Nabasumba Proscovia
Nkumba University School of Social Sciences (SOSS) trekked to Kigo Prison on May 9, 2025, to deliver relief items to inmates, many of whom are breastfeeding mothers.
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The relief items, solicited among students from the school’s social sciences department, included sanitary towels, baby pampers, soap, sugar, and rice.
According to Dr. Anne Abaho, the Dean of the School of Social Sciences, this initiative was designed to inspire students and cultivate a spirit of working together for the well-being of the community. “This is our area of specialty as social science architects, so going into communities helps us see real-world challenges and start tailoring research efforts that may act as response measures to these challenges,” Dr. Abaho explained.
Dr. Abaho further emphasized that universities have a responsibility to develop programs in the form of community outreaches, beyond teaching and research. “Besides teaching and research, universities have the responsibility to curate programs that conform to community development, which aligns well we teach our students,” she said.
The community outreach was embraced by social science students, including those pursuing Public Administration and Management, Counselling and Guidance, Development Studies, Diplomacy and Global Studies, and Journalism and Public Relations.
Joshua Baleete, one of the students who interacted with inmates, described the experience as humbling. “It is a humbling situation,” he said. “They were excited to see us, their smiles reflected a sigh of relief, seeing people bringing them food stuff. Seeing things firsthand gives you a clearer picture of what is transpiring in the world.”
During their visit, the team interacted with inmates, counseling them and offering words of encouragement.
This initiative is part of Nkumba University’s ongoing corporate social responsibility efforts, which have seen the institution conduct community outreaches over the years.
The School of Social Sciences is not alone in this endeavor. Nkumba University’s School of Business Administration, for instance, conducts market training for vendors on customer service skills and financial management, while the School of Law also conducts annual paralegal clinics in Entebbe and beyond.
For Dr. Abaho and her team, initiatives like these are crucial in shaping the next generation of social scientists and community leaders. By engaging with the community and addressing real-world challenges, Nkumba University is not only fulfilling its corporate social responsibility but also providing its students with invaluable hands-on experience.
According to Euro Pro, Universities can tackle Sustainable Development Goals; SDG 1 – No poverty; SDG 2 – No hunger; SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions through community outreaches. “Only when we work all together, from different countries and cultures, from different disciplines and capabilities, we can make our universities leaders in global change.”
