ONC’s Hajjat Namyalo Takes Ramadan Relief To Kampala Universities, Backs Students With Food, Tuition Support

By Gad Masereka

Kampala’s university corridors took on a different rhythm on Tuesday as the Office of the National Chairman carried its Ramadan outreach into lecture halls and campus mosques, placing students at the centre of a charity drive that blended faith with practical support.

Led by Special Presidential Advisor and ONC Manager Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, the team began the day at Masjid Aisha at Kyambogo University, where students gathered quietly after prayers to receive food packages tailored to ease fasting for the students. The items, handed over in an atmosphere of reflection and gratitude, were intended to cushion learners who often balance academic demands with limited finances during the Holy Month.

Speaking to the congregation, Hajjat Namyalo urged students to view Ramadan not only as a period of spiritual renewal but also as a season of discipline and purpose. She reminded them that their presence at university carried both personal and national responsibility. She prayed for their success and encouraged them to remain focused on their studies even as they devoted themselves to prayer and fasting.

The outreach then moved to Makerere University Business School, where Muslim students turned up in large numbers to welcome the delegation. After joining them in prayer, Hajjat Namyalo said the decision to prioritise campuses was intentional. University students, she noted, represent the country’s next generation of leaders and innovators and require both moral grounding and economic opportunity to thrive. Supporting them during Ramadan, she explained, was part of a broader strategy to keep young people connected to national development programmes.

At the Islamic University in Uganda, the initiative took on a more personal dimension. Beyond distributing food packages, Hajjat Namyalo pledged to clear the tuition balance of Lumu Abdul Hakim, a second year student who had been struggling to stay enrolled. The announcement drew emotional applause from fellow students. She said no learner should be forced to abandon education because of financial hardship, adding that institutions and leaders must be ready to intervene where possible.

By the time the team reached Kampala International University and Kampala University Original, the message of the day had crystallised into a blend of compassion and empowerment. At Kampala International University, Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammed Ngoma described the intervention as timely, observing that many students quietly endure financial strain during Ramadan. He said partnerships that recognise both academic and spiritual needs strengthen the fabric of university communities.

Throughout the visits, the recurring theme was responsibility shared between leadership and youth. Hajjat Namyalo used each stop to highlight government wealth creation programmes, encouraging students to look beyond immediate relief and position themselves for long term economic participation. Ramadan, she said, calls for generosity but also for action that transforms lives sustainably.

The campus centred approach signals a subtle shift in how charity is being delivered this season. Rather than focusing solely on neighbourhood distributions, the Office of the National Chairman is casting universities as communities in their own right, where vulnerability can be less visible but equally pressing.

As the fasting month continues, the outreach is expected to extend to more institutions, reinforcing a message that spiritual observance and national development can move hand in hand.