General
Mak Press launches Nine Books, 40 in the Pipeline
Published
1 year agoon
By
Mak Editor
The atmosphere was festive on the warm Tuesday afternoon of 28th June 2022 as the Makerere University Press (MUP) presented its bumper harvest of nine (9) scholarly titles to the public. And, as any proud “parent” would, the Managing Editor, MUP, Dr. Samuel Siminyu took time to carefully introduce each of his “children”; the book titles and their respective authors. But first, he profusely thanked the authors for entrusting MUP with their intellectual property, an act he partly attributed to the reputation Makerere has earned itself over the century of existence.
“Makerere University Press is basing on that historic achievement to also make a name for you, for itself and for Makerere in the scholarly publishing arena” Dr. Siminyu praised. “Working with you personally has extended our circle of acquaintances and deepened our comradery” he added.

The nine books launched that afternoon were;
- Runyakitara Language Studies: A Guide for Advanced Learners and Teachers in Runyakitara edited by Oswald K. Ndoleriire,
- Contemporary Issues in Educational Research and Policy in the Global South edited by Connie Ssebbunga-Masembe and Samuel N. Siminyu,
- What I Saw When I Died by Jimmy Spire Ssentongo,
- Moving Back into the Future: Critical Recovering of Africa’s Cultural Heritage edited by Dominica Dipio,
- Countering Violent Extremism in Uganda: An Assessment of the History, Philosophies and Strategies by Veneranda Mbabazi and Others,
- Lulu ya Bara by Innocent Masengo,
- HIV/AIDS in Uganda: Achievements and Challenges edited by James Kiwanuka-Tondo,
- Statehood on Trial: Thoughts on the 1966 Uganda Political Crisis by Joseph Bossa, and
- (Mis) Management of sub-Nationalism and Diversity in “Nations”: The case of Buganda in Uganda, 1979-1980 by Godfrey Asiimwe
Author appreciation
After his brief appreciation to the hardworking Prof. Oswald Ndoleriire and his team for their book Runyakitara Language Studies: A Guide for Advanced Learners and Teachers in Runyakitara, Dr. Siminyu pondered, “if we cannot publish to promote and immortalise the study of our local languages, who will?” He was nevertheless happy to announce that relatedly, MUP had received and was processing manuscripts in and about Kiswahili, Luganda, Luo, Ateso and Lusoga.

Turning to Sr. Dominica Dipio, he thanked the prolific author, filmmaker and Professor of Literature and Film for not only transferring her book Moving Back into the Future: Critical Recovering of Africa’s Cultural Heritage from an international publisher to MUP but also reminding his team of our collective obligation to reach out to the whole world with our African voice.

Dr. Siminyu then thanked Prof. Connie Sebbunga-Masembe for reminding us all that higher education is not just the concern of educationists at the College of Education and External Studies. Describing the book Contemporary Issues in Educational Research and Policy in the Global South as “a rich mosaic of ideas that could help propel higher education in our region to another level,” he was happy to share that it had already been warmly received and labelled by scholars of higher education as “very informative”.

“As a public intellectual, Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo endeared us to the common man on the street with his sweet satire – What I Saw When I Died. We have had to ship his popular title across the country and into neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania on taxis, buses and boda-bodas” complimented the Managing Editor.

Dr. Siminyu then thanked Dr. Veneranda Mbabazi and her team for showing through their book Countering Violent Extremism in Uganda: An Assessment of the History, Philosophies and Strategies that researchers can subject even fields as intimidating as terrorism to scholarly reflection. “We hope that their findings will contribute to our understanding of and fight against terrorism.”

He then described working with the late Joseph Bossa on his book Statehood on Trial: Thoughts on the 1966 Uganda Political Crisis as a journey of discovery. “Can you imagine an Acting President of the former ruling party coming to see you all by himself – without a bodyguard or personal assistant?…a UPC leader who can pinpoint faults in Obote’s performance as a political leader and also see some positive traits in Yoweri Museveni’s performance?…Bossa was an enigma! He beat every stereotype and stood out as an independent thinker.”

Of the next title (Mis) Management of sub-Nationalism and Diversity in “Nations”: The case of Buganda in Uganda, 1979-1980, Dr. Siminyu said, “When you read Dr. Godfrey Asiimwe’s work, you feel like telling the gentleman to stop talking and just concentrate on writing! His writing is so deep and sweet. He looks at what many other authors have already written about and comes up with fresh revelations.”

