Category Archives: News

Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, the UCU Chancellor, cuts a ribbon to commission the UCU SoD medical equipment donated by Midmark. On his right is Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. On his left is Mark Bartels, UCU Partners Executive Director.

UCU Chancellor Kaziimba commissions School of Dentistry equipment

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Dentistry


Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, the UCU Chancellor, cuts a ribbon to commission the UCU SoD medical equipment donated by Midmark. On his right is Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. On his left is Mark Bartels, UCU Partners Executive Director.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, the UCU Chancellor, cuts a ribbon to commission the UCU SoD medical equipment donated by Midmark. On his right is Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. On his left is Mark Bartels, UCU Partners Executive Director.

By Dalton Mujuni and Jimmy Siyasa
The Most Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda and Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU), on Thursday, October 21, 2021, commissioned medical equipment donated to the UCU School of Dentistry (SoD) by MidMark.

The commissioning served as an act of appreciation and official acknowledgement of use. More significant, perhaps, is that this ceremony signified that the SoD has overcome the threat of being closed down by regulators who in 2020 cited the facility for inappropriate infrastructure. The SoD’s new state-of-the-art equipment elevates the training facility, enabling it to nurture all-round dentists. 

The UCU Chancellor Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu prays over dental chairs donated by Midmark.
The UCU Chancellor Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu prays over dental chairs donated by Midmark.

In his remarks, Kaziimba expressed gratitude to the management of Mengo Hospital for accepting to house the University’s School of Dentistry. He called for respect towards the dentistry profession, saying whereas dentists do a great job in keeping teeth healthy, in Uganda, dentists are not as respected as other medical professionals and are even sometimes given demeaning nicknames.

At the event, UCU’s Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, said more than $700,000 (over sh2.5b) had been injected into setting up the modern facility. Mushengyezi said the regulator, the National Medical and Dental Practitioner’s Board, recently inspected and declared the school capable of training dental professionals.

Mushengyezi also commended MidMark for donating equipment worth sh1.46b ($397,855)  through UCU Partners, a US-based non-profit charitable organization that raises public awareness about UCU in the United States by seeking material and spiritual support for students through sponsorships.

Kaziimba unveiled the equipment donated by Midmak during the event. The equipment includes dental chairs, LED dental lights, a separator tank assembly, powervac P7 base, powerair oil-less compressors and a Midmark M3 Steam Sterilizer.

“Dental equipment is very expensive, and so to be able to have five dental units, that is a very great boost for us as a School,” says Dr. James Magara, Dean, UCU’s SoD. “We are grateful to Midmark for a very generous donation that they gave to us, which is setting us on our way to begin training students in the clinical practice of dentistry.”

Dr. James Magara poses with dentistry school students.
Dr. James Magara poses with dentistry school students.

UCU SoD not only trains native students, but also those from other countries around the continent. The equipment arranged through the Uganda Partners NGO and coming from North America was long awaited when it arrived over the summer. Hence, Dr. Magara believes “the impact of the [Midmark] donation is going to be felt throughout Africa.” 

David Magara (not related to the dean), a fourth-year student of Bachelor of Dental Surgery, said: “This technology makes us unique, compared to students in other institutions, given that we will be equipped with the necessary skills to meet the demand of the international market.” 

The UCU School of Dentistry started in 2018 as a department under the School of Medicine. In 2020, the department morphed into a school of its own. The school currently offers the Bachelor of Dental Surgery, with 24 students and 10 staff members.

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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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Douglas Agaba poses in his graduation gown. Photo/ Jimmy

Agaba overcomes financial challenges to earn First Class Degree

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Education


Douglas Agaba poses in his graduation gown. Photo/ Jimmy
Douglas Agaba poses in his graduation gown. Photo/ Jimmy

By Eriah Lule
Tough. Tense. Lucky. Diligent. That is how one would sum up the educational journey of Douglas Agaba, an October 2021 Uganda Christian University (UCU) graduate with a First-Class Degree in Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance.

Agaba, who was among the more than 3,000 graduates at UCU’s 22nd award ceremony on October 22, 2021, attributes hard work as the main factor in his attainment of a 4.5 of 5.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average.  The best student at the graduation, Sore Maureen, obtained 4.78.

While Agaba is jubilant about his success, the 26-year-old had rough patches in his education journey. Agaba was orphaned at an early age, resulting in his move from one relative’s home to another.  He struggled through school. Yet, each time when he was just about to lose hope, luck smiled on him.

For instance, because of his good academic performance, Agaba earned himself a high school sponsor. He attended Kisugu Primary School, Tropical High School and, later, Buloba High School – all these in central Uganda.

As he sat his Senior Six examinations, one thing was clear to Agaba. He would have no sponsor willing to foot the high tuition fees at a university. While working hard on his studies, he looked for a window of government sponsorship for the best students.

When the results of the admission shortlist in the public university – Makerere – were out, Agaba’s name was not among those who were to study on government sponsorship. He was despondent. As he waited for the next move, a retired Ugandan accountant who belonged to Agaba’s church learned of his dilemma.

Catherine Katwe did not hesitate to offer to meet the cost of Agaba’s university education. In 2017, he was admitted at UCU to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance course.

His tenacity, excellent leadership and resourcefulness is lauded by both classmates and teachers. Agaba was a class representative all the three years of his undergraduate study. He occasionally stepped in to hold academic group discussions for his classmates, to break down course units that his fellow students found too tough for them.

Nixon Katusime, Agaba’s former lecturer, credits his former student for being “ambitious and selfless.”

“He used to help me discuss some topics for his colleague students during online studies,” Katusime said.

Agaba’s strong desire to equip himself with all the marketable skills in the accounting field awakened the overwhelming talent in him. In a bid to supplement on his pocket money, Agaba started holding online private tutoring sessions in his field of study and, he says, many students even from other universities to receive his services.

He also engaged in research and filing tax returns for businesspeople at a fee. With the experience he has acquired, Agaba hopes to register a company to carry on with the services he has been offering.

As a student at the university, Agaba created time to teach at a secondary school on a part-time basis. He says much as he earned sh120,000 (about $35) per month, his passion for sharing knowledge kept him on the job.

At one point, Agaba also worked the night -shift at a filling station, a place he believes he learned the virtues of good customer care, self-discipline and willingness to work even in tough conditions.

Agaba believes that the high moral Christian virtues that UCU stands for is responsible for the success of many of its graduates and he has faith that it is just a matter of when he will also be a recipient of that success in his next job after school.

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

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Charlotte Kabaseke, Associate Dean, Faculty of Law

UCU New Associate Dean focused on ‘glory of God’

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Law


Charlotte Kabaseke, Associate Dean, Faculty of Law
Charlotte Kabaseke, Associate Dean, Faculty of Law

By Ivan Tsebeni
In 2017, when Charlotte Kabaseke embarked on a PhD program, she knew that the path to victory would be rough, but did not know how rough. Had she known the challenges that awaited her in the course, Kabaseke says she would have opted out.

“It was not a bed of roses,” Kabaseke said. “The higher I went in my academic career, the more challenging it was and, in many cases, Christ was my only solace.” 

Because of obstacles, however, she said she had become “stronger, more resilient, more mature, more analytical, more courageous, more confident, more organized and more intellectually alert.”

It is that maturity and confidence that she exhibited at the interview to hire a new Associate Dean for the Faculty of Law at the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Kampala campus. And she emerged victorious.

The academic terrain she traversed during the time she pursued her Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in Uganda as well as for her doctoral degree was tough. The legal practice diploma is required to practice law in Uganda.

“The Post-Graduate Diploma and PhD journeys presented some of my life’s lowest moments,” she said. “My intellect was put to a true test during my pursuit of both journeys.”

Upon her graduation with a PhD in December 2020 at the University of Wuhan in China, Kabaseke posted on social media that she did not expect the kind of challenge she got during the program. 

In the role of Associate Dean, Dr. Kabaseke replaces Prof. George W. Kasozi, for whom a farewell ceremony was conducted during a community worship service, at UCU, on October 5, 2021. The position of Associate Dean is the highest in the faculty at the Kampala campus. 

She says Prof. Kasozi laid a firm foundation that she hopes to build on. Kabaseke says she intends to contribute to making the UCU Law Faculty and the entire UCU a better place “for the glory of God and for the satisfaction of all our clients.” 

Dissemination of knowledge through teaching, research and publication is the heartbeat of Kabaseke. 

“Seeing my students make it in life, as well as transforming communities through pro bono legal services gives me satisfaction,” she says.

Some of Kabaseke’s works are published in popular journals, such as Gender and Behavior, an interdisciplinary publication dedicated to articles that reflect psychological and behavior aspects of gender. 

