General
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Empower Schools in Mukono and Kyegwegwa Districts
By Scholars Program Communication Team
On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Little Angels Junior School, Mawotto Village, Mukono District, and St. Charles Rwahunga, Nursery and Primary School in Kyegegwa District celebrated an inspiring, joy-filled event. These two schools were selected to receive the generosity of Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University during the Annual Scholars Day of Community Service.
At St. Charles Rwahunga Nursery and Primary School, the Scholars donated various products, including Learning Materials, Geometry sets, Sanitary towels for the girls, sportswear for the boys’ football team, and other goodies.
The Community Nursery and Primary School serves 412 pupils with severe challenges due to inadequate infrastructure. The buildings are dilapidated, there is a shortage of desks, and the classrooms are small and overcrowded. These issues need to be addressed to ensure a better student learning environment.
Mr. Alex Mugisha, the Headteacher of the School, expressed gratitude to the Scholars of Mastercard Foundation for the kind gesture they extended to his school.
“I am deeply grateful, along with the students and staff, for the generosity of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars. These materials will significantly enhance the learning environment for our pupils,” remarked Mr. Mugisha.
Mr. Nelson Ddumba, the Scholars Council Representative, encouraged the young learners at the event not to lose hope. He emphasized that regardless of their starting point, they can improve their circumstances by staying in school.
“Listen, my fellow students: do not give up. The only path to transforming your circumstances is through a steadfast commitment to your education and remaining in school. I have been in your shoes, but I pushed through and succeeded thanks to my mother’s unwavering support. Today, I proudly attend Makerere University, one of the leading institutions in Uganda. Embrace the challenge ahead and make your education your top priority!” Mr. Ddumba declared.
At Little Angels Junior School, pupils were excited to receive educational materials, reusable sanitary towels, mathematical sets, dictionaries, and textbooks for nursery to primary seven students.
Ms. Sarah Nturo, the headteacher, commended the Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University for the kind gesture.
She said the books will help the school improve its reading culture and performance.
“We are grateful to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University; we believe these books will significantly contribute to improving our pupils’ performance,” Ms. Nturo said.
Nturo also pointed out that they have challenges with the facilities and water as a school.
“Ever since we started this School, the education has improved because, in the past, parents could not allow their children to come here; instead, they would send them to the lake for fishing. But now, the children come only because they do not have somewhere to sit. We have few desks,” Nturo said.
During the visit, the pupils mesmerised the scholars with rare dance moves. The excitement did not leave the Programme Implementation team and teachers in their seats, making it a fun-filled event. The audience was left yearning for more.
Addressing the school, Mr. John Osuna, the Transition Lead at the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, urged the pupils to use their school time to prepare for a bright future.
“Do not mind where you are coming from. We all started like this. Education is an equalizer. Now that you have an opportunity to study, focus on making the best out of it. Be disciplined pupils and listen to your teachers. The sky will be the limit,” Mr Osuna said.
During the event, Francis Kabuye Kaggwa, the Chairperson of the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) leadership, said that ever since the school started over 10 years back, they have never received guests who bring them gifts like how the Mastercard Foundation Scholars did.
“I think you have seen how excited the children were. We are all happy this has never happened to our school. Who are we to receive these gifts? We have challenges, but with friends like God on our side, we shall conquer,” Mr. Kabuye noted.
The Scholars’ Day of Community Service is an annual event where Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University engage in community service as a way of giving back. This initiative aims to empower vulnerable individuals in the community and contribute positively to society.
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
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