A group of delegates from Uganda met in UVU’s International Center Sept. 4 to discuss a partnership between UVU and Muteesa I Royal University in Uganda. The partnership will allow UVU to donate resources to help Uganda through Global Merit, an organization dedicated to the development of third world countries.
The delegates were three representatives from the Buganda Kingdom of Uganda: Fred Masagazi Masaazi, the kingdom’s minister of education and sport; Isaac M. Kigongo-Bukenya, director of library and information science at Uganda’s largest and most prestigious university, Makerere University; and Buwule Musoke Henry, a senior lecturer from Muteesa University, established in Uganda in 2007 to provide dynamic curriculum choices and cultural diversity.
Nick Scott from Global Merit discussed ways for UVU to offer the best possible assistance. He believes in teaching countries to help themselves rather than simply giving what they need. The partnership will allow some of the education from UVU to trickle into the schools of Africa, in hopes of creating a self-sufficient, well-educated country.
“We’re bringing solutions from UVU to Africa, and not just Uganda, but the world. We have solutions to their problems. It’s all about education,” Scott said.
The school will educate students on solutions for a number of problems in Uganda, such as poor health and hygiene, scarce food supplies, disease, education and overall sustainability. The partnership with Utah gives American students an opportunity to share solutions with the schools in Uganda and pass on the knowledge to African students.
The delegates came in the first place was because of David Ssejinja, Out-Of-State Recruitment Coordinator. He was born and raised in Uganda and wants to get the university involved in helping his home. He hopes to launch a Study Abroad program there for next year.
“I would like UVU students to join an African trip next year to empower African students,” Ssejinja said.
Students from the African Club on campus came to meet the party of representatives. The club will take part in the organizing, finalizing and attending of the upcoming study abroad trip to Uganda.
The Ugandan delegates came to introduce themselves before beginning to work on creating a partnership between the schools. Kigongo-Bukenya expressed his feelings about the prospects when he said, “I hope the sky will be the limit.”
The delegates stayed two days to tour UVU and Salt Lake City. They plan to come back next year with a larger group of representatives for a longer period of time.
