentists licensed to practice in a country of more than 45 million people, resulting in a shortage that the Uganda Dental Association attributes to limited training institutions.
While many people would have second thoughts about leaving their country of origin to study on foreign land, it was not the case with Yohana. The passion and determination she had to pursue a career in dentistry, coupled with the comfort of living with her sister, who is employed as an information technology professional with the United Nations in Uganda drove her to UCU.
“My passion for dentistry started when I was 13 years old. During that time, I used to visit my childhood dentist, Dr. Fessehaye, to restore the cavities that I had in my teeth,” she said, noting that the level of professionalism with which Dr. Fessehaye carried out his work attracted her. Another thing that made Yohana fall for dentistry, she narrated, was the rate at which patients regained hope after visiting the dentist.
Yohana notes that when she developed the love for the profession, she started engaging with the dentist, who was also a family friend, more often, to try to understand what it meant to carry out the job.
“He would tell me what’s required to become a dentist. When I finally shared with him my desire to join the profession, he gave me invaluable advice that made me appreciate the career even more,” Yohana said, noting that she has since learned that dentistry involves more than just extracting teeth.
Yohana working in the phantom lab.
Yohana said she is glad she joined UCU School of Dentistry, because she is not just taught by lecturers but “dental experts with good character.” For instance, the Dean of the UCU School of Dentistry, Dr. James Magara, is one of Uganda’s celebrated dental surgeons. Dr. Magara, who was part of the pioneer class of dental surgery at Uganda’s Makerere University, has been a practicing professional since 1988.
Yohana says UCU has also provided an opportunity for her to grow in her faith. She and, indeed, other students, credit UCU for its strong Christian foundation that they say reinforces their religious beliefs. One of the favorite programs is the lunch-hour Christian fellowship that is conducted at the university every Tuesday and Thursday.
As a dentist, Yohana notes that it is her role to identify a gap in relation to oral health literacy in the community and then use every opportunity to educate the community about oral hygiene, noting that scholars have affirmed that good oral health leads to good general health.
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.
Nathanael Simbilyabo said despite the challenges he faced as he started out at UCU, he is grateful for the decision he made to join the institution.
By Pauline Luba Language barrier, homesickness and culture shock are some of the challenges Nathanael Simbilyabo encountered as a new university student. Since Simbilyabo, a Ugandan national of the Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo, had his pre-university education conducted in French, it took a big leap of faith for him to come to terms with studying in Uganda, where English is the national language and medium of instruction in schools.
In 2021, he was admitted to Uganda Christian University (UCU) to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication. Even the bridge course he and other international students took was challenging. The Higher Education Certificate (HEC) program is a bridge support for all international students who studied A’level from outside Uganda.
“When I came to Uganda, I did not know English,” said Simbilyabo, adding: “I learned it in HEC. It bridged the gap.”
Life was tough for Simbilyabo. As if learning a new language was not hard enough, he had to find ways of overcoming homesickness on top of financial challenges that many students face. One day, he was hit by a bodaboda as he crossed the streets. In DR Congo, it is an unwritten rule that men do not shed tears – a rule he broke that day.
However, he was eventually able to conquer the challenges and now says he would not trade studying at UCU for anything. He says the university has exposed him to learning cultures of people from other parts of the world.
“UCU equips someone spiritually, physically and mentally,” Simbilyabo said, adding: “I love this university. It has helped me.”
And it’s not just Simbilyabo who has attested to the spiritual growth that UCU students get. Many of them cite the community hour fellowship every Tuesday and Thursday as university activities that help to cement their faith in an institution that seeks to fully incorporate the Christian gospel in its programs.
Carolyn Shonkweiler with her new friends in Mukono, Uganda.
For Carolyn Shonkweiler, the five months that she has spent on the UCU campus have been more than enough for her to discover the university’s value. In January 2023, Shonkweiler was granted the opportunity for an exchange program with UCU, under the America-based Uganda Studies Program. She left Dordt University, a private evangelical Christian university in Iowa, to be a resident of UCU for one semester.
“I was definitely pushed out of my comfort zone,” Shonkweiler said. “I didn’t know anyone; I didn’t know if they would like me. But I have really enjoyed my experience here. I have made new friends and seen the world and the culture of the Ugandan people.”
Shonkweiler said in the beginning, she found it hard to adjust to the food. However, after some time, she started falling in love with some of the Ugandan delicacies, such as rolex (chapatti rolled with fried eggs). She said she has enjoyed the hospitality of the Ugandan friends she has made while here and would recommend UCU for any international student wishing to study in Uganda.
Rodney Ngabirano was among the first students to apply to join UCU during the September intake in 2021.
Rodney Ngabirano, from Uganda ,was among the first students to apply to join UCU during the September intake in 2021. At the time, due to the pandemic-induced lockdown, many institutions of higher learning were struggling to come to terms with virtual learning. However, for UCU, the case was different. In a 2022 article for Uganda Partners, Dr. Stephen Kyakulumbye, a senior lecturer at UCU, said the movement to start online learning began five years before Covid.
