The Rotary Club of Makerere Passport has launched a food support programme targeting 206 students who struggle to afford meals, particularly during examination periods.
The initiative, dubbed Food for Peace, was launched on Wednesday at Makerere University, with Rotary International Director for Zone 22 (Africa), Emmanuel Katongole, pledging Shs5 million annually towards the programme.
The first phase will support students identified through a needs assessment conducted by the Makerere Rotary Peace Centre. More than 200 students responded to the survey, indicating that lack of food was among the challenges affecting their welfare.
Makerere University Vice Chancellor and President of the Rotary Club of Makerere Passport, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, said financial difficulties were forcing some students to study under difficult conditions, with many unable to afford regular meals.
“Hundreds of students drop out of Makerere University every year due to financial constraints. The reality for those who remain is sometimes tougher, for they struggle to survive,” Nawangwe said.
He said the situation becomes particularly difficult during examinations, when students need adequate food to maintain concentration.
Nawangwe said the university had been concerned about reports of students skipping meals and approached the Rotary Club to develop an intervention.
“The core mission of this initiative is to ensure that students should not go hungry at Makerere University,” he said.
Katongole, who was the chief guest at the launch, said access to education should not be determined by a person’s financial circumstances.
He drew on his own experience of facing challenges in pursuing education, saying support from others can change the course of a person’s life. “This project will help create more Katongoles,” he noted.
He pledged to contribute Shs5 million every year towards the initiative, beginning this year. “I will continue supporting it for as long as I live or until the project ends.”
Katongole said the programme could help create opportunities for other young people to achieve their educational ambitions.
The 92nd Makerere Guild President, Kadondi Gracious, welcomed the intervention, saying students had previously petitioned Parliament over welfare concerns and were encouraged to see efforts emerging from within the university community.
She said the programme would offer relief to students worried about how to meet basic needs during examinations.
“This is not just charity; it is restoring hope to Makerereans who were unsure of how they were going to manoeuvre through the examination period without lunch,” she said.
The organisers say they intend to expand the programme beyond the current examination period by mobilising more partners and building a sustainable fund.
The club’s secretary, Associate Professor Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, said the project was designed as a long-term intervention rather than a one-off donation.
The club is seeking to raise an initial Shs10 million to support the first phase. Contributions above that amount will be used to reach more students and build resources for subsequent semesters.
Makerere Dean of Students Dr Winfred Kabumbuli welcomed the partnership and pledged to mobilise support within the university.
The Rotary Club has appealed to alumni, companies, development partners and individuals to contribute money, food supplies and other forms of assistance.
Contributions can be sent through NCBA Uganda Limited to the account of Rotary Club of Makerere Passport: UGX account 228129200017 or USD account 228129200027. The bank’s SWIFT code is CBAFUGKA.