General
CEDAT Students Win Euros75,000 Climate Change Grant
A team of 5 students code named VEPOX, have won a grant of Euros75,000 (UGX 300million) for an innovation that addresses water quality in rural areas. The team designed a water filtration technology code-named Vepox Filter that uses activated Carbon and Functionalized sand in order to make water from surface water sources portable for drinking especially in rural areas.
The students participated in the ClimateLaunchpad Global Competition held in the Netherlands on November 14 and 15, 2019.
Nine teams in Uganda were selected to participate in the National competition held in Kampala. From this, three teams where selected to engage in the regional challenge in Nairobi, two of which; Wet Technik and VEPOX, came from the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University. The teams participated in the regional Finals in Nairobi and were selected to go on to the global finals in Amsterdam.
VEPOX was shortlisted among the final 16 teams from a group of 130 teams. The 16 teams were entered into the EIT Climate-KIC accelerator program, where each of the 16 is to receive up to Euros 75,000.
The Wet Technik team is addressing challenges of grey water around the university, using a constructed wetland innovative approach. The students have built a grey water treatment facility at Africa Hall as part of an innovation to help improve water use efficiency and avail more water for irrigation. They look to making the system small so that it can be used in congested urban settings.
The students are mentored by a team of lecturers under the Problem-Based learning project.
We congratulate our students for being winners.
Betty Kyakuwa is the Communication Officer, CEDAT.
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
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