On the evening of Friday, 13^th February 2026, the Scholars of Mastercard Foundation embraced the new semester with enthusiasm and celebration, showcasing their rich cultural diversity at the annual cultural dinner. This event not only fostered a sense of community but also highlighted the importance of cultural exchange and understanding among the scholars. The purpose of the cultural dinner is to foster unity in diversity within the Scholars community and to enable young people to appreciate and respect each other’s cultural differences.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars community at Makerere University is a vibrant tapestry of countries, cultures, and backgrounds. In recognition of this richness, the Program team has proposed organising an annual cultural dinner to kick off each new semester. This event aims to achieve several important objectives:

• Promote mutual understanding and cross-cultural appreciation among Scholars.
• Celebrate and highlight the unique cultural identities within our community.
• Encourage confidence and creativity through a dynamic talent showcase.
• Foster a sense of unity and excitement as we embark on the new academic semester together.

During the event, the Scholars proudly showcased their diverse cultures through a vibrant display of traditional attire, engaging dances, delectable dishes, and meaningful expressions in their native languages. The event showcased a rich tapestry of cultures, including the Baganda from Central Uganda; the Banyankore, Bakiga, Batooro, and Banyoro from Western Uganda; the Acholi from the North; the Karamojong from the Northeast; and the Basoga and Bagisu from the Eastern region, among many other indigenous tribes in Uganda. Additionally, attendees enjoyed cultural performances from South Sudan, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, celebrating the unique heritage of each community.

The event also featured a vibrant showcase of cultural attire, accompanied by traditional songs and dances. Attendees enjoyed cultural dress modelling, engaging performances, art displays, and interactive quizzes, culminating in exciting prizes awarded to outstanding performers. This diverse array of activities contributed to a rich celebration of creativity and cultural exchange.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University is committed to fostering holistic development, community building, and leadership among Scholars. At the start of each semester, the Program Team hosts a cultural dinner to reconnect the Scholars community, share key Program updates, and create an inclusive space to strengthen belonging and engagement. The cultural dinner is a critical platform for raising awareness of the need to appreciate and respect cultural diversity.

Bernard Buteera is the Principal Communications Officer for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.

More Photos from the Dinner

The degree of attentiveness was at its peak in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility (CTF) Auditorium as Ms. Janet Nabukeera addressed support staff during a Safeguarding and Inclusion training. Her words were firm, direct and reflective. Ms. Nabukeera, the Deputy Human Resource Officer in charge of Performance and Payroll, emphasized that a negative attitude in the workplace creates a toxic environment where colleagues feel hesitant to collaborate or share ideas.

“Avoid unnecessary confrontations with colleagues because jealousy and anger destroy more than they build. When you hold grudges at work, you slowly burden your own heart and mind. Stress can take a toll on your health and productivity. Safeguard yourself by choosing peace, love yourself first and extend that same grace and respect to others.” Ms Nabukeera, cautioned.

The training attracted over 300 Support Staff Members, including Security Personnel, Cleaners, Hall Attendants, Administrative Assistants, Librarians, and Laboratory Support Teams from across the University.

In his remarks, Dr. Rodney Rugyema, the Acting Principal Warden, urged staff to have a positive attitude towards their jobs and encouraged them to ensure that students, fellow staff and visitor’s feel safe, respected and protected.

 “You are the eyes and ears of the University, while you may not deliver lectures, you are often the first to notice when something is wrong. So you have to promote an environment free from bullying, discrimination, neglect and intimidation. You have to ensure secure hostels, well-lit walkways, functioning locks and safe laboratory environments,” Dr Rugyema, said.

Makerere University has a duty of care to do no harm and promote the wellbeing of all students, staff, and other University community stakeholders. It seeks to enhance the learning environment to make it more secure, inclusive, and ethically sound for all stakeholders.

The Makerere University Safeguarding Policy lays out the University’s framework for embedding viable safeguarding measures into its ethos and all institutional activities and processes to: Identify, detect, and swiftly act on safeguarding risks; prevent the occurrence of harm; provide mechanisms for reporting all allegations or incidents that have occurred; respond appropriately to all reported incidences; and, continuously monitor, evaluate and learn from practices and experiences of managing safeguarding concerns.

 “Safeguarding is not only for lecturers or University Management, it is everyone’s responsibility, If you have someone mistreating you, or you come across any risk, do not suffer in silence report through the MakSafeSpace,” Dr Rugyema, said.

The MakSafeSpace is the e-reporting platform complimenting the other University traditional reporting channels. It is an inclusive platform that provides for confidential modes of reporting safeguarding risks and incidences.

As the session concluded, there was a renewed understanding among participants that safeguarding is a collective duty. From the security guard at the gate to the cleaner in the Hall of Residence, it was clear that every staff member contributes to creating a safe and respectful learning environment.

To involve and create opportunities for students and staff members with disabilities, Light for the World Uganda trained the support staff to become inclusion champions.

Mr. Musa Mwambu, the Disability Inclusion Advisor at Light for the World Uganda, called upon staff to remove barriers limiting the full participation of students and colleagues with disabilities, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“Just like any other person, people with disabilities have the right to education, health, and protection. Society has the duty to remove barriers that block participation. When barriers are removed, disability no longer limits opportunity,” Mr. Mwambu noted.

