The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Virtual University of Uganda (VUU), Sub-Saharan Africa’s first private online only university and a vanguard in the technological revolution in university education, has kicked off a campaign to raise US$1 million in scholarships and bursaries for masters and postgraduate degrees in Africa.
The Fund dubbed Elimu Sponsorship Fund is running under the theme: “Shaping Africa’s future through Impact Giving.”
Launching the campaign at The Square on May 23, Patrick Bitature, a Member of the Board of Trustees of VUU, commended the University’s founders for the initiative to bring affordable and quality education in Africa.
“Giving that creates an impact that lasts and causes positive fundamental change, in the short, medium and long-term across different spheres of life, is a worthwhile human endeavor. Education is the best gift that one can give a person to create impact in the life of that person and his community” he said.
The Elimu Sponsorship Fund was started in early 2018. It offers opportunity to promising but needy students to attain masters degrees and other postgraduate training. It targets students with a passion to learn, wishing to advance their careers and impact their communities. The Fund has so far provided scholarships to 76 students from across Africa.
Ham-Mukasa Mulira, the former Minister of ICT and Senior Presidential Advisor on ICT, who also doubles as the Chairman of the University Governing Council of VUU, thanked the University’s current partners and sponsors for the support rendered so far.
He reminded guests that those who have received a quality education may take that fact for granted, but they should remember that there are millions of parents or students across Uganda and Africa that couldn’t afford a decent education.
Speaking at the same event, the University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Everd Maniple told guests that the University is aiming to raise US$1 million to help meet the education needs of thousands of Africans.
“As Sub-Saharan Africa’s first online only university, we are cognizant of the fact that many postgraduate students are constrained by financial barriers that hinder their ambitious higher-learning education aspirations, thus weakening the growth potential of competent professionals in the long run,” he said.
“That is why we established the Elimu Sponsorship Fund, to help address this challenge for higher-learning education for students in Africa.”
The scholarship fund supports needy youth to pursue master’s degrees in the fields of Oil & Gas Management, Public Health, International Development, and ICT for Development, and Business Administration.
