Uganda Christian University (UCU) Honors College recently collaborated with Usanii Village-Africa, a non-governmental organization, the UCU Directorate of Student Affairs, and the university’s 26th Guild Government to conduct a career exhibition. Themed “Navigating Horizons; a Journey Through Diverse Careers,” the exhibition, held at the UCU main campus in Mukono, was intended to showcase ideas from different faculties and schools, in addition to linking the students to industry players. The Faculty of Engineering, Design, and Technology was recognized as the top exhibitor, with the School of Business and the School of Law following in that order. Partners Intern Kefa Senoga talked to some exhibitors.

I use the proceeds from the sale of the art pieces to support myself at school. The cost of the art pieces ranges from sh10,000 (about $2.6) to as high as sh2.5million (about $644). The business of selling art is not one where someone can depend solely since the money does not come in every day.

Art can also be a service. For example, it would be a better option to hire an artist to perform the work of interior design, rather than one without any knowledge of art. I have also started private classes for children, so I can teach them the subject of art outside the classroom setting.

The technologies we’re exhibiting represent clean cooking solutions. Among the technologies is a stove that utilizes bi-ethanol, derived from fermented starch-producing foods like sugarcane waste, maize and sorghum. It’s considered a sustainable clean-cooking method because we get the bi-ethanol without burning charcoal or cutting down trees.

When bi-ethanol is poured into this stove, it produces a blue or luminous smokeless flame, which is ideal for cooking. By using this stove, we not only decrease reliance on burning fuels, but also mitigate gas emissions, contributing to a cleaner environment.

We are also exhibiting a gasifier, another cooking technology, where you can put in your biomass, for example charcoal, wood or briquettes. This technology produces some soot or smoke, but it is thin. When this smoke goes out, it mixes with the clean air, but the effect is less because it’s thin, with fewer particles or pollutants.

We have fruits in our stall because we can’t talk about fitness without talking about nutrition. Fruits are an essential component in ensuring a healthy and fit body. In our community, many eateries do not include fruits on their menu. We, however, prioritize the inclusion of fruits as we preach the gospel of fitness

As the UCU Fitness Club, we support our members to access their essential fruits. We support students on different fitness endeavors – some people come to us with a request to reduce their weight, while others just want to keep fit.

Our club works with different organizations to foster holistic health like mental, physical and spiritual, among their employees. Currently, our activities are primarily conducted at the main campus, but we intend to expand our presence to other university campuses in the near future.

I am showcasing an innovation of a podcast, which is best explained as an audio storytelling platform, for issues to do with mental health.

Last year, when the New Vision newspaper published an article stating that 14 million Ugandans were affected by mental health issues, they did not delve deeper into the specific impact of that on the youth. In the Ainomugisha Podcast, there’s an episode titled “Life Experiences,” where youth openly share how they overcome mental health challenges.

I once interviewed a woman who shared her journey of using alcohol as a coping mechanism to forget the challenges she was facing at the time. She also explained to us how she managed to stop taking alcohol. Subsequently, she started a sobriety platform. Our podcast aims to share such experience to inspire others who could be facing similar challenges.

As the School of Law, we created a user-friendly “UCU Law” app to help both legal professionals and the laypeople. The app is intended to make it easier to draft tenancy agreements and to access legal documents in text and audio format, including statutes, acts, laws and cases.

We chose tenancy agreements because it affects a majority of Ugandans who are either owners of property or tenants in the properties they occupy. Processing a tenancy agreement on the app only requires entering the necessary information requested on the portal, such as name, address, and contact details, among others.

The developers created the app with students in mind, since many of them seek accommodation in hostels outside the university. The other advantage that can be accrued from using the app is access to a statute board that allows students to easily access the statutes through the platform. 

The app, which is available for free access through the UCU International Humanitarian Law blog, also provides audio cases, which law students can take advantage in their course. 

Dickson Tumuramye, head of the Honors College at UCU

According to Tumuramye, they organized the exhibition to provide a platform for students with different innovations.

“Since we are in an era of innovations and employment, this was an opportunity for the students to showcase their work to potential employers who could either hire them or offer them placements for internship opportunities,” Tumuramye says.

He added that the organizers wanted to showcase what UCU students can do. 