One of her most popular publications is a chapter in a book titled Climate Change: Hazards and Adaptation Options, published by Springer International Publishing. Her chapter in the 2020 publication is titled Legal Recognition of Women’s Role in Combating Desertification in Africa: The Case For Uganda. 

Kabaseke holds a Master’s of Law from Makerere University, which she acquired in 2012. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Law from UCU in 2009, and acquired a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, from the Law Development Center in Kampala the following year. 

For her secondary education, Kabaseke attended Maryhill High School, a prestigious institution in western Uganda. Budo Junior School in central Uganda is where she had her primary education.

Before her appointment as Associate Dean for the Faculty of Law, Kabaseke was the Acting Dean and, before that, the Head of Department at the Faculty of Law at Bishop Stuart University since 2016. 

Kabaseke grew up in Kabale district in southwestern Uganda. She says her compassion, and love for Christ and the truth are virtues instilled in her by her mother, Birungi Specioza. When she is not engaged in academic work, Kabaseke spends time evangelizing, listening to gospel music, travelling, reading and making friends.

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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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Najib Kabaala at his work place

Business-turned-security alum narrates how UCU prepared him for endurance

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business


Najib Kabaala at his work place
Najib Kabaala at his work place

Story and Photos By Jimmy Siyasa
Just like every shrewd business person, Najib Kabaala saw an opportunity and quickly took advantage of it. 

Some students needed salads during their meals in the Uganda Christian University (UCU) refectory. Together with a student colleague, Duncan Barasha, the duo started selling salads to students. They had made contacts with farmers, to sell them fresh vegetables. 

And this was not all. As a student of the Bachelor of International Business course at UCU, Kabaala turned many of his class assignments into business ventures. 

Another of the assignments which came to life was the business of selling confectionery like chocolate as well as chewing gum to the students. In a goodwill move, Kabaala and Barasha often donated a portion of their profits to the UCU Guild Fund to support financially underprivileged students.

Upon graduating in 2019, the duo started a company, KK International Business and Trade Advisory, which offered services of filing tax returns and business consultancy, among others.

However, in a drastic turn of events early in 2021, Kabaala got employed with a private security firm, Saracen Uganda Limited. 

“I never thought that I would take that direction,” he said “I expected to be doing international business.”

Kabaala narrates his sometimes-bumpy but successful journey from business to security. 

UCU business alum Najib Kabaala
UCU business alum Najib Kabaala

Throughout 2020, Kabaala was a volunteer with UCU’s Africa Policy Center, aiding with program coordination, among other tasks. However, the job was not financially stable and sufficient. And his infant company had not yet broken even. 

Circumstances forced Kabaala to accept a recommendation from a UCU lecturer to work at a security agency. He submitted his credentials, did the interview and got the job.  

However, Kabaala’s first experience preparing for the position left him a bit rattled. The venue was Garuga on the shores of Lake Victoria in central Uganda. Kabaala was sharply dressed. It was his first day, so he needed to make an impression. 

“When I arrived, the supervisor took my documents, put them aside and told me to join my colleagues,” he says.

The “colleagues” were a few meters away, doing morning drills in the lake. 

He took off his shirt, stayed in shorts and joined them into the water. Later, they sang chants, rolled on their backs and frog-jumped. They camped at Garuga, doing that, and several other physical exercises, for more than three months.

“The training was so intense that at some point, I wanted to drop out and go back home,” Kabaala says.

He strongly believes that part of the reason he soldiered on was because UCU, through its holistic approach to academics and individual’s development, had prepared him for that time when he would get to exercise his endurance in an unconventional environment as a graduate.

When he completed the paramilitary training and a management course, Kabaala assumed office as the Assistant Area Manager, courtesy of his degree qualification. He was posted to western Uganda, where he supervises hundreds of private security guards.

In his day-to-day operations, Kabaala gets to meet corporate company executives, such as bank managers, who wish to hire their security services. As he pursued his international business management course, Kabaala hoped to deal in cross-border trade of commodities. However, in his new role, he instead handles the transfer of weapons across borders, on behalf of his company, which has branches in other countries. 

Despite switching to security work, Kabaala’s business acumen has not withered. He still actively runs small businesses and hopes to enroll for a master’s degree at UCU when he gets the resources for tuition fees.

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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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Vincent Kisenyi, newly appointed Dean of the School of Business at UCU

New School of Business Dean focuses on counseling, prayer, e-learning

News, Students, UCU School of Business


Vincent Kisenyi, newly appointed Dean of the School of Business at UCU
Vincent Kisenyi, newly appointed Dean of the School of Business at UCU

Photo and Story By Jimmy Siyasa
In mid-2021, Uganda Christian University (UCU) underwent a change of guard in many faculties. Vincent Kisenyi was one of those changes. Effective in May, he is the university’s new dean of the UCU School of Business. 

“I thank God,” he said. “It is a sign of confidence that I can still contribute to the university.”

The position is familiar ground for Kisenyi. The 49-year-old administrator held a similar position from 2010 to 2014, but at the time, it was the Faculty of Business and Administration. Now, it is the School of Business. 

Before that, Kisenyi had been the faculty’s Associate Dean from 2006 to 2009.

Flexible and visionary. That is how one of the administrators in the School of Business described Kisenyi. Martin Kabanda, the head of management and entrepreneurship at the School of Business at UCU, said Kisenyi has incredible human-relations skills. 

“He knows how to lead the team, without bruises, towards the school’s goals and objectives,” Kabanda says.

Kisenyi considers his appointment a gesture of confidence in him as the “messiah” to save the School of Business from impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. He is cognizant of the fact that many staff, students and sponsors have been affected by Covid physically, economically and academically.

“Because of the pandemic, many staff are anxious, have been either sick or fear to contract the virus; others are afraid of losing their jobs,” he said. Kisenyi has, therefore, been working, together, with his team of heads of departments to help staff who have been affected and infected by Covid. 

Some of the programs he recently instituted at the School of Business include counseling for staff, as well as lunch-hour prayer meetings. 

“We have seen God working wonders here at the faculty because of the intense prayer meetings we hold,” Kisenyi testifies. 

To ensure the faculty effectively manages Online Distance Learning (ODeL), Kisenyi, through the eLearning department, organized a refresher training for his staff as a way of re-tooling them to prepare for digital lectures. The students, too, were not left out. The school organized a virtual orientation for new students, to equip them with knowledge on how to study online.

Kisenyi says the School of Business will soon embark on community outreaches, especially within Mukono. These will be in the form of workshops, to share business skills with people operating businesses within the town. 

“As a School of Business, we want to have more impact on our community, more than ever before, he says. 

He also intends to work with business owners in Mukono, so that his students get placements in supermarkets and grocery shops as they learn business skills. 

When Kisenyi joined UCU in 2000, he was already a refined product, having cut his professional teeth at Kyambogo University, (1997-1999) and Uganda Martyrs University (1997-1999). From 2004 to 2005, he also lectured at Bugema Adventist University.

Under his academic belt is a Master’s in Accountancy and Finance from the University of Dundee, Scotland (1997), a certificate of doing business in Europe from Hanze University of Applied Science, Groningen Netherlands (2016), a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management, acquired in 1996, at the Uganda Martyrs University. 

During his free time, Kisenyi engages in sports. In fact, he is a former sports tutor at UCU. He is also the current vice president of both the Africa Woodball Association and the National University Sports Federation of Uganda.

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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.

An engineer uses a grader to fix the clock tower on Bishop Tucker Building on September 6.

Clock installed on 100-year-old Bishop Tucker Building

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


An engineer uses a grader to fix the clock tower on Bishop Tucker Building on September 6.
An engineer uses a grader to fix the clock tower on Bishop Tucker Building on September 6.

By Ivan Tsebeni
Every 30 minutes, a clock on an iconic building at Uganda Christian University (UCU) is supposed to go “ding dong.” The sound of the bell on the clock on the Bishop Tucker Building is a reminder to the institution’s community that “time is moving.”

However, for nine years, no one at UCU heard the sound. The electronic clock, installed in 2007 to mark 10 years of UCU, malfunctioned five years later. 

As part of the 10th anniversary, the institution refurbished the Bishop Tucker Building on which there is a cupola that houses the clock. When the clock was installed, the wood housing of the cupola expanded and warped the clock’s face, so it stopped working.

Upon learning that the clock was no longer working, Prof. Stephen Noll, the first Vice-Chancellor of UCU, offered to buy a new one for the building. That offer was fulfilled over the summer of 2021 when Noll sent the clock through UCU Partners, a US-based charity that mobilizes financial support for the university. The organization supports UCU in providing scholarships to needy learners and supporting capital projects, including the UCU School of Medicine. 

