By Victor Turinawe
Uganda Christian University (UCU) has continued its efforts to support needy students through organising an annual charity sale event known as UCU Garage Sale 2026. The two-day event, which started on 28th May, and ends on 29th May, at the ICMI building at UCU Mukono Campus has been done under the stewardship of Uganda Studies Programme (USP) and Omega Scholarship Tuition Support, themed “Christmas in May, Nothing Too Pricey”.
The items being sold include shoes and clothes for both men and women, children’s clothes, electronics, cosmetics, jewellery for ladies, and scholastic materials such as books and pencils. The prices vary with the highest price tag on May 28th being Uganda shillings Shs70,000 for a full set of men’s suits, while the cheapest items such as hats cost Uganda Shs10,000..
However, prices have been reduced to enable every member of the UCU community to buy something , with the highest price tag set at Uganda Shs35,000 and the lowest at Shs2,000..
The organiser, Sarah Mpirirwe, said the initiative continues to transform the lives of struggling students by raising funds to support tuition and other academic needs. Speaking during an interview at the ongoing sale, Mpirirwe explained that the event is organised every year towards the end of May.
“We have helped so many students through this system. Some have even graduated, and there are still more that we continue supporting,” she noted.
Although this year’s turnout was lower compared to previous years, she expressed gratitude to the community members who donated and purchased items .
“We usually do not have a target amount because people donate willingly. Whichever amount we raise is what we use to support different students,” she explained.
Mpirirwe also explained that the charity sale originally started as an initiative under the Uganda Studies Programme (USP), where international students studying at UCU for about four months donated items before returning home.
“Initially, the sale mainly involved donations from USP students, but later Omega Partnership joined us,” she said, adding that the initiative has now been expanded to the wider UCU community, allowing anyone with gently used items to contribute.
The charity sale, which usually runs for three days, is this year being conducted for only two days. A shopper at the ongoing UCU Garage Sale 2026, Shallon Kisakye, a student from the School of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, said that the prices of the items are fair and affordable for students and members of the community.
“Yesterday, the shirts and trousers were being sold between Shs10,000 and 15,000 respectively, but today they are going for Shs5,000 and 7,000,” she said.
