To combat the toll of maternal and child mortality, Save the Mothers (STM) East Africa organized a Maternal and Child Health Conference on April 26^th  at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

The conference was held under the theme: “No mother or child should die or be harmed due to preventable childbirth-related complications: a role of multidisciplinary professionals.”

It was aimed at addressing key issues in maternal health, sharing innovative approaches, and inspiring positive change across communities. Participants generated and exchanged knowledge, shared experiences, and developed strategies to improve maternal health globally.

The Save the Mothers Conference brought together experts, advocates, and leaders who are dedicated to improving maternal health and outcomes across the world.

Dr. Charles Olaro, Director Curative Services at Uganda’s Ministry of Health graced the conference as Guest of Honour. He commended the Save the Mothers’ initiative for their dedication to the cause of saving lives of mothers and babies.

“Your dedicated work shows the transformational power of collective actions, resilience, innovations, and your efforts to implement impactful interventions that save the lives of mothers and babies,” Dr. Olaro said.

Jean Chamberlain Froese, one of the founders of Save the Mothers, encouraged the attendees to assess their skills, gifts, and potential to save mothers and ensure safe motherhood for children in East Africa and beyond.

Janet Apio, an alumni member of the 2016 class, said it was through the skills and knowledge she acquired at STM that she was able to open three projects in Bugiri district after realizing the need in her community to solve the problem of maternal mortality.

“I started three projects as interventions towards reducing maternal mortality deaths, including antenatal, postnatal, and general nursing care to help mothers during deliveries,” Apio said.

Compiled by Irene Best Nyapendi

Edited By: Harriet Adong, Consultant at UCU’s Communication and Public Relations Department

For many university courses, students are expected to engage in  internships or have work placements as one requirement for the award of their degree. Pauline Luba of the UCU School of Journalism gleaned information from  some key university staff, an employer/alum and two students to learn how students should conduct themselves in the world of work, especially during internships.  UCU Law alum, Chris Mogal, created a video to reinforce the message, including how to avoid harrassment. 

Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro, university chaplain, UCU

I am the university chaplain at Uganda Christian University (UCU). I’m in my fifth year here in this position. Internships come with temptations, “predators” and things that could be dangerous to a student. However, when students go into the internship with strong values, they can always cope. Know the value you attach to yourself, and you need a solid character base from which to draw the values. At UCU, we give opportunities to students to grow spiritually. Once you join any workplace, make your stance clear. Speak back to whichever predator, and the good news is the predators know that what they are doing is wrong.

I am the Senior Public Relations Officer at the Law Development Center (LDC). From 2003 to 2006, I pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at UCU. The transition from student to work is really different. As a student, there are lots of dos and don’ts in the guidelines at school to help keep someone in check, but when you move out to the professional world, it is all about you, and so there is interconnectedness between the two. The professional life is informed by the student’s life. There is no disconnect between the two; how you handle yourself as a student will reflect professionally on how you also will live the working life. My transition was formed when I joined UCU. Some of the things that I learned seem to be small, but mean a lot in life. For example, things like worship are not in every university. But when I joined UCU, I felt my level of faith improved because of the opportunity, such as the worship hour every Tuesday and Thursday.  I am one of the people formulating the sexual harassment policy at LDC. If you know yourself, you will not give in. Alumni are a big force in change. They contribute to the reputation of an institution. So, we cannot leave them out. They can guide the students. We can invite alumni to speak to students on how they can be prepared to manage their life of work. 

I have been an intern at places such as Pearl Advocates — a law firm and Resilient Africa Network, a partnership of 20 African universities in 13 countries. Our university usually guides us on where to go for internships. The talks they give us also provide insights into what to expect at the internship. There are some principles we need to uphold in order not to cast the university in a bad light. I have never faced sexual harassment or discrimination at the workplace, and I pray that my peers never get to experience such. Students need to be God-fearing. The university could counsel students on how to keep safe at work. 

UCU prides itself in professionalism and developing the character of students. We expect students to have integrity when they go to the workplace. We also expect our students to be diligent and to live by the core values we instilled in them. We expect them to serve others, and not to behave as if they are above everyone else. Servanthood and stewardship are some of the values we instil in them. They are also taught foundational courses that help them to conduct themselves out in the world. The university organises career affairs and invites several employers to speak to our students. In addition to this, UCU runs mentorship programs for the students. 

The programs equip students with tips and tricks to deal with issues like sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. In case of any harassment at the workplace, students need to identify who is harassing them and inform the authorities. 