“I understand that this time, the installation has avoided that flaw,” Noll said of what made the clock malfunction in 2012. It is the third time that the cupola receives a new clock.

The Bishop Tucker Building, which will be marking its centenary of existence next year, has a four-sided clock and bell tower, operated by a gigantic set of ropes and pulleys.

However, Noll says by the time he joined the university in 2000 as its first Vice Chancellor, the initial clock had not worked for decades. 

According to Noll, the Bishop Tucker Building is part of the heritage of the Anglican Church of Uganda and of Bishop Tucker Theological College, which was founded in 1913. 

“The building is one of the finest pieces of architecture in the country,” he noted. 

Noll said the sound from the new clock should always remind the UCU community about the importance of keeping time.  

“The clock reminds us that ‘my times are in your hands’ (Psalm 31:15),” Noll said. 

Welcoming the gift, UCU’s current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, said: “We have received a special gift from our first Vice Chancellor. It will be reminding us of (the importance of keeping) time and playing the sweet melodies as we celebrate our achievements. We are honored to have such a gift, thanks to Prof. Noll and the entire community of Uganda Partners.”

Mushengyezi said “the massive sound bell inside the clock tower, looks spectacular at night when the clock face is illuminated.”

The new clock has been welcomed by members of the university community. 

Cyrus Ayesiga, a student of Bachelors of Procurement and Management, said the clock will help them keep time while performing tasks at the 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.

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Some graduates who picked up graduation regalia ahead of the day pose in celebration. Photo/ Jimmy

Over 3,000 to graduate at UCU’s 2nd virtual ceremony

COVID-19, News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business


Some graduates who picked up graduation regalia ahead of the day pose in celebration. Photo/ Jimmy
Some graduates who picked up graduation regalia ahead of the day pose in celebration. Photo/ Jimmy

By Yasiri J Kasango and Gloria Katya
A total of 3,368 students are slated to graduate on Friday, October 22, 2021, during the 22nd Graduation ceremony of Uganda Christian University (UCU). Janet Kataaha Museveni, Minister of Education and Sports, who is also a former graduate of UCU and wife of the Uganda president, will be the chief guest. 

This is the second time UCU is conducting a virtual graduation because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The first virtual graduation was held on December 12, 2020. 

This ceremony will have the highest number of graduates in a single graduation since the University’s inception in 1997. The students are graduating with diplomas, bachelor’s degrees, masters and PhDs in different disciplines. 

The total graduating population is made up of 1,711 females and 1,657 males. Of these, 95 excelled with First Class Degrees. A few of the students who garnered first class will have the privilege to attend the graduation in-person at the UCU main campus in Mukono district, central Uganda. 

The overall best student, Sore Moureen, scored a 4.78 Cumulative Grade Point Average out of 5.0. She receives a Bachelor of Human Resource Management.

Jonathan Mbabazi, a graduand who has achieved a first-class degree in Bachelor of Business Administration, was full of praises to God for the feat. 

“Despite all the challenges I faced, such as selling charcoal to raise school fees, I thank God for helping me complete and pass highly,” Jonathan Mbabazi said.

Another graduand, Marvin Charles Masoolo, who pursued the Bachelor of Public Administration and Management, said: “I always had a dream to graduate, though the outbreak of Covid-19 had threatened it. I’m going to the world to become a leader of economic transformation.” 

In observance of the Covid-19 guidelines, dictated by the Uganda Ministry of Health, UCU can host not more than 200 special guests, including students, parents, and University top management staff. These will include the Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi; Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics, the Rev. Dr John Kitayimbwa; and David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration; as well as deans and heads of departments. 

The university administration has selected the best two students from each of the graduating courses to attend the event. The administration resolved to invite both a male and female student.  Unlike the previous graduations where a student would come with both parents, this time, the in-person student will only be allowed to come with one guest.

The graduation ceremony will also be graced by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu who also doubles as the University’s chancellor. Kaziimba is expected to lead a Commissioning Service at the graduation ceremony, where he will pray for the students and commit them to the Lord.

The event will be broadcast live on Uganda Broadcasting Corporation UBC TV for students who will not attend physically to follow the ceremony. The venue of the physical event will be the University’s main new soccer match pitch. 

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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 photo collage of the seven students of journalism at UCU FJMC and the two Ugandan mentors (bottom right) - Geoffrey Ssenoga, podcast team audio/visual consultant, and John Semakula, the UCU Partners communications coordinator.

UCU first: Students conduct podcast interviews

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


A photo collage of the seven students of journalism at UCU FJMC and the two Ugandan mentors (bottom right) - Geoffrey Ssenoga, podcast team audio/visual consultant, and John Semakula, the UCU Partners communications coordinator.
A photo collage of the seven students of journalism at UCU FJMC and the two Ugandan mentors (bottom right) – Geoffrey Ssenoga, podcast team audio/visual consultant, and John Semakula, the UCU Partners communications coordinator.

By Jimmy Siyasa, Enock Wanderema and Andrew Bugembe
A group of seven students at Uganda Christian University (UCU) has embarked on a podcasting mentoring project. The Hope Talks hands-on experience is a collaborative with David’s United Church of Christ in Ohio, and under the umbrella of the Uganda Partners NGO in Pennsylvania.

Two UCU podcast team members, top, and an African American woman, Noelle Anderson, in a podcast focused on Black Lives Matter.
Two UCU podcast team members, top, and an African American woman, Noelle Anderson, in a podcast focused on Black Lives Matter.

Within the project, students enrolled in the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMC) apply classroom learning to script podcast material, conduct interviews and edit audio. Twice a month, their work is uploaded on the David’s United Church of Christ Web site and is made accessible on various podcast sites. As of mid-October, UCU student-generated episodes have aired on the topics of mainstream media, racial discrimination, fake pastors and hate speech. Future topics, to date, include sickle cell anemia and the depiction of the life of Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples. 

The plan is for students to generate up to 10 podcasts in the mentorship before launching an independent podcast at UCU in early 2022.  The podcast initiative is part of the UCU/Uganda Partners e-lab model initiated in January 2021 and is aligned with the university’s mission to prepare students for both continued learning and the world of work. 

“The quality of work coming from the e-Lab, including from the podcast team is really good,” Mark Bartels, the Executive Director at Uganda Partners, remarked when he visited Uganda recently. 

The number of people listening to podcasts globally has exploded from the time of inception in 2004. At least two million known shows and 48 million episodes had been published by April 2021, according to a research study conducted by Podcast Insight. The source reports that half of all USA homes have podcast listeners, and that “75% of the US population is familiar with the term “podcasting.”

The UCU team is supervised by Geoffrey Ssenoga, a seasoned broadcast journalist in Uganda who is also a lecturer in the JMC faculty, and Patty Huston-Holm, Communications Director for Uganda Partners. 

“I’ve been impressed by the student professionalism and honored to work alongside these aspiring journalists,” Huston-Holm said. “In today’s world of journalism and communications, it’s important to have skills in print, photography, audio and video. We are reinforcing all four through the e-lab at UCU.” 

The podcast team students speak highly of the mentorship program, saying its perks are plenty. With the knowledge they have so far gained, the students already feel it is giving them an edge over their classmates who are not involved. The students believe the podcasting work presents to them an opportunity to spot challenges in their communities and use solutions journalism to address them by delving in in-depth topical discussions with experts on the issues. Plus, they are remunerated for the work.

Nicolette Nampijja, one of the members of the podcasting team, says the work is the start of the achievement of something she knew she longed for, but did not know how to start. 

“I had always wanted to produce podcasts on my own, but I didn’t know how to go about it,” she said. “This is an opportunity for me to start out as a podcaster.”

One of the podcasts titled Hate Speech delves into how social media has awakened all manner of segregation and spawned hate speech globally. Dr. Sara Namusoga of Makerere University’s Department of Journalism and Communication provides her perspective about balancing self-expression with human respective and how hate speech might be apocalyptic.  

“I was especially impressed with the segment that engaged two UCU students with two African Americans discussing racial discrimination,” Huston-Holm said. “We had listeners from 10 countries on that one. A special treat was an impromptu rendition of an Aretha Franklin song (Think) at the end.” 

This is the first time a group of journalism students at UCU is being deliberately trained in broadcast journalism within a hands-on podcast context. John Semakula, head of UCU’s Department of Journalism and Media Studies, is the e-lab coordinator with oversight for the podcast. 

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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.