Many students from the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Main/Mukono Campus and other campuses and constituent colleges are engaged in internships at different places of work. The internships are intended to enable students gain work experience while satisfying requirements for their university qualifications. Pauline Luba talked to some education, business and journalism students currently doing internships to learn their perceptions of this knowledge and training.

Christy Asiimwe, Bachelor of Arts in Education, third year, main campus. Intern at Acorns International School.

I am having a good experience. It is great that I get to serve as an intern at an international school. Due to the differences in the curriculum, many national universities will advise one to stick to a school that teaches the national curriculum. However, I like the fact that I will be able to learn about the International Baccalaureate curriculum so that I can see how it fits in our new national curriculum. I also like the exposure and the supportive environment. It has taken me some time to get a feel of what it means to work in the classroom. But I know I will, soon. 

Ninsiima Barbra, Diploma in Business Administration, Second year at UCU Bishop Barham University College,  Intern at Pride Microfinance, Kabale branch.

I will be spending two months as an intern at this microfinance institution. We are two UCU students here. To get here, I have to travel four kilometers (2.5 miles), which is quite far, but I am determined to make it happen without any challenges. I look forward to improving my accounting skills and understanding the banking system.  

Jonathan Okello, Bachelor of Arts in Education, third year, main campus. Intern at Mpoma School, Satellite Campus.

I was welcomed to the school well. There are other interns from different other institutions. At such postings, one can easily tell a student from UCU, based on how they dress and conduct themselves. The challenge we sometimes face is that since we have one more semester to study, we have to leave the schools and return to the university yet in some cases, some of the schools would like to retain us as staff. It feels like there will be a gap left when we return to the university. The co-operation and guidance from the other staff members at the school have been exceptional.

Dickson Twecungwire, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication, third year Bishop Barham University College. Intern at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, communications department.

My earlier days of internship first proved a challenge because at the university, we were taught the theory regarding public relations, which I am majoring in. Now, here, you have to put what you learned into practice. I like the fact that I get to write articles for the hospital newsletters and press releases. I also like that I get to do graphic design work. I’m currently working hard so that I can impress the management here and get retained as full-time staff.

Ainembabazi Shivan, Bachelor of Arts in Education, third year Bishop Barham University College. Intern at St. Theresa’s Girls School, Kanungu District.

I am an intern at a school where I was a student. And now I get to go back and share my knowledge with the students. The students here are quite friendly, which makes the working environment welcoming. Since this is my last internship before graduation, I hope to gain all the necessary skills and the experience that will enable me to succeed in the world of work.

Aaron Gamushabe, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication, third year Bishop Barham University College. Intern at Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

I like the fact that there are people ready to guide me, especially my supervisor. The team is also quite friendly. I have learned many new things, such as posting content on the university website, and writing reports. I hope to get more practical skills and come out as a real professional who is ready for the world of work.

Ainembabazi Annah, Bachelor of Arts in Education, third year, Bishop Barham University College. Intern at Rwentobo High School.

This is a private school in Ntungamo district, western Uganda. The work environment is welcoming and we are learning quite many things as interns. There are some things that we never imagined in the world of work, but with the internship, we get the real experience of what it means to be in the world of work. For instance, we can only leave the workplace after 5 p.m. Now, that is something I did not expect, but thank God, I am now getting to learn it.

By Irene Best Nyapendi

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, transitioning from the academic sphere to professional life can be intimidating. However, equipped with the right guidance and mindset, students can transform this transition into success in the workplace. 

Uganda Christian University (UCU), Kampala Campus, in collaboration with TIG Network Afrika, an organization that stands for purposeful lives, and social development hosted a career development session on February 21 centered on the theme “School to Work Spaces.” 

The event featured distinguished guest speakers who shared insights and advice with UCU students, empowering them to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace.

Among them were notable figures such as the Deputy Inspector General of Government, Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, Kalungu East Member of Parliament Francis Katabazi, Prof. Maggie Kigozi, a member of the board of Pepsi- Cola in Uganda, Ambassador Damalie Ssali, and Innocent Kawooya, among others.

Throughout the session, students were encouraged to be intentional in their pursuits, to step out of their comfort zones, and to prioritize continuous learning. 

As Prof. Maggie Kigozi aptly put it, “If you get a job, remember the many who were left, and they hired you, and aim to be the best employee. Don’t disappoint your employer.”

