Category Archives: UCU Alumni

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

Story of 600: Mentoring students to launch

News, Students, UCU Alumni


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

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

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

News, Students, UCU Alumni


The Rev. Prof John Kitayimbwa is the second UCU administrator to head the RENU board
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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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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The University of Pretoria has offered Jonathan Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research

Janitor plays role in UCU alum’s academic success

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Social Sciences, USP


The University of Pretoria has offered Jonathan Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research
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 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 York and 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.

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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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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.

UCU alum continues academic marks at Japan university

Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, News, Students, UCU Alumni


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.
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.

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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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Dr. Jessica Nsungwa (left), the health ministry’s commissioner maternal and child health, with Dr. Miriam Mutabazi, dean of the UCU Faculty of Public Health, Nursing & Midwifery, during the Save the Mothers annual conference at UCU on May 5, 2023.

UCU Save the Mothers conference calls for prioritizing of safe motherhood

Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, UCU Alumni


Dr. Jessica Nsungwa (left), the health ministry’s commissioner maternal and child health, with Dr. Miriam Mutabazi, dean of the UCU Faculty of Public Health, Nursing & Midwifery, during the Save the Mothers annual conference at UCU on May 5, 2023.
Dr. Jessica Nsungwa (left), the health ministry’s commissioner maternal and child health, with Dr. Miriam Mutabazi, dean of the UCU Faculty of Public Health, Nursing & Midwifery, during the Save the Mothers annual conference at UCU on May 5, 2023.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
While strides have been made in reduction of infant mortality,  prevalence of obstetric fistulas due to inadequate health care continues to be problematic, especially for developing countries and with the diminished number of health care workers since the Covid-19 pandemic. Obstetric fistula, in which there is a hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum, is an ongoing problem in Uganda because of gaps in timely, high-quality medical care.

Prioritizing treatment for safe motherhood is critical, according to Dr. Jean Chamberlain, a Canadian obstetrician/gynecologist, who made the plea during the annual conference hosted by Save The Mothers (STM) Organisation, which Chamberlain co-founded. Under the theme, “Re-imagining Safe Motherhood Post-Pandemic,” she spoke at Uganda Christian University (UCU) on May 5.

Dr. Jean Chamberlain, founder of STM, speaks at the annual conference where she called for hiring of more health workers to support safe motherhood after suffering exits due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr. Jean Chamberlain, founder of STM, speaks at the annual conference where she called for hiring of more health workers to support safe motherhood after suffering exits due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chamberlain argued that among all the world’s issues, safe motherhood should come to the top, especially in light of workforce loss and fatigue as a result of the pandemic.

“In the clinic where I work in Canada, we had around nine nurses at the beginning of the pandemic, but by the end of the pandemic, there was literally no nurse because all of the nurses left during the pandemic,” she said. “The challenge we are facing now is how to build the workforce again, looking for people who are really dedicated, who understand what they are doing and are qualified.”

Chamberlain emphasized the dire need to prioritize safe motherhood aligned with the STM vision: No mother or child should die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. 

In support of the vision, STM started a Master of Public Health Leadership (MPHL) at UCU in 2005 with the aim of training multi-disciplinary professionals and improving maternal and child health in developing countries. Over 600 East African leaders have graduated to work towards overcoming preventable maternal and child death.

Chamberlain urged safe motherhood professionals to be pillar-people by being present, committed, reliable, steady and go the distance for the mothers so that when people look at them, they see people they can lean on.

“Two million people worldwide suffer from fistula, but no one hears about them because the power actors have been silent to date,” she said. “This is why as Save the Mothers, we need to be a voice for these mothers.”

Dr. Jessica Nsungwa Sabiiti, the commissioner for maternal and child health at the ministry of health, reported that most deaths registered are due to patient delays at healthcare facilities.

“Most mothers bleed a lot which is as a result of delaying to be attended to at these facilities,” Nsungwa said. “We have been pushing for four visits for antenatal care, but we want eight visits to help identify those with risks.”

According to Nsungwa, a lot of what they do depends on the number of  “champions” such as those trained through STM who can translate the information and be in the society to ensure that there is cohesion. Shesaid maternal mortality in the country has reduced from 18 to between 10 and 14 mothers a day since 2010.

Robie Kakonge, the Ambassador of Uganda to the USA and an alumnus of MPHL, appreciated her fellow alumni for the steady effort displayed towards positive change in safe motherhood. 

“At the embassy each week I get not less than two requests related to public health” with many wanting to  know how they can help, Kakonge said.

The executive director of Save the Mothers East Africa, Edward Mukooza, said their “Mother Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative” is now effective in 13 health facilities in Uganda. Under the initiative, STM graduates work with hospital administrators and staff in improving maternal and newborn services.

“We also have high dependence units currently in five hospitals to help manage complications to reduce maternity morbidity and mortality. Through such programs, we provide emergency medical funds to vulnerable mothers,” he said.

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

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Carroline Kihumuro is one of the successful candidates for the ICPAU Student Scholarship program

UCU alum wins scholarship for Certified Public Accountants course

News, Students, UCU Alumni


Carroline Kihumuro is one of the successful candidates for the ICPAU Student Scholarship program
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.
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. 

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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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Isaac Christopher Lubogo

Digital platform that demystifies law earns award for alum

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Law


Isaac Christopher Lubogo
Isaac Christopher Lubogo

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
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.

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Brian Kabogozza (right) directing the camera man during the production of My Background.

UCU student Kabogozza takes advantage of adversity to start producing films

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication


Brian Kabogozza (right) directing the camera man during the production of My Background.
Brian Kabogozza (right) directing the camera man during the production of My Background.

By Pauline Luba
What originally seemed an adversity has turned out to be a blessing for Brian Kabogozza, a third-year student of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication. Kabogozza did not have the tuition for his final year studies at Uganda Christian University (UCU). As such he asked the university if he could sit out studies in 2022.

It was during that dead year that Kabogozza developed the idea of creating a short film about the lives of students at UCU. However, when he mentioned his idea to some people, many did not consider him serious, he said.

Brian Kabogozza and his counterparts have been funding the production of their films.
Brian Kabogozza and his counterparts have been funding the production of their films.

Nevertheless, he persevered. It took him time and effort to convince students that his idea was worthwhile, persuading some to take part in the movie project. On September 16, 2022, Kabogozza’s first movie, the 11-minute-long My Degree, premiered in UCU’s Nkoyoyo Hall. At that function, Kabogozza and his crew promised another production not long after. On February 24 this year, the team released another film, this time named My Background. And they are not about to rest. The production of their third movie is already underway.

My Background, which is a sequel to My Degree, is about how one of the protagonists negotiates an extremely poor background and drunkard father to make it to becoming a student at a university. “I see myself in these characters,” said Kabogoza, who is looking forward to resuming his studies in September.