Drawing from his own lived experience as a person with a disability, he shared how access to the right support systems enables him to communicate effectively and perform daily tasks.

“It is about putting the right conditions in place to participate fully in society. We need multi-stakeholder collaboration to remove barriers and achieve an inclusive society,” he said.

Justine Namuddu, the Support Staff representative on the Makerere University Council, thanked the organizers for the insightful workshop. She reminded fellow staff that Makerere University is a home for everyone and urged them to take care of it.

“Fellow members, as you carry out your duties, ensure that you observe both emotional and intellectual safety. Before sharing information, first verify whether it is true. Safety is being at peace with yourself and with others,” Namuddu emphasized.

She also encouraged younger staff members to take advantage of educational opportunities provided by the University, noting that those who wish to continue with their studies may apply for tuition waivers.

The training concluded with reminders on professionalism and accountability. Staff were encouraged to consistently use the Biometric Attendance Management System to capture attendance accurately. With biometric clock-in devices installed at reception areas across the Main and Satellite campuses, the Directorate of Human Resources can monitor attendance in real time, while staff can keep track of hours worked.

The second cohort of procurement and project officers from the Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs (MoKCC&MA) has commenced a four-day training in Integrating Environmental and Social (E&S) Safeguards in the Procurement Cycle at Makerere University.

The training, which started on 17th February, is being conducted by the Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence and brings together officers from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Entebbe Municipality, Kira Municipality, Mpigi District Local Government, and Wakiso District Local Government.

The programme was officially opened by the Under Secretary of MoKCC&MA, Ms. Monica Edemachu Ejua.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Ejua thanked Makerere University for strengthening the Ministry’s capacity and bringing on board facilitators with hands-on experience. She emphasized that the training is critical for effective implementation of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), which operates under a results-based financing framework.

Drawing from personal experience, she underscored the importance of mainstreaming environmental and social safeguards into government operations and even into school curricula. Using practical examples, from poor waste management practices to unsafe project sites—she highlighted the real-life consequences of weak compliance, including fatalities, environmental degradation, and social injustices.

She cited recent incidents within the GKMA programme, noting that failure to manage environmental and social risks can lead to suspension of project sites and reputational damage.

“We would rather prevent than deal with the death of somebody. Contractors know how expensive it is to deal with fatalities,” she stressed.

Ms. Ejua further challenged procurement professionals to recognize their central role in government performance.

“Procurement is the engine of government business. If it is not well managed from planning, the end result will be bad. But if we plan well, we shall end well,” she said.

She called for greater engagement with communities during project implementation and urged officers to become ambassadors of sustainable development beyond the classroom.

Strengthening the Public Investment Cycle

Welcoming participants, the Deputy Director of the PIM Centre of Excellence, Prof. Eria Hisali, emphasized that integrating environmental, social, health and safety considerations is as important as assessing financial and economic feasibility.

He noted that since 2009/2010, the Government of Uganda has allocated a significant share of its national budget—averaging 40–45 percent—towards capital development projects. Such large-scale investments, he said, demand robust systems to ensure value for money and sustainability across the entire public investment management cycle.

“Public investment management is not only about feasibility studies. It includes ideation, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability considerations,” Prof. Hisali explained.

He encouraged participants to quantify the costs of non-compliance, including the economic implications of fatalities and environmental damage, arguing that evidence-based decision-making strengthens accountability and action.

World Bank Support and System Strengthening

Representing, the funding agency, Ms Maliam Acio Aalangdong, a Social Development Specialist from the World Bank, commitment to strengthening country systems for environmental and social risk management.

She revealed that Uganda’s World Bank portfolio currently stands at approximately USD 4.9 billion, making effective safeguards management a priority. She explained that projects are now governed under the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), which places strong emphasis on integrating risk mitigation measures from project design through implementation.

Ms. Acio noted that previous assessments identified gaps in upstream mainstreaming of E&S issues, stakeholder engagement, land acquisition management, and social risk coverage. The partnership with Makerere University and other institutions aims to address these gaps through structured training and professional development.

She also highlighted that fatalities recorded under some projects in Uganda—including six in a single year under GKMA—underscore the urgency of building stronger compliance and monitoring systems.

Training Objectives

Presenting the objectives of the training, Dr. Bruce Rukundo from MoKCC&MA explained that the programme focuses on strengthening participants’ ability to systematically integrate environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) considerations into all stages of the procurement cycle.

Participants will be equipped to:

• Identify and map E&S risks during project planning and procurement;
• Draft and review bidding documents that reflect E&S obligations, including occupational safety, labour management, and gender-based violence safeguards;
• Apply objective criteria in bid evaluation to ensure compliance;
• Monitor contractor performance using inspections, checklists, and reporting tools;
• Take timely corrective action during project implementation.

Dr. Rukundo emphasized that while contractors are responsible for compliance on site, the borrower remains ultimately accountable for managing environmental and social risks.

Expanding the Impact

Dr. Jude Mugarura, Lead Trainer, noted that the first cohort completed its training successfully the previous week. The second cohort expands participation to additional metropolitan entities, with an expected total of about 40 participants.

He reiterated that the training is part of a broader strategy to institutionalize environmental and social safeguards within Uganda’s public investment management systems. As the second cohort embarks on the four-day programme, participants have been urged to not only earn certificates but to translate knowledge into action, ensuring safer, more sustainable infrastructure development across the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area and beyond.