Dr. Siminyu described Prof. James Kiwanuka-Tondo’s book HIV/AIDS in Uganda: Achievements and Challenges as “another gem that was retrieved from another publisher and given to us as a statement of faith in Makerere and what it is capable of doing… Through these works, James has re-issued some pieces published in world-class journals, making them accessible and affordable for our local readers. This is a model that should be emulated.”

“Can you imagine a Ugandan writing Kiswahili poetry?” pondered Dr. Siminyu with reference to Dr. Innocent Masengo’s Lulu ya Bara (The Pearl of the Continent). “We are waiting to hear what our Kiswahili-speaking regional neighbours will say. They have previously alleged that Kiswahili was born in Tanzania, died in Kenya, and was buried in Uganda.” he humorously added.

Keynote address
In line with the yearlong centenary celebrations, the Keynote address was appropriately titled “100 Years of Scholarly Publishing at Makerere“. It was delivered by Prof. J. Robert Ikoja Odongo, a gallant alumnus, former Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), currently serving as Vice Chancellor of Soroti University. The Keynote Speaker expressed happiness at being back home, where his destiny was shaped.
From the outset, Prof. Ikoja sought to distinguish scholarly publishing from other forms of publishing such as; book publishing, trade publishing, journal publishing, newspaper publishing, magazine publishing, self-publishing and music publishing.
“Scholarly publishing is one branch of publishing that specializes in publishing for an academic and professional or scholarly market or scholarly community and the public with interest in a particular area of research” he said.
Prof. Ikoja further clarified that the outputs of scholarly publishing are researched material that are disseminated in universities, at conferences and during seminars and symposia. Post dissemination, they may be published as proceedings or in refereed journals as articles. He clarified that monographs or books belong to this category.
Chronicling the journey of publishing at over the last 100 years, Prof. Ikoja paid tribute to Sir Philip Mitchell who served as Governor of Uganda from 1935 to 1940, for championing and forecasting Makerere University to be an icon of education in the region and recommending the establishment of the Press. Subsequently, in 1945 a production unit called the Printer was established in the basement of the Main Administration Building and University Managers at the time sent one Yeko Mukasa to Britain, to be equipped with skills to run the Printer.
Following its establishment the Printer began publishing titles such as Commercial law in East Africa by John W. Katende, Medical statistics, Psychiatry, and African indigenous education by Prof. Jakayo Peter Ociti. Prof. Ikoja further cited Professors such as David Rubadiri, Margaret Donohue, George Kanyeihamba, Fredrick Kayanja, John Mbiti, Austin Bukenya, Mahmood Mamdani, Ali Mazrui and Okot p’Bitek among others who wrote and published many books and monographs.

The keynote speaker elaborated that publications by Makerere researchers were done both within the University and abroad. “The reason for outside publishing was political safety in some cases, economic emancipation in some while in others, an inability of Makerere to handle their works internally and on time.”
In particular, Prof. Ikoja pointed to the period between 1940 and 1960 as one of growth of African nationalism, with Makerere becoming a hive of militant students. “African strand of students started a writing scheme from which Makerere harvested many story book manuscripts that were later published including those published under the Crow Press of the East African Literature Bureau.”
Detailing Makerere‘s history of Journals, Prof. Ikoja outlined the; Makerere Medical Journal (MMJ) 1964, Mawazo 1968, Makerere Law Journal 1975, Journal of African Religion and Philosophy 1989, East African Journal of Rural Economy, African Crop Science Journal, 1993, Dialogue 1994, African Journal of Peace and Human Rights 1995, Makerere Journal of Higher Education 1998 as evidence that Makerere had been engaged in journal publishing.
Despite this rich and vibrant history, Prof. Ikoja took issue with his Alma Mater’s limited usage of its own books and journals in teaching and research. He nevertheless called for more planning, recognition and enthusiasm to reverse the dominant use of foreign literature. He added that MUP could contribute to solving local problems by publishing well-illustrated manuals for farmers as well as artisans such as welders, builders, etc. and translating these into various local languages.
Furthermore, he called for the enactment of a publications policy to guide planning, financing, and book development among other activities and the elevation of MUP to the status Directorate. The Keynote speaker equally tasked MUP to work closely with the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) to scope for publishable theses or dissertations.
Prof. Ikoja challenged MUP to work together with other local, regional and international Presses such as; African Book Collective, Southern African Bibliographic Information Network (SABINET) and the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) to develop marketing for Makerere University imprint.
Additionally, he encouraged MUP to; consider co-publishing with Presses on other continents or partner with them to include book reviews in the lists. He reiterated the need for MUP to explore translations as a means expand their market, and take advantage of ICT for e- scholarly publications and online marketing.
Panel discussion
The keynote address was followed by a panel discussion graced by the Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Prof. Josephine Ahikire and Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo from the Department of Philosophy, CHUSS.

