University of Kisubi Students Embrace Service Learning to Tackle Community Issues

Students at the University of Kisubi (UniK) are being encouraged to move beyond theoretical learning and engage in practical community service. Vice Chancellor Bro. Deogratious Mugema emphasized that service learning is not just a tradition but a vital call to action for students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems.

Recently, UniK students participated in cleaning the Kawuku Community well, which serves over 1,500 households in Wakiso District. This initiative, inspired by Catholic traditions and Pope Leo XIV’s call to care for water, aims to bridge the gap between education and practical application. “Service-Learning consequently becomes a bridge between knowledge and action, with students not only learning about problems but learning with communities and contributing to solutions,” Mugema stated.

The university’s Service Learning Coordinator, Bro. Dr. Bernard Luwerekera, highlighted that this approach challenges the notion that learning is confined to classrooms. He noted the decline in the communal significance of wells in modern times and the juxtaposition of a vital water source with a nearby dumping site, emphasizing the need for community care.

This initiative seeks to integrate Buganda Kingdom’s ‘Bulungi Bwansi’ (community self-help) principles with service learning. The long-term vision is to create a collaborative model involving communities, educational institutions, cultural bodies, and local government to protect community water sources and promote responsible practices like water use and waste disposal.

Edward Sekatawa, Chairperson of ‘Bulungi Bwansi’ in Buganda Kingdom, urged students to extend the concept of community cleaning to their daily lives, from personal discipline to academic integrity and caring for peers. He also stressed the importance of parents instilling early discipline in children to provide them with a clear sense of direction.

Daisy Bernadette Namirimu, President of the UniK service learning club, expressed that this program allows students to translate classroom learning into tangible practice. Future plans include biomedical students testing water samples for quality and safety, collaborating with the local council to clear the adjacent dumping site, and ultimately rehabilitating the community well to improve access and protection.

This initiative demonstrates a commitment to holistic education, where academic pursuits are intertwined with active citizenship and a dedication to improving community well-being.