By ONC Media
KAMPALA — As the call to prayer echoed across university mosques in Kampala, the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) launched a Ramadan charity drive aimed at supporting Muslim students observing the holy month.
Led by SPA and ONC Manager Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, the outreach covered several universities, targeting students grappling with the combined pressures of fasting, academic demands and financial constraints.
The exercise began at Masjid Aisha at Kyambogo University, where she handed over assorted food items to Muslim students to support their iftar meals during the fasting period.
Addressing the students after prayers, she urged them to remain steadfast in both faith and studies, noting that education remains a key pillar for personal and national development.
“As you fast and pray, remain disciplined and focused on your studies. I pray that Allah grants you peace, sincerity and success in the mission that brought you to university,” she told the students.
From Kyambogo, the ONC team proceeded to Makerere University Business School, where Muslim students turned up in large numbers to receive the food packages and join in prayers. HajjatNamyalo said the engagement with universities was deliberate and aimed at nurturing a generation that is spiritually grounded and economically empowered.
“Our engagement with institutions of higher learning is intentional. Young people must be supported spiritually and economically to enable them to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society,” she said.
The Ramadan drive later extended to the Islamic University in Uganda, where additional relief packages were delivered to students. During the visit, Hajjat Namyalo pledged to cover tuition fees for Lumu Abdul Hakim, a second-year student facing financial difficulties, saying no student should abandon education due to lack of fees.
“Education should never be cut short because of financial hardship. Where we can stand in the gap, we will