By Felix Oketcho
Atleast 2,564 needy but academically gifted students have over the last 20 years benefitted from university study scholarships courtesy of Muljibbhai Madhvani Foundatio scholarship.
Mr Gerald Ssendawula, the board Chairman of Muljibhai Madhvani Foundation, said since the academic year 2003/2004, they have supported needy students from all walks of life to attain their education dreams by providing them with tuition to undertake undergraduate and post-graduate studies.
“And when you consider the amount of money involved, it is in billions because there have been variations. As you can imagine the value of the shilling and the cost at University have been varying of course, figures have been changing so much. But all in all so much has been spent on scholarships,” Ssendawula said.
“And to ensure the continuity of the scheme, our committee has been registered now as a foundation properly and there are fixed assets that generate income that the Madhivanis have put aside to ensure continuous support of the scheme. So it is not a trial-and-error sort of arrangement,” he added.
Ssendawula told the media at the launch of Muljibbhai Madhvani Foundation university scholarships for the academic year 2024/2025 in Kampala.
The Foundation has this academic year put aside Shs750million to sponsor students, who are academically gifted yet financially challenged to attain university education.
The scholarships cover a wide range of fields; Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Commerce, Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Information Technology, Hotel Management, Pharmacy, Nursing, Architecture, Veterinary Medicine, Actuarial Science, Environmental Studies, and Human Medicine.
Ssendawula emphasised the significance of the scholarship programme in providing access to higher education for Ugandans.
“We feel very proud that we have an investor in the name of Muljibhai Madhvani whose history dates back into the early century in the country who is so patriotic and willing to share. They have over a period accepted to give back to the community to share into their earnings because naturally, you can give what you don’t have,” he said.
He said the selection process of the beneficiaries is very transparent, and managed by education professionals in each field applied for.
Rachael Iperu, one of the scholarship beneficiaries, emphasised the significant impact the scholarship had on her life and the weight it lifted off her and her family’s shoulders.
“I graduated this year from Makerere University with a first-class Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering. I am a beneficiary of the year 2022. Around that time, I was having hardships with tuition. I was dropping out,” she explained.“
Though the grades were good but then the tuition was a bit hard for my family. So I applied for the Madhvani scholarship, I was able to get it they funded the rest of my education on campus. This lifted a lot of weight from me and my family. I was able to concentrate and excel in my studies,” she added.
Applications for the scholarships officially open on April 1 and run up to April 30. Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the Foundation’s website for eligibility criteria and application details. The applicants must have been admitted to any local charted university.
The Muljibhai Madhvani foundation is a charitable trust that was set up in 1962 on the eve of Uganda’s Independence to honour the vision of the late Muljibhai Prabhudas Madhvani (14th May 1894 – 11th July 1958).
“We are looking for graduates with vision; individuals who are able to perceive the path to Uganda’s future and who not only want to travel the road but also actively participate in its development,” Sendawula said.
Muljibhai Prabhudas Madhvani arrived in Jinja in 1912 aged 18. Due to his extraordinary vision, personality and ability he was able to take a humble trading concern and create a business that would later account for 10% of Uganda’s GDP.
Following his humble business beginnings there was no looking back and Muljibhai went on establishing industry after industry, laying the foundation for Uganda’s economic development. As his business prospered, Muljibhai was keen to care for the well-being and welfare of his employees and the community at large. He established many educational institutions throughout Uganda’s towns with a view to sharing his good fortune with the country that had been so kind to him. His workers and their dependants have long enjoyed free education, housing and healthcare, many decades before the term “corporate social responsibility” was even devised.
One of the Foundation’s primary objectives is to maintain and promote scientific and technical education among the people of Uganda.
The scholarship programme is aimed at benefiting Ugandans pursuing either undergraduate or graduate studies at University level in Uganda and has been in operation since the 2003/04 academic year (after the repossession of the assets by the Foundation), awarding over Four Hundred Million Uganda Shillings to a selected batch of graduates for each year until graduation.