Photo of Okoku Obomba placed beside his casket at Nkoyoyo hall during funeral prayers.

Voice of Uganda’s broadcast icon Okoku Obomba goes silent

News


Photo of Okoku Obomba placed beside his casket at Nkoyoyo hall during funeral prayers.
Photo of Okoku Obomba placed beside his casket at Nkoyoyo hall during funeral prayers.

By Jimmy Siyasa
A master story teller and resourceful member of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) community has rested. Celebrated Ugandan broadcaster and academic Remegious Okoku Obomba died on September 25. He was 64 years old.

Obomba was among the founders of the UCU journalism and communications programs.  Until his death, he was the coordinator of internships at UCU’s Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, where he also served in the capacity of Senior Lecturer. 

Family of Remigious Okoku Obomba at the funeral service organized at UCU.
Family of Remigious Okoku Obomba at the funeral service organized at UCU.

Obomba played a pivotal role in developing the maiden curriculum for the Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication at UCU, according to the Dean of the Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita. 

During his decades-long tenure at UCU, Obomba taught several course units, including Effective Public Speaking, Introduction to Mass Communication, Broadcast News Reporting and Current Affairs, Media Theory and Media Literacy.

“He was deeply committed and dependable. To the best of my memory, Mr. Obomba never turned away an assignment,” Chibita wrote in her eulogy. “He took his work seriously. He was willing to teach unpopular course units like Media Theory, when other lecturers avoided them…he built bridges with the media industry as he coordinated our internship program for many years.”

One of Obomba’s daughters and a former student, Laura Cenge, breaks down while giving a speech at the funeral.
One of Obomba’s daughters and a former student, Laura Cenge, breaks down while giving a speech at the funeral.

Often dressed in loose-fitting wear, Obomba would come off as old-fashioned from the perspective of many students. Even if he had known that that is what they thought of him, Obomba cared less. His simplicity, however, contradicted the exploits he had made in his more than four decades of a journalism career.

Before joining UCU, Obomba worked at Uganda’s public broadcaster, Radio Uganda, where he rose up to the rank of editor.

Another founding member of the Department of Mass Communication at UCU, Dr. Jackson Turyagenda, narrated how they hatched the plan to start a journalism course at the institution. 

“We used to discuss most of the plans to start a course in mass communication at UCU inside a commuter taxi on our way home,” the 80-year-old Turyagenda said. 

Obomba’s youngest daughter, Lorah Cenge, was one of his students at undergraduate level. Cenge, who is currently working as a graduate trainee at UCU’s Africa Policy Center, told the mourners during a funeral service at UCU’s multi-purpose Nkoyoyo Hall how her father often encouraged them to pursue graduate studies. 

“My father’s death caught us all by surprise,” she added.

Background
Obomba has been married to Joanita Ngabiroch Obomba since 1986. The couple had nine children. Obomba and Joanita, both media practitioners, met at Radio Uganda in 1985. 

Obomba attended St. Joseph’s College Ombaci, in northwestern Uganda for O’level, before switching to St. Peter’s College, Tororo, in eastern Uganda for A’level. In 1981, he graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, majoring in international relations.

Five years later, Obomba enrolled for a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education at Makerere University. In 1994, he graduated with a Master of Arts in Journalism from Cardiff University in Wales, United Kingdom.

He was laid to rest on September 30, 2021, at his ancestral home in Nebbi district, northwestern Uganda. 

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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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Aerial view of the 4.25 acres purchased by Engineering Development Fund members and UCU alum. The land is located in Lunnya Village, Namataba Township, on the outskirts of Mukono district.

UCU engineering alumni buy land for economic development

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


Aerial view of the 4.25 acres purchased by Engineering Development Fund members and UCU alum. The land is located in Lunnya Village, Namataba Township, on the outskirts of Mukono district.
Aerial view of the 4.25 acres purchased by Engineering Development Fund members and UCU alum. The land is located in Lunnya Village, Namataba Township, on the outskirts of Mukono district.

By Jimmy Siyasa
No land. No houses. Delayed marriages. These three are among the challenges youth in Uganda face. For one group, however, the obstacles were decreased by problem-solving social capital.

A meeting about how to overcome the challenges led in August 2020 to the birth of the Engineering Development Fund (EDF), an association of older students of the Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Design.

Some Engineering Development Fund members inspect land they purchased.
Some Engineering Development Fund members inspect land they purchased.

Hardly a year later, the first challenge is no more. Twenty-seven members are now proud owners of 4.25 acres of land situated 20 miles away from Mukono town in central Uganda.

“We saved with the purpose of obtaining a big chunk of land and then subdividing it among ourselves,” says Paulo Kato, the project director of the fund. “Now, one year down the road, our efforts have paid off.”

Rugged roads, rocks, lush greenery and dots of mud houses are what welcomes one to Lunnya village, the home of the group’s newly acquired land.

The day most members of the group were shown the land coincided with an event – a prayer service to thank God for enabling the group to meet their first challenge. The members wanted a priest the bless the fruits of their labor.

The Rev. Moses Ssenyonyi, who led the prayers, commended members of the association for “being so visionary” that they invested in property in a remote area, with the hope that the area will soon become urban. Ssenyonyi is also an alumnus of UCU.

The chairperson of the village, Bernard Mutyaba, who attended the thanksgiving ceremony, welcomed the group, saying the land had been used for cattle grazing for a long time.

The land, purchased at sh42m (about $12,000) with each member contributing sh2m, has been subdivided into 30 plots, with each of the 27 members taking a plot.

“This is an important milestone for me as an individual, in my journey towards asset acquisition and wealth building,” says Kato.

Some members of the association
Some members of the association

“Ebenezer,” is what Elijah Kainginya says about the acquisition. “Who knew we would become land owners this soon?,” he added. “All the glory goes to God.”

The land has been surveyed and each owner issued a title for their plot.

Rodney Tumanye, the treasurer of the association, promised more of such investments, saying they are already in discussions about how to collect the next pool of funds from the members.

UCU offered members of the EDF not only a training ground, but also the opportunity to meet, unite and share visions for development after school. And that is the social capital that the members want to tap, in their quest to tame the remaining two challenges of no houses and delayed marriages.

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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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FROM THE PAST: Some delegates of the 6th EACA Conference, organized by both Uganda Christian and Makerere universities in 2016, included Professor Monica Chibita (second from left), Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication; and Professor Aaron Mushengyezi (far right), UCU Vice Chancellor, then a dean at Makerere. Courtesy Photo

UCU hosts East African communications conference with pandemic perspective

COVID-19, News, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication


FROM THE PAST: Some delegates of the 6th EACA Conference, organized by both Uganda Christian and Makerere universities in 2016, included Professor Monica Chibita (second from left), Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication; and Professor Aaron Mushengyezi (far right), UCU Vice Chancellor, then a dean at Makerere. Courtesy Photo
FROM THE PAST: Some delegates of the 6th EACA Conference, organized by both Uganda Christian and Makerere universities in 2016, included Professor Monica Chibita (second from left), Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication; and Professor Aaron Mushengyezi (far right), UCU Vice Chancellor, then a dean at Makerere. Courtesy Photo

By Jimmy Siyasa and John Semakula
How has the Covid-19 crisis impacted East Africa’s media industry and training institutions?  The pandemic and its necessary and mandated safety protocols have yielded constant dialogue to discuss solutions for a new-normal of problems that have daunted the media and communication landscape, in Africa and all the world, since March 2020. Information has been shared and strategies applied by scholars, researchers and policy makers.

Enriching the discussion and response, the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication (FJMC) will host the 10th Annual East African Communication Association (EACA) Conference, October 14-16, 2021.  The theme of the virtual conference is “Re-imagining Media and Communication in a Pandemic Context.”

The 2021 event seeks to “explore how media and communication actors can re-imagine and redefine the future of journalism and communication through critical conversation on media and communication industry in a context variously impacted by the Covid-19.” Media and communication experts, researchers, academics, policy makers, regulators and media practitioners from East Africa and beyond will speak. 

The keynote presenters and their topics are: 

  • Professor Guy Berger George, Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development at UNESCO, addressing “Freedom of Information in Light of Covid-19 Media Dynamics;”
  • Professor George Morara Nyabuga, scholar from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, addressing “Law and Political Landscape of the Media;” and
  • Joel Kibazo, formerly Director of Communication and External Relations at African Development Bank, discussing insights and foresights on the future of the media and communication.

According to Dr. Emily Maractho, the Director of UCU Africa Policy Center, who also is Convener of the Conference, as many as 40 other presenters will share perspectives and replicable models before an audience of roughly 100 professionals working in the fields of journalism and communications and academics as well as students, among others. The conference will generate research papers and presentations for publication in such scholarly journals such as the African Journal of Communication.