Moderated by Mr. Isaac Tibasiima from the Department of Literature, CHUSS, the panel discussion was a moment for the College to bask in the spotlight of scholarly publishing, as most of the books to be launched were authored by fellow faculty.

Key highlights from this session were;
- The need for Makerere to create demand for knowledge by promoting multidisciplinary publication and content that speaks to all aspects of our human nature, be they spiritual, material, social, philosophical etc.
- Writers ought to go beyond simply paying attention to producing new knowledge to caring about who is actually reading and making use of it. Academics should also never shy away from promoting their own works
- The need to examine how favourable our scholar incentive structure is to the book writing and how policies on promotion have contributed to or disincentivised the same.
- The need to decolonise publication and knowledge production in our promotion processes. Unwarranted extra scrutiny of articles published in local journals during promotion processes pushes authors to publish in international ones that don’t attract as much scrutiny.
- The need to promote writing in our local languages as a political act. Furthermore, there is need include more of our writers in teaching and research course content as a way of motivating the younger generation to write and expand knowledge in our context
- The culture of always seeking to go beyond the comforts of what we have achieved, what we know and what is celebrated by our society and peers as true success should be strongly encouraged.
- It is our responsibility as inheritors to grow the body of knowledge beyond what already exists
Concluding remarks
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Chairperson of the MUP Editorial Board, Prof. Umar Kakumba in his remarks sincerely appreciated the authors for having faith in the Press to publish their work. “I am also delighted to note that we have over 40 manuscripts in the pipeline under the Makerere University Press, which is a great sign of confidence in this institution.”
He appreciated the Vice Chancellor for entrusting him and the MUP Editorial Board and staff with the responsibility to promote scholarly publishing. The MUP mandate, he said, is in line with the core thrust of the Makerere Strategic Plan to make the University research-led.

Prof. Kakumba further noted that the cost recovery model employed by MUP unlike the return on investment model employed by other publishing houses would ensure that authors’ publications hit the market at a competitive cost, which will enable more people to purchase and read their works.
Prior to inviting the Chief Guest to officially launch the books, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe expressed great pride at being at the helm of Makerere at a time when the University is progressing towards its goal of being a vibrant research university. He congratulated the authors upon investing time and energy in scholarly publishing and being good role models for other staff.
“My main objective as Vice Chancellor is the emancipation of our people from mental slavery. And so it makes me very happy to see authors beginning to publish about the issues that affect Uganda and Africa” remarked Prof. Nawangwe. He congratulated Prof. Kakumba and the Editorial Board as well as Dr. Siminyu and the MUP staff upon this achievement.