This emphasis on excellence resonated throughout the event, reminding students of the importance of diligence and commitment in achieving their professional goals.

Ambassador Damalie Ssali, emphasized the significance of habitual excellence, explaining to the students that what they continuously do is what they become. 

“Your habits are the ones that will raise you or pull you down,” she emphasized, highlighting the role of personal discipline in career advancement.

She also urged students to leverage technology and cultivate habits that would set them apart in a competitive job market. 

Drawing from personal experience, the Deputy Inspector General of Government, Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, emphasized the evolving nature of the workspace, driven by technological advancements. 

She addressed the students, stressing the ongoing transformation of the workspace, propelled by technological advancements. 

Additionally, she emphasised the significance of networking and upholding integrity.

“Hard work is very critical for your reputation,” she said. “But also, networking is a powerful tool for personal growth, especially when paired with hard work.” 

Francis Katabazi, Member of Parliament, Kalungu East, encouraged students to embrace their uniqueness and entrepreneurial spirit. 

Katabazi emphasized the uniqueness of individuals and encouraged daily inspiration from this realization.

“Don’t try to be someone else, everyone is unique in their way,” Katabazi said.

He stressed the importance of problem-solving for financial gain, highlighting the perpetual demand for solutions in various areas such as food, clothing, and shelter. 

Katabazi also shared his experience of starting a business with an initial investment of 120,000 shillings, emphasizing the importance of presenting oneself effectively in all endeavors.

Vivian Arabella Aparo, a second year pursuing a Bachelor of Laws, reflected on the day as one she would forever hold dear and cherish. 

She expressed gratitude for the invaluable lessons gained during the career guidance session, highlighting the impact of being reminded to embrace her individuality and acknowledge her blessings.

“I was deeply moved to embrace my unique qualities because they make me who I am—different, special, and blessed,” Aparo said. “Above all, I internalized the powerful message that my dreams are within reach; if I can envision them, I can manifest them.”

Anita Mirembe Bisagaya, a third-year student pursuing medicine, left the session with the realization that she should treat everyone with respect, regardless of their status. She emphasised the importance of cultivating friendliness towards all.

“My key takeaway from the session was not to despise anyone, because I may never know who will take me where I want to be,” Bisagaya said.

Joel Jessy Kamya, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Laws, took home insights on the significance of innovation and skillfulness in today’s world.

“I came to understand that our contemporary society thrives on individuals who are not only knowledgeable but also innovative and capable of inspiring others,” Kamya said. “Today we have been inspired, and I believe if we are inspired, we can inspire others.”

In the words of Prof. Maggie Kigozi, “There’s nothing you can’t be.” With this empowering message, UCU students are poised to seize the limitless opportunities awaiting them in the dynamic world of work.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
On January 24, farmers around Mukono went to the Uganda Christian University (UCU) main campus with samples of their crops that were affected by pests and diseases. On any other day, these farmers would not have been welcomed with these damaged crops. However, on this Wednesday, in a collaborative exercise,  UCU’s students of agriculture examined diseased crops to establish the different diseases while also offering some tried-and-tested solutions to the farmers. 

This field day exercise, organized by UCU’s Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, offered a platform where students taught farmers about good management practices at their different demo plots. The plots had crops such as Nakati (solanum Aethiopioum), collard greens, squash, sorghum grass, corn, grain amaranth, spinach and bulb onions. 

The Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Dr. Rosemary Bulyaba, explained that for UCU, working with farmers is more than simply an event; it’s a corporate social obligation.

She noted that farmers are important for the livelihood of UCU because the university depends on the food crops they cultivate. 

“If you ate today, it means a farmer grew crops, so farmers are so important to us,” Bulyaba said, noting that agriculture is a practical field, and that students cannot learn everything in class. In the field, they identify emerging diseases and real-life challenges, and come up with solutions.

Last year, third year students of Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Entrepreneurship participated in outreach activities in the gardens set up at the university’s demonstration plot. At the outreach, 30 farmers from Bugujju turned up for the event that provided a platform for the exchange of ideas between the students and the farmers. 

At UCU, agriculture students are trained to be certified plant doctors so that they can identify what’s wrong with plants by simply looking at them.

One of the highlights of the January 24 field day was the plant clinic, where UCU agriculture students diagnosed diseased crops and made recommendations to the farmers, drawing from classroom knowledge. 