PREVIOUSLY: At the 2016 EACA Conference, Professor Aaron Mushengyezi (right), UCU Vice Chancellor, then the Dean School of Languages, Literature and Communication at Makerere University, shakes hands with Frank Tumwebaze, former Cabinet minister of Information and Communications Technology. Courtesy Photo
PREVIOUSLY: At the 2016 EACA Conference, Professor Aaron Mushengyezi (right), UCU Vice Chancellor, then the Dean School of Languages, Literature and Communication at Makerere University, shakes hands with Frank Tumwebaze, former Cabinet minister of Information and Communications Technology. Courtesy Photo

Patty Huston-Holm and John Semakula, director and coordinator, respectively, for the Uganda Partners communications e-lab, are among the presenters. They will explain how this virtual university-NGO collaborative works with tips for how the model can be replicated by other non-profits and higher education institutions.

Reinforcing the value of student engagement, Dr. Maractho said, “Young people need to be involved in such Conferences so that they can learn how the experts they encounter during the conference succeeded in the field of Media and Communication.”

She says the organizing committee has discussed an exclusively subsidized registration fee for students, especially for those in journalism and communication, both at UCU and around Africa.

“Hosting the conference is a sign of trust from communication academics in the region,” said Professor Monica Chibita, the Dean of FJMC at the university. “It gives us great opportunities to consider collaborative and comparative research across the region.”

That the 10th annual conference is happening virtually for the first time and UCU is hosting it is an indicator of confidence in the University’s E-service delivery capacity and infrastructure that has strengthened during the pandemic. 

“Opportunities to host such a huge conference elevates our branding, in that we are exposed to big, diverse networks of academics and institutions with whom we can create meaningful partnerships, because they now will know about UCU,” says Frank Obonyo, the Communication and Public Relations Manager at UCU.

More specifically, the conference also will attract regional publicity for UCU JMC not only as a giant at training world-class journalism and communication students, but also as an institution that continuously “re-engineers” themselves to meet the demands of the dynamic media industry.

EACA was established in 2011 to serve as a platform for media and communications experts, researchers, academics, policy makers, regulators and media practitioners in Eastern Africa and beyond. Since its inception in 2011, EACA conferences have happened in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. 

UCU FJMC hosted this conference in 2016 in collaboration with the Makerere University Department of Journalism and Communication. However, it is the first time UCU is hosting the EACA Conference as a Faculty as it previously was a Department of Mass Communication under the Education and the Arts Faculty. 

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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 Rev. Can. Titus Barrack prays for a team of UCU staff members led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi during the UCU Sunday event at Namirembe, Kampala.

UCU Sunday collections to finance building of ordinands’ apartments

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


The Rev. Can. Titus Barrack prays for a team of UCU staff members led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi during the UCU Sunday event at Namirembe, Kampala.
The Rev. Can. Titus Barrack prays for a team of UCU staff members led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi during the UCU Sunday event at Namirembe, Kampala.

By Dalton Mujuni
There has been a silent challenge among a unique section of Uganda Christian University (UCU) students. And, perhaps, if the university management had not mentioned it, not many people would have known.

While preaching during a service on September 26, 2021, UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi said some of the ordinands (person training to be part of clergy) who are at the institution are married and would wish that their spouses could visit them during weekends. However, that is not possible since they reside with other students. 

At the virtual service celebrated at Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala to mark UCU Sunday, Mushengyezi mentioned a solution. The university intends to set up an apartment section for the ordinands and the clergy who will be resident students at the institution. 

In fact, Mushengyezi said sh400m (about $113,000) had already been secured for the project that is estimated to cost sh1.5b (about $424,000). 

In 2017, the Church of Uganda designated the last Sunday of September as a UCU Sunday in its province. Every Anglican church is expected to make financial collections on the UCU Sunday, to help in the running of the Church-founded institution.

Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi delivers sermon during the UCU Sunday service at Namirembe.
Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi delivers sermon during the UCU Sunday service at Namirembe.

According to the Church, on this Sunday, “each and every congregation in the whole province will receive a representative of Uganda Christian University who will be given time to speak about the university. Congregations will be given time and opportunity for prayer and financial support to the university.”

Mushengyezi noted that the ordinands need a supportive environment while transitioning into professional evangelists. 

Premising his call to the church to support the project on Nehemiah’s story of building the walls of Jerusalem, under the theme, “Arise, let us build the walls,” (Nehemiah: 2:18) the Vice Chancellor challenged Christians to contribute anything they can, to build on the foundation of Christ Jesus.  Collections during this year’s UCU Sunday will go towards Mushengyezi’s call.

The apartment complex is expected to house over 50 student clergy and ordinands. 

At the same event, the Vice Chancellor pledged to improve the university’s relationship with the Church. He said the university intends to hand over a van to the Church relations office to enable its staff to reach out to churches located upcountry. 

The Rev. Capt. Can. Titus Barrack, while leading the virtual service, shared his memory of university life at UCU, characterized by “inconvenience,” saying he and others studying to be priests often listened to worldly music within their places of residence. He implored the audience to rally behind the cause.

The 2020 UCU Sunday was greatly hampered by the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on churches in Uganda. The implication of churches operating virtually meant that the church collections reduced significantly, hence little to no return to UCU. However, in 2018, UCU collections amounting to sh300m were injected into building the infrastructure at the UCU School of Medicine in Mengo, Kampala. 

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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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TAGS: News, Students, Theology, UCU Alumni

UCU art students painting the basketball court recently

UCU art students help renovate sports facilities

COVID-19, News, Sports, UCU School of Education


UCU art students painting the basketball court recently
UCU art students painting the basketball court recently

Story and photo by Ivan Tsebeni
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has taken advantage of the absence of students by embarking on the renovation of its sports facilities at the main campus.  The university intends to spend up to sh12m (about $3,400) in the facelift.

The money is expected to be used to buy paint, among other things, which will be used for a fresh coating on the basketball, netball and volleyball courts.

Speaking at the launch, UCU Vice Chancellor Professor Aaron Mushengyezi said the project also is intended to uplift the face of the institution, most especially in sports, through talent development.

“When we have the best sports facilities, it gives us an edge over other universities,” Mushengyezi said, adding that the institution has always been known to be a sports powerhouse.

UCU’s team was the 2019 University Football League champion, beating St. Lawrence University 2-1 in the final played at StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo in Kampala.

In the current facelift exercise, UCU administration chose to contract the institution’s Department of Visual Arts and Design, which hired its own students to execute the project.

“We are using our own students to help build their skills and capacity, as well as to support them financially,” the Vice Chancellor said.

Jamada Bikala, a lecturer in the Department of Visual Arts and Design, thanked the university for entrusting them with the project, noting that it is one way of testing the skills of their products.

“We have, over years, trained our students in this field, but we have not been receiving this opportunity to be assigned such projects,” Bikala said.

Traditionally, UCU has basked in the glory of her superb sport facilities. For that reason, it has often won bids to host major national and regional tournaments. Some of the popular tournaments that have been played at the Mukono campus include the Regional Inter-University Games of East Africa (2013 and 2014).

On March 13, UCU came to the rescue of the Uganda Athletics Federation by hosting the national athletics trials. The athletics body was contemplating cancelling the event after their usual venue, Namboole Stadium, was ruled out because it was a holding facility for Covid-19 patients. The other option, the Kyambogo University grass track, was being used by Uganda’s Electoral Commission during the general election that was taking place at the time.

Michael Kakande, the UCU sports supervisor. attributes such opportunities to UCU’s high quality sports facilities.

Jackson Ssekandi, a basketball player, calls the renovation a shot in the arm.

“We could not feel comfortable playing on such rough and unmarked ground,” he said. “It is better now.”

Kenneth Amponda Agaba, the UCU Guild President, said the facelift was an aesthetic necessity.

“Our sports facilities were not enticing due to the old look,” Amponda said. “This development will encourage more talented students towards sports.”

Vice Chancellor Mushengyezi said the university will be looking into adding a modern swimming pool to its array of sports facilities.

The Department of Sports had been closed ever since last year’s lockdown due to the devastating effects of Covid-19 in Uganda. However, it was reopened mid-this year and the facelift is a sign of the department getting back to life.

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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.

Students waiting for vaccination at the sports department at UCU.

UCU vaccinates sports students ahead of major national leagues

COVID-19, News, Sports, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Social Sciences


Students waiting for vaccination at the sports department at UCU.
Students waiting for vaccination at the sports department at UCU.