To illustrate the extent of the quality of Kabogozza’s work, at 26 minutes, My Background is more than twice as long as My Degree. It features better camera quality, a stronger plot line, and the shooting has been done at more locations. The film took three days and four nights to shoot in a rural setting, and the number of actors was higher than it was for My Degree. This time around, the team took advantage of the experience they had garnered from the production of My Degree. However, they met new challenges, such as higher costs with limited resources and uncertain weather conditions. Kabogozza and his counterparts funded the production of both My Degree and My Background movies. The team used sound recorders from UCU’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC).

My Degree was recently nominated for Best Student Film at  the Ikon awards, a local film and television awards in Uganda. This category celebrates outstanding college or university film makers. Though Kabogozza and company did not take home the award, the nomination cemented the belief that their works were being noticed.

Kabogozza has always had a knack for entertainment. Even while in primary school at Cornerstone Junior School Mukono and at Namilyango College for O’level and Makerere College School for A’level, he was part of the music, dance and drama groups. 

Producer Emma Ilungole (foreground) directing the camera man with Kabogoza (on Emma’s left) during production.
Producer Emma Ilungole (foreground) directing the camera man with Kabogoza (on Emma’s left) during production.

Kabogozza expresses appreciation to UCU students Emma Ilungole, Conrad Galdino, Richard Sekitoleko, Bill Dan Borodi, Kefa Ssenoga and Agatha Nema, and alum Douglas Byaruhanga as people he has worked with to produce the films. Byaruhanga has directed a number of student films and has extensive  production work experience.

“What I love about UCU students is that their passion comes before their love for money,” Kabogozza said, adding: “It is because of that that we were able to produce the films.”

Despite what Kabogozza faced when they were just starting the production of their first short film – unwillingness by the students to participate as protagonists – this time round, as they begin the production process for their third film, Kabogozza says they are getting requests of participation from not just UCU students, but also those from other universities. 

Movies are just one of the many practical projects within the School of JMC. The students also produce a weekly TV news bulletin through the online channel The UCU Focus,  podcasts and multimedia stories on the Standard website. They previously produced a bi-monthly newspaper, The Standard.     

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Some of the girls supported by Rev. Prisca Alice Auma under “Save the day” project that she started during the Covid-19 school lockdowns to keep them safe

UCU theology alum is shepherd to rejected

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, UCU Alumni


Some of the girls supported by Rev. Deacon Prisca Alice Auma under “Save the day” project that she started during the Covid-19 school lockdowns to keep them safe
Some of the girls supported by Rev. Prisca Alice Auma under “Save the day” project that she started during the Covid-19 school lockdowns to keep them safe

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Father lost when she was 14. Absentee, alcoholic mother. Forced, abusive relationship. Any of these three factors could have sent Prisca Alice Auma down the wrong path – or no path at all. She considered suicide. Instead, however, she used her bitter childhood as a springboard to improve the lives of unfortunate young girls. 

Auma, who studied theology at Uganda Christian University (UCU), said the institution played a big role in shaping her calling and ministry of service to the unprivileged in her home district of Lira, northern Uganda, where the Rev. Prisca Alice Auma was ordained a Deacon for St Augustine Church (Diocese of Lango in 2021).

Rev. Prisca Alice Auma, a recent alum of UCU’s Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, was ordained a deacon in 2021.
Rev. Prisca Alice Auma, a recent alum of UCU’s Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, was ordained a deacon in 2021.

Today, Auma, who talks of being “abused and cheated,” is greatly disturbed by stories of child abuse and neglect by parents. The first child she “adopted” and supported on her meager salary was a neighbor’s daughter who was living with a drunkard father after her mother abandoned her.

“The first child I started staying with in 2014 was a four-year-old girl who is 14 now and in senior one,” she says.

Some parents can be redeemed from bad behavior, she has found. One father corrected his abusive ways and supported his daughter, including help for her university education. 

The UCU theology alum’s reputation for reforming men, women and children has brought many underprivileged children to her door.  With her skills,  caring and God’s help, she sees them turn their lives around.

 “I invited them to my house and made them understand that as much as that path (of whatever they were doing) seemed easier, it was not what God wanted them to do,” Auma says.


Some of the girls supported by Rev. Auma’s “Save the Day” program in which young women are taught vital lessons such as rejecting child marriages and staying in school

During the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns in 2020/2021 she started a project, “Save the Day,” and trained over 60 girls in tailoring and more than 30 young boys and girls in mechanics. Save the Day was conceived from an encounter with a group of girls who begged her for sanitary pads. Moved and challenged, she bought them some pads and encouraged others to go to her for other help. She started mentoring them. She also started a fellowship with the girls to teach them about God’s love and also reproductive health lessons such as the dangers of engaging in early sex.

Her charity and goodwill attracted more blessings when in 2016, she got a better paying job at Lightforce International, an NGO that takes care of the needy. The organization was impressed by her project and decided to offer financial support so that more could be helped.

Rev. Prisca Alice Auma, the charitable assistant vicar of St Augustine church (Lango diocese) in Lira district, northern Uganda
Rev. Prisca Alice Auma, the charitable assistant vicar of St Augustine church (Lango diocese) in Lira district, northern Uganda

Auma, who rose through the ranks to the deputy director of Lightforce, has started other projects caring for women and widows, with funding from the NGO. 

“I have managed to come this far because of three principles; the more you forgive, the more you release your blessings, every hand that gives will receive and every wrong one does will always find its way back to them,” she says.

The 29-year-old cleric, who hopes to start an orphanage one day, has 13 children (7 girls, 6 boys)  at her home that she looks after as a personal ministry. She is their “mother,” providing everything including food and education. For some, their parents retrieve them after rehabilitation or when parents have realized they need to be better caregivers. Recently, a grandmother of one of the girl’s picked her up from Auma’s home. The girl had been living with the charitable reverend for six months after a disagreement with her parents. 

Bishop Joel Obetia, an acquaintance and lecturer of pastoral studies at UCU, says that Auma is very passionate about Godly living. He says as a student, she was dedicated to serving as the chapel minister and regularly participated in worship, preaching, cleaning, among others.

“During her time as a student here, she balanced her books with service. I always saw her spend so much time serving at the chapel and during community hour. She also excelled in her exams and had excellent grades,” he says.

In 2018, Auma was asked why she wanted to pursue a degree in theology as a freshman at UCU. 

“I want to be a shepherd to the rejected,” was her apt response. 

Auma, slated to be a priest on July 30, 2023, is an assistant vicar and her roles include managing the day-to-day running of the service, reaching out to the sick and counseling. She is betrothed to a banker.

She draws her daily inspiration from Proverbs 31, which outlines the virtues of a  Christian woman. Likewise, she wants to be “A woman that preaches, but goes back to being a mother to her children.” 

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The front view of the hut-inspired guesthouse.

New UCU guesthouse is ‘light on the hill for Jesus’

News, Students, UCU Alumni


The front view of the hut-inspired guesthouse.
The front view of the hut-inspired guesthouse.

