By Prisca Adaeze Nenger

The Patriotism Students’ Forum of Kampala International University (KIUPSA), a student lead organization whose goal is to empower the youth with nation building capacity, is organizing a Week of Activities. These activities, which is focused on giving back to the society, through mobilization of funds to be used to purchase 500 solar panels, to be distributed to struggling Health Centres in 6 districts within Eastern Uganda. The activities have been scheduled for 1^st – 4^th November, 2018.

The climax of the event, which is the Mothers’ Run will be chaired by His Excellency, the Honourable Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, Edward Ssekandi as the Chief Guest of Honour, and The Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, as the Chief Runner. Also gracing the occasion will be the Rwandan High Commissioner in Uganda, His Excellency, Major General Frank Mugambagye, amidst other notable personalities.

The Week’s activities include:

• 1^st November, 2018             –           Symposium
• 2^nd November –           Community Cleanups in hospitals and markets in Kampala.
• 2^nd – 4^th November, 2018 –           Health Camp
• 3^rd November, 2018 –           Sports’ Activities
• 4^th November, 2018 –           Mothers’ Run

Earlier in September, the Students’ Forum had organized two ‘Car Wash’ at the University’s parking lot, in a bid to mobilize funds to cater for the big project, geared towards saving mothers’ lives in Uganda, through the donation of 500 solar panels to be distributed to struggling Health Centres in Namasindwa, Luuka, Namayingo, Buyende, Bududa and Bugiri Districts, all within the Eastern Region.

According to the student body’s research, the lack of adequate access to electricity has a negative impact on maternal mortality. This has led the Forum to come up with this year’s project of donating at least 500 solar panels to health facilities, to ease the challenge of electricity during delivery, thus being the driving force for the 2018 Mothers’ Run

Mothers’ Run therefore has been slated to be an annual event scheduled for November every year. In this vein, there will be continuous mobilization of funds and other relevant resources from January 2019 till November 2019, when the event proper will be held.

The Vice Chancellor Dr. Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, Dr. Janice Kobusingye, together with the Patriotic Students Forum through her Patrons Prof. Edward Bantu and Dr. Kiiza Charles, who are both Principals in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, KIU, therefore use this medium to call on the Ministries of Gender, Labour and Productivity as well as various humanitarian organization such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organization (CBOs), the United Nations (UN), Red Cross, Banks, Media, among others, to partner with the Patriotic Students Forum in subsequent Mother’s Run to put smiles on the faces of mothers annually.

For more information, please contact:

• Sedi Amos (PRO) – +256702725366

Or

• Basajjabalaba Ismail (Coordinator) +256752784577.