Story and photos by Yasiri J. Kasango
As of early September, 50 Uganda Christian University (UCU) students who participate in sports had received their Covid-19 jabs.

The vaccination administration for nearly all UCU students on sports teams took place on the Mukono campus to enable these students to participate in the forthcoming major leagues in the disciplines of basketball, football, volleyball and netball. Some of leagues were expected to start as early as mid-September.

Speaking about the vaccination that was conducted by the Mukono district health officials, in conjunction with the university health team, Dr. Geoffrey Mulindwa, the Director of Medical Services at UCU, said the university management chose to prioritize sports students to protect them against the pandemic.

“They come into contact with so many other people during the games and, to ensure their safety, they were prioritized in the vaccination,” Mulindwa said. 

He advised both students and staff members who have not yet gone for the Covid-19 vaccination to do so. Many of the vaccination centers in the country are giving priority to teachers, non-teaching staff and students who are 18 years and above because government has pegged the re-opening of schools to sufficient vaccination.

Uganda started vaccination on March 10, but many people have not been able to get their jabs because of the few vaccines available. By the end of August, reports indicated that 1,376,986 doses of Covid-19 vaccines had been administered, especially to priority groups of teachers, non-teaching staff in schools, journalists, security personnel, medical workers and people with underlying comorbidities. 

Out of those, 977,889 people had received their first jabs and 399,097 have completed their two doses. Uganda has 44 million residents.

Students filling out consent forms before receiving the Covid-19 jabs.
Students filling out consent forms before receiving the Covid-19 jabs.As of early September, 50 Uganda Christian University (UCU) students who participate in sports had received their Covid-19 jabs.

The Mukono district malaria focal person, James Kawesa, who represented the district medical team at the vaccination at UCU, said people can only get back to their pre-Covid lives if the population gets vaccinated.

The UCU vaccinated students welcomed the initiative. Faith Apio, a student pursuing the Diploma in Business Administration and a member of the university’s female football team, the Lady Cardinals, said she sought vaccination in order to protect herself and others on the pitch. 

Cranmer Wamala, a third-year student of Bachelor of Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention and a basketballer on the UCU Canons team, noted that he was eager to receive the vaccination so he can remain on the school team. 

He also noted that seeking vaccination would help him to continue with his studies.

Samuel David Lukaire, the head of the university’s sports department, said many of the national leagues were expected to start in mid-September. 

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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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Some of the patients in a queue outside the Out Patient Department register for medical services. The hospital attends to about 400 patients per day.

Medical donations eased burdens for Mukono General Hospital

Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, News, Students, UCU School of Medicine


Some of the patients in a queue outside the Out Patient Department register for medical services. The hospital attends to about 400 patients per day.
Some of the patients in a queue outside the Out Patient Department register for medical services. The hospital attends to about 400 patients per day.

Story and photos by Jimmy Siyasa
Four hundred. That is the number of patients that the medical personnel at Mukono General Hospital in Uganda wake up to each day.

Of the 400, 150 are attended to at the out-patient department and 80 are women receiving antenatal services. Twenty are attended to in the delivery section while 50 go to the hospital to receive family planning services. The hospital handles 6-8 emergency surgeries every day.

That is the life of Mukono General Hospital, a recipient of part of the donations of medical supplies (worth sh520m–$141,488) that UCU Partners coordinated through MedShare, a not-for-profit organisation based in the United States. 

The donations were channeled through Uganda Christian University (UCU), which has a working relationship with the hospital. Among other collaboratives, the hospital offers internship placements for the university’s nursing students.

Some of the boxes containing the donations that the hospital received
Some of the boxes containing the donations that the hospital received

Dr. Robert Kasirye, the director of the hospital, received the donations which were in form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face shields, masks and sanitizer.  There also were “mama kits,” a hamper given to a mother to be used during the delivery process. The kits have gloves, surgical blades and gauze, among other items.

These were timely, given that the country’s public health system was strained under the heavy load occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic that aggravated an already overloaded patient situation.

“We could not afford to give out face shields and gloves to all our health workers, every day, to attend to Covid-19 patients,” says Anne Grace Amutos Ssekajja, the pharmacy technician in charge of medical supplies and incoming and outgoing equipment at the hospital.

“So, when we get donors, we are really grateful,” she said. “The donations add to what we already have for healthcare provision.”

She says the quarterly budget that they get from government did not factor in the pandemic, hence the hospital was caught off-guard.

Public health facilities in Uganda, such as Mukono General Hospital, depend heavily on government funds and medical supplies through the National Medical Stores (NMS), a government entity mandated to procure, store and distribute essential medicines and medical supplies to all public health facilities in Uganda.

But the National Medical Stores often says it runs on a thin budget, which affects service delivery.

The Mukono General Hospital administrator, Fred Wandeme, said the quarterly supplies which they get from the National Medical Stores barely lasts them a month. When the stocks run out, the patients go to the hospital to get prescriptions and later buy the drugs at pharmacies.

However, with the donations, patients and health workers are able to access equipment, which oftentimes is not provided for in the government consignments.

Ivan Kabugo and some of his family members have been receiving treatment at the Mukono General Hospital for three years now. He says they are happy about the donations, noting that they will improve the quality of services they get at the facility.

“We are so grateful for donor support towards the hospital. I pray that they may continue to give us medicines, so that we don’t ever have to buy them,” he says. 

Christine Nambuya, another patient, says because of the professionalism exhibited by the staff of the hospital, she will continue receiving treatment at the facility. 

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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

Student leaders from different institutions of learning participate in the dialogue in UCU's Principals Hall.

Ramp up online learning to avoid career stoppage, unemployment, forced marriages

COVID-19, News, Students, UCU Alumni


Student leaders from different institutions of learning participate in the dialogue in UCU's Principals Hall.
Student leaders from different institutions of learning participate in the dialogue in UCU’s Principals Hall.

By Eriah Lule
The Uganda Christian University (UCU) Vice Chancellor has asked government and schools to follow the online learning path that his institution has taken in order to reduce effects of covid-related lockdowns on studies. As of late September 2021, Uganda has had two lockdowns occasioned by a spike in the coronavirus positivity rate in the country. Each lockdown has included the shutting of in-person learning in schools.

UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi is urging institutions to consider a rigorous shift towards online distance learning and service delivery so that future lockdowns do not affect operations and learning.

“We have invested in infrastructure of electronic learning and have something to share with other institutions,” he said, adding that such a move will not only keep students from lagging behind because of the pandemic but also enable them to continue studying on their own time.

With Uganda’s second 2021 lockdown in June, many institutions of higher learning, as well as elementary schools remain closed. Only a handful, including UCU, have continued with classes, through electronic means.

Last year, the government shut down schools in March and only opened for in-person learning for final-year learners seven months later. It was not until March this year that schools were opened for in-person learning, only to be closed again three months later.

Mushengyezi emphasized UCU’s commitment to “pioneer in innovation and learning with community outreach.”

He spoke during a recent virtual dialogue to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on academic institutions. The virtual event was held at UCU’s Principals Hall on the main campus in Mukono.

The dialogue, which brought together national and international organizations, was organised by the UCU Alumni Association together with the university’s Student Guild and in partnership with external organizations. The European Union (EU), Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development and ActionAid were among the organisations that participated in the event.

Online dialogues are part of the activities that the UCU alumni association is embarking on as part of its community engagement activities.

One of the panelists in the dialogue, Rose Namayanja, a former Ugandan minister and the current deputy secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, said many students have dropped out of school as a result of the lockdown. She said the Government was working at developing sustainable digital learning structures for schools in the country.

Rose Namayanja, a former Ugandan minister and the current deputy secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, speaks during the dialogue session.
Rose Namayanja, a former Ugandan minister and the current deputy secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, speaks during the dialogue session.

“Many students have resorted to hawking, others have succumbed to forced marriages and teenage pregnancies, due to the lack of digital structures to keep them studying during lockdowns,” Namayanja noted.

The UCU Alumni Association General Secretary, Julius Oboth, urged government to provide soft loans to schools so they can make plans to re-open. He also rooted for tax holidays for all private education institutions, calling on government never to close schools again because such a move “cripples the education sector.”

Ezra Byakutangaza, the president of the student leaders in Uganda, urged government to initiate loan schemes to enable students to purchase learning tools such as laptops, which are needed in online learning. This, Byakutangaza said, would ease the burden on schools that are unable to afford computers for every student.

Elizabeth Ongom, a representative from the European Union in Uganda, said the EU is in the process of drafting projects that will inspire innovative practices for the education sector not only in Uganda, but the whole of Africa.