By Pauline Luba
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has added a new guesthouse to its collection of hospitality facilities. The Kingdom View Guest House, located on Besania Hill, Mukono, was acquired as a ministry donation from The Rock Kingdom LTD (UG), funded by The Rock Outreach (USA) late 2022. The guesthouse, completed in 2016, becomes the university’s fifth hospitality facility, but the first outside the precincts of UCU’s main campus. The other four guesthouses — Eunice, Garry, Missionary House and Tech Park Units — are within the university. 

Kingdom View Guest House, whose architecture was inspired by the shape of an African hut, offers catering services, high-speed internet, laundry services, free parking and airport transportation access for international travelers. The architectural design was done by American Mike Reid, who is also credited with drawing the plans of UCU’s gate, as well as other buildings within the university, including the Hamu Mukasa library.

A beautiful stone walkway leads to the storied house and a multipurpose pavilion used for catered events, fellowships and meetings. Strategically located, it is near popular restaurants, such as Café Bruni, Café Para and Dibbles Leisure Centre. 

A view of the restaurant at Kingdom View
A view of the restaurant at Kingdom View

The upper level, with a dramatic view of Mukono and Lake Victoria in the distance, has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Two of the bedrooms are queen rooms, while the third has a custom designed inbuilt bunk bed. The en suite bathroom consists of a shower and a bathtub. Pets are not allowed on the premises. The house also has a balcony, terrace, housekeeping and kitchen essentials, such as a refrigerator, toaster and kettle.

A Texas-based couple – Margaret and Mark Noblin – are integral to the Kingdom View story. Writing from Texas, during an email interview with Uganda Partners, Margaret described the facility, which the Rock Kingdom LTD donated to UCU, as not just a guesthouse. The compound is a “holistic ministry of discipleship and practical Christian leadership training.”

UCU’s Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi, Deputy Vice Chancellor David Mugawe and other managers and guests after acquiring the Kingdom View Guest House in late 2022.
UCU’s Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi, Deputy Vice Chancellor David Mugawe and other managers and guests after acquiring the Kingdom View Guest House in late 2022.

She said the guesthouse was designed for visiting lecturers, missionaries and pastoral care, to generate income to help Kingdom View be sustainable economically. 

“By doing this, the guesthouse would assist with funding resources and materials for spiritual development of UCU students,” Margaret explained.

How did The Rock Kingdom LTD come to donate such an investment to UCU? 

As founders of the ministry, “Our calling from the beginning was to empower practically Ugandans so we could transition Kingdom View over to a local organization. Three years ago, we began praying and inquiring of the Lord about it, with all board members. We considered other NGOs, churches and UCU,” Margaret explained. 

As part of the transition, in 2019, the Noblins hired a UCU graduate of Bachelor of Business Administration, who they had mentored. As they spent less time in Uganda he was trusted with the management of the facility and leadership of discipleship activities.

“As we prayed about a potential handover, we kept coming back to UCU due to the relationships, proximity to campus and hundreds of students we have mentored. My husband came home one day and said, ‘I truly believe God wants us to give Kingdom View to UCU under the management of the chaplaincy.’ That was in the spring of 2022,” Margaret wrote.

The members of the UCU executive board and other guests praying at the guesthouse
The members of the UCU executive board and other guests praying at the guesthouse

According to her, by donating the facility to UCU, they intended to “honor” the Lord and the former owner of the property, Bishop Kamanyire. “Kingdom View belongs to God and we wanted to pass the stewardship on to serious people, so it would continue to honor God and be a bright light on the hill.”

The Noblins have been married for 52 years. They have a daughter, a son-in-law and eight grandchildren who all live in Texas.

UCU’s guesthouses are run by the university hospitality services. Students, such as those pursuing courses in the field of tourism and hospitality, carry out their practical lessons at Eunice Guest House, aided by the facility’s staff. 

The staff of the hospitality services also cater for executive meetings within the university, such providing meals for participants during Senate and Board meetings. The guesthouse is perfect for small meetings while the Kingdom View Pavilion is ideal for larger functions.

Despite the excellent services at Kingdom View, and other guesthouses in the university, little is known about them by the students and residents of Mukono. Many students hardly have an idea where the guesthouses are located.  Even those who know are not aware that the services are open to students.

“We are working with the communications team of UCU to advertise the guesthouses in a more aggressive way to both students and other members of the public,” Vanessa Ngango, the head of hospitality services at UCU, said. 

There are plans to create short videos and fliers, detailing the services offered at the guesthouses, so that more awareness is created. The facilities are good relaxation centers for pastors and the students, especially as a place to relax and refresh their spirits.

Now that the Noblins have retreated back to Texas, when asked how they would want the UCU community to remember them, Margaret said as “people who always point students to Jesus.” She said for them, they choose to say “yes to God.” 

“Mark and I choose to submit to Jesus, which comes with biblical freedom and a Christian worldview,” she said. “Our desire is that Kingdom View will forever be a light on the hill for Jesus.”

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

A sample of one poster pinned on the university premises to create awareness about Ebola

UCU: How we kept Ebola virus at bay

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Medicine


A sample of one poster pinned on the university premises to create awareness about Ebola
A sample of one poster pinned on the university premises to create awareness about Ebola

By Kefa Senoga
Government authorities in Uganda could have declared the country Ebola-free on January 11, 2023, but the nearly four months of the virus in the country have seen 55 people lose lives — and many medical staff lose confidence in their abilities to comfortably work in the disease’s isolation units. 

When the outbreak of the rare and deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was announced on September 20, 2022, many medical workers, including 10 doctors, offered to work in the isolation unit of the disease. However, there were reports that the number of medical personnel diminished as fears of catching the hemorrhagic fever increased.

And the fears were well-founded. According to the World Health Organisation figures, 19 medical workers contracted the virus, with seven of them losing the battle. A total of 142 cases were confirmed, and 55 of those died. Another 22 deaths were registered among suspected cases of people who died before samples were taken from them.

A letter from the student leadership informing the student community about the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease
A letter from the student leadership informing the student community about the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease

Before the 2022 EVD outbreak, Uganda had other outbreaks in 2000, 2014, 2017 and 2018, with the one of 2000 registering the highest number of deaths — 224 — out of 425 cases.

One of the challenges brought about by health emergencies, such as the outbreak of Ebola, is the change of teaching methods in medical schools.

Namayanja Christabel, a medical student at Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) School of Medicine, said the outbreak of the virus in September meant that most students could not spend as much time in hospitals as they were accustomed to because it was putting them at risk of contracting the virus. Namayanja says medical student colleagues who had scheduled ward rounds at Uganda’s Mulago National Referral hospital abandoned the plans.

Mwesigwa Joy, another medical student at UCU, said they abandoned plans of working in the wards because of limited protection.

“The main reason is lack of enough protective equipment that can guarantee our safety,” Mwesigwa explained.

She, however, lauds her colleagues at the School of Medicine for promoting awareness about the disease when it broke out in September 2022. 