At UCU, the idea for virtual learning was advanced in 2016 when five UCU faculty members were chosen for an on-line teaching, virtual training in Muranga, Kenya. Kyakulumbye, already known for his expertise in Information Systems Curriculum Design, relished the fact that he was among the five. And it is innovations like these that attracted students like Ngabirano, because it was evident, they were joining a university with an already tried and tested setup.
Ngabirano says he is impressed by the level of professionalism of many of the staff members who are always available for consultations, as well as the cleaners who ensure the students operate from a hygienic environment.
The fact that UCU academics push students to put classroom theory into practice has enabled the students to test the world of work before they eventually face it. For instance, by supporting law students to take part in moot competitions, they are being exposed to the philosophy of law. Last year, UCU journalism students put into practice what they learned by producing a movie that earned a nomination for a national films award in Uganda.
Esther Aguku at work in the Vice Chancellor’s office.
Esther Aguku, a Ugandan and the Executive Officer in the Office of the Vice Chancellor, said the UCU master’s courses help to mold the students for the practical world. She graduated from UCU with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology.
“I have been a student here and elsewhere,” she said. “I prefer UCU on any day. Class wasn’t just class; I built stronger relationships as a student. I would recommend this university to anyone seeking higher education.”
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.
Bishop Barham University College social work students clean the well at Kigezi High School Primary in Kabale district, western Uganda.
By Irene Best Nyapendi Ndayambaje Elidaphonse’s family in Kabale district, western Uganda, has access to clean and safe water for use after Uganda Christian University (UCU) students removed silt and sediment from their water source. The well near Bishop Barham University College (BBUC) serves over 300 households in the areas of Bugongi, Kibikuura, and Rwakaraba, which are near Kabale town.
An estimated 38 million of Uganda’s 45 million people lack access to a reliable, safely managed source of water with seven million lacking access to improved sanitation solutions. The grim statistics are from the 2022 report from the Ministry of Health, Uganda.
Amos Nomwesigwa, desilting the well, says he is proud to do community service as a tradition by the BBUC students.
Elidaphonse, a father of three, said students showed that they “care and mind about people getting clean water.” He added: “I am happy because the bush around the well was cleared. Water that had stagnated is now flowing. We use the water for cooking and drinking.”
Pupils and students of Kigezi High School Primary and Excel High School also drink the water and use it for washing.
According to UNICEF, in Uganda, poor sanitation and hygiene as well as unequal access to safe drinking water, make thousands of children very sick and at risk of death.
Students of the UCU School of Social Sciences cleaned the community well on March 9, 2023, as part of their “corporate social responsibility.”
Catherine Atukunda Masiko, the head of the Department of Social Sciences at BBUC, said she thought it would be of great help to the university neighbors if students cleaned the well as part of their community outreach.
Clean water flowing after the cleaning operation by over 50 students. Students previously cleaned hospitals, Kabale town and homes of people with disabilities.
“I identified a well near the university that was in a very bad state; it had not been cleaned in months and the drainage system was blocked with waste,” she said. “I then shared this problem with my students who embraced the idea of us reaching out to help the community solve this problem.”
Armed with shovels, hoes, masks and gloves, over 50 students rolled up their sleeves and went into the filthy trench and emptied the well. They unclogged the rubbish which had blocked the drainage system and made the water muddy.
Every semester, the students do community engagement. It also was done as part of activities ahead of the World Social Work Day on March 21. The day promotes the contributions of individuals and communities working for society. And for the students as social workers, it is aimed at relieving people’s suffering, fighting for social justice and improving lives and communities.
Ndayambaje Elidaphonse, a native whose family of four relies on the well students cleaned for water for cooking and drinking.
“It feels so good to help. I feel humbled to deliver a service that will be enjoyed by the majority,” Amos Nomwesigwa, a participating student, said.
He said it is now a tradition for BBUC students to engage in services that help the community.
They have been to outreaches in hospitals, including, Rugarama hospital, Kabale referral hospital and cleaning Kabale town. When the students visited Rugarama hospital, they took items such as soap for the patients, cleaned the hospital and prayed for the sick. At the home for people with disabilities in Kinkugiri, they offered counseling services and an assortment of basic supplies, including soap.
The university provides funds to facilitate volunteerism. Simon Turyakira, the BBUC public relations officer, said the program enables students to be exemplary to the community so that it can learn to clean on their own.
“We did this because we want something to be done in the community,” Turyakira said. “We need to give them direction by doing it first. The students wanted to make the well clean so that people can start doing it as a routine.”
In local communities, social activities such as cleaning of water sources are initiatives of the community, led by the local council leaders. However, Turyakira explained that the local leaders cannot be blamed for the ill-kept well because sometimes they are overwhelmed by other community work on their desks.
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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities, and services, go towww.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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