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On Eid Al Adha, wishing that your sacrifices are appreciated and your prayers are answered by the almighty. Have a blessed Eid Al Adha! May this Eid Al Adha bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to you, your family and Muslim community!

On 1st July, 2021, at State House in Lilongwe, Malawi, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, the President of the Republic of Malawi hosted an African Heads of State Pre-UN Food Systems Summit Dialogue. The Summit Dialogue is part of Africa’s continental momentum towards the UN Food Systems Summit that will be hosted by the UN Secretary General in October 2021. The event was … Read More [Press Release] His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi Hosts the Heads of State Pre-UN Food Systems Summit Dialogue

Times Higher Education Post-Covid university management will be an exercise in give and take (Global)If leaders don’t proceed with openness and consideration towards nervous staff, it is students who will ultimately suffer, says Rachel Gallardo. As Covid vaccination rates increase and restrictions are lifted, many faculty and administrative staff are planning to return to campus – if they haven’t already. But to suggest that … Read More [Issue 90] Media Monitoring: Extract of Press News on Higher Education in Africa

Maina Waruru  06 July 2021 A group of African heads of state have committed to working closely with African universities in the quest to end hunger on the continent. They undertook to support the institutions in their mission to train the personnel needed to drive African agriculture and to invest in the scientific research needed to thrive. The presidents also pledged to increase investment in … Read More Heads of state commit to support universities

On Thursday 1st July, 2021 Africa saw one of her youngest innovator and researcher, Professor Noble Banadda Ephraim succumb to Covid-19. Professor Banadda, an Agricultural & Biosystems engineer, researcher and academician will be remembered for his prodigious contribution in building capacity of young scientists, increasing investment in the area of Research and Innovation during his service at Makerere University. His passion to increase knowledge … Read More [Press Release] A tragic loss in the advancement of Africa’s Agricultural and Food Systems

UCT News Youth Month: What does decolonised African education look like? (South Africa)Dr Tabane was moderating the second session of the recent youth-centred Africa Day symposium hosted by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the African Union, in collaboration with the University of Cape Town (UCT) and its Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance. “If we lose the education war, all our other … Read More [Issue 89] Media Monitoring: Extract of Press News on Higher Education in Africa

University World News Countries spend less than 1% of GDP on research (Africa)o country in Africa is spending 1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on research and development although, globally, spending on science and the number of scientists have been rising in the past five years, a trend that was pushed further by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to UNESCO. Launching … Read More [Issue 88] Media Monitoring: Extract of Press News on Higher Education in Africa

CIO East AfricaMakerere University Honours AfDB President Dr Adesina (Uganda) Makerere University has awarded Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), with an Honorary Doctorate degree in recognition of his distinguished contribution to Africa’s transformation and contribution to science, research, and academic leadership. The Bank’s President received the prestigious award of the Honorary Doctor of Letters during the University’s fifth session … Read More [Issue 85] Media Monitoring: Extract of Press News on Higher Education in Africa

Issue 84: Media Monitoring: Extract of Press News on Higher Education in Africa

By Sarah Achieng My name is Sarah Achieng, I come from Nwoya District in Northern Uganda. I am a Mastercard/RUFORUM scholar pursuing a Master of Science degree in Agriculture Enterprises Development at Gulu University. Like most students across the world, COVID-19 has slowed the progression of my education. Nevertheless, since every cloud has a silver lining, the lockdown period gave me an opportunity to … Read More My dream is to build a career in commercial agriculture

By Jovia Kadoma When students returned home because of COVID-19, many decided to engage in different activities to keep busy, but also be able to earn an extra income.  I started off by engaging in agriculture. Together with my family, we decided to plant food crops such as beans, cassava, maize and groundnuts. We also planted vegetables including eggplants and green pepper. While some … Read More Selling shoes and clothes has provided additional income for my family

By Norah Akiyai After obtaining a diploma in Crop Production and Management in 2014, I volunteered as a food security officer at a local organization in Katakwi District, in eastern Uganda until I got the scholarship from RUFORUM. This scholarship has enabled me to pursue a degree in Food Science and Agri-business at Gulu University in Uganda. Recurrent insurgencies in the country has left … Read More I opened a shop to sell agricultural inputs

By Joseph Kawooya JK Agri-enterprise farm is a rural agro-based farm located in Kyotera District in Uganda. I started this farm with the aim of training smallholder farmers to improve their skills in modern agriculture and equip the youth with entrepreneurial and agricultural skills. I hoped that this would also help reduce unemployment in the community. I came up with this idea after attending … Read More JK Agri-enterprise farm is here to help farmers

By Kasolina Anyango When I returned home because of COVID-19, I interested myself in a number of enterprises. I started off with farming. I was able to buy three (3) acres of land which I used to grow groundnuts. Because the harvest has been good, this has motivated me further to invest in agriculture and also expand the venture. So, I have planted rice, … Read More With agri-business, I can now earn more money

By Sharon Amede I am a first-year student at Gulu University in Uganda pursuing a degree in education, with a major in English and Literature. I experienced a lot of challenges at the beginning but as time went by, I got more confident with the help of RUFORUM and the Mastercard scholarship. Returning home because of COVID-19 gave me the opportunity to implement and … Read More I have been running various enterprises at home

By Grace Acheng I come from a community where girl-child education is not supported and where illiteracy is generally high.    I am therefore grateful for the opportunity that the Mastercard Foundation and RUFORUM have granted me to pursue a degree at Gulu University in Uganda. From the first week of the orientation training that was held in Kenya, I told myself that I … Read More I have built a better house for my family

By Samuel Lochen Long before the lockdown, I was already running a business. I started the beer retail trading in December 2018. This is because of its profitable nature, but also because there was no one else running a similar enterprise in the area where I live. It started on a small scale—with only five crates. As it continued to thrive, I decided to … Read More My dream is to be the biggest beer distributor in my town

By Marveeen Nafula Five years after completing my undergraduate studies, I had no hope of advancing my education. That changed when I applied and received a scholarship from RUFORUM.  As a result, I have been able to return to school and pursue my dream career. Through the funding I get from the scholarship (savings from the monthly stipend), I decided to open a veterinary … Read More I opened a veterinary drug shop in the village

By Aliet Mmbone Ugada I still vividly remember that afternoon when all Mastercard scholars at Gulu University gathered to listen to the next course of action. The university had been closed as one of the measures by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Learning had come to a stop and students had to return to their respective homes. But as an international … Read More I started a YouTube channel to educate the public on nutrition

By Mahoussi Simone During lockdown, I have been undertaking a number of activities. I started a project to produce and market smoked fish in Benin. This project will ensure food security and the safety of the community. Currently, we are constructing the space which we shall use to smoke the fish. I have also been supporting my family to undertake agricultural activities within our … Read More I have set up a project to produce and market smoked fish