Makerere University has started giving free meals to struggling students during the exam period, after some missed exams and others were rushed to hospital because they had not eaten.
The programme, called Food for Peace, was launched on Wednesday, November 11, with support from Rotary Makerere Passport, a club under Rotary District 9213. It will provide free meals to students identified as unable to afford food while they sit their exams.
Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe said the university decided to act after seeing the effects of hunger first-hand.
“We have decided that we are going to feed our starving students who are going into exams. We have noticed some being taken by ambulance to hospital just because of hunger,” he said.
Nawangwe also warned that female students who cannot meet their basic needs are at greater risk of exploitation and other situations that put their safety in danger.
“By the time of exams, everyone has run out”
Guild President Gracious Kadondi said government-sponsored students are among the hardest hit. Some, she said, have lost considerable weight, while others have developed serious health problems from skipping meals.
“The allowance that we get as government sponsored students is just not enough. It comes at the start of the semester and by the time of exams, everyone has run out,” she said.
Kadondi, herself a government-sponsored student, said she has missed lectures and exams in the past because she could not afford basic needs.
A wider problem
Government sponsorship covers tuition and comes with a living allowance, but students say the allowance often runs out long before the semester ends, especially for those from low-income families.
It is not yet clear how long Food for Peace will run, how many students it can feed, or how students can sign up. CampusBee has asked the university and the Guild for details and will update this story.
Need help?
If you’re struggling to afford food, you’re not alone. Reach out to the Guild office, the Office of the Dean of Students or the University Counselling and Guidance Centre, and check on classmates who may be going without.
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