By Isaac Akugizibwe

KIU, Main Campus - When Rebecca Kitamba, a first-year student of Human Resource Management joined KIU, she was looking for the best possible way of turning her dream of becoming a human resource manager someday into reality, in addition to enjoying campus life.

This has however been limited by COVID-19.

Kitamba joined KIU in January 2021 with hopes of getting her fair share of the proverbial campus life as well as pursuing her academic goal of becoming a dependable human resource manager. 

Due to a surge in COVID-19 infections in Uganda after the January 2021 general election, the government imposed a second lockdown in June, including suspension of schools and all learning institutions, leaving some of her expectations hanging by a thread.

Having attended physical lectures for two months, Kitamba was finding KIU an amazing home away from home. 

She says that what she has received and experienced at KIU is beyond her initial expectations despite the limitations caused by COVID-19 lockdown.

"Sincerely, KIU is so amazing. From a cool and conducive learning environment to very considerate lecturers, everything is better than I expected," she says.

"I am exploring the heights though not as I wanted due to Coronavirus," she adds.

Apart from the academic expectations, Kitamba, like all freshmen and women, wanted to experience the life she had heard about from testimonies of her elder siblings, friends and relatives who had been to the university before the outbreak of COVID-19 - a life filled with independence, freedom, exploration and fun.

Unfortunately, the Government imposed a lockdown shortly after she was inaugurated into the university hence condemning students to online lectures.

"The lockdown affected us new students so much. We had just entered campus, trying to get used to the new culture when infections rose again. I feel something is still missing in my campus life," Kitamba reflects.

With the resumption of online lectures, she is confident that at least, she is taking a step closer to achieving her life-long dream of becoming a human resource manager.

She is grateful to the university for its efforts at making sure that students’ needs are addressed amidst the uncertainty.

"I am really happy with what the university is doing. They have at least tried everything possible to address our needs and also to keep us busy in the lockdown," she says.

With her second semester at KIU underway, Kitamba sees her dream of becoming a Human Resource Manager drawing closer each day that passes.

She pledges to do her best to achieve that dream.

Courtesy Photo