Prof. Nawangwe challenged the younger generation in the room to always remember that their continent and its people are marginalised. He added that it is the responsibility of youth to fight and overcome the present state of affairs.
The Chief Guest at the Book Launch was the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero, who was represented by Dr. Cosmas Mwikirize, Member of Staff at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) currently serving as the Ministry’s Leader of the Engineering Economy.
Commending the scholars on their impressive publications, the Minister nevertheless warned that the race is far from over if this knowledge does not add value to society, make peoples’ lives better, create a conscious and transformed society, as well as contribute to reorientation of mindsets, value systems and policy.
Hon. Dr. Musenero nevertheless commended Makerere University for establishing a viable Press, which will serve as an example to other Ugandan Universities. “We are proud of the quality of publications that we have witnessed today and we encourage you to do more; it is important that we strive to maintain international quality standards in our scholarly publications.”
Furthermore, she challenged the University to ensure that most of her publications are availed electronically. “A small spark can light a fire and cause conflagration capable of consuming forests of intellectual ignorance. Today, electronic media are the chief enablers of this conflagration.”
Hon. Dr. Musenero concluded by thanking the Vice Chancellor and University Management for nurturing and supporting the spirit of innovation. She expressed the Government’s anticipation to seeing more publications in varied disciplines as well as from beyond the gates of Makerere.
Upon officially launching the nine (9) books, Dr. Mwikirize accompanied by the Vice Chancellor and Members of Management autographed dummies of the books and had a photo moment with the authors and their families. Mr. Tibasiima, assisted by the Principal Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ms. Ritah Namisango moderated the days proceedings.
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General
Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda calls for full involvement of men and boys in achieving Gender Equality
Published
5 days agoon
December 5, 2023
The Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda Her Excellence Maria Håkansson has emphasized the need to fully engage men and boys in all the initiatives geared towards achieving Gender Equality in Uganda and other parts of the world. She said this on 28th November 2023 at a press conference organized by the Embassy of Sweden in close collaboration with Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, UN Women and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to unveil the National Orange Pledge campaign and officially launch the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
The press conference was headlined by a Ugandan rapper and record producer Daniel Lubwama Kigozi, popularly known by his stage name Navio and his fellow from Sweden Jason Michael Bosak Diakité popularly known as Timbuktu. Over 200 students both male and female from Makerere University and other institutions of higher learning attended the press conference at Makerere University Rugby Grounds.
According to Her Excellence Maria Håkansson, Gender Equality cannot be achieved without involving men and boys to take their responsibilities and be the drivers of change. “For real change to happen, we need to change attitudes and norms that might cause Gender Based Violence, one of the social ills in Uganda and an extreme of gender inequality that occurs at all levels of society,” she said.

Referring to the national survey conducted in 2020, the Ambassador was concerned about the escalating burden of gender based violence in Uganda when she said, “the Survey highlighted that 95% of women and girls experience physical or sexual violence since the age of 15.”
She therefore emphasized the Global 16 Days of Activism as key international movement to increase awareness and advocate for an end to Gender Based Violence. The Ambassador also mentioned that preventing and responding to Gender Based Violence is a cornerstone for Sweden’s commitment to promote democracy, human rights and gender equality and this is done as an investment in a society that upholds the principles of equality, dignity and justice.
She acknowledged the full participation of university students in all campaigns and activities geared towards achieving gender equality as well as ending Gender Based Violence when she said, “You are the leaders of tomorrow and you have an opportunity to build a future where everyone can thrive. So please use today to take an active stand against Gender Based Violence.”
Every year Uganda joins the rest of the world to enhance the global campaigns on 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and also add a voice to the call for an end to violence against women and girls. These campaigns run from 25th November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) until 10th December of the Human Rights Day.
The United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 initiative calls for global action to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts and share knowledge and innovations to help end all types of violence against women and girls. This year 2023, the UNiTE campaign theme is; Invest to Prevent Violence against Women & Girls.

Over the years, Makerere University through its Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and School of Women and Gender in partnership with UN Women and many other partners have been at the fore front to support the campaign on 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence in Uganda. This has been done through debates, theatre forums, student dialogues, thematic artistic presentations, media exposures, drama and music skits presentation, and student peer led discussions and quarterly competitions.
This year 2023, the University in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden, UN Women and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) unveiled the Orange Pledge. According to Eric Tumwesigye the Senior Gender Specialist at Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, this campaign calls upon government, policymakers, activists, civil societies, academicians, students and all members of community from all parts of the country to make their heartfelt pledges towards ending Gender Based Violence in Uganda and the rest of the world.
The UN Women Country Representative Paulina Chiwangu recognized the investment Makerere University, the Embassy of Sweden and UNFPA have made to end violence against women and girls. “Thanks to our collective efforts, the silence that used to shroud violence against women has now been broken” said.
In the same spirit, she acknowledged the progress Makerere University has made in establishing and implementation of the University’s Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment to protect students and staff from potential abuses of power and conflict of interest. She also applauded the increased support and training for students and the strengthened mechanisms for investigations that allow students and staff to anonymously report sexual misconduct.