At UCU, we offer several services that prepare students for internships and work placements. One of the key trainings that we have is the para counsellors training, where we discuss matters like the dos and don’ts in the world of work, as well as issues about sexual harassment. Students need to know the right steps to take in case of harassment. Harassment comes with a lot of consequences, including pregnancy. So, we try to “journey” with people who may find themselves in such situations. 

We also teach the students about emotional stability — when you go to a workplace, there are little things that can provoke someone, but once you are emotionally stable, you can respond, as well as execute your duties. 

Laetisha Asio Seth, student of Bachelor of Governance and International Relations, UCU

It’s advisable that one holds their values high when going into the world of work, for instance, being God-fearing, assertive, able to communicate and defend oneself. I advise that you just stay away from instances that could compromise you. 

By Irene Best Nyapendi
The first time Victoria Nantambi had a ward round, she was with a team of three other nurses. Together, they were entrusted with the task of treating an elderly woman who was suffering from a lung infection.

The woman also had an open ulcer. Although this was Nantambi’s first time working in a hospital, she did her best to help the woman. By evening, the patient’s condition had improved. 

At 4 p.m. Nantambi, a final-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Nursing Science at Uganda Christian University (UCU), happily went home. When she returned the following day, she eagerly inquired about the status of her patient. The bed was empty. The patient had died. 

“The death of my patient struck me, but also taught me that we only treat, and it’s God who heals,” she said. “We do our best to save lives, but the outcomes are not ours to determine.”

For such experiences, Nantambi says: “Nursing keeps me on my toes and that’s what I love about it.”

She says in order for students to garner as much experience as possible, they are always on the move, visiting different hospitals to get a feel of the operations there. 

When it comes time for clinical rotations, they go to the hospital with objectives to achieve while applying the theory they learned in class. While there, they are supervised and have responsibilities dictated by their course unit and objectives.

Nantambi’s recent clinical practice at Mukono General Hospital was on safe motherhood and maternal health. She was tasked with assisting mothers in the labor suite, antenatal and postnatal wards.

However, she feared helping HIV-positive mothers to deliver because of the risk of infection.

On one of her days at Mukono General Hospital, they received an emergency. She quickly prepared the necessary equipment to assist the mother in delivering. During the process, the mother gushed out a lot of amniotic fluid, but Nantambi continued with the delivery process, albeit cautiously. It was after the delivery, that she checked the mother’s antenatal card and discovered that she was HIV-positive. 

“I was worried about contracting HIV due to her excessive discharge,” Nantambi said. “However, I tested negative and the experience helped me know more about HIV.” 

HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is passed on through blood, semen, vaginal fluid, anal mucus and breast milk and only outside the body if the uninfected person has broken skin.  At that, such person-to-person transmission is rare. 

For the days she works in the labor suite, Nantambi starts by cleaning the area, then assesses the condition of the women in labor, as well as assisting during delivery.

“Working in the labor suite has taught me that patients’ lives depend on the nurses. We have to be fully alert and attentive,” Nantambi said.

After spending the day attending to patients’ needs, scrutinizing and administering medications, conferring with senior nurses, she finally gets to report to the nurse in charge before she retires for the day. 

One of the most rewarding experiences for her is witnessing the recovery of her patients, and subsequently receiving expressions of gratitude from them. Nursing involves touching lives. It gives Nantambi immense joy when her patients call to thank her for treating them. 

UCU Erick Rwamurenzi

When Rwamurenzi, a UCU student of Bachelor of Nursing Science, was 17, he got an injury while playing football. He said at the hospital, the nurse seemed too afraid to work on him that he wondered if she treated all patients the same way. This experience ignited a passion in him to care for patients.

“I prayed to God to help me become the person that will help people,” he says. 

Rwamurenzi and his colleague nursing students reach the hospital by 8 a.m. and start their day with ward rounds and drug administration, and, later, post-conference discussions to share experiences and discuss what they saw in the wards. 

During one of his days in the hospital, he attended to a 35-year-old woman who had been pregnant nine times, but had only given birth to five babies at full term. The rest were miscarriages. The day before, she had undergone a cesarean section, but due to strong uterine contractions, she experienced a severe uterine rupture that resulted in the loss of her uterus. Unfortunately, she was also HIV-positive, epileptic, and had lost her husband only a month before. 

Despite her condition, Rwamurenzi did his best to save both the mother and the baby. He administered fluids, antibiotics, and offered psychological support. He monitored them and was happy to see them improve and be discharged from the hospital.

The most satisfying part of being a nursing student, according to the 27-year-old, is when he helps patients heal and they call to say thank you. The other part is the amount of assistance they get from the nursing administration that helps them find their footing in the hospital operations.

