The Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe launching the SophiA project on 8th December 2021, Senate Building, Makerere University. (Photo by Alex Mugalu)
Makerere University on 8th December 2021 officially unveiled an African project to Benefit Health Facilities across the continent. The Project is called sustainable Off-grid solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa (SophiA).
The launch was presided over by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Professor Barnabas Nawangwe. The SophiA project will benefit both Makerere and the Health system in remote parts of the country by granting access to off-grid carbon-neutral electricity, heating and cooling of food and medicines, storage of vaccines up to -70°C as well as access to safe and clean drinking water.
Makerere is partnering with 13 organizations across Europe and Africa in the project funded by the European Union to ensure extended support to Health Centre Fours (HC IVs) across four African countries. It will be a 4-year multi-disciplinary project with activities in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, and Uganda.
The SophiA system components and layout (Courtesy Photo)
Makerere University will take the lead in two of the project’s nine work packages. Work Package 1 (WP 1) is aimed at assessing the needs of several health facilities in the above mentioned countries in order to identify and match in each country ONE most significant and suitable health facility. The facility, which must be located in a rural remote region of the country will then be served by a SophiA system on a pilot basis.
Makerere will also take the lead in work package 7 (WP 7), which will investigate the environmental, economic, and social aspects to demonstrate the benefits of SophiA solutions.
During the launch, Vice Chancellor congratulated the team upon winning the grant adding that it is projects of this nature that will help Makerere implement its new strategic plan.
“First of all, I want to congratulate the team of Dr. Kiggundu, Dr. Bimbona, and Dr. Muhangi upon winning this grant. Makerere has a strategic plan which seeks to make the University even more research-intensive and we are only going to succeed in that if we have got the requisite human resource that not only applies for and wins grants but also does the research and disseminates the findings”. Prof Nawangwe stated.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (3rd R) with R-L: Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Dr. Nicholas Kiggundu, Dr. Denis Muhangi, Dr. Sarah Bimbona and Mr. John Tumuhimbise-Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development at the SophiA launch. (Photo by Alex Mugalu)
“This is a very good example of the capacity built by Makerere University over the years to improve its capacity in doing research and also wining grants. At the moment more than 50% of all the money for research that is coming into Makerere is either by individual researchers or groups of researchers or consortia like the one we are seeing here. I therefore want to believe that Makerere has really has reached the capacity of doing research of the highest standard with big grants won competitively at an international level and I want to congratulate you once again” the Vice Chancellor added.
In the same spirit, Professor Nawangwe acknowledged the European Union for considering Makerere‘s application for the grant and supporting the University in the implementation of the project. He also applauded the researchers and their partners for joining efforts to see that this project is a success.
“I thank the European Union for the grant, as well as the other partners of the project and all researchers for their efforts. It’s now my honor to launch the SophiA project.” Professor Nawangwe said.
Team Leader-Dr. Nicholas Kiggundu (C) with colleagues Dr. Sarah Bimbona (L) and Dr. Denis Muhangi (R) at the Launch of SophiA (Photo by Alex Mugalu)
Dr. Nicholas Kiggundu the project team leader from the Department of Agricultural and Bio systems Engineering, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) made it clear that the project will focus on four major areas including availing electricity to health facilities, preservation of medicine, water purification and improving hospital room temperatures.
“You may have heard in the past that Uganda might not get certain vaccines for COVID-19 because most of our facilities don’t store such vaccines, so this project will restore that possibility. We have a challenge of purified water whereby when you go to the hospital and are given some medicine to swallow but the water is not safe. And so we shall be able to purify water in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way without mixing the chemicals such as chlorine. We shall also make sure that the rooms in the hospital are cool”. Dr. Kiggundu said.
Dr. Denis Muhangi from the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) noted that this project will be multidisciplinary so as to find comprehensive solutions for health challenges in Uganda.
“If this project provides refrigeration to the health centres in remote parts of the country, solar energy, as well as all these water treatment and safe storage facilities, we will for sure have solved the bulk of challenges facing health centres in this country.” Dr. Muhangi said.
The Nottingham Trent University (NTU) Global Summer School will run from 7 July – 1 August 2025 in the heart of England.
Why join this summer?
A diverse range of credit-bearing courses The Global Summer School offers a variety of exciting courses, from cybersecurity to creative industries, and space science to entrepreneurship – truly something for everyone! With two distinct blocks of courses, students can either dive deeper into their passions or broaden their horizons by exploring new subjects.
A truly international experience Students will join peers from many countries across the world, creating a vibrant and multicultural learning environment that enhances the global student experience.
An exciting cultural and social programme Beyond the classroom NTU offers a full schedule of activities, including visits to iconic UK cities, sports and evening events ensuring that students make the most of their time in the UK.
A safe and welcoming destination Nottingham is a city renowned for its safety, having earned the prestigious Purple Flag award for its excellent night-time safety and vibrant atmosphere, ensuring your students feel at home both on and off campus.
Don’t miss out! This is the perfect chance for students to develop new skills, make new friends and experience the best of British culture. NTU looks forward to welcoming students this summer!
On behalf of Makerere University Management, I congratulate and thank you for the successful completion of Semester Two: 2024/2025.
2.End of the Second Semester
The second Semester holiday break will begin on 17th May, 2025 up to Saturday 9th August, 2025.
3. Resident Students
All resident students are expected to vacate the Halls of Residence by mid-day on Saturday, 17th May, 2025.
4. University Property
Please hand over all University property in your possession (such as: room keys, Sports & Games equipment, College property etc) before you leave the Hall of Residence.
5. Security of personal property
Please make sure that you carry with you all your property.
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.
One of the preliminary rounds in session at Lumumba Hall.
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.
Daphine Kemigisha submitting at the debate grand finale.
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.
Debate Winners; Daphine Kemigisha (Right) and Jibril Sekandi (Left) from the School of Law (SoL).
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.