“We had the Writer’s Society of the UCU School of Medicine write articles on Ebola and it raised a lot of awareness among the students,” Mwesigwa said.

Ebola Virus

She also noted that they always maintained the standard operating procedures, such as washing hands, keeping a social distance and wearing face masks.

Dr. Mulindwa Geoffrey, the Director of Medical Services at UCU, said the university undertook several measures to fight the spread of the disease. 

“Sanitizers and hand-washing points were placed at all entry points of the university premises so that people could clean their hands as they are the main vehicle of disease transmission.”

Mulindwa says much of the awareness was passed through posters that they pinned in the different locations of the university.

On the measures that the university undertook to ensure no case of the Ebola virus was registered in the community, Jimmy Siyasa, the Acting Head of Communication and Public Relations at UCU, said: “As an institution of higher learning with over 11,000 enrolled students, we do not take disease outbreaks lightly.”

The successes registered by UCU in keeping the virus at bay are partly due to the national strategic direction that the country took upon the confirmation of the outbreak in September 2022. For instance, on October 15, 2022, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni imposed a three-week lockdown on movement of vehicles in the districts of Kassanda and Mubende — which were the epicenters of the virus. The lockdown also banned the movement of vehicles and motorcycles into and outside of the two districts located in central Uganda. The Uganda government extended the lockdown on two other occasions, eventually lifting it on December 17, 2022.

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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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Judith Nabwire is a field officer under the DREAMS project.

Volunteering opens door for UCU alum after job loss

News, Students, UCU Alumni


Judith Nabwire is a field officer under the DREAMS project.
Judith Nabwire is a field officer under the DREAMS project.

By Vanessa Kyalimpa
A Uganda-based thinktank, the Economic Policy Research Center, estimates that 41% of the jobs in the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises were lost in Uganda as a result of the Covid pandemic. The job of Judith Nabwire, a Uganda Christian University (UCU) alumna and a social worker, was part of that statistic.

Nabwire squeezed her way through education in Uganda with limited finances. She completed Mbarara Secondary School and, with a sponsored scholarship from a church in Pennsylvania, USA, got a diploma and degree in social work and social administration as well as a certificate in gender training from UCU. She completed an internship with a German-based Off-Tu-Mission nonprofit and  breathed  a sigh of relief when she got employed with a Christian Non-Governmental Organization, Children Alive Ministry, which works with Mukono-area children, their families, and the church to bring about transformation and holistic wellbeing. 

Nabwire at her work station at Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital Community Organisation.
Nabwire at her work station at Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital Community Organisation.

For three years, all was well with Nabwire’s job. However, due to health challenges, in 2020, she got an extended leave of absence. At nearly the same time, Covid and the Uganda government lockdown happened.

“Some people got laid off at Children Alive Ministry, and I was one of them,” Nabwire said. At 34, with a family to look after, losing her job was a hardship.

It was at this point that Nabwire looked back at some of the friendships and connections she had made. Among the people she reached out to was an Ohio USA resident, Patricia Huston-Holm, a friend for about 10 years and the UCU Partners Communications Director. She says Patricia advised her to take up a volunteer opportunity at any organization. She took that advice, and it  made the difference.

“I searched around Mukono in central Uganda, until a friend who happened to know someone at Mukono Church of Uganda Hospital referred me there,” she said. “They have a Community Based Organization, with a program called DREAMS, where I worked as a volunteer for the first six months.” 

With Dr. Nsingo Simon Peter and others observing Nabwire’s efforts with the DREAMS HIV/AIDS prevention program, she proved her value in half a year. Now, Nabwire, who is married to Kavuma Douglas and has a three-year-old daughter, is officially an employee with the organization as a field officer. She has been paid since November 1, 2022. 

Nabwire is among leaders with the DREAMS (determined, resilient, empowered, AIDS-free, mentored, and safe) program, a community-based project with strategies to give age 9-24 girls skills to help them acquire employability and avoid pre-marital sex and HIV/AIDS. She works with girls considered vulnerable because of economic, education and/or early parenting challenges – out of school and at risk of having babies out of wedlock or already teen mothers. 

Nabwire’s determination and work ethic are influenced by hard-working, Christian parents who reinforced these values for all five of their children.  Her father, John Wabwire, is a pastor for a church in Mbarara. He struggled to pay school fees on his salary.

After completing high school, Nabwire had no hope of continuing her formal learning because she knew her family did not have the means to fund a university education. It was at a Mukono church called Mount Olives that she met visitors from Pennsylvania and Ohio, namely Shirleen Nixon Johnson and Patricia in 2009. After first hearing Judith’s solo voice in the choir and then meeting her, the two women saw value enough to help the young woman further her education and a career. When they couldn’t personally assist, they found others in the United States to provide support. 

“I always put my faith in God,” Nabwire said. “I am grateful to so many people for how He put them in my path as I appreciate that God uses me to help others.”

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Mary Kagoire (left), the newly appointed Dean of the School of Education at UCU, with Nassaka Olivia Banja, the predecessor of the former.

New education dean: ‘I see it as a calling from God’

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Education


Mary Kagoire (left), the newly appointed Dean of the School of Education at UCU, with Nassaka Olivia Banja, the predecessor of the former.
Mary Kagoire (left), the newly appointed Dean of the School of Education at UCU, with Nassaka Olivia Banja, the predecessor of the former.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
When Mary Teophira Kagoire Ocheng applied to pursue a course at Makerere University in Uganda, her score in the national exams earned her the Bachelor of Education course toward a career that was not in her vision. Thus, she initially rejected the offer. However, her contemporaries prevailed upon her, and eventually convinced her to take up the course. 

It is the fruits of that course that Kagoire has been benefiting from for more than 30 years. The latest in her line of achievements is the August 2022 appointment to the position of the Dean, School of Education, at Uganda Christian University (UCU). 

“I’m excited to be the dean,” Kagoire said. “I see it as a calling from God to do His will.”

She considers her appointment as a great opportunity to contribute to the growth of the School of Education and she plans to do this by transforming the school into an icon of student recruitment, enhancing the quality of teachers being trained, and improving research among the faculty. 

“As a school, our teaching focuses on the learner, and we follow it up with a lot of learner support in terms of using rich, student-centered approaches,” Kagoire explained.

Kagoire said she sees her new position of Dean as a calling from God.
Kagoire said she sees her new position of Dean as a calling from God.

She takes over office from the Rev. Canon. Assoc. Prof. Nassaka Olivia Bbanja who was recently appointed Vice Chancellor of Ndejje University, also founded by the Anglican Church in Uganda. Faith Musinguzi replaces Kagoire as UCU’s new Head of the Department of Education. 

Before assuming the position of dean, Kagoire was the Head of Department in the School of Education and a coordinator of the PhD in Education Administration program. She also served as an academic mentor to PhD students. She praises UCU’s e-learning services, noting that she wants to see the university become an e-campus that is self-sufficient.

