By Pauline Luba
When one travels to new lands, they always leave a part of them at home. It is that part of them that has a tendency of evoking homesickness. In Yemi Alade’s song, Africa, the Nigerian singer could not have put this feeling of the allure of one’s home clearer than she did in the lyrics:
Anywhere you go
London, USA
Nowhere be like Africa
Nowhere be like home
Anywhere you go
New York, Chicago
Nowhere be like Africa
Nowhere be like home
Uganda Christian University (UCU) is aware of the impact of being away from one’s family members and friends, especially for students whose study means they spend a longer time in a foreign country. Every year, the university organizes the International Students Week to give students a chance to celebrate their culture and heritage.
This year’s celebration, held under the theme “Celebrating Diversity and Unity,” was held in the week leading up to June 25 with June 23 being the day a cultural gala was staged in the UCU Nkoyoyo Hall. The university is home to both national and international students from the region of East Africa and beyond.
In the culture week, organized by the student leaders, in collaboration with the Directorate of Student Affairs, activities such as community outreach, movie night and food exhibition were held. Students with the same heritage prepared their traditional cuisines, something that brought fun out of the activity, as well as to remind them of “home.”
On June 23, the day of the gala, the decorated Nkoyoyo Hall was filled to capacity by 8 p.m., the time the cultural gala started. The students, many of whom wore their cultural attires, cheered on their colleagues during the performances. After the national anthems of the participating countries, different speakers educated the audience about the unique attributes of their countries.
Justus Kashasira, a student from Tanzania, made use of a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate the beauty of his country, showcasing the Serengeti National Park, where one can see the “big five” animals – elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard and the lion – and the Kilimanjaro National Park, which has the highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro.
A student from South Sudan bashed the stereotype of war and famine that others label on her country.
“I’m here to change that and show you what my country really is,” Emmanuella Morris said amidst cheers from the crowd, as she explained the beauty of the family bond that people in her country have, the “stunning food” and the hospitality of the South Sudanese.
The groups also showcased their traditional dances and stunning attire with the crowd cheering the Rwandan students as they gracefully performed the Kinyarwanda dance.
Speaking at the event, the acting Director of Students’ Affairs, Simon Tusubira, expressed the university’s commitment in serving the international students and ensuring that they handle their needs, such as acquisition of visas, accommodation and safety, in order to make their stay at the university a memorable one.
The student leaders in charge of international students at UCU – Precious Kasemire and Moise Kituka – said sh1.5million (about $400) was used to purchase the costumes that the students used for the gala, banners and the food that was cooked for the exhibition, and other expenses incurred in organizing the cultural week.
UCU Guild President Timothy Ddumba said the cultural gala is intended to help build cohesiveness and a stronger association for the international students.