Rwamurenzi narrates that one of the challenges he has faced as a nursing student is when some senior health professionals on the wards do not want to engage with them in the name of being busy. However, he notes that clinical practices are vital as they provide nursing skills and enable them to familiarize with the hospital environment. 

The honorary degree recipients at Dartmouth’s June 9 Commencement will be, clockwise from top left: Roger Federer, the Commencement speaker; Mira Murati, Thayer ’12; Paul Nakasone; Richard Ranger ’74; Roy Vagelos; Mung Chiang; Joy Buolamwini; Liz Cheney; and, center, John Urschel.

Dartmouth College, of Hanover, New Hampshire, USA, has announced that it will award Richard Ranger, missionary lecturer in Business and Law at Uganda Christian University (UCU), an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters at the College’s 253rd Commencement on June 9.

Each year, a member of the Dartmouth 50th reunion class is chosen to receive this award in recognition of service to the Dartmouth community and the broader world. Richard, a member of Dartmouth’s Class of 1974 that will celebrate its 50th Reunion in June, has been selected for this year’s honor.

Each year prospective honorary degree recipients—scholars, artists, innovators, public servants, philanthropists, and others who have made extraordinary contributions to their respective fields and society at large—are nominated by members of the Dartmouth community. The confidential nominations are reviewed by the Council on Honorary Degrees, which selects the honorands in consultation with the president and the Board of Trustees.

In addition to Richard Ranger, this year’s recipients are: 

• Joy Buolamwini, a computer scientist, artist, and founder of the Algorithmic Justice League;
• Liz Cheney, former U.S. representative from Wyoming and vice chair of the House Jan. 6 committee;
• Mung Chiang, president of Purdue University;
• Commencement speaker Roger Federer, philanthropist and former tennis champion;
• Mira Murati, Thayer ’12, chief technology officer of OpenAI;
• Paul Nakasone, retired director of the National Security Agency and commander, U.S. Cyber Command;
• John Urschel, a mathematician and former Baltimore Ravens guard; and 
• Roy Vagelos, philanthropist and retired chairman and CEO of Merck & Co. and retired chairman of Regeneron

At UCU along with his wife, Catherine, Richard serves as a missionary with the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders (SAMS), based in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, USA. Prior to coming to UCU in 2020, Richard spent 43 years as a negotiator, environmental compliance manager, and community and government relations specialist in the oil and gas industry in the western United States, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. From that background, he now lectures in business and law at UCU. Dartmouth’s announcement describes this second career as reflecting “his lifelong commitment to service, his faith, and his sense of adventure.”

“I am humbled beyond belief at this award,” Richard says. “As many who know me know, I am deeply loyal to Dartmouth and to the education that I was blessed with there, and the gift of so many friendships from the Dartmouth community. As someone who has served my class as its Newsletter Editor for some 40 years, I know the many stories of achievement, character, and conscience that distinguish our class. Such a recognition could easily have gone to any of a number of my classmates and have been richly deserved. That it is coming to me is a gift beyond measure.”

Richard adds: “As a missionary, I’m also very conscious of the fact that it’s a rare missionary who is awarded an honorary degree. The four years we have spent in the company of people serving in mission and serving the needs of a broken world in so many ways have introduced us not just to colleagues, but to true heroes. I’m reminded of this every day here at UCU, which was initially founded by a missionary minister as a seminary, who got here to Uganda by walking from the Indian Ocean coast.”

At UCU, alongside UCU colleagues, Richard has taught Corporate Governance and Business Ethics in the School of Business, and Oil and Gas Law in the Faculty of Law. 

Along with Catherine, Richard has served as a mentor for individual students. Together they host a weekly cell fellowship from the patio of their campus Tech Park apartment. And for the past two years, Richard has served as site coordinator for installation of a solar thermal water heating system for the campus dining hall – a joint effort by engineering students from Dartmouth and from UCU. 

 “To have seen students from the two universities work together and build together across frontiers of distance and culture is simply the most rewarding job I have ever had,” Richard said. 

As a person of faith, he gives any glory for the Dartmouth award to God,  adding appreciation for the opportunity to serve at UCU. 

“Not everyone is in such a position,” he said.  “Our hope is that the highlighting of our story through the award Dartmouth is giving me will lead others to ask whether and how they might serve. Because it’s possible – and because in a broken world our hearts, hands, and talents are needed.”

Richard said he is “blessed to be able to do this work in a place that I love, in the company of the woman I love, among Ugandan friends”  in a place that “challenges us to learn every day.”

“To have an honorary degree from my alma mater on top of all of that is an incredible blessing,” he said.