She holds the view that students learn on the job as they are sent out to practice what they are taught, noting that being a teacher enables one to gain confidence because of the constant interaction with the learners. 

UCU is uniquely poised compared to other universities, Kagoire says. “The working environment at the institution is conducive, unlike the case in other universities, and the students are creative and empowered.”

During her free time, Kagoire plays golf. In fact, she served as lady captain at the Uganda Golf Club from 2016 to 2017. 

The 61-year-old, who recently retired from Makerere University, after 27 years of service, joined UCU in 2018. She retired from Makerere University at the position of senior lecturer.

“As soon as I joined UCU, I was assigned to facilitate the curriculum review, and it gave me pride as a curriculum specialist to see all the faculties review their curriculum and have it accredited by the National Council for Higher Education within a short time,” said Kagoire, who earned her master’s in education, specializing in curriculum studies and PhD from Makerere University in 1991and 2003, respectively.

Kagoire’s replacement, Musinguzi, said she is pleased with the former’s style of leadership. “Dr. Kagoire is so approachable, kind and hardworking, and she doesn’t sleep over work; it has to be done immediately and she makes sure she doesn’t leave others behind.”

Jonathan Okello, a student leader in the School of Education, says Dr. Kagoire has already started meeting his expectations by helping students who are missing their marks.  “I also hope she can at least help students who are unable to sit for exams because of tuition by sourcing scholarships,” he said. 

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Jack Klenk (second-left) during his visit to UCU in May 2022. Second-right is UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. At right is the Rev. Dr. Larry Adams. At left is Jack’s wife, Linda.

Partners board member Jack Klenk on his divine calling at UCU

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, USP


Jack Klenk (second-left) during his visit to UCU in May 2022. Second-right is UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. At right is the Rev. Dr. Larry Adams. At left is Jack’s wife, Linda.
Jack Klenk (second-left) during his visit to UCU in May 2022. Second-right is UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. At right is the Rev. Dr. Larry Adams. At left is Jack’s wife, Linda.

By Vanessa Kyalimpa
Healthy rather than destructive competition in business is what Jack Klenk, a Uganda Christian University (UCU) Partners board member, prescribes. In addition to the necessary knowledge and skills, one should follow the “ethics and values” of business to achieve success, he says.

“You do not succeed in business if you are only competing with other people; you have to work together and things come to you voluntarily, including customers,” Jack said recently, during an online interview from his home in the United States. The interview was based on his activities with UCU Partners and UCU. 

Jack describes Uganda as a very friendly country
Jack describes Uganda as a very friendly country

He noted that a good business system is competitive, but not in the sense of hurting other people in order to be successful. So, to do entrepreneurship, you need not only the practical skills, but also the ethics, and that’s where a coach or a mentor comes in handy, he counsels.

“The UCU incubation hub should be an avenue to cross-pollinate business acumen, which is abundant in Uganda, with Christian values, and then entrepreneurship will flourish,” Jack says, referring to the application model under UCU’s School of Business.

“I hope it (the incubation hub) will prepare people with the skills to do well in a competitive environment, and not with the purpose of hurting other people, but rather to do your very best in order to help other people and glorify God.” 

Jack’s involvement with the Anglican Church in Uganda dates back to 1964, when he first came to Uganda after an opportunity opened up to study at Makerere University and to be a teacher. 

Since then, Jack has visited Uganda countless times, with his latest trip being in October 2022, to be part of the activities to mark UCU’s 25 years of existence.

Growing up in a Christian family, Jack says the virtues he learned had a big influence on his decision to come to Uganda. Since his family was involved in missions, they would have missionaries frequently stay at their home and at their church.

“We would always be hearing about what God was doing in other countries; this was very formative for me growing up,” he said. “When I went to the university, I had other involvements that helped me to understand and appreciate cultures of other countries; I even had a roommate from Uganda.” 

He says he knew full well that he was not just an American, but also a Christian who had to be involved with other Christians to serve the Lord, and, therefore, when it was time to visit Uganda, he did not find it difficult to make the decision. 

Jack describes Uganda as a “very friendly country” and he says he was overjoyed to discover so many brothers and sisters in Christ in the country.

“When I first came to UCU before Prof. Stephen Noll became the Vice Chancellor, the situation was very different from what it is right now,” he said. “The university has since expanded in numbers, in facilities, and in its impact on the country, and all those things have been wonderful to see.” 

Although growth is linked to challenges, Jack says the most important thing is that UCU is centered on God, as the Alpha and the Omega, something which sets the institution apart. He says the institution will remain a special university and continue to make an impact in the country and beyond if it retains that special identity.

Everything we do is a divine calling, and so does Jack consider his involvement with UCU. Although some people are called in a very particular way, for instance, the prophets, he said that he has been called to follow through with his role as a Christian and a servant of God.

Through the members of the UCU Partners board, and the organization’s Executive Director, Mark Bartels, Jack said they are much involved in several activities in the university, and now UCU Partners has even taken on the Uganda Studies Program, where Americans come and study at UCU.

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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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The Rev. Canon Assoc. Prof. Olivia Nassaka Banja is the new Vice Chancellor of Ndejje University in Uganda.

Banja narrates how UCU prepared her for greatness

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Education


The Rev. Canon Assoc. Prof. Olivia Nassaka Banja is the new Vice Chancellor of Ndejje University in Uganda.
The Rev. Canon Assoc. Prof. Olivia Nassaka Banja is the new Vice Chancellor of Ndejje University in Uganda.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Hard work rarely goes unacknowledged. For the Rev. Can. Assoc. Prof. Olivia Nassaka Banja, the sweat that she has been breaking in the academic sphere has yielded results with her appointment to the apex management position of a university in Uganda.

Banja is the new Vice-Chancellor of Ndejje University. Her appointment makes her the third Vice Chancellor of Ndejje, and the first woman to hold that position in the university. Banja was the Dean of the School of Education at Uganda Christian University (UCU) for about a year prior to her new position.

“I’m grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to serve at UCU, where I have been groomed, shaped, mentored and equipped with skills that I am taking with me to serve and lead in another institution,” said Banja, who was head hunted for the position because of her stellar performance and tested legacy as an administrator at UCU.

Banja became the first female dean of UCU’s Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology in 2008 and served in the position till June 2014, when she became UCU’s Director for Teaching and Learning. It was from this position that she switched to head the UCU School of Education as its dean in September 2021.

Formerly Bishop Tucker Theological College, the school, which started in 1913, gave birth to UCU, in 1997. Looking at Banja’s academic journey before becoming the dean of the UCU’s Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, it was evident she was undergoing formative preparation for the big job. For instance, as early as 1993, she was the curate of St Andrew’s Cathedral Mityana Diocese and was made the acting vicar of the same cathedral the following year.

Banja was part of UCU’s inaugural staff members, serving as a lecturer and also the Female Students’ Warden. In 2004, she was promoted to the position of Senior Lecturer. She was part of the team that developed the first PhD program at UCU, the Doctor of Ministry.

