The Balunywa Foundation Leadership Academy, a transformative platform dedicated to equipping young Ugandan leaders with practical life skills, is bearing fruits for the future.
Last week the academy held its graduation ceremony for the 10+3 Cohort, celebrating 17 graduates (3 women and 14 men) at the Foundation’s premises in Kasolo, Iganga Municipality.
Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga,urged the graduates to utilize the leadership skills they have acquired to benefit their communities and inspire others.
“The skills you have acquired here self-confidence, empathy, team building, ICT, interpersonal skills, and effective communication are tools that will empower you to lead with integrity, compassion, and vision.”she remarked.
Her encouragement reinforced the Academy’s mission to create a new generation of leaders who can drive positive change and uplift their communities.
Kadaga also visited the Asina Kitimbo Balunywa Memorial Hospital in Kasolo, Iganga Municipality, a facility dedicated to providing free healthcare to the community. Expressing gratitude to Prof. Balunywa and his family for their commitment to improving community healthcare, she donated a maternity bed to the hospital, supporting its mission to ensure accessible health services for local residents.
Executive Director of the Balunywa Foundation Leadership Academy, Prof. Wasswa Balunywa underscored the significance of early and intentional leadership development.
“Creating a new generation of leaders requires consistent, purposeful training, especially at the grassroots level,” he remarked.
“We must empower young people with skills not taught in traditional education to prepare them for the workplace and life beyond the classroom.” Balunywa stressed.
Since its inception on December 27, 2022, the Academy has graduated 187 students and aims to continue expanding, with applications for the next cohort set to open in late November 2024
Balunywa’s vision reflects a deep commitment to community-driven development. His foundation, based in Iganga District, focuses on improving living standards through educational programs, skill-building initiatives, and access to healthcare. The Academy mentors university students and graduates in practical skills such as tailoring, farming, savings schemes, and computer literacy, nurturing versatile, self-reliant individuals
Head Teacher of Bukoyo Secondary School, Arienka Juma says Prof. Wasswa Balunywa deserves Presidential recognition for pioneering Uganda’s private students’ education scheme.
“He created an influential model for universities throughout the country and beyond. His foundation has played an instrumental role in the lives of young Ugandans, offering scholarships and hands-on training programs that promote financial independence, career readiness, and social responsibility,”he stressed.
According to Juma In addition to the Leadership Academy,
Balunywa Memorial Hospital continues to deliver essential health services, significantly impacting the well-being of the local community.
Waswa Balunywa Biography
Prof Juma Waswa Balunywa, commonly known as Waswa Balunywa, is a Ugandan economist, banker, humanitarian, scholar in management, leadership and entrepreneurship. He served as Principal of Makerere University Business School from 1991-2023
He pioneered research in Entrepreneurship and Leadership in the school, trying to understand how leadership affects organisations and national performance.
He has been the Uganda Team Leader on the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Studies, an international consortium of universities studying entrepreneurship and economic growth.
Waswa holds a Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship from the University of Stirling, an MBA and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Delhi.
Balunywa has been credited with spearheading the private students’ scheme in Uganda that has become a model for many universities across the country and region.
