Connect with us

Engineering, Art & Tech

How a Researcher is Using Art to Create HIV Awareness

Published

on

By Betty Kyakuwa & Isaac Abaho

Researchers have been called upon to increase awareness about HIV among the population. The call was made by Rtd. Maj. Rubaramira Ruranga, during the opening of Mr. Robert Ssewanyana’s art exhibition that sought to create HIV awareness and prevention in slum areas of Kampala. Maj. Rubaramira said the biggest reason for the increase in HIV is lack of knowledge and information by the population especially in the rural areas.  The exhibition was attended by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) Dr. Josephine Nabukenya as well as organisations doing HIV treatment and rehabilitation.

Maj. Rubaramira said there was no reason as to why people should contract HIV even if raped. He pointed to the existence of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), an emergency treatment to prevent HIV after exposure. This treatment is given before 72 hours after exposure or rape.

The spread of HIV has been on the rise especially among the young people aged between 15 and 24 years.  This has been due to lack of knowledge about HIV especially among the rural communities. In the urban centres, HIV increase has been attributed to a number of factors, including, poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, a thriving commercial sex industry and lack of knowledge of matters relating to the spread of HIV. To this end, Mr. Robert Ssewanyana, an artist and lecturer at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art set out to work with communities in an effort to create awareness and prevent the spread of HIV. He worked with communities of Bwaise, Ndeeba and Katwe.

Read more

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

Engineering, Art & Tech

CEDAT and KOICA Partner to Advance E-Learning at Makerere University

Published

on

A selection of the newly installed micro studio equipment on display during the official handover ceremony held at CEDAT on Wednesday, 25th June 2025.

The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) at Makerere University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Project Management Committee of the “Enhancing the Distance Education Environment at Makerere University” initiative. This agreement formalizes the operational and managerial framework for the newly installed micro studio at CEDAT, aimed at strengthening the university’s digital learning infrastructure.

Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, Deputy Principal of CEDAT, signed on behalf of the college, while Dr. Shon JinGon, Project Manager at the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), represented the implementing partner during an event held on Wednesday, 25th June 2025.

For more information click here

Alex Isemaghendera

Continue Reading

Engineering, Art & Tech

Uganda Urged to Strengthen OSHE Enforcement Amid Rising Workplace Injuries

Published

on

Dr. Abubaker Waswa Matovu (R) Head of the Department of Computer and Electronics Engineering at Makerere University, emphasized the importance of the training in promoting workplace safety.

In response to Uganda’s growing workplace safety concerns, staff at the College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) participated in an Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (OSHE) training session aimed at increasing awareness and improving adherence to safety standards in professional and academic environments.

The workshop, organized by the School of Engineering, was part of a larger effort led by the OSHE Centers of Excellence, an initiative launched at Makerere, Kyambogo, and Busitema Universities on May 4, 2023. This program seeks to enhance workplace safety education, with a focus on hazard prevention, PPE usage, risk mitigation, and integrating OSHE principles into engineering curricula and industrial practices.

Speaking at the training, Dr. Abubaker Waswa Matovu, Head of the Department of Computer and Electronics Engineering at Makerere University, emphasized the importance of the training which was aimed at creating awareness about the need for the College, the university and the industry to proactively plan for safety at the place of work. It was indicated that Uganda was faced by alarming workplace injury rates, with over 25,000 workers suffering from job-related injuries annually, yet fatality statistics remain largely unreported.

Dr. Matovu highlighted the urgent need for OSHE integration in higher education, pointing out that 99% of engineering and science graduates enter the workforce without formal safety training. This lack of preparedness has led industries to withdraw internship placements, fearing liability if trainees suffer injuries or fatalities while on the job, he noted.

Click here for details

Alex Isemaghendera

Continue Reading

Engineering, Art & Tech

Makerere University and Nile Basin Discourse Partner on Water Resource Management Initiative

Published

on

The NBD team and their hosts led by Dr. Robinah Kulabako pose for a picture at the CEDAT Block

Makerere University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has partnered with the Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) to collaborate on a World Bank-funded, two-year project aimed at improving transboundary water resource management in East Africa.

During a meeting held on 5th June 2025 at CEDAT, Eng. Sylvesta Matemu, head of NBD, engaged with Makerere University representatives, including Dr. Philip Nyenje and Dr. Seith Mugume, to discuss strategies for effective implementation. The project seeks to employ citizen science approaches to involve local communities in water governance, data collection, and policy formulation.

The team also met with Prof. Dorothy Okello, Dean of the School of Engineering, and Dr. Robinah Kulabako, Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, to explore key areas of collaboration. Experts stressed the importance of regional cooperation in water management, citing growing concerns over resource sustainability and environmental challenges.

Click here for more details

Alex Isemaghendera

Continue Reading

Trending