By Emilly Nahabwe
Uganda Christian University (UCU) Guild President Samantha Akankunda Mwesigye has unveiled a fully funded scholarship programme aimed at supporting students who face difficulty in meeting tuition requirements.
The initiative was officially unveiled in a statement shared via the UCU Guild’s X account on April 22, 2025.
According to Mwesigye, the programme was inspired by her experiences witnessing the struggles of classmates. The initiative is designed to provide relief to students in need, particularly those at risk of falling behind because of unmet tuition deadlines.
“It always pained me seeing some of my classmates couldn’t complete coursework or access academic resources due to fees,” Mwesigye said in an interview on May 23, 2025. “This scholarship is about ensuring that no student is left behind due to circumstances they cannot control.”
Though it is a personal initiative of the Guild President, she emphasised that the programme is supported by members of the Guild who are helping to identify donors and coordinate outreach.
The structure of the scholarship mirrors the long standing Guild Fund, a financial aid vehicle managed by the university’s student leadership with similar eligibility criteria centred on demonstrable financial need. However, the key difference is the new initiative is fully funded by external donors.
“This was the fourth point in our Guild’s four-point plan. We are borrowing from the Guild Fund model, but with full tuition coverage for selected students,” Mwesigye explained. “The selection criteria will be shared soon, but it is rooted in fairness and transparency.”
Funding for the programme is currently being sourced from a network of donors, some of whom prefer to remain anonymous. Mwesigye has expressed commitment to introducing prospective leaders to existing partners to build continuity. She said one key donor has expressed willingness to continue supporting the programme even after the end of the 27th Guild term unless unforeseen circumstances arise.
Mwesigye urged aspiring Guild leaders to engage early with the current team and its supporters to maintain the relationships that could sustain the programme in the future.
“No student has benefited yet, but we are confident that within the current and next semester, some will,” she said. “It’s about restoring hope, and reminding the university community that compassion and humanity still exist.”
She concluded with a message of encouragement quoting Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
