Akurut Mary
Jessica Bueltmann, the Regional Grants Officer for Europe and Africa at The Rotary Foundation, today, 9th May, visited the Nkumba University Rotary Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Institute.
Bueltmann’s visit sought to assess the Institute’s current status and progress since its launch on January 8, 2025.
Bueltmann was accompanied by a delegation that included District 9214 Governor Elect Christine Kyeyune Kawooya, PDG Peace Taremwa, and Rotarian Joan Else Kantu. They were received by Dr. Alex Barakagira, the Dean of the School of Sciences, and Rotarian Amelia Nabukonde, the Principal of the Nkumba University RoWASH Institute.
During the visit, Bueltmann took a guided tour of the Institute’s premises, including the content digitalization studio, computer laboratory, and skills laboratory.
Speaking on behalf of the University Vice Chancellor, Dr. Barakagira thanked Bueltmann for the visit and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to the project’s success.
At the launch of the Institute in January, Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick highlighted the plight of millions of children worldwide who struggle to access clean water, affecting their education and employability, and tasked Nkumba University to deliver. “So, it affects their quality of life and their health, but today, I’m delighted to commission the Rotary WASH Institute here at Nkumba University,” President Urchick said. “When we support quality programs like this, we are creating lasting change. That change is global, that change is local in our communities, and that change will always happen within us.”
The Nkumba University Rotary WASH Institute currently offers various short course modules, including Environmental Impact Assessment and WASH, Remote Sensing, Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment, Climate Change and WASH, and Green Environment and WASH. As the lead sponsor of the project, the Rotary Foundation’s visit was strategic in nature, aimed at establishing intervention measures.
“We need many hands on deck, and Jessica’s visit only means we are in the right direction,” said Dr. Barakagira. Adding that, “We are committed to ensuring the success of this project.”
The Rotary Foundation is the charitable arm of Rotary International, dedicated to advancing global goodwill, peace, and humanitarian efforts. Established in 1917, the Foundation has funded life-changing projects worldwide, focusing on areas such as healthcare, education, poverty alleviation, and environmental sustainability.