Charity Rojo, a fourth-year student of Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Entrepreneurship (BASE), is one of the people who examined samples of sick plants brought in for diagnosis.

“For fungal diseases, we looked for leaf spots with concentric rings, and for bacterial diseases, we looked for wet spots,” Rojo explained.

For pests, she said they looked for holes in the leaves, and that if the stem was affected, they looked for boring on the stem. 

According to Rojo, fungal diseases are the most common because they can easily be spread by rain and wind, for example, maize smut which is transported by wind from one maize cob to another.

She advised farmers to maintain good field hygiene and only get seeds for planting from recommended suppliers. 

Joseph Odongo, a farmer from Kazinga village in Mukono district., said he learned about the option for organic spray for onions, instead of chemicals.

“The students taught me how to make a spray for my onions by mixing ash, red pepper, onions and garlic, and allowing it to ferment,” Odongo explained.

Filda Acan, a small-scale farmer, was happy to discover zucchini, something she said she can grow in her compound. “Today, I saw plants I had never seen in the market. I was excited to learn about zucchini, and I’m, surely, going back to plant it.”

Kefa Othieno, a third-year student of Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Entrepreneurship, explained that he was able to get practical experience by interacting with the farmers.

“Today, I’ve been able to apply the knowledge I learned in the classroom to a real-world setting,” Othieno said. 

The students from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences also encouraged fellow students and farmers to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Kelly Senoga, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, emphasized that physical size alone doesn’t determine one’s state of health, explaining that both underweight and overweight individuals can face health challenges.

Senoga explained to the students and the farmers that being overweight can lead to obesity, with associated health risks, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. 

The students studying Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology also presented to the farmers value-added agricultural products, such as bread made from pumpkin. The bread contains 10% pumpkin and is high in vitamins A and C. 

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Millie Mercy Namikka is outgoing and composed. Committed to social justice, she often finds herself advocating for the marginalized. This virtue has enabled Namikka to make many friends, both in her community and at school. 

“You always find her freely interacting with people in her environment,” Hannington Kikulwe, Namikka’s father, says. “At home, she helps the workers with their chores and also buys them gifts.” Namikka says she learned service and contribution virtues from her parents. Kukulwe was an evangelist, and his wife, a reverend.

It was, therefore, not surprising, when Namikka chose to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration at Uganda Christian University (UCU). And that choice for a course eventually presented an opportunity for Namikka to travel out of the country for her very first time in February 2022. She returned to Uganda in August of the same year.

She was part of the eight students that UCU was sending to Hanze University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands for a resume-building exchange program and international exposure. The collaboration between UCU and Hanze is a conduit for cross-cultural exchange, fostering not only academic growth but also personal transformation for both students and lecturers.

Over 30 students have benefitted from this initiative. Dutch students and the faculty also have visited Uganda for field work in agencies in the country. 

“I felt so lucky that I was leaving the country and what amazed me was the fact that I did not have to pay any money,” Namikka says, noting that when her friends learned of her imminent trip, they organized a get-together. 

Once in the Netherlands, Namikka says it was not easy adjusting to the food and the cost. But she eventually did. With her friends, they pooled resources and started buying food in bulk, sharing costs, and sometimes traveling to Amsterdam to enjoy local food. Her diet also changed from bread sandwiches to pasta, Irish food, and more vegetables. This new way of eating has stuck with her to date. 

One memorable experience for Namikka was attending the King’s Day in the Netherlands. Marked every April 27, the day is a national holiday and celebrates King Willem-Alexander’s birthday with lots of music, dancing, flea markets and fun fair. 

“Two days before and after the actual day, it felt like a big holiday. People sold things from their homes at reduced prices, and the streets were full of parties,” she said. “I was shocked, seeing everyone wearing orange, and others selling their items. But I used that opportunity to buy vintage boots and a lot of vintage clothes and items for friends at the flea markets.”

For her classes at Hanze University, they didn’t just stick to theories; they dived into real-life situations. One of her favorite courses was creating and sharing happiness and positive coaching techniques. Every day, they would talk about their day — what went well, what didn’t. It was like a daily life check-in.

This made her realize that life is a mix of little moments. Now, she shares this wisdom with people in her shared workspace. She tells them to live the moment, be aware of how they feel, and focus on their journey of recovery, not the past. 