The holder of a bachelor’s degree, three master’s and a PhD was ordained deacon in the Church of Uganda on December 19, 1993. She says that the day she committed her life to God was the day she “saw her path.”

Also in 1993, she was a recipient of a First Class in Bachelor of Divinity at the Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono. In 1996, she earned a Master of Arts in Religious Studies of Makerere University and added another master’s degree, MA, Mission and Ministry of St John’s College, Nottingham University in the UK, the following year.

And Banja was not done yet, with her master’s degrees. In 2000, she earned her third, Master of Theology by Research of the University of Edinburgh. In the same year, she started her PhD course in the same university, graduating in 2004.

As she leaves UCU, Banja looks back with great pride at the first graduation ceremony of the university in 2000. She remembers typing and printing all of her exams before heading to the nearby Mukono town to photocopy because the university did not have such services at the time.

“After all we had done, seeing the university produce its first graduates was a great joy to me,” she said.

For all that the 55-year-old has achieved, she thanks her parents, James Lwanga and Daisy Ndagire. “My father didn’t have gender stereotypes, and he believed in me to be an achiever at a very young age.”

For her primary education, Banja attended Bat Valley Primary School and Nakasero Secondary School for both her O’level and A’level. Both Bat Valley and Nakasero are located in Kampala.

She married the Rev. Canon Venerable Moses Banja in April 2001. Banja says she spends her free time cooking and reading when not busy with academic or religious work.

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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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UCU sports women pause with their medals during their graduation. Left to right: Basketballers Rose Akon, Agatha Kamwada, Sera Precious Yaweh and Aziida Nabayunga.

UCU sports men and women shine at October graduation

News, Sports, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication


UCU sports women pause with their medals during their graduation. Left to right: Basketballers Rose Akon, Agatha Kamwada, Sera Precious Yaweh and Aziida Nabayunga.
UCU sports women pause with their medals during their graduation. Left to right: Basketballers Rose Akon, Agatha Kamwada, Sera Precious Yaweh and Aziida Nabayunga.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
A large number of Uganda Christian University (UCU) sports personalities exchanged their football and basketball jerseys for caps and gowns at UCU’s 23rd graduation ceremony – a reminder that education and athletics can go hand in hand.

Samuel Lukaire, the Sports Administrator at UCU, said the university develops talent by recruiting young players who have shown potential to grow in their sports discipline. Along with attending classes, the players are trained and exposed to competitive games as UCU also has hosted major national sports events, often selected as the venue because of the Mukono campus modern sports facilities. Among the competitions that have been hosted at the UCU main campus in Mukono are the Inter University Games Uganda in 2007 and 2013, the East African University Games in 2014, and the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization in 2017.


UCU athletes share graduation thoughts

“The university engages in as many sports disciplines as are available in the university competitions,” Lukaire said, noting that they have teams for basketball, volleyball, rugby, football and netball. Other sports disciplines that UCU participates in are athletics, badminton, chess, wood ball, karate, taekwondo, handball, swimming and lawn tennis.

Some of the sports graduates at the October 28, 2022, ceremony, which also was an event marking 25 years of UCU’s existence, talked to our reporter.

 

Rodgers Kukundakwe, Bachelor of Business Administration.
Rodgers Kukundakwe, Bachelor of Business Administration.

“As players, we’ve been able to study, play, and eventually graduate.” Kukundakwe, a football center back, said, adding a reminder that for one to achieve success at university, they have to manage their time well. He thanks God for the successes registered as a player, including being on the team winning the University Football League in 2019 and the Association of Uganda University Sports games the same year. Kukundakwe is grateful to the university for meeting the costs of his tuition, meals, and accommodation throughout his stay at UCU.

 

Francis Jurua, Bachelor of Business Administration.
Francis Jurua, Bachelor of Business Administration.

“At UCU, much as you are on a sports scholarship, education is given priority,” Jurua, a footballer, said. He adds that the university’s emphasis on education helped him balance both studies and games.

Sera Precious Yaweh, Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
While studying at UCU, Yaweh played for A1 Challenge, a basketball team in Uganda. She attributes her victory of completing studies and graduation to God. She says that she had to go to school during the day and attend training twice a week in Kampala, about 15 miles away from school. And, as a student, she dedicated most of her weekends to playing basketball for her team.  Some of the games would be played late in the night, and, as a member of the team, she had to be available for them. With such a schedule, Yaweh says she had to sacrifice several hours of sleep to read books at night and participate in group discussions with her colleagues.

 

Muhammad Lubega, Diploma in Business Administration
Muhammad Lubega, Diploma in Business Administration

“It was not easy to balance books and football, but I pray we go out there and make history,” Lubega said. He also expressed gratitude to UCU and his family for all the assistance he got during his three years of study at the institution.

 

Geoffrey Gaganga, Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics
Geoffrey Gaganga, Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics

Gaganga was the captain of the UCU football team. Gaganga, who played in the midfield position, explains that it wasn’t hard for him to balance books and games because it’s something he has done since secondary school. He encourages fellow players to put as much effort in their academics as they do in sports because their profession will come to their rescue once they retire from professional sports.

 

Rose Akon, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance.
Rose Akon, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance.

Akon emerged as the best defensive player, rebounder, and most valuable player of the year, after her team won the 2022 National Basketball Association Women’s Championship. She attributes her achievement to being able to manage time well.

“While at university, I rarely got the time to relax and have fun,” said Akon, noting that her life rotated around the basketball court and class. Her greatest inspiration, she says, has been her family.  During school, Akon says she discovered another side of her – laziness. However, she said the fact that she understood herself well enough gave her the opportunity to push herself beyond comfortable limits, in order to register success.

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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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Kyatuka was voted the best employer of the year by World Vision Uganda.

UCU alumnus named World Vision best employee of year

News, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication


Derrick Kyatuka interviews a woman during his field activities. Courtesy Photos.
Derrick Kyatuka interviews a woman during his field activities. Courtesy Photos.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Derrick Kyatuka’s work gives him the opportunity to listen firsthand to stories of people in rural Uganda. It is these stories, many about refugees, that he crafts in a way to trigger help from donors. While oftentimes the stories are painful to hear, recording and sharing them has brought about change in their lives. 

Kyatuka was voted the best employer of the year by World Vision Uganda.
Kyatuka was voted the best employer of the year by World Vision Uganda.

Kyatuka is a humanitarian communicator with the World Vision’s Uganda Refugee Response program, where he has worked for the past four years, shooting videos, writing stories and taking photos. And for the sweat that he broke in 2021, World Vision named him employee of the year.

To the 30-year-old who received his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication from Uganda Christian University (UCU) in 2016, the award is an opportunity for testimony. 

“This award is a true testimony of how faithful God is and how he rewards his humble servants,” said Kyatuka, a son of Fred and Annet Kagyenzi of Rukungiri district in western Uganda.