“We are however, aware that despite this, sexual harassment is still happening in the university and that not many students report to the authorities when they experience it. It is therefore, our humble appeal to the university leadership to continue monitoring the implementation of the Policy and Regulations Against Sexual Harassment, take all allegations of sexual harassment and violence seriously, ensure that all personnel have information on available support services and take action to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.”
Reaffirming the University’s position in fighting GBV and particularly sexual harassment, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe was highlighted the various measures Makerere University has put in place to prevent and respond to Gender Based Violence. To him, the Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment; the appointment and capacity building for the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100 eminent people from the various colleges and administrative units; recruitment and training of the Gender Mainstreaming Programme Student Peer Trainers and setting up Sexual Harassment Investigation Committees are bigger milestones to celebrate.
He appreciated the move by the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and all the partners to embrace entertainment and artistry as a critical advocacy and awareness tool to reach several communities especially the youth.
“We firmly believe in the transformative power of music and the arts in promoting social change. Music and art does serve as a powerful medium to advocate for the world free from violence especially violence against women,” said to Mr. Dainel Alemu, the UNFPA Deputy Country Representative.

“It is heartening to see artists like Navio taking a stand and using their influence to challenge harmful norms. As we revel in the beats and melodies, let us not forget he underlying message that everyone , regardless of gender, has a role to play in fostering a world where everyone is free from shackles of gender based violence,” he added.
Speaking at the Press Conference at Makerere University Rugby Grounds, Navio said that for the 20 years he has been an activist of Gender Based Violence, he has faced the reality of many young girls and women in Uganda being victims of sex and physical abuse. He therefore sent a huge condemnation to men especially artists that who are perpetrators of Gender Based Violence and called for serious government action and clear policies and laws against such injustices.
Navio applauded the women and men who have stood tall over the years to fight against Gender Based Violence in Uganda when he said, “ As we launch the 16 days activism in Uganda and through these pledges we are making, let us be accountable for our actions. For long in our cultures, men have considered force and violence as power and protection. They have been tough to their children hence instilling fear to the extent that the children cannot freely interact with them on serious matters such as abuse and torture.”

He applauded all families that have adopted the new parenting model of free conversations and interaction hence encouraging children to freely open up whenever they have challenges. Navio also acknowledged the role of his mother Mrs Maggie Kigozi as a human rights activist and a champion in fighting against Gender Based Violence in Uganda.
Jason Michael Bosak Diakité popularly known as Timbuktu from Sweden appreciated the wider platform provided by the music industry globally for artists to act as role models and champion of change. The rapper highlighted the need to respect women for their roles and support towards community development.
“I am a son and it is extremely important for me to respect my mother and all women. Also being a father to a beautiful daughter, I am always eager and looking forward to seeing the best future for her. I want daught to grow up in the world where she is able to feel safe and be allowed to freely associate without being discriminated or threatened because of her gender,” he said.
General
Scholars & Alumni of Mastercard Foundation light up Achukudu Community, Napak District
Published
6 days agoon
December 4, 2023By
Mak Editor
By Bernard Buteera
On Saturday 2nd December 2023, all roads led to Achukudu Community Primary School in Napak District, Karamoja sub-region, as the Scholars and Alumni of Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University commemorated their Scholars’ Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback). The 2023 Scholars Annual Day of Community Service was held at Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District in the Karamoja sub-region. Established in 2013, Achukudu Community School serves two ethnic communities—The Iteso and Karamojong.
With a total population of 1,097 pupils only three government-paid teachers, and nine community-paid teachers, the School faces a plethora of challenges. Key among the challenges is the lack of Classrooms, decent Ventilated Pit Latrines, and Desks. Therefore when the Scholars identified the School as one that deserved to be given a gift of a classroom block, it was a befitting choice!
The Scholars with support from the alumni, the Program Team, Members of the Steering Committee, and partners of the Scholars Program at Makerere University intervened by constructing a two-classroom block, which was supervised by one of the alumni who is an Engineer. Alongside the classroom block, the Scholars also provided 40 desks, helping the school meet UNEB Center eligibility criteria.

While presiding over the event, the area member of Parliament, Hon. John Bosco Ngoya, thanked the Scholars and alumni community at Makerere University for supporting the young pupils of Achukudu Primary School and the entire community by gifting them with a two-classroom block.
“Thank you Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University for the Christmas gift of a classroom block to the young people and the entire community of Achukudu. This classroom block will go a long way in improving the learning environment of the young children of Achukudu primary school.” Hon. Ngoya pointed out.
Hon. Ngoya called upon other people to emulate the Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation in embracing the spirit of giving back to the vulnerable people in the community. On his part, he donated One Million Five hundred shillings (1,500,000/=) to help the School purchase more desks, and he had earlier contributed One million shillings (1,000,000/=) towards the construction of the classroom block.