UCU-Hanze Collaboration Promotes Cross-Cultural Knowledge

Kasule Kibirige, the UCU head of department of Social Works and Social Administration, said the partnership between UCU and Hanze has been immensely valuable for both students and faculty.

 “They promote cross-cultural knowledge and skills sharing, and contribute to individual teaching and learning improvement,” he explained. He added that this collaboration fosters the development of academic networks through regular meetings during guest lecture exchanges.

Namikka currently works with Teen Challenge Uganda, a Christian rehabilitation facility. Here, her responsibilities include reaching out to children, schools, those in brothels and slums, creating support groups and offering counseling, therapy, discipleship, Bible study and awareness on addiction. 

Her desire to mend broken hearts and help people learn from their experiences fuels her ambition to become a counseling psychologist. She hopes to return to school to pursue a master’s degree in that field.

“We’ve been created to be in each other’s lives, and sometimes when we are in each other’s lives, we hurt each other and we don’t know how to mend the broken hearts,” Namikka says. The 24-year-old envisions building a career in helping individuals triumph over trauma, grief, and life’s challenges, witnessing them thrive and embrace the joys of life.

By Pauline Luba
Love. Service. Prayer. Hard work. These four are virtues that Ugandan parents Gideon and Charity Rutaremwa instilled in their children, with the hope that they would become useful citizens later in life. In addition to drumming up those virtues, the children say they further learned a lot more, just by observing how their parents conducted themselves.

“I am always inspired by the way my mother interacts with people,” said Asiimwe Ruth, a student of Uganda Christian University (UCU).

Perhaps, it was this inspiration that drove Asiimwe into choosing Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration at UCU. Asiimwe’s mother, now in retirement, was a social worker, and worked at Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development. 

Asiimwe attended Kampala Junior Academy for her primary education and Mengo Senior Secondary School for her Senior One. She was then taken to World of Life International School for the remainder of her high school education. 

After World of Life International School, she had intended to pursue undergraduate studies from a university abroad. That did not work. When she opted for UCU, her heart was with a Bachelor of Laws. That, too, did not work. By the time she applied, UCU had already admitted its law quota for the semester. Asiimwe picked herself up and accepted the offer of Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration as she set out to follow in the footsteps of her mother.

In 2018, an opportunity to travel to the Netherlands was presented to her. She embraced it right away. UCU was implementing a collaborative venture that it had signed with the Hanze University of Applied Science, Groningen, Netherlands. The partnership involves having an exchange program for the students and faculty of the two universities. 

The trip to the Netherlands for a six-month stay had been scheduled for August 2018. Kasule Kibirige, the head of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at UCU, made the announcement to Asiimwe’s class, indicating that all applicants had to have a minimum of 4.0 of a 5.0 Grade Point Average. The applicants also were expected to have access to funds to help them sort out any emergencies. Asiimwe applied and was successful. 

“It was my first time traveling alone and the trip was a process of self-discovery,” she said.

However, this was not Asiimwe’s first trip abroad. She had spent her childhood years in Philadelphia, Pa., USA, during the time her father was pursuing a PhD course.

 “I was excited to finally travel,” she said of the Netherlands opportunity.  “The disappointment for not traveling for my undergrad studies had really affected me.”

In the Netherlands, many ride bicycles as a means of transport. And that was the case with Asiimwe’s colleagues. However, Asiimwe often preferred the bus because she did not know how to ride a bicycle.

At the end of the six months, the students on the exchange program, hailing from several countries, including Turkey and United States, gathered on an emotional last night in the Netherlands to toast to the friendship that the 18 women and one man had created out of the program. 

Over 30 students have benefitted from this initiative. Dutch students and the faculty also have visited Uganda for field work in agencies in the country. 

Kasule said the partnership between UCU and Hanze has been immensely valuable for both students and faculty. 

“They promote cross-cultural knowledge and skills sharing, and contribute to individual teaching and learning improvement,” he explained. 

In 2019, Asiimwe was a recipient of the Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration of UCU. In 2020, she was back at UCU, to pursue a Master of Social Work. And she says she will not leave the classroom, until she has earned a PhD in social work.  

For the virtue of hard work that the Rutaremwas instilled in their children, they have been able to reap some benefits. Asiimwe is a social worker, her elder sister is a medical doctor and her younger brother is about to complete his degree in mechanical engineering at a university in Ohio, USA.