But he is also aware that, many times, to earn recognition, in addition to hard work, luck must also be on one’s side. Kyatuka says that he does not see himself as the best humanitarian communicator that World Vision has ever had, but that he has been incredibly lucky and fortunate in the work that he has been able to produce.

And he has evidence for how luck has been on his side. In December 2021, one of his photos was chosen as the third-most powerful of the 47 favorite photos from around the world that were selected by World Vision.

“Such global moments of recognition have inspired me to work harder and devote more time to producing quality work,” he says, adding that when “good work is rewarded, it means more work.”  

Kyatuka and some of the refugee children in the community he serves.
Kyatuka and some of the refugee children in the community he serves.

“As I go about my work, I keep reflecting on Colossians 3:23, which says ‘work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord, rather than for people’.” 

His writings, photos, and videos have been used all over the world by World Vision Partnership, and they have helped World Vision Uganda get funding for some of their programmes. But he is quick to add that getting his works to a publishable level is no cup of tea. Kyatuka explains that for many of them, he has to burn the midnight oil to deliver quality work.

He has trained some communication champions in the areas where he works, to help him get timely content for the different projects he supports. “I believe everyone can become a great communicator if given the right mentorship and skills,” Kyatuka, who hopes to set up a mobile journalism training school one day, said.

He also has extended the training in mobile journalism to some of his fellow staff members to enhance their skills. He makes most of his videos using his smartphone, a growing trend that further reinforces the expansiveness of skills and knowledge that can be guided to create content. 

“In this digital era, people should have communication skills to be able to produce compelling, rather than sensational content,” he said.

Kyatuka joined World Vision in 2017, as a temporary communication officer, and worked for seven months. He then joined New Vision as a freelance writer. However, not long after, there was an opening for a humanitarian communicator at World Vision, which he successfully applied for.

He is grateful to John Semakula and Stephen Ssenkaaba, who were his lecturers at undergraduate level. Both Ssenkaaba and Semakula encouraged him to join New Vision upon graduation. 

“Ssenkaaba assigned me my first story in 2016, and Semakula introduced me to the weekend desk at New Vision,”  he said.

Kyatuka, who is now pursuing a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication at UCU, studied at Mbarara High School in western Uganda for his O’level and St. Peter’s Secondary School, Nsambya, central Uganda, for his A’ level.

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Alumni who were recognized holding their certificates of appreciation. Sixth-right is Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi, second-left is Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) John Kitayimbwa and third-left is David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

Alumni unwind at UCU homecoming

News, Students, UCU Alumni


Alumni who were recognized holding their certificates of appreciation. Sixth-right is Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi, second-left is Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) John Kitayimbwa and third-left is David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
Alumni who were recognized holding their certificates of appreciation. Sixth-right is Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi, second-left is Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) John Kitayimbwa and third-left is David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

By Irene Best Nyapendi
When Uganda Christian University (UCU) recently announced a homecoming event, the institution promised its alumni an opportunity to interact among themselves, as well as with their vice chancellors. And, true to their word, all three vice chancellors – the current, Aaron Mushengyezi, and the past, the Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll and his successor, the Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi – were present to interact with the people they helped to nurture while administrators.

UCU’s first Vice Chancellor, Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll (left), shares a light moment with his immediate successor, Dr John Senyonyi.
UCU’s first Vice Chancellor, Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll (left), shares a light moment with his immediate successor, Dr John Senyonyi.

Noll, the first vice chancellor of UCU who led from 2000 to 2010, flew into Uganda with his wife, Peggy, from Pennsylvania where they live, to attend activities in the week of October 23-28, to celebrate 25 years of the institution.

At the alumni homecoming event on October 25, former students and the vice chancellors shared testimonies of how God had enabled the former to successfully complete education at UCU and for the latter, how God helped them make decisions for the betterment of UCU. The event began with a community worship in Nkoyoyo Hall and led by Mukono Bishop James William Ssebaggala, himself an alumnus. Ssebaggala thanked the university for educating children of the clergy.

Gilbert Olanya, a legislator who is serving his third term in the Ugandan Parliament, narrated how Uganda Partners came to his rescue when he had lost hope of continuing with education.

Olanya, who joined Parliament in 2011, said just after his first semester at UCU, he stared at a possibility of not continuing with education. His father, a farmer in Pader, northern Uganda, was forced into a settlement camp for internally displaced people due to the insecurity caused by the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) terrorist group. LRA caused insecurity in northern Uganda from 1987 to 2006, with violence peaking in some years during that period. One such period was in the early 2000s, when Olanya’s family joined the camps, from where the government forces would offer them security.

Ugandan legislator, Gilbert Olanya (foreground, right), with Prof. Noll at the alumni homecoming. Olanya was a beneficiary of a scholarship courtesy of Uganda Partners
Ugandan legislator, Gilbert Olanya (foreground, right), with Prof. Noll at the alumni homecoming. Olanya was a beneficiary of a scholarship courtesy of Uganda Partners

The legislator said his father would use the proceeds from agriculture to pay tuition for him, but that when they were sent into camps, agriculture, too, stopped. However, a ray of hope came when the vice chancellor at the time, Stephen Noll, asked students who were not financially stable to fill out forms for scholarships. As Olanya headed for the holidays, he knew he had no other source of money for his tuition, and, therefore, he was seeing the last of his time in a university. However, just before the holidays ended, Olanya says he received a message from the university, announcing that he had been among the successful applicants for the scholarship, courtesy of the USA-based nonprofit called Uganda Partners.

“I must tell you, I was extremely happy. I studied for two-and-a-half years with the help of UCU Partners,” Olanya, who graduated in 2002, told The Standard website.

For the entire time he studied under the scholarship, Olanya says he kept receiving letters from his sponsor. “He (the sponsor) told me ‘Gilbert Olanya, we are supporting you, but we want nothing from you. What we need is for you to help others if you succeed in life’.”

Olanya told The Standard that he has so far sponsored 48 students who have completed university and is still supporting another 282 students in secondary schools, a perfect representation of the theme of the homecoming, Witnessing Through Kindness, picked off Luke 10:25-37.

Noll noted that being an alum of UCU is not just a one day event, urging former students to always concern themselves with matters of UCU. “For as long as we are alive, Peggy and I will hold you dear in our hearts,” Noll said, before explaining the relationship between a university and its former students.

““When you graduate, you become part of a larger family of the alumni. (During my time) As vice chancellor, I had to teach the students some of the Latin words, like alma mater, which means dear mother. UCU is the dear mother and the alum is the adopted son or daughter.”

Senyonyi, who was vice chancellor from 2010 to 2020, urged the former students to mobilize themselves and form UCU alumni chapters in their professions and careers, both in Uganda and beyond, to be able to help take the university to greater heights.

In response to the appeal made by Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi, the President of the UCU Alumni Association, Emmanuel Wabwire, asked the alumni to think of something which they can offer in support of the university. Wabwire was UCU Guild President in 2012.