In order to keep children in school, Naiga Shuburah Kasozi, a representative from Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development, called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders.

“It’s not only the Government, but everyone’s responsibility to keep children in school,” she  said. “So we should de-campaign actions that push our children out of school as the Government is finds a better plan for them to study.’

UCU Guild President Agaba Kenneth Amponda reminded people participating in the dialogue that a conversation about schools without factoring in the other people who benefit from its operation was an incomplete discussion. He argued that by opening schools, security personnel, chefs in catering departments, cleaners, and other people who provide support services in schools will also be able to find employment.

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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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Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro in his office at UCU

UCU Chaplain: God helped me defeat Covid-19

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, COVID-19, News, UCU Alumni


Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro in his office at UCU
Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro in his office at UCU

With the negative stigma attached to testing positive for Covid-19 in Uganda, it takes courage to confess publicly that one has contracted the virus. Despite the wrongfully imposed shame, some Ugandans are courageous enough to tell their experience, reminding others with Covid to have hope and encourage all to follow Covid safety guidelines.  The Rev. Eng Paul Wasswa Ssembiro, the Chaplain of Uganda Christian University (UCU), is one such courageous person. Ssembiro contracted Covid in November 2020. He narrates to Eriah Lule his ordeal with the virus and how God helped him overcome it.

By Rev. Eng. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro as told to Eriah Lule
I don’t know how Dr. Geoffrey Mulindwa (UCU’s Director of Medical Services) referred to me, but I am sure I was “Covid-19 Patient 001.” I don’t have a clue of where or when I contracted the virus. But I got it. 

I began to be conscious about some sort of infection when I started feeling general body weakness and pain in the joints. The joint pain was unusual because I used to jog every day, to beat off fatigue. The symptoms were akin to those I got whenever I suffered from malaria. On this Saturday, I discovered that I had developed a dry cough. I was uneasy because I had to lead the church service the following day. So, I sought immediate medical attention at the Allan Galpin Health Center, the university clinic.

Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches during community worship in Nkoyoyo Hall.
Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches during community worship in Nkoyoyo Hall.

I had a throbbing headache, which seemed to be localized just slightly above my ears. I took painkillers and even took too many at some point and out of despair. But, to no avail. I must confess that I struggled with denial and self- pity, saying to myself “I can’t be infected.” Soon, I reached out to Dr. Mulindwa, who gave me a referral to Mengo Hospital, an Anglican Church-founded hospital in Kampala. Mengo. It is affiliated with UCU.

When I got to the hospital, I met a doctor whose team noticed my agony. They administered a diclofenac (anti-inflammatory drug) injection that relieved my pain a bit. Several medical tests ensued: Lung scanning, heart-echo tests, blood count tests and finally, a test that I dreaded the most – the Covid-19 PCR test.

I was admitted to the hospital and immediately given intravenous injections for pneumonia, and pain killers. When the Covid results returned, the doctor told me I could not go home. They had confirmed I was positive for coronavirus.  

They told me my lungs were in a crucial state. They sent doctors to counsel me, because the hospital did not have the facility for treatment of Covid-19 patients. My spirits sunk. I was distraught. 

I was referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital. Anxiety caused me to unduly feel stigmatized in the process because I seemed like a problem Mengo was trying to rid itself of as soon as possible. But, thankfully, God gave strength to my wife who stood firmly in faith, for me, that all would be well. 

Eng Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches at a seminar
Eng Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches at a seminar

Before admission at Mulago, I was sprayed with chlorine that soaked my clothes. The experience was irritating and traumatizing. It was an uncomfortable and painful wait of nearly two hours, before I was taken to my admission room. Eagerly awaiting a bath, having spent 24 hours without one, I was alarmed there wasn’t any I could have.

But God granted me divine favor. It was a Friday morning. A nurse walked in to check on patients who had been admitted the previous evening. She was a UCU alumna. She knew me. God used her to get me to a better ward, where I got a private room, with certain privileges such as accessing fruits to make juice and immunity-boosting concoctions from lemon and ginger, among other foods.

I also met a young man, also a patient, but in a better state than I was. He had known me as clergy from the church conventions I attended. “Pastor, you are my responsibility now,” he told me, with a smile. He started bringing me salads and hot water, until the day he was discharged. However, before he left, he asked colleagues at the hospital to take care of my meals and make sure I was comfortable. 

The healing hand of the Lord was with me; my body responded well to medication. Six days after admission, when the Director of Mulago Hospital was moving around the ward, he entered my room. When he saw me, he said: “You are not supposed to be here. There are worse cases than you are. We should be discharging you soon.” 

This was good news, to me, from a person who had a bigger picture of the virus. My fellow patients would later tell me I looked better than when I was admitted into the facility. I began doing mild physical exercises. My breath was improving. Finally, on the December 4, 2020, I was discharged.

While I still battle with side effects, such as high blood pressure, occasionally, I bless the Lord for healing me. Of course, my Christian ministry was disrupted; plans got sabotaged. Matter of fact, the whole chaplaincy office was closed to control the spread of the virus, as well as my leadership responsibilities quelled. But, we still bless God for His faithfulness.

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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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Wasswa with his twin sister, Angella Nakato

UCU student credits God for family’s Covid recovery

COVID-19, Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, News, Students


Wasswa with his twin sister, Angella Nakato
Wasswa with his twin sister, Angella Nakato

By Nickie Karitas
On June 10, 2021, when Jim Patrick Wasswa arrived at the northern Uganda district of Yumbe to start his university internship, he had many ushers. In addition to the officials with the Uganda National Roads Authority who brought him to the work experience, Covid-19 was on hand to welcome him.

Being diagnosed with the virus came as a shock to Wasswa. But he had a shock absorber – his mother, who is medical worker with a hand up on health needs. Wasswa quickly made arrangements to return to his home in Kampala, more than 300 miles away.

When he gathered the courage to inform his parents about the new development in his life, he was in for another shock. They, too, had been diagnosed with Covid-19.

“All my life, I had been the strong one holding other people in tough times, but with Covid-19, I felt defeated,” recounts Wasswa, a fourth-year student studying for his Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

With an internship curtailed, Wasswa found his once joyous home was charged with tension and an awkward silence. For once, he understood the meaning of seeing no light at the end of the tunnel as he saw his life, his family’s and all his dreams crushing.

Wasswa (right) with his mother and siblings
Wasswa (right) with his mother and siblings

Around that time, Uganda had just declared a second lockdown due to an increase in the number of infections and deaths. At the time the government declared the lockdown, the Covid-19 positivity rate in the country was 17%.

As all this was happening, Wasswa sought solace in the Bible, specifically Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.” 

That is where he drew the energy to carry on. He regained strength not because he was feeling any better but because his emotional attention was diverted to his parents’ situation. 

At the time, some of his friends were losing their parents to the pandemic, a rude reminder that erased Wasswa’s audacity to assume that everything would be alright. For his case, some of the stop-gap measures he came up with were to try as much as possible not to sleep at night, for fear of not waking up. Sometimes, he succeeded; other times, he crumbled upon the sleep debt that he had.

The memories of the first night his father was rushed to hospital are still fresh in Wasswa’s mind.  

“That was the darkest night of my life,” Wasswa said. “As the car sped off, my thoughts ran to my four-year-old brother. I could see the life of my father, the pillar of the family, going down. I could hardly believe what was going on.”

Social media was another source of misery for Wasswa. Each time he logged in, he met news of people who had succumbed to the pandemic. He shut himself off social media as he worked to recover.

When his twin sister, Angella Nakato, succeeded in convincing him to join her for a daily jogging routine, it marked the turning point in his life. Wasswa says he started feeling much better and more energetic.

Allan Otim, a friend of Wasswa, helped with the psychological aspects of Covid-19. He offered the emotional support that he felt Wasswa needed by constantly keeping in touch with him. 

Wasswa’s other friend and course mate, Cedric Mutayisa, says although many people were succumbing to coronavirus, more were recovering and he believed it was just a matter of time before Wasswa recovered. 

“I often called him to cheer him up,” Cedric said. “Sometimes, all he needed was courage.”

Wasswa, who was never hospitalized, credits the recovery of himself and his parents to God for taking over the battles he surrendered to Him. Wasswa recovered towards the end of June and for his parents, their recovery was a month later. His father’s bout with the virus was most dire, requiring his hospitalization until recovery, while his mother spent two weeks in hospital. 

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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

John Semakula (center) after receiving the file for his new office from Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) outgoing head of journalism, Dr. Emilly Maractho (left). At right is the Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita.