The District Education Officer (DEO) for Napak District, Ms. Joyce Nakoya, praised the Scholars Community for embracing and practicing the spirit of giving back to other people at an early age.
“Thank you Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation at Makerere for embracing the spirit of giving back to other people at such an early age. If all people gave back to the less privileged in our communities, we would have a better world for everyone.” Ms. Nakoya pointed out.
Ms. Nakoya further pointed out every child deserves to study in a decent environment, therefore it was a befitting cause for the Scholars to construct a classroom block for the young pupils of Achukudu community primary school, who were studying in open grass thatched classrooms.

The Program Manager of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, Ms. Jolly Okumu who led the team of Scholars, alumni, and staff to Karamoja thanked the community of Achukudu for supporting the Scholars to deliver the class block by contributing to the construction sand.
“We come here today to join with you as a community driven by a shared commitment to education, empowerment, and ethos of giving back. Today is a historic occasion as we celebrate the completion and commissioning of the classroom block, which is a remarkable testament to the transformative power of education and our unwavering spirit of community service.” Ms. Jolly remarked.
The President of the Scholars Association, Mr. Godfrey Okello, thanked all the Scholars and alumni, and all stakeholders who contributed to the construction of the classroom block, which was a dream that became a reality.

“I would like to thank my colleagues and people of goodwill who supported us to realize our dream of constructing this classroom for our young brothers and sisters of Achukudu Primary School. Together we can make a difference in the lives of our fellow young people in Uganda and Africa as a whole.” Mr. Okello remarked.
The Headteacher of the School, Mr. Eryebu Raymond, who was visibly very excited was full of praises for Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation, for what he termed as an iconic classroom block they had gifted to his School.
“This day is very special to us, we will not see this day again. We are delighted to receive the Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation from Makerere University, thank you for considering supporting our School” Mr. Eryebu excitedly remarked.

The Headteacher revealed that one of the major challenges the school was facing was an acute shortage of classrooms for his 1,097 pupils. He was therefore grateful to Mastercard Foundation Scholars for choosing to construct a two-class block for the School.
“This donation of a classroom block and Desks is a testament to your commitment to education and empowering the lives of the vulnerable people in the community. This classroom block and desks will go a long way in improving the quality of teaching and learning at our school.” Mr. Eryebu further remarked.
The 2023 Scholars Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback) was punctuated with a lot of joy, pomp, and fanfare, as the pupils and the entire community of Achukudu danced and ululated at the commissioning of the classroom block. The construction of the classroom block and purchase of desks for Achukudu Community Primary School was made possible by generous contributions by the Scholars, alumni, the Program Team, and members of the Steering Committee.

Among the Partners who made financial contributions towards the class block construction included; DFCU Bank, Post Bank, URA, Katumba Estates, Footsteps Furniture Ltd, and Sion Travels Ltd.
The Scholars and Alumni Day of Community Service (Give back) is an annual event, where Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation go out into the community to give back by providing solutions to challenges that a particular community is facing. Over the years Scholars have given back to the communities in numerous ways that range from offering professional services and erecting major projects like classroom blocks.
Bernard Buteera is the Communications and Public Relations Officer of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
Engineering, Art & Tech
Innovations using low cost locally available materials for point of use water treatment system unveiled

Published
1 week agoon
December 1, 2023
The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) conducted a Research Dissemination of two studies aimed at the Development of Materials for point of use water treatment systems.
The investigations were conducted by a team of researchers comprised of P. W. Olupot, H. M. Kalibbala, E. Menya, G.M. Wangi, J. Jjagwe, J. Wakatuntu, M. Turyasingura, R. Walozi, C. Kanyesigye and R. N. Kulabako.
The dissemination event held on Wednesday 29th November 2023 follows the successful completion of two MakRIF supported Research projects namely; Development of rice husk based granular activated carbon for point-of-use water treatment systems and Development of zeolite-based nanocomposite filters for drinking water treatment.
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