Ten alumni were recognized for their contribution in making the society a better place. Among them were the Rev. Rebecca Nyegenye, the Provost of All Saints Cathedral Kampala and the chairperson of the board of Directors of Church Missionary Society Africa, as well as Bernard Oundo, the President of Uganda Law Society. The others were Dr. Elizabeth Nakawombe, Frank Walusimbi, Steven Asiimwe, Jimmy Enabi Ndyabahika and Arnaud Gahimbare.

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

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Some UCU graduates after receiving their degrees.

UCU’s top two graduates choose teaching careers

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Education


Some UCU graduates after receiving their degrees.
Some UCU graduates after receiving their degrees.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
The Uganda Christian University (UCU) top two graduates in October 2022 have a commonality in struggles and interest.

To make ends meet for her family, Candiru Zainab, studying at UCU’s Arua campus, taught at a nearby school, Najah Muslim Secondary School in the northern Uganda district of Arua. To have more chances of getting better-paying jobs, the mother of four children worked toward a Bachelor of Education degree, which she was awarded at the UCU main campus in Mukono on October 28. Candiru was among the 1,570 graduates that day.

Candiru Zainab and Robert Cadribo, the best students.
Candiru Zainab and Robert Cadribo, the best students.

With a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.75 out of 5.0, Candiru was the Best Female Student at the graduation. To her, this feat is nothing short of a miracle, seeing how far the Lord has brought her and with obstacles. In 2009, Candiru lost her husband and father of her first two children to appendicitis, a tragedy with recovery she felt would never come. However, two years later, she thought she found love again. Sadly, that relationship, which yielded her other two children, did not last; it ended in 2016.

During her undergraduate studies, Candiru says she lacked the basic necessities, including 2lst century learning tools. She could neither afford a smartphone nor a laptop.  She could neither easily type coursework nor benefit from online reading materials.

Obstacles are likewise part of the story of Robert Cadribo, UCU’s Overall Best Student, who also received a Bachelor of Education degree at the October 28 graduation. Cadribo, who graduated with a 4.86 GPA,  says he was financially incapacitated to the extent that he could not afford to photocopy the handouts that lecturers gave out. However, he had plan B. He resorted to borrowing handouts and writing down whatever he considered valuable, before returning them to the owners.

Graduands dressed in newly branded gowns.
Graduands dressed in newly branded gowns.

Just like Candiru, Cadribo has been earning a living through teaching. As a teacher of Biology and Agriculture at Koboko Town College located in the northern Uganda district of Koboko, Cadribo says he has been earning sh250,000 (about $66) per month.

“The biggest challenge I faced was my family and my studies struggled for the same resources,” he said.  “Oftentimes, I gave priority to my studies.”

Candiru and Cadribo were among the 36 students who graduated with First Class at the October 28 ceremony, which was also the apex activity for the silver jubilee anniversary of UCU. Before the graduation, other key activities were held at UCU as part of the celebrations. There was a thanksgiving service on October 23, an alumni homecoming on October 25 and a public lecture on the history of UCU, held on October 26. The public lecture was delivered by former vice-chancellors the Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll and his successor, the Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony that had 828 female graduates of the 1,570, Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi narrated the history and the success story of UCU in the last 25 years.

“We are forever indebted to the men and women who conceived the UCU vision and those who made it happen, we celebrate you,” he said.  “I look at UCU and the institution that preceded it from St. Paul’s imagery of a seed in 1 Corinthians: 3:6-8.”

This year, the university acquired land and a teaching facility at Besania Hill, acquired an official home for the UCU Kampala Campus, constructed a parking lot at Kivengere Building on the main campus and improved walkways around Kivengere and Maari blocks. Mushengyezi also named Prof. Monica Chibita, Dr. Angella Napakol, Dr. Miriam Mutabazi and Dr. Emilly Maractho as some of the UCU academics who either wrote books, published papers or won grants.

The Chancellor, Archbishop Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, urged the graduates to be passionate about what they choose to do.

“If you have a great idea, work at it, don’t give up. The world is currently ablaze with start-ups, which have been initiated by young people,” Kaziimba said, before adding: “Your success shall be measured by the vibrancy and dynamism of your individual ideas.”

The University Council chairperson, the Rev. Prof. Alfred Olwa, reminded the graduates that a graduation ceremony is the “starting point for further achievements,” urging them not to rest on their laurels.

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

Also, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Miss UCU, Charity Achan Bongomin, attending a youth symposium in Kampala, Uganda.

Miss UCU to represent Uganda at World Miss University pageant

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business


Miss UCU, Charity Achan Bongomin, attending a youth symposium in Kampala, Uganda.
Miss UCU, Charity Achan Bongomin, attending a youth symposium in Kampala, Uganda.

By Asenath Were
Miss Uganda Christian University (UCU) is representing Uganda at the World Miss University competitions scheduled for December in Seoul, South Korea.

Charity Achan Bongomin, a UCU School of Business student,  was selected following the Miss University Africa Uganda competitions that were held June 9-11 at the International University of East Africa (IUEA) in Uganda.

“After the Miss University Africa Uganda competitions, the coordinator asked four of us to submit studio photos that were later sent to the people who had reached out to Uganda and asked for a delegate to represent the country in the world competitions,” Bongomin explained how she got on the list of the participants for the December 2022 pageant.

Charity Achan Bongomin talking about the Miss University competitions.

At the Miss University Africa Uganda competitions held in June, Makerere University’s Elizabeth Atwesigye, a second-year student of Bachelor of Arts in Music, was the eventual winner.

Miss UCU, Charity Achan Bongomin, posing for a picture.
Miss UCU, Charity Achan Bongomin, posing for a picture.

Bongomin, who won the inaugural Miss UCU pageant on April 9, 2022, says the chance to participate in the World Miss University competitions means a lot to her. “It will give me a platform to meet important people at the world stage to whom I can bring forth ideas about the different issues that affect youth globally.”

The World Miss University is a global beauty contest that started in 1986. Every year, about 70 contestants participate in the pageant.

Bongomin, who is currently in year three at UCU, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, says she grew up being called a model in her family, especially by her aunts who said they admired her tall height. The nickname “Model,” she says, stuck in her mind. She now contemplates venturing into modeling on a commercial basis after completing school.

Bongomin commended the UCU community for all the support she has been given ever since the university’s beauty pageant in April.

“I will do everything within my powers to market UCU so that people see the kind of products that the university produces,” she said in April after being crowned Miss UCU.

She also lauded her parents – Benjamin Lanekeny Bongomin and Gloria Awor – for “supporting and encouraging” her.

Bongomin attended St. John’s Day and Boarding Primary School in Entebbe, Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Senior Secondary School Luzira and St. Mary’s College Lugazi for O’level. Mount of Olives College Kakiri in Wakiso district is where she studied her A’level. All the four schools are found in central Uganda.

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