Semakula named new head of UCU’s journalism department

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


John Semakula (center) after receiving the file for his new office from Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) outgoing head of journalism, Dr. Emilly Maractho (left). At right is the Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita.
John Semakula (center) after receiving the file for his new office from Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) outgoing head of journalism, Dr. Emilly Maractho (left). At right is the Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita.

By Joseph Lagen
Veteran journalist John Semakula has been appointed the new head of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Uganda Christian University (UCU). 

Semakula takes on the role within the university’s Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication from Dr. Emily Maractho who is now the Director of the university’s Africa Policy Centre (APC). The APC grooms policy researchers and political thinkers and provides a platform for learning and discussion of modern-day issues.  

Semakula, an award-winning journalist, said of his new appointment: “This new position is a great opportunity for me to use the skills and experience I have built over the last 13 years in journalism practice to serve my alma mater.” 

He noted that he is well aware of the huge responsibility of the new office. One of Semakula’s objectives is to double the number of students within the Department. Currently, 150 new students are admitted to the course every year. 

The second more important objective is about competence and quality. Having quality, competent journalism graduates from UCU, Semakula believes, will help to safeguard the journalism profession.

Semakula’s first relationship with UCU was in 2003, when he joined the institution as a student of Bachelor of Mass Communication. When he completed his course, the university retained him, to work as part of the inaugural team for a community newspaper, The Standard, that the university had established. He served as a writer at the newspaper from 2007 to 2009.

While at UCU both as a student and staff of The Standard, Semakula often contributed articles to Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper because he saw the platform as one which could offer him the opportunity to cut his professional teeth.  

In 2010, Semakula joined Uganda’s leading daily newspaper, the New Vision, to practice journalism at a more competitive level. 

John Semakula (center) and his former colleagues at New Vision - Charles Wendo (left) and Esther Namugoji (right) on the Uganda Christian University main campus in Mukono. Both Wendo and Namugojin are former editors at the newspaper.
John Semakula (center) and his former colleagues at New Vision – Charles Wendo (left) and Esther Namugoji (right) on the Uganda Christian University main campus in Mukono. Both Wendo and Namugoji are former editors at the newspaper.

“At the New Vision, I quickly grew through the ranks, becoming a Senior Writer only two years later,” he said. “This kind of promotion usually takes journalists over 20 years.”

In 2016, Semakula enrolled at UCU to pursue a Master of Journalism and Media Studies.

“I studied the MA program and graduated within the stipulated period of two years,” Semakula recalls. Alongside his graduate studies, Semakula still kept his job at New Vision, and, by this time, he had also started teaching at UCU on a part-time basis. 

Semakula was introduced to teaching by the present dean of the Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita, whom he met at an awards ceremony in 2014. A month after the ceremony, Semakula reached out to her through a phone call, expressing his desire to teach at UCU. 

“Prof. Chibita is good at identifying talent,” Semakula said. “I guess she noticed my ability at the awards ceremony.” 

Upon passing the interview, Semakula started out as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Mass Communication. He handled course units related to writing news and feature stories. 

“The New Vision had a busy newsroom, but I would always find time on Saturdays and Mondays when I was off duty, to teach at UCU,” Semakula says. He had eight teaching hours every week at UCU, which he would execute in the two days he was off duty. 

“I often planned my teaching materials and marked course works and exams at night.” Semakula says. 

The extra work served to energize Semakula who maintained his productivity and increased his accolades at New Vision.  In 2017, he was winner of the Uganda WASH Media Awards in the Print Investigative Category – an honor he won alongside Ronald Mugabe, another New Vision acclaimed print journalist. In the same year, Semakula was a finalist for the Africa Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) Awards in the Justice, Law and Order category. 

A year earlier, Semakula’s New Vision data investigative piece, Hot districts that will determine winner of the 2016 presidential elections won him the ACME Data National Journalism Award. 

In bestowing the accolade, the judges said of his article: “It (the article) went beyond the numbers to investigate how population distribution could be used to predict the winner of the 2016 presidential election and to trace voting patterns. It was only one of a handful of news reports in 2014 that analysed the census data to understand Uganda’s current political climate and future voting trends.”

In the same year, he was a co-writer for the winning stories in the Business, Finance and Economy and the National News – Print categories for the same awards. 

By the time he put down his pen in preference for the chalk as a full-time occupation, Semakula had won more than seven journalism awards. 

Despite his career achievements, Semakula thinks he still has a mountain to climb. 

“At a personal level, I want to get a PhD in media and communication in the next four years,” he says. For the faculty, he envisions the revival of The Standard newspaper, which was a victim of cost-cutting measures in the university as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Presently, the faculty is creating the university’s epaper, The Standard Digital, a multi-media platform that is a direct response to the changing patterns of consumption of information. 

“At UCU, we equip students with the skills that the market wants. So, through The Standard Digital and UCU’s social media platforms, I will make sure that our graduates get the digital skills needed for the times,” Semakula remarked.

Alongside his teaching career, Semakula also contributes articles to two foreign news-sites – Religion Unplugged in the US and the Sight in Australia. Semakula also is the Communications Coordinator at Uganda Partners – a U.S.-based organisation that raises awareness about 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.

Also, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Lauren Elaine Nagy graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Messiah College, Pennsylvania, in May 2021. Courtesy photo

Ugandan study experience enriches American nurse

Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, News, Students, UCU Alumni, USP


Lauren Elaine Nagy graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Messiah College, Pennsylvania, in May 2021. Courtesy photo
Lauren Elaine Nagy graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Messiah College, Pennsylvania, in May 2021. Courtesy photo

By Jimmy Siyasa
In September 2021, the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, welcomes a new staff member with Ugandan experience. Lauren Elaine Nagy, hired to be a nurse in the Pediatric Inpatient Rehab Unit, was part of the Uganda Studies Program (USP) at Uganda Christian University in 2018. 

Nagy’s employment follows her May 2021 graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the Messiah College in Pennsylvania and certification as a Registered Nurse.  She most recently was a health care provider at a Christian summer camp, Woodcrest Retreat.

Lauren and her family shortly after her graduation. Courtesy photo
Lauren and her family shortly after her graduation. Courtesy photo

Two years before the Covid-19 pandemic, Nagy traveled more than 7,000 miles away from her home as part of the American students who went to UCU for a four-month study abroad program. The trip was under the USP, a two-decades-old program that earlier this year shifted from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities to under the administrative umbrella of the non-profit, UCU Partners, headquartered in Pennsylvania.

While at UCU, Lauren and other USP colleagues were part of the Global Health Emphasis (GHE). GHE provides an opportunity for students pursuing biomedical and public health-related disciplines to complete global health coursework and international field internship in Uganda. 

Lauren Elaine Nagy. Courtesy photo
Lauren Elaine Nagy. Courtesy photo

The USP affords international students an education within an African context. In addition to studies on the UCU Mukono campus, students get a chance to make trips to different parts of Uganda, visit the Equator and sometimes have a 10-day excursion to Rwanda. Some of the students live in the student dormitories on campus, while others are attached to host families.

For Nagy, nothing about UCU stands out more than the institution’s “commitment to integrating faith into all aspects of education.” She says it “created an atmosphere that pushed me to grow in my faith in more ways than I could have expected.” 

While on homestay, Nagy lived with a Ugandan family about five minutes away from the university campus. Her camaraderie quickly acclimatized her to the Ugandan culture of the family of Robert Kibirango and Esther Nakato. In fact, she takes pride in the name Nakiryowa (Luganda word for a type of tree) that the family bestowed on her. 

She has fond memories of the days she was involved in domestic work that included a unique way of peeling bananas. Clearly, the trip to Uganda gave her another family in addition to her biological one in Pennsylvania. Nagy is the daughter of Daniel Alan Nagy and Karen Lynn Nagy. 

“We spent time wandering through fields, exploring plants and anthills, feeding the new calf, picking fresh beans from the garden, and cooking dinner together. It was a beautifully simple time with my family,” she recalls, saying she has continued to keep in touch with the family of Kibirango.

Nagy highly recommends that American university students consider the UCU experience.  

“As many people as possible should experience the transformational growth that I did,” Nagy, who attended Chippewa High School in Doylestown, said.

She lauds UCU for the fusion of faith and books in the grooming of nurses because it enables them to dispense care, compassion and comfort. The culture of faith at UCU seemed to rhyme with Nagy’s sole goal in life – living in the center of God’s will for my life and glorifying Him to the fullest.

“It makes me happy to know that such an excellent school as UCU is producing hard-working, highly capable, Christian health care providers to send out into the communities and serve people as the hands and feet of Christ,” she says.  

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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.