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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Paddy Nsobya has practiced journalism for 15 years
By Kefa Senoga In May 2012, Uganda Christian University (UCU) alum Paddy Nsobya was among four journalists who were beaten at a Pentecostal church in Mukono, central Uganda. Nsobya and his three colleagues had gone to the church to interview the controversial lead pastor, Samuel Landasa. Since they arrived during the service, they waited at a nearby shop, opposite the church. Aware of the contention of the pastor, some members of the church attacked the journalists.
Four church members “pounced on me; one of them started strangling me as the others pulled my video camera, until I surrendered it to them, along with its electronic charger and other recorded materials,” Ronald Kalumba, a television journalist who was part of the group, toldIFEX, an agency that promotes and defends freedom of expression.
Nsobya, a New Vision journalist, said that in the attack, he was slapped several times, and got bruised. Pastor Landasa had expelled some critical members of his church, who had accused him of conducting marriages illegally, as well as changing the land title of the church into his names.
And this incident is not a one-off. In 2011, Nsobya was assaulted as he covered a story. Court later fined the woman for the assault. Events like these have been part of the life of the 41-year-old who has practiced journalism for 15 years, mainly writing for New Vision’s Bukedde newspaper that publishes in Luganda, a vernacular language.
Nsobya, a graduate of journalism and mass communication at UCU, has now written a book, State of the Media, on the subject of press freedom, hoping that it will be a campaign tool against the injustices committed against journalists. He says that when journalists are mistreated in the line of duty, it scares off the younger generation who may want to pursue a career in the profession.
“Any profession which is cut off from the younger generation has no future, because when people grow old, the young are expected to take over from them,” Nsobya explains.
One of Nsobya’s books titled Sowing
And mistreatment is not the only challenge that journalists in Uganda face. Nsobya says many media houses in the country pay their journalists peanuts in salary and, in many cases, even the little pay does not come on time. Circumstances like these force journalists, especially those who are not well grounded in integrity and moral ethics – virtues Nsobya said he attained at UCU – to depend on news sources for their daily survival. These and many more are some of the issues that Nsobya has detailed in his book, expected to be launched on World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2023.
State of the Media will be Nsobya’s seventh book in nine years. He made his entry into the book writing world in 2014, with Akaabate, a book written in Luganda, a local dialect in Uganda. Nsobya later translated that book into English, calling it Agony. The book talks about the challenges that young men and women face in the contemporary world.
In April 2021, Nsobya launched another book, this time on agriculture, also written in Luganda, under the title Essanyu Lyomulimi. He later translated it into English, calling it News on the Farm. In April 2022, he launched yet another book, titled Kyosiga, which he has also translated into English, calling it Sowing.
Seeing the book titles that Nsobya has produced would blind one into thinking that all has been rosy for him. No. Before his first book in 2014, Nsobya, a father and husband who graduated from UCU in 2006, says he attempted to write a book seven times, each time giving up along the way, most especially because he encountered a writer’s block.
The resident of Mukono town studied at Masanafu Church of Uganda Primary School, where he wrote his final exams in 1995. From Masanafu, Nsobya, a son of Dan Kyaligamba and Eva Namubiru, joined Victory Secondary School, where he sat Senior Four exams in 1999. For the two years in A’level, Nsobya studied at Kaggulwe Secondary School. All the three schools are located in central Uganda.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
Prof. Stephen Noll makes remarks during the thanksgiving service. At right is Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi.
By Kefa Senoga In the South African Zulu gospel song, Siyabonga Jesu (Wahamba Nathi), singer Solly Mahlangu sings praises for Jesus, whom he refers to as the Lion of Heaven. Mahlangu’s praises for the son of God are on the basis that Jesus has never abandoned him, even during the time when he “walked through the valley of death.”
That is the song that the members of senior management of Uganda Christian University (UCU) sang as they took to the stage on October 23, 2022, in the Nkoyoyo Hall at the main campus in Mukono, to give thanks to God in praise and worship. The managers, led by Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi, were thanking God for keeping UCU alive and blossoming for 25 years, in line with the celebration slogan of Ebenezer, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:12).
UCU, which transitioned from a theological college, started in 1997. Today, with five campuses and nearly 13,000 students, it has become an education brand and a household name in higher education in the region.
Stephen Noll and his wife, Peggy, during the thanksgiving service
Members of UCU’s senior management chose to pray from the same place with an identical start time of 9:30 a.m. on October 23, 2022. The members, and, indeed, most of the congregants, chose this service because it was intended for a special thanksgiving as the community drew closer to the apex celebrations of UCU’s silver jubilee. The anniversary week, which kicked off on October 23 with the thanksgiving service, climaxed with a ceremony on October 28, where 1,570 students graduated.
Among those in the congregation during the service was a guest couple, whose names many students could recognise, but not their faces. The Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll, the university’s first vice chancellor, and his wife, Peggy, had flown into Uganda from Sewickley, Pennsylvania, where they currently reside, for the silver jubilee activities.
At the start of the service, the MC, Assoc. Prof. John Kitayimbwa, who is the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), introduced the Nolls whose presence took many congregants by surprise. When Stephen Noll, who was sitting next to Peggy in the second row in the hall, was invited to “greet the people” at the end of the service, the opportunity gave the congregants a better view of his immaculate dressing – a black trouser, a black clerical shirt and a blue jacket, complete with a UCU lapel pin.
He held the microphone with his left hand and freed the right to gesture, as he spoke with the confidence of a father speaking to his children. In the under five minutes that Noll spoke, he asked the congregants and, indeed, the UCU alumni, to turn up for the alumni homecoming on October 25 and a public lecture on October 26.
Members of UCU senior management at the service on October 23, 2022
Peggy Noll was asked to pray for the children who were present, whom Kitayimbwa referred to as the future staff of UCU. Peggy is remembered for having a special attachment with children as she established a children’s library at the main campus, which was equipped with children and Christian literature.
The preacher at the thanksgiving service, retired bishop of Madi and West Nile Diocese Dr Joel Obetia, commended UCU for keeping a Christian outlook both in name and character. The Christian character of UCU is not by accident as this was one of the conditions Noll gave former archbishop of Church of Uganda Livingstone Nkoyoyo as the former pursued the latter to relocate to Uganda to head the newly founded UCU as its first vice chancellor.
UCU Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi noted that the institution has continued to maintain a positive image and a good representation of its graduates on the job market. He said the university continues to reap from the sports complex that Noll built at the main campus in 2007. The UCU sports complex has a running track, and basketball, volleyball and tennis courts.
He also mentioned the prominence of UCU in the national sports, which has been maintained since the time of Noll as vice chancellor.
“We continue to win sports accolades and, as a matter of fact, our women’s basketball team, the Lady Canons, recently won the national women’s basketball competitions,” Mushengyezi noted.
Because of its modern sports facilities, the institution has hosted the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation in 2017, the Inter–University Games Uganda in 2013, and in 2007, as well as the East African University Games in 2014.
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.
Prof. Mushengyezi cuts a ribbon to officially launch the UCU Writing Centre. (Photos by Joel Muhuza)
By Nyapendi Best Irene Uganda Christian University (UCU) has officially launched its writing center, the first of its kind in any Ugandan higher institution of learning. Intended to improve the writing skills of both students and staff, as well as improve the collaboration between writers and tutors, the center, launched on October 10, 2022, is housed at the UCU Hamu Mukasa Library, Mukono.
UCU Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi said the center is expected to support all genres of writing. He summed up the latest addition to the 25-year-old UCU as “as a place where you should go to workshop your ideas; to be assisted to improve your draft; and not to edit your work, but rather guide you through the process of revision until you get your work perfected.”
According to Mushengyezi, a student who cannot write well cannot thrive. Writing centers may offer one-on-one scheduled tutorial appointments, group tutoring, or writing workshops. They are maintained by universities or created as part of the writing program to help students find their writing voice and tackle any writing challenge.
Participants at the launch.
The launch of the center, a brain child of Prof. Thomas Deans from the University of Connecticut in the USA, is a dream come true for many creative arts enthusiasts, including Mushengyezi, who hopes to build it further to the level of other writing centers in renowned universities. The center, whose proposal was the centerpiece of Dean’s Fulbright application, has been open and operational since April 2022. A “soft launch” happened on two separate days in August and September 2022 with presentations by American journalists and authors, Alan Johnson and Patty Huston-Holm.
Deans, who was an American Fulbright Scholar in Uganda from August 2021 to February 2022, and Mushengyezi share an affiliation with the University of Connecticut, where Deans is a professor and the director of the writing centre, and Mushengyezi earned his PhD in English. When Mushengyezi first met Deans, the former was an academic at Makerere University.
In Deans, UCU could not have asked for a better person to help them set up the centre. Before joining the University of Connecticut, Deans played a pivotal role in steering a college writing program. He was the Director of College Writing at the Haverford College in Pennsylvania. No doubt he is fully aware of the benefits an institution can reap from a center designed to enhance writing skills. In a November 2021 article, Deans said “students won’t grow as researchers unless they are writing papers that involve sustained research.”
Mushengyezi speaks during the official launch of the writing center in October 2022
He believes that writing is a craft that needs to be exercised. Drawing lessons from his experience at the University of Connecticut, Deans said: “Writing is not something you graduate from; it’s a skill you constantly practice and build.” In a February 2022 podcast, Deans explained the significance of writing centers in higher institutions of learning.
During the launch of the centre in October, Mushengyezi extended an invitation to all interested undergraduate students to participate in an essay writing competition due February 29.
The guest speaker at the event, Hilda Twongeirwe, the Executive Director of Femrite Publications, commended UCU for establishing the center and urged both students and staff to make use of it.
“You cannot be a prolific writer if you are not a prolific reader,” she said. Femrite donated over 100 books to the UCU Writing Center.
Dr. James Busimba, the Head of UCU’s Department of Languages and Literature, where the center falls, said for now, the center is a learning facility and that any ventures to generate revenue for the establishment will be thought about in future.
During the launch, students performed two poems, including How To Eat a Poem by Eve Merriam. The university has committed $10,000 for one financial year to support the writing center, according to Mushengyezi. The Muriel Lile Trust of Fenton, Michigan, USA donated $10,000 to the establishment of the center through the Uganda Partners non-governmental organisation.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
By Vanessa Kyalimpa When one listens to the story of Jonan Tabura, a student of Uganda Chrsitian University (UCU), the most likely conclusion is that he is a living testimony of someone who has been pushed by fate to achieve success.
Tabura, a UCU graduate with a Bachelor of Human Resource Management working on a UCU Master of Development Monitoring and Evaluation, has a taxi business more about destiny than desire. It started small – with one cab – and has grown to two 14-seater passenger vans, or taxis.
When many people his age and education level would shun the job of being a cab driver, Tabura readily welcomed the offer. He had no source of income to continue with his undergraduate studies. So, when his sister presented to him the opportunity to drive her car as a cab, Tabura welcomed it with open arms.
The taxis
From the cab business, he was able to save money which he topped up with a loan to purchase a commuter passenger service van. At the time, Tabura says he would make anywhere between sh60,000 and sh70,000 (about $15.6-$18.3) per day as a cab driver.
“While growing up, I was always told that it’s better to start small,” Tabura said. “Because that mantra had been ingrained in me, I opted to save some money that my sister was paying me as a cab driver and, with the additional money from the loan, I bought a van for public transport.”
The proceeds from the passenger service van business were enough to enable him to pay back the loan and save more money from which he acquired a second van. From the two vans, Tabura said he would earn a daily income of sh240,000 (about $63), which he used to enroll for an undergraduate course in the UCU School of Business.
Tabura’s might sound like a story of a man without any challenges in the business until you listen to it in full. One obstacle that reinforces fate over plan is that with no deliberate mastery, he had to develop the skill of fixing minor mechanical vehicle problems while employing skilled mechanics for major issues.
Although his business is growing faster than he had anticipated, like any other enterprise, he continues to face obstacles, namely financial. One such obstacle for people in the transport business is high fuel prices, which have nearly doubled in the last year. Unfortunately, he says, they cannot increase the transport fare at the same rate.
He admitted that there have been times when he considered giving up, particularly when his cars were involved in accidents and he had to pay for the damage caused and, at times, the medical expenses of people injured in accidents.
He encourages students who want to start their own businesses to do so, but to keep in mind the balance of entrepreneur gratification and challenges.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
By Vanessa Kyalimpa The waning threat of Covid-19 in Uganda is returning many pre-pandemic activities to the calendar. One such event is the Uganda Christian University (UCU) cultural gala that returned to the UCU Nkoyoyo Hall after a two-year hiatus.
Held on October 22 under the theme Culture, Character and Patriotism, the students used
UCU Guild President Racheal Sserwadda (right) handing over a gift to Pontius Kayeru, a government official who attended the cultural gala.
the event to display a blend of different cultures in Uganda and beyond. Ugandan tribes, such as the Acholi,Lango, The Iteso, Karimojong, Banyankole, Batooro, Bagisu, Basoga andBaganda, as well as Nigerians, presented traditional crafts, dress code, cultural anthem, storytelling, dance and a history on their origin. However, it was the dances that attracted the loudest applause from the crowd.
The performances for the cultural gala that was organised by the UCU student leaders were graded based on presentation and time management. By the end of the day, the cultural food, wear, dance and crafts of theTesoteam hadwonthe hearts of the adjudicators and they were declared the Best Cultural Exhibitors of the event.
Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi joins students in one cultural dance
For the feat, the Teso team received sh1million (about $270) from the UCU Vice-Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, in addition to the sh1.5million (about $400) which was their reward from the organisers. The Lango cultural group that emerged the runners-up, walked home with sh500,000 (about $130). The rest of the participants were given certificates.
Bridget Mugume, the Director of Student Affairs at UCU, said an awards ceremony will be organised for the winning team.
Lango cultural team presenting their dance. They emerged second at the gala.
The leader of the Teso cultural team said unlike other teams that concentrated on a single task in particular, they worked as a team by balancing the effort put into all the tasks they were asked to perform.
Asiimwe Zipporah, a third year student of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication, said such exhibitions help students to understand and appreciate their culture, as well as of other people. She added that because of the influence of foreign culture, many people have forgotten about their roots.
Pontius Kayeru, a government official who attended the function, expressed his gratitude for what he called “the students’ displays of patriotism” throughout the event. Kayeru, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Mukono, said that what he saw on stage was a “reflection of identity, growth and learning how to get along with other people.” He encouraged the students to keep up with the tradition every year.
Racheal Sserwadda, the Guild President of UCU, congratulated the students upon a successful cultural gala and urged other tribes that did not take part to do so next year.
“It was an entertaining, educative and eye-catching event,” Sserwadda said, noting that the dances and the dressing were an attraction.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
The Rev. Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa (right) hands over a dummy check to UCU Mbale College Principal, Mrs. Mary Manana. (Photo by Andrew Bugembe)
By Vanessa Kyalimpa Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mbale University College in eastern Uganda has launched a drive to raise funds for the expansion of the institution’s infrastructure. With the sh1.5billion (about $400,000) that the university college is seeking, the institution hopes to set up a sports complex, buy computers and servers for its information and communications technology laboratory, as well as to purchase a bus to help in transporting its athletes.
The college hopes to use sh300million (about $80,000) for setting up the sports complex, sh500million (about $133,000) for the purchase of computers and sh100million (about $26,000) for the computer servers. Also in the plan is a 67-seater bus that is estimated to cost sh600million (about $160,000).
If acquired, the computers are intended to support the university’s policy of enhancing virtual learning by making the delivery of most of the courses blended in nature – both physical and virtual.
The Rev. Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa gives an address during the fundraising drive at UCU Mbale University College.
At the launch of the fundraising drive in September, an event that was preceded by a march with a brass band in Mbale town, more than sh240million (over $64,000) was collected in cash and pledges. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, who was represented at the function by Mbale Resident District Commissioner, Ahamada Washaki, pledged sh200million (about $53,000).
According to Mrs. Innocent Manana, the Principal of the College, the sports facilities will enable the college to champion innovation, entrepreneurship, and the general well-being among the young people who will use the complex.
The Rt. Rev. John Wilson Nandaah, the Bishop of the Diocese of Mbale, who spoke on behalf of the Rt. Rev. Samuel Bogere Egesa, the chairperson of the college’s governing council, said there are many young people in the area who were eager to use the sports complex to nurture their talents.
“Our university students engage in several sports disciplines and have won several trophies, which prompted us to think of constructing a complex (to facilitate) developing their talents,” Nandaah said.
The Rev. Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UCU, who represented Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, said the construction of the sports complex will not only enhance the physical needs of the students, but also equip those who are talented in sports. In support of the cause, the UCU main campus contributed sh5million (about $1,300).
The university college became a Constituent College of Uganda Christian University in 2016. Although largely undeveloped with a few lecture rooms, a nearly empty library and without hostel facility, the study centre took advantage of its location in the heart of Mbale town to grow in academic stature by introducing evening programs to cater for the working-class, as well as expanding the academic programs.
To enhance research excellence, the college now has over eight staff with PhD degrees and more have enrolled in different universities to pursue their doctorates.
To support the cause, one can send a contribution to Uganda Partners or deposit into the college’s bank account:
Bank name: Stanbic Bank, Mbale branch Account name: Uganda Christian University Mbale Account number: 9030005907666
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.
Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll receives gifts of art portraits from a fine art student at UCU after the public lecture.
By Kefa Senoga The Uganda Christian University (UCU) silver jubilee public lecture was delivered by two eminent men who surprised the audience by saying they initially did not want to work for the institution.
However, one of the men, the Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, said that the Lord is full of surprises. Quoting a Zambian proverb “when God cooks, you don’t see smoke,” Senyonyi, the discussant at the public lecture on October 26, 2022, in UCU’s Nkoyoyo Hall, narrated how events turned to cause him make a U-turn to work at the university.
Senyonyi’s lecture preceded the keynote address by the Rev. Prof. Stephen Noll, with whom he shared the platform. On the sunny afternoon in Mukono, and as speaker at the event, Noll talked under the topic UCU: The beginnings of Private Higher Education in Uganda. Noll, UCU’s first vice chancellor, was installed in October 2000 and served two five-year terms, handing the post over to Senyonyi in October 2010.
The call for both Noll and Senyonyi to serve at UCU came from people who saw potential in them, but the two separately declined, since they had not envisioned the dream. For Noll, he received a phone call in March 1997 to meet the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Uganda, Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo, at Pittsburgh, Pa., Airport in the USA. He did. And when he met Nkoyoyo, the prelate informed him that the Anglican church in Uganda had decided to start a university, which was scheduled to open in September of the same year.
“Stephen, would you come to be the first vice chancellor of UCU?” Noll quoted Nkoyoyo to have asked him. “No,” was Noll’s answer. “I had children in high school and university and an ailing mother-in-law,” Noll said at the public lecture, justifying his negative response.
After many considerations, he eventually gave in and shared his vision with Nkoyoyo: “I am convinced that I can only be of help if I am working to build a thoroughly Christian university…one that seeks to incorporate fully the Christian gospel in all its programs,” the father of five and grandfather of seven, quoted himself telling Nkoyoyo as he accepted the offer.
Noll’s acceptance came after he and Peggy, his wife for 55 years, had visited UCU in 1999. Peggy was present at the 2022 public lecture as Noll delivered his 60-minute keynote address.
Throughout his presentation, Noll showed no signs of the trappings that academics of his caliber usually find themselves in, oftentimes going technical in their deliberations. There were no terms to define, but stories to tell and memories to share. There was evidence Senyonyi and his predecessor had shared notes because he, too, did not veer off the style Noll had earlier taken.
Within two years of his leadership, Noll was able to pull off the construction of the magnificent Nkoyoyo Hall, a multipurpose facility, built at a cost of $180,000, and, within four years, UCU was in possession of their charter, making history as the first private university in Uganda to get one.
The funding for the construction of the Nkoyoyo Hall was mobilized by UCU Partners, a non-profit charitable organization committed to raising public awareness about Uganda Christian University by seeking material and spiritual support for students through sponsorships; and by procuring funds for buildings and other needed projects. The structure was officially opened by the late Mrs. Diane Stanton, who was then the Executive Director of UCU Partners.
When Noll informed Nkoyoyo that the structure was to be named after him, starting a tradition of naming buildings after Ugandan greats who had made a mark in the establishment and survival of the university, the archbishop quipped: “I thought buildings were named after dead people.” He, however, said he loved the idea. At the public lecture, Nkoyoyo’s family was represented by Ruth, the wife of the former archbishop. Nkoyoyo died on January 5, 2018.
During the lecture, Noll, a Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania, showed evidence that he had made use of the 10 years he was in Uganda, with many Ugandan names easily rolling off his tongue, as he paid tribute to people who made his tenure at UCU as comfortable as it was. Some of the people he acknowledged were current National Council for Higher Education executive director Alex Kagume, Justice Lillian Tibatemwa Ekirikubinza, Nkoyoyo, Ssekiboobo Hamu Mukasa, Peter Nyombi, Henry Luke Orombi and Bishop Eliphaz Maari. He also paid special tribute to Jimmy Kolker, who was the American ambassador to Uganda at the time, Prof. Steven Riley who developed the waste water system at UCU and architect Michael Reid who drew plans for the UCU gate and many other buildings at the university, including the Hamu Mukasa library, at no fee.
When Senyonyi stepped forward to continue with the story of UCU after Noll’s reign in 2010, he took advantage of his combined expertise as an academic and the disposition of a clergyman to drive many of his points home, oftentimes using scripture to illustrate why and how certain decisions had to be made.
When Noll was returning to the USA in January 2000 to prepare to assume office in Uganda, he gave Senyonyi a one-page document detailing his vision for the university’s chaplaincy and asked the latter if he could join him at UCU as the university chaplain.
“I was not about to place my life and that of my family in an abstract university with untested stability,” Senyonyi said during his 45-minute presentation. At the time, he was working with the African Evangelistic Enterprise, an evangelical Christian, interdenominational, non-governmental, humanitarian organization.
However, seven months later, when he needed to find a response for Noll who was soon returning to assume his duties as vice chancellor at UCU, Senyonyi said he read the letter and shared the contents with his wife, Ruth, who, to his disbelief, gave him the greenlight. He said he soon found solace in the fact that his father, Eriakimu Kajja, trained at the Bishop Tucker Theological College and so was his father-in-law, Bishop Misaeri Kauma, who even later headed the institution. BTTC transitioned into UCU.
Senyonyi said what he considers the most impactful innovation he came up with was the one-hour community worship that takes place every Tuesday and Thursday.
“It became the largest gathering of the UCU community and, soon, the administration used it to pass communication to the community,” Senyonyi said as he drove the audience down memory lane of his two decades of service at UCU. In 2003, he became the deputy vice chancellor for finance and administration, switching to the docket of deputy vice chancellor in charge of development and external relations in 2006.
“When I became VC in 2010, my prayer was for God’s presence, so I could be assured of the wisdom that Solomon prayed for, without losing God’s favor as Solomon did,” Senyonyi, who holds a PhD in mathematical statistics, said, confirming that, indeed, as VC, he witnessed God’s favor at and on UCU.
The father of four adult children and six grandchildren is married to Ruth, who holds a PhD in counseling psychology.
Ticking off some of the successes he registered during his tenure as VC, the 66-year-old mentioned developing a strong internet backbone to digitize and integrate all services in the university that would result in paperless meetings to save the university costs. Senyonyi also mentioned how his administration equipped the e-lab and slowly began implementing online learning for some post-graduate courses. This infrastructure was later to turn into a blessing in disguise when Covid struck and there was need for virtual operations.
As Noll said in his opening remarks, anyone who sat through the three-hour long event on October 26 discovered the reason why UCU chose to tap into the wisdom of the two retired people he called “historicals” to share the history and legacy of the institution.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
By Kefa Senoga “Our law students are participating in the John H. Jackson Moot Court competition in Geneva. They are among the four teams representing Africa after defeating 28 universities in Africa.” That was a tweet posted by the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Twitter handle on June 25, 2020.
In 2022, the team participated in the global competition, which is a simulated hearing under the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system involving exchanges of written submissions and adversarial hearings before panelists on international trade law issues. In the last seven years, the UCU moot court team has also won the annual inter-university competition in Uganda four times, making news about any success in the event commonplace.
The success of the university’s teams in the moot court competitions is not by accident. As early as 2008, Dennison Brian, a Christian missionary from the USA, laid the groundwork for such achievements. Dennison, who was a lecturer in the UCU Faculty of Law from 2008 to 2015, made it his preoccupation to grow the moot court program in the university.
As a lecturer in the faculty, Dennison was involved in a series of activities, such as moot court coaching and coordinating the development of clinical legal education as well as launching the legal ethics class. He also was credited for transforming the admissions process in the law faculty, which has since become a school.
As a lecturer in the faculty, Dennison was involved in a series of activities, such as moot court coaching and coordinating the development of clinical legal education
During an email interview from Savannah, Georgia, USA, Dennison said because he worked with bright, energetic and appreciative students, they made it easy for him as the moot court coach to impart real world experience, knowledge and skills to students. He said in the process, he also was able to travel to the competitions with the students to provide on-site coaching.
Some of the beneficiaries of the infrastructure that Dennison set up is Evelyn Mugisha, who was named the Best African Orator in this year’s John H. Jackson World Trade Organization (WTO) African moot court competitions conducted in March. Mugisha, alongside her teammates, Tracy Nagasha and Hannah Stacey Baluka, all final-year law students at UCU, represented the university and were among the best four teams in Africa that qualified for the global competition that took place in Geneva in June 2022.
“UCU demonstrates that you can be committed to Christ, to positive change and to academic excellence,” Dennison explained.
As a law scholar, Dennison revealed that he is proud and privileged to have worked with the UCU law faculty, most especially the students.
“I am humbled by the great things that my former students are doing in legal practice, public service and academia,” Dennison said, noting that all this is possible because of the UCU law program’s commitment to teaching ingenuity, practical skill development and mentorship, which sets the school apart.
Dennison was born in Augusta, Georgia, which is 126 miles from his current residence in Savannah. He said that while growing up, he had a childhood with a loving family and many opportunities to attend church and participate in sports. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master of Business Administration and juris doctorate (cum laude) from the University of Georgia, USA.
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.
As a child, Aiko Olwit often traveled with her father to their upcountry home in Lira district, northern Uganda. Each time she made the trip, Olwit says she would look with empathy at the kind of life most of the people there led. Some were unable to have more than one meal a day. Others lacked decent clothing; it was not unusual to see people dressed in tattered clothes.
Could she help such underprivileged people? No. She had no financial means. What she had, however, was empathy. From then, she made up her mind that when she became of age, she would set up a charity to help the less privileged. That resolution kept haunting Olwit that she could not wait to complete school before putting her plan into action.
Young girls craft reusable sanitary towels.
In 2019, she conceived the idea of starting a non-profit organization. One barrier was that same year, she was a candidate in the Senior Six national examinations. Her parents – Fredrick Olwit and Belinda Sebunya – had misgivings about her timing of starting a charity. However, she persuaded them. Aiko Olwit’s efforts gave birth to Pro Bono, a non-profit organization that creates positive change through outreach programs among youth in high school.
Sooner than later, Olwit, now a year-two student pursuing a Bachelor of Procurement and Logistics Management at Uganda Christian University (UCU), realized that it was easier said than done. It became difficult for her to multi-task on her academics and run her newly founded baby – Pro Bono. Yet, she soldiered on.
In 2022, Olwit got her organization registered with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. She says she spent between sh5million and sh7million (about $1,300-$1,800) to launch the organization. She spent the money in producing posters and promotional videos, among other things.
The project that kick-started the launch of Pro Bono was a students’ activity, where Olwit’s organization partnered with Smart Girls Uganda, to teach students aged 16-18, from Kabojja International School and Aga Khan High School how to make reusable sanitary pads. Smart Girls Uganda is a non-profit, girl-centered organization that empowers and mentors girls to speak out, be decision makers and create visionary change in society.
Aiko Olwit handing out donated items to children in Mubende, central Uganda.
Pro Bono also engages in drives to promote environmental conservation, as well as empowering youth to develop a reading culture. She said they host a virtual book reading session at 4 p.m. every Sunday.
Olwit, the first born of six siblings, believes that her family has been the bedrock of whatever achievements her organization has registered so far.
“Many people have role models outside their homes, but for me, mine have always been at home,” she said. “My family members are my source of inspiration.”.
She attended Kampala Junior Academy for Primary, Gayaza High School and Makerere College School for O’level and A’level, respectively. All the three schools are located in central Uganda.
Aiko Olwit giving a speech at the Budo League Dinner after sealing a partnership with an old students association.
She says it was while at Gayaza High School that she got involved in social activities aimed at improving people’s livelihood in communities. She did this through the Interact and Youth Alive clubs. At Makerere College School, as a student leader, she was tasked with planning students-led initiatives, such as movie nights, and car wash activities, to raise funds for the needy. She said such activities only helped to cement the resolution she made as a child to improve people’s lives, seeing less privileged people struggle to get a livelihood.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
Students who participated in the movie pose for a photo at the premiere.
By Asenath Were and Vanessa Namukwaya Uganda Christian University (UCU) students of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication have turned their classroom knowledge into action by producing a short film about university life. The 11-minute film, named My Degree, with a cast of seven students, centers on the dangers of pride at the university.
In the movie, Alexa, a final-year student is seeking an extra mark, to push her score from 49% to 50%. It is that one mark that is standing between Alexa and her graduation. The solution for her challenge lies with the head of department.
At the department, Alexa discovers that there is a new person in the portfolio, someone she had never met. However, as she joins the queue to the office of the head of department, the office bearer arrives. Alexa told the head of department off, thinking she was one of the students, and reminding her that it was only proper that she joins the queue from the back if she wanted to meet the head of department.
The head of department eventually finds her way into her office. When Alexa and the head of department finally met in the latter’s office, the former presented her request for an additional mark so she could be able to graduate. The head of department was clear in her response: “One mark is added to students who have been participating in class and are virtuous throughout the years. Your report does not show that.”
Brian Kaboggoza, a third-year student of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication, who directed the movie, said the film’s theme is about students “failing in life because of pride and disrespect.” It does not cost anyone anything to respect others because you may despise someone who will rescue you one day,” he added.
The movie was a work in progress from June 2022 to its September 16, 2022, premiere at UCU’s Nkoyoyo Hall, according to Kaboggoza, who said the My Degree film “is a dream come true for me because I thought I needed to start my career right now since the opportunities and the equipment are available.”
Kabogozza believes that the movie will not only market the School of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC), but also the university, since it has the potential to attract students who are interested in making films.
Brian Kaboggoza, the movie director, poses with the two main actresses, Deborah Anita Talemwa and Shalom Komugisa, at the movie premiere.
Kaboggoza encouraged his student colleagues not to wait for graduation to start putting classroom knowledge into practice. He said, “Anyone passionate about film making should start right now because there is opportunity to learn and get experience.”
The movie producer, Emmanuel Ilungole, is a third-year student. He said the time he spent on producing the movie helped him and his colleagues gain experience in audio balancing and teamwork. “It was the first time I was producing a movie, and the experience taught me that hard work pays.”
The lead actress, Alexa, whose real name is Deborah Talemwa, is a second-year student. She said she joined the cast because she saw it as a learning opportunity for the film crew, but also as an avenue through which they could pass a message to fellow students about the consequences of their actions.
The 11-minute short film that students produced
John Semakula, the head of the Department of Undergraduate Studies at the School of JMC, said the project consolidates the school’s position as a leading practical journalism training institution in Uganda.
“We pride ourselves in equipping students with practical skills in line with our curriculum that is heavily practical and, therefore, students’ projects, such as My Degree, make us feel proud that our efforts of skilling them have yielded positive results,” Semakula said.
Emmanuel Ilungole, the movie producer.
“Most of the work in this project was student-led,” he added. “The school’s main contribution was skilling and encouraging the students, plus providing the equipment.”
Kaboggoza said they have plans to produce more episodes concentrating on the life of a campus student. He, therefore, called upon all those able and willing to finance their projects.
The movie is just one of the many practical projects that the School of JMC is engaged in. 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, and assisted the Uganda Partners NGO with the July 2022 production of a newspaper called Ebenezer.
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.
Mushengyezi, Noll and Senyonyi during the UCU alumni homecoming event at the university’s main campus in Mukono. The event, held on October 25, was part of the activities to celebrate 25 years of UCU. Photos by Joel Muhumuza
By Constantine Odongo A 1992 meeting of the House of Bishops in the Anglican Church in Uganda came up with a decision that later changed the landscape of higher education in the country. Because the church felt it needed to have a broader impact in society through university education, the bishops decided to set up a provincial university. As a result, in 1997, the Trustees of the Church of Uganda established Uganda Christian University (UCU).
This year, UCU celebrates 25 years of existence, under the slogan Ebenezer, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:12).
The main celebrations, which climaxed in the week of October 24-28, included an annual public lecture, an alumni homecoming and a thanksgiving service. The past two vice chancellors of UCU – the Rev. Professor Stephen Noll and Dr. John Senyonyi – joined current Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi during the celebrations whose apex activity was a graduation ceremony held on October 28. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni was the invited chief guest at the ceremony.
Some of the people who attended the UCU alumni homecoming event on October 25 at the main campus. Sitting at the front are the Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye, the Provost of All Saints Cathedral Kampala, and Peggy Noll, the wife of UCU first Vice Chancellor, the Rev. Professor Stephen Noll.
Stephen Noll, the university’s first vice chancellor, and his wife, Peggy, flew into Uganda from Sewickley, Pennsylvania, where they currently reside, for the silver jubilee. For his association with UCU, Noll has to thank former Church of Uganda archbishop, Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo.
When the university commenced in 1997, Nkoyoyo, now deceased, went on a hunt for a suitable vice chancellor. It was his primary duty as the chancellor to conduct the search. By default, the reigning Archbishop of the Church of Uganda becomes the UCU chancellor.
Therefore, when Nkoyoyo first approached Noll about the opportunity, the latter’s response was a no. Noll had never been to Uganda, or Africa long enough to understand the environment well. His other challenge was that he had only run a theological college and not a university. However, that was even better news to the ears of Nkoyoyo who saw it as an opportunity get someone who would be able to complete the transformation of the premises of the Bishop Tucker Theological College, which started in 1913, into a university.
Noll eventually gave in. But there was a condition: Uganda Christian University would have to be Christian not only in name, but in substance, too. Upon assuming the office of the Vice Chancellor of UCU in 2000, Noll embarked on a mission.
“I considered that it was important to lay a formal orthodox foundation for both students and university staff, and also help students lay an intellectual foundation for their own lives,” Noll said in a 2014 unpublished UCU book to celebrate a decade of the university being granted a charter.
From 1997 to 2000, UCU was under the leadership of acting Vice Chancellor, the Rt. Rev. Eliphaazi Maari, who was the Principal of Bishop Tucker Theological College.
Just like Nkoyoyo committed for UCU to maintain a Christian identity, the institution integrated Christian values in its institutional policy. All UCU students and staff are required to sign the Instruments of Identity, upon admission to UCU, professing their commitment towards maintaining UCU identity for their life as members of the institution. The policy also calls for the integration of faith in teaching and learning.
To further cement its signature identity as a Christian university, in 2002, UCU introduced compulsory core courses named Foundation Studies for all students. The courses include the Old Testament, the New Testament, Understanding Ethics, World Views, and Health and Wholeness.
Within four years at the helm, Noll oversaw the start of four other campuses – with the first being Bishop Barham University College in 2000 and UCU Kampala, Mbale, and Arua campuses in 2004.
In his 10-year tenure, Noll grew the population of graduating students from 324 at the institution’s inaugural ceremony in 2000 to 2,803 in 2010, the year he handed over the baton to Senyonyi. This growth, however, did not come on a silver platter, as between 2000 and 2010, at least six universities were established in Uganda, significantly eating into the potential market for UCU. Of the six universities, three were privately-funded and the other three were public institutions.
Asked what he considers his top three achievements in an interview Noll granted the Ebenezer, a July 2022 publication in celebration of 25 years of UCU, the former vice chancellor said: “Preparing UCU to receive the first charter in Uganda (in 2004), planning and executing the expanded campus and its facilities and keeping its focus on the Gospel by calling and equipping the clergy and lay leaders for the church, the nation and the world.”
Enter Senyonyi Prior to assuming the top office in 2010, Senyonyi had served in UCU in different portfolios since 2001. He joined the university as a chaplain, before becoming the deputy vice chancellor for finance and administration in 2003 and then deputy vice-chancellor in charge of development and external relations in 2006.
When he became vice chancellor Senyonyi set infrastructural development as part of his agenda. In 2011, the magnificent Hamu Mukasa library was opened. Senyonyi says throughout his tenure, the university did not get external funding for infrastructure development, and, therefore, depended on student fees.
“We used the undesirable and very limiting method of nominal increments on fees, to the chagrin of our students, but they bore it stoically most of the time,” Senyonyi said during an interview with the Ebenezer publication. He said the beauty was that most of the time, the students understood the reason why fees increment was done, because the university was “mindful to use money to its intended purpose.”
One time, Senyonyi said, tired of the dusty road leading to the university, the student leaders asked the university administration to increase the tuition fees, to be able to put asphalt on the roads.
“After sensitizing the guild leaders about the costs involved, they suggested we do it,” he said. “It is the only time students have asked the university to increase fees!”
Senyonyi said the UCU model demonstrated to other players in institutions of higher learning that private facilities can compete favorably and even beat a well-financed public university. He said, “Many vice chancellors came to consult with me for best practices…and even benchmarked with UCU.”
Senyonyi granted Uganda Partners an interview on how Covid affected learning and administration at UCU, as well as his time at the helm of UCU leadership.
UCU is considered a sports powerhouse in the country, having produced numerous players for Uganda’s national teams in football, netball, women’s football, basketball and rugby, among other disciplines. Because of its modern sports facilities, the institution has hosted the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation in 2017, the Inter–University Games Uganda in 2013, and in 2007, as well as the East African University Games in 2014.
In May 2021, the national athletics trials were hosted at the Mukono campus track field station.
Mushengyezi assumes office in 2020 The 53-year-old assumed leadership of UCU in 2020, in the middle of the Covid pandemic. As was necessitated, the university, under the stewardship of Mushengyezi, adopted several virtual options for normal operations to continue.
For instance, two virtual graduations were held – in December 2020 and October 2021; most of the programmes are now delivered through blended learning; using the alpha online system, two student guild elections have been held virtually, as well as pre-entry exams for courses in law, dental surgery and medicine. In a 36-minute video, Mushengyezi explained some of what his administration achieved within one year of leadership.
In 2021, Mushengyezi invited institutions to borrow a leaf from the infrastructure in electronic learning that the university had set up. He emphasized UCU’s commitment to “pioneer in innovation and learning with community outreach.” Indeed, in December 2021, the university’s e-learning department hosted leaders from Greenhill Academy, a group of Christian-founded primary and secondary schools in Kampala, for a virtual learning seminar to understand more about the university’s e-learning facilities.
From the 270 students admitted in 1997, UCU has grown to nearly 13,000 students across its five campuses today and now looks into a future of stronger partnerships, improvements in infrastructure and more emphasis on research and innovation.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
Luminsa (center) receiving the consignment from the UK
By Vanessa Kyalimpa One evening in 2019, as Uganda Christian University (UCU) student, Kizza Arnold Luminsa, surfed the Internet, he came across a UK-based organization, Workaid. On reading more about the charity, he discovered that it was possible to present to them a proposal for a donation. Without much faith in succeeding, Luminsa gave it a try. He sent his proposal seeking a donation to help the disadvantaged he saw around him.
The charity refurbishes tools that have been donated to them and then ships them to training centers and self-help organizations. The organization claims the tools help 9,000 people out of poverty every year.
Luminsa did not expect an immediate response from Workaid. Indeed, after months of waiting, he gave up.
The people of the Bob McLeod Technical Institute receiving the donation
Early this year, Luminsa was pleasantly surprised to learn that his request had been approved by the UK charity and that he would, therefore, get the donation after more than two years of waiting. Indeed, on March 9, he received the consignment from the UK. It contained manual sewing machines, electric zig-zag sewing, treadle sewing machines, sewing machine accessories, manual knitting machines, wool and wool winders, general maintenance kit and knitting machine tables, among others.
“I was surprised at the success of my proposal. I didn’t see it coming, I was just trying out things – being the curious and inquisitive young man that I am,” says Luminsa who sent in the proposal while a UCU year-two student of Bachelor of Laws. He was among the 2,106 students who graduated on July 29 this year.
Arnold Luminsa delivering the consignment of donated goods.
Upon receiving the consignment, Luminsa wasted no time in putting the items to good use. The following day, he was on the road to Kangulumira, a village in the central Uganda district of Kayunga. Kangulumira hosts the Bob McLeod Technical Institute, which was the final beneficiary of the consignment.
Luminsa says a friend who knew about the needs of the institute recommended it to him. Besides, he says the institute is run by religious people, which gave him added trust that the donation would be put to its intended purpose.
“I was happy to see that my efforts are giving hope to many underprivileged members of the community,” Luminsa said. “Seeing them happy and grateful filled me with joy and made me want to help more people.” Luminsa added that his dream has always been to help in creating a positive impact on the lives of the people in his community. He enumerated the different charitable causes that he participated in as a student at UCU.
Since charity begins at home, Luminsa believes his heart started beating for the needy after seeing what his father, Mukasa Anthony Harris, does. Mukasa founded the People United to Save Humanity, a local community-based, non-governmental organization. Established in 1996, the organization strives to save humanity from disease, ignorance and poverty, among others.
Months down the road, Luminsa still makes a monthly visit to the Bob McLeod Technical Institute, to monitor the progress of the beneficiaries of the donation. He says they “check on the progress the beneficiaries have made in using the skills they are taught, so that they are able to earn a living on their own.”
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.
Atem de Kuek (center, back) with colleagues on graduation day at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the UK in 2018.
In the 25 years of its existence, Uganda Christian University (UCU) has graduated many students, both Ugandan and foreign nationals in a multiplicity of disciplines. Recently, Kefa Senoga caught up with two UCU Bachelor of Mass Communication degrees graduates who are serving in humanitarian agencies in South Sudan. Kefa asked about the impact of their work and take-home value from UCU.
Acquiring a UCU Bachelor of Mass Communication degree 11 years ago was significant for Atem de Kuek, but the second most important thing within that credential were the lessons he learned during “foundation studies” courses. The foundation courses, such as Writing and Study Skills, Health and Wholeness, World Views and Christian Ethics, are mandatory course units for every undergraduate student at the university.
Atem de Kuek addressing colleagues at his work place in South Sudan.
“I can testify that in my working experience, these courses have been handy for work integrity,” Kuek, who graduated in 2011 with a First Class degree, says. He works as a social and behavior change consultant for the UN Children’s Fund.
The academics who teach the foundation courses take pride in being the “roots and the stem” that support the other courses represented on the tree “leaves, branches and fruits.” The course Health and Wholeness, for example, teaches principles of health promotion and interventions for people who are sick or injured and finally, building a healthy society. The course is taught within the context of wholeness, in which “health” is not the absence of disease but a state of physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing. Deliberate strategies to maintain and promote health and to seek help with health problems are nonexistent or weak in other degree-granting universities.
Kuek added that UCU’s strict dress code is another takeaway for his work. Most students detested the policy forbidding short skirts, tight-fitting clothing, damaged jeans, shorts and tinted hairstyles, among others. However, Kuek says this earlier dislike better prepared him to easily blend into the world of professionalism.
As students, Kuek says they formed prayer clubs and research groups, to hold members accountable to each other. However, what started as groups to aid them to pass at the university became a mainstay in their lives and that they have kept in touch to date.
Okot deals with crisis and reputation management at ICRC
For Emmanuel Okot, a South Sudan national, the environment at UCU enabled him to improve academically, as well as to register growth in the social, emotional and spiritual aspects of life.
“And that’s how I developed the love to serve humanity,” says Okot, who graduated with a Bachelor of Mass Communication from UCU in 2018.
He emphasizes that UCU gave him training and skills that apply to his job with a humanitarian agency, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in his home country.
“I take my entire life at UCU as a mentorship process, from my experience with everything and everyone – the lecturers, colleagues and the support staff,” he says.
ICRC has a humanitarian mission of protecting the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict by providing them with assistance to prevent further suffering. As one of the information officers with the agency, Okot deals with crisis and reputation management, as well as leading efforts within the public communication team to connect with relevant audiences through digital content.
Among Kuek’s recent tasks were providing evidence on child marriages and on behavior change around ebola and COVID-19. He has over 10 years of experience in development and field research in South Sudan with UNICEF hosting his third position since he left UCU. Kuek, who holds a Master of Science in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies from London School of Economics and Political Science,also previously worked with Plan International, Right to Play International and the Catholic Relief Services.
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.
Media Challenge Initiative trainer Antonio Kisembo teaching about radio journalism on September 23 at UCU. (Photos by Agatha Biira Neema)
By Asenath Were As part of activities to get fellows for its next cohort in the hands-on journalism skills training, the Media Challenge Initiative (MCI), a non-profit organisation, in September spent three days imparting media skills on the students of Uganda Christian University (UCU).
The workshop, which took place from September 22-24 at the main/Mukono campus in Nkoyoyo Hall, targeted students of the UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication, from whom the next generation of journalists in Africa can be built. The students were taught how to use smartphones as pocket studios to shoot, edit, and produce compelling stories. Also, part of the training was to introduce participants about how to tailor programs into highly engaging, entertaining and informative youth participatory radio shows that attract and retain audiences.
The Head of Training at MCI, Antonio Kisembo, who delivered the mobile journalism training to the students, said they are looking for “a person who can report stories, a person who can anchor, a person who can write, a person who can take photos and a person who can write online.”
Kisembo said their intention is for the journalist to have multi-media skills, explaining further: “We do three days, the first day is mobile journalism reporting, which is essentially television storytelling.”
Denise Rebecca Nassunje, a third-year journalism student, experimenting with radio equipment during the training on September 23.
Kisembo noted that on the second day, the team engages the students in “preceptory radio,” and on the third day, “we have the mobile newsroom auditions, where we identify a team that will represent each university at the national newsroom contest.” The national contest, also called the Inter-University Media Challenge, is expected to take place in November.
The aim of the challenge, according to MCI, is to create journalists who are “critical participants in changing the negative narrative about Africa.”
To qualify for the challenge, one has to participate in the auditions. At the end of the September workshop at UCU, students participated in interviews, from which 26 were selected to represent the institution at the inter-university challenge slated for November. Twelve universities are expected to participate in the challenge.
The best 25 students from the challenge will undergo an intense hands-on multimedia journalism skills training and mentorship for 25 days, over a period of six months.
Students showcase talents during auditions on September 24.
The UCU auditions were adjudicated by Kisembo and Simon Kakooza, from MCI, and John Semakula, the head of the Department of Undergraduate Studies at the School of Journalism, Media and Communication. The judges assessed the students on their degree of confidence, articulation of words, intonation, interaction with the cameras, and vocabulary in news reporting and anchoring. The students were asked to make their presentations either in the local language or English.
Semakula noted that by participating in the workshop, the students were equipped with extra skills, which they need to find a place in today’s job market.
The students who participated in the event said the auditions were a great opportunity to experience real life in the radio and television studios.
Kefa Senoga, a student and the President of the UCU Media Link Association, an umbrella body for students under the School of Journalism, Media and Communication, said by the end of the inter-university competitions, students will have learned a lot in recording videos and operating radio equipment.
Moses Muziriga, who represents journalism students in the Guild government, said the workshop helped students to interact with the equipment “since most of the classes are theoretical.”
“I could see the excitement among the students seeing themselves recording in the radio and television studios,” he said.
Denise Rebecca Nassunje, a third-year journalism student who participated in the audition, encouraged fellow students to put into practice whatever they had learned at the workshop.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
The testing machines inside the agriculture laboratory at UCU.
By Vanessa Kyalimpa Malnutrition is an endemic challenge that remains largely hidden in Uganda. Many men, women and children suffering from malnutrition are not aware of their condition because of the lack of a regular assessment on the population.
The World Health Organization defines malnutrition as deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. According to the 2018 Uganda National Demographic and Health Survey, 33 percent of children under the age of five years are stunted (have low height-for-age), while 4 percent are acutely malnourished or wasted (have low weight-for-height).
The building that houses the Food and Nutritional Laboratory at UCU
Many people are aware malnutrition exists, but few know how to combat it. They know about the need to keep a balanced diet, but few practice it.
Elizabeth Kongai, a student at Uganda Christian University (UCU), says she enjoys meals consisting of matooke, posho, rice, beans, and groundnut stew. However, “my favorite food is rice and beans and, I would not mind eating that all the time.”
Dr. Kashub Stephen Tumwesigye, the head of the UCU Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, says many people focus more on cravings than proper nutrition. He says not many people are aware of the nutrients contained in the foods they have at their disposal.
According to Tumwesigye, a lot of work and research has been done to address the issue of malnutrition, but the interventions are still limited, making the preparation of diets and food without the knowledge that comes from research.
The late Dr. Kashub Stephen Tumwesigye describes a brief purpose of the lab
Tumwesigye, however, does not think that as an academic, he and his colleagues should just fold their arms and complain about the inadequacies.
“So, the department, through its laboratory, will help in producing information that will help the community to prepare diets that are more nutritious,” he emphasized.
In the laboratory, the scientists will be able to use the equipment to evaluate food nutrients and measure the amount of micronutrients, vitamins, fats, sugar and flavour profiles in food, which they will then share with the people.
Jackeline Wesigye, one of the technicians in the laboratory, says: “Proper nutrition is key, especially for the children, because their brains and bodies are still developing, so being able to determine the composition of the different foods helps us enable parents to know what to feed their children on, in order to have a proper growth.”
The department also is devoting energies to supporting student initiatives that explore healthy food options. Some of the initiatives include laboratory projects, where students dry bananas to form matooke powder, which is an alternative to wheat; replacing eggs with chia for making doughnuts and replacing pectin, which is an artificial additive, with chia, in the process of making jam.
Recently, the department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), a standards enforcement agency, to help build the capacity of the academics in the faculty. Tumwesigye believes that the partnership will offer the department an opportunity to “teach food science and quality assurance.”
According to the partnership that was signed in April 2022, UCU will be a ‘research agency’ that will supply the Bureau of Standards with the necessary research data to inform the standardization of curricula, short courses, student internships and training.
In return, UCU students will be attached to UNBS’ internationally accredited laboratories and trained on how to undertake quality analysis of product samples, in order to establish safety features that the agency considers before certifying a product.
Early this year, UCU academics in the same faculty also embarked on a year-long research among the elderly in Mukono district in central Uganda, hoping to help them unpack the health benefits of African indigenous vegetables.
Assoc. Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, the principal investigator of the research, titled, Exploring the Potential of African Indigenous Vegetables for Human Health in Uganda, said through the research, they will find out the biochemical profile of the African indigenous vegetables.
To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.
By Vanessa Kyalimpa Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) School of Business (SoB) is on a relentless mission to produce entrepreneurs, who “do” more than “talk” business. This new direction, the business school academics believe, will make them produce more relevant graduates for the world of work. As such, the SoB is putting emphasis on students participating in entrepreneurial projects and exhibitions.
“The first thing my colleagues and I agreed on at the UCU School of Business was to start teaching entrepreneurship, and not just talk about entrepreneurship. Those are two different things,” Aston Amanya, a lecturer of entrepreneurship and project planning, stressed. “Many lecturers teach things that remain on paper and aren’t made practical, which doesn’t help the students.”
The implementation of mandatory exhibitions comes after a curriculum review process at the school.
The team that made the mosquito repellent showcase their product at the exhibition.
“This has taken years to kick off,” Amanya said, noting that it took them five years to integrate the practical elements of the course into the existing curriculum.
“Now, every student who pursues a course in entrepreneurship is required to do a project in groups at the start of the semester, and participate in an exhibition towards the end of the semester,” he explained.
For the Trinity Semester, which runs from May to August, the School held its exhibition on July 28 at the International Christian Medical Institute (ICMI) block at the UCU main campus in Mukono. At the exhibition, students showcased entrepreneurial ideas and projects they had been working on throughout the semester.
The participating students were from the courses that form the SoB – Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality, Bachelor of Procurement and Logistics, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics and Bachelor of Business Administration.
Students explain how they make biogas as their project during the entrepreneurship exhibition at the ICMI building at UCU
Seeing how the school pushed for the practical element to be included into the main curriculum, one might be surprised to learn that teachers were actually giving themselves more work. With the new addition to the curriculum, the academics will be expected to dedicate more time to mentoring the students, and this, sometimes, is not compensated for in terms of overtime payment.
Amanya said they are driven more by the desire to produce students who will go out into the world and create jobs for themselves.
Elsa Basemera, a year-two student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, said the exhibitions helped them to explore their creative and innovative mind.
“My team members and I spent quite some time discussing what project we were to exhibit,” she said, noting that the ability of their project to solve a community challenge was a key concern.
“In the tropical climate, the challenge of mosquitoes that spread malaria is big,” she explained, giving justification for their choice of the project of making a mosquito repellent.
“Besides teaching us how to work as a team, we’ve also been able to earn money from this project, so we don’t always have to call home asking for money,” Basemera said.
Other projects that students made and were showcased at the exhibition included a biogas plant, art and crafts, confectionery, candles, petroleum jelly and soap.
Student Arinaitwe Griffin Eddy said the knowledge they get can support them to earn money after school, even as they continue to search for jobs.
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.
Nakigudde taking oath of office after her election in August
By Israel Kisakye
For as long as she remembers, Uganda Christian University (UCU) student, Maria Speria Nakigudde, has been a leader at school. On many occasions, the leadership positions have given her the privilege of engaging school administrators on matters concerning fellow students. She also has had the honor of representing her colleagues at management meetings.
She also has paid the not-so-positive price of being a student leader.
In 2013, while serving as the health prefect at her school, St. Mary’s Vocational School, Kyamuhunga, located in western Uganda, Nakigudde was appointed to the school’s disciplinary committee, as a students’ representative. Whereas her role on the committee was well defined, some of the undisciplined students viewed her as a mole among the students.
She said most students did not like her because she was tough and always stood on the side of the truth, a stance some students found difficult. However, such awkward situations only motivated her to develop a thick skin as a leader. In fact, when she went to attend A’level at Immaculate Heart Girls’ School in Rukungiri district, western Uganda, from 2016 to 2018, Nakigudde was appointed to a similar role, which she gladly accepted. She was appointed as a member of the school’s court, which was tasked with guiding and counseling some of the school’s undisciplined students.
Nakigudde (right) with the Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Anita Among
The experience Nakigudde has garnered over time, including the leadership positions she has held at UCU, where the 22-year-old is pursuing a Bachelor of Laws, has helped to provide her with invaluable opportunities to hone her leadership skills.
At UCU, Nakigudde has served in different leadership positions, including that of the Speaker for the Truth Debate Club. She has also been the secretary of the UCU Moot Court Society.
In August, the year-four law student used the skills she has acquired over time as a springboard to launch herself into national leadership. She contested for the position of Speaker of the National Youth Parliament of Uganda.
“I felt I was qualified for the position because I have previous leadership experience. I also thought I would make a good speaker who can elevate the voices of the youth,” Nakigudde said, noting that to prepare for the contest, she had to contend with dividing her time between internship and extensive travel to introduce herself to potential voters.
And she sailed through, becoming the country’s fifth speaker of the youth assembly. Beating out four other contestants was not all. Nakigudde, who said UCU has done a good job in nurturing her leadership skills and providing a conducive environment for exchange of ideas, also became the third consecutive UCU student to hold the position. She takes over from Ezra Ambasiize, who took the mantle while in fourth year, pursuing Bachelor of Laws at UCU. Abenawe Allan, the third speaker, handed over the mantle to Ambasiize. The position holder serves for one year.
The parliament offers political and legislative space and serves as a creative advocacy vehicle that brings together young people in Uganda, as well as youth-focused organizations to amplify youth voices to lawmakers.
In August, while seeking support for her candidature, Nakigudde promised to “share my determination, diligence and commitment at work to impact youth legislation and tailor inclusivity of the youth in policy making.”
Usually, the youth parliament holds one sitting per year. However, Nakigudde plans to push for a review of that, so that the sittings can be more.
She thanks the UCU fraternity for helping to popularize her candidature, noting that many students helped to distribute her fliers in August, as she introduced herself to the electorate.
Mirembe Racheal Sserwadda, the UCU Guild President, praised Nakigudde’s relentless attitude, saying: “Nakigudde is a go-getter, highly ambitious and focused on her goals. She is also extremely vocal.”
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.
A Good Samaritan delivering food to an elderly woman in Karamoja.
By Kefa Senoga Uganda Christian University (UCU) has responded to a call by the Anglican Church for Church-founded organizations to support hunger-stricken people in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda.
The UCU Chaplain, the Rev. Eng. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro, who led the campaign at the university, said that as of early October they collected sh4.5million (about $1,170) from students, staff and well-wishers of UCU.
“The response towards this cause was positive, it showed that people have learnt the idea of being your neighbor’s keeper,” Ssembiro said.
“When someone lacks food, you have to do something,” Ssembiro said, indicating that the UCU community had grown in their level of generosity.
One of the members of the Feed Karamoja Initiative handing food to elderly persons in Karamoja
While making a call for support to the people of Karamoja, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kaziimba, said: “We are our brothers’ keepers. Jesus Christ taught us to feed the hungry and reach out to the needy. That’s exactly what we are doing for our brothers and sisters in Karamoja and other areas affected by disasters.”
Kaziimba’s call comes hot on the heels of reports of people dying from hunger in the region. In June, Meri Jino, the chairperson of Kaabong, one of the districts found in Karamoja, said in addition to reported deaths in the region, many people cannot afford a meal and go for days without food. Jino made the remarks in June, during the launch of a food security report on Karamoja.
According to the report, named the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, out of 1.2 million people in the region, 41% are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity and that 91,600 children under the age of five years are acutely malnourished and in need of urgent medical attention. The malnutrition has not spared the adults, too. The report indicates that 9,500 pregnant and lactating women in the region need treatment for malnutrition.
According to the World Health Organisation, about 22% of children under five years in Moroto, one of the districts in Karamoja, are malnourished. In Kaabong, a neighboring district, the malnutrition rate for children in the same category is at 19.6%.
Fr Joseph Ogwal, who has been working with the vulnerable people in Karamoja as a Christian leader, said whenever he gets out of the gate at the seminary where he resides, he finds residents waiting to beg members of the clergy for food or money to buy food. He says he understands the pain that many of the members of the community are going through.
“I was born in Karamoja, so I know what it means to starve,” he said.
Margaret Nagiri, a resident of Moroto, told journalists who visited her home with officials from the United Nations Children’s Fund that it was increasingly getting hard for her family to afford daily meals. “If we get something to eat today, for the next three days, we may not get anything to eat,” she told a reporter of New Vision, a Ugandan daily newspaper, in July.
Ogwal attributes the food shocks in the region to the unpredictable rainfall patterns due to climate change. The area has also faced insecurity for a long time, with the communities participating in cattle raids, something the local leaders attribute to revenge attacks.
Traditionally, the World Food Programme has been distributing relief food to the people in Karamoja. However, the UN agency has of recent been changing strategy from food donations to empowering the communities to grow their own food crops by distributing seeds through non-governmental organizations. The local communities cite unfavorable weather patterns as a challenge to successful farming.
In August, Robert Kayanja, a pastor at one of the Pentecostal churches in Uganda, sent to Karamoja 20 tons of nutritious booster relief food. He said the flour was specially mixed for the people of Karamoja, with ingredients such as milk, sugar, rice, millet flour, oats and pumpkin seeds. Kayanja also promised that as part of the project, they would help the people to plant food crops.
Many other Non-Governmental Organizations, such as Last Drop Africa, have organized campaigns to support the initiative to donate food to the people in Karamoja. Through their campaign dubbed #MyLastMeal, Last Drop Africa that is spearheaded by UCU alum Alex Taremwa has partnered with leaders in Karamoja to distribute food relief purchased through crowdfunding to schools, hospitals and households in the severely affected communities.
Dr Mark Logiel, one of the few indigenous Karimojong who have mobilized support to help their home region through the Feed Karamoja Initiative, said it is always a challenge mobilizing relief aid to feed people, especially in such a time when the cost of living in Uganda has increased amidst high prices of fuel and commodities.
Americans wishing to help with the food needs in Karamoja can contribute through Uganda Partners’ donate site by indicating the funds go to the UCU chaplaincy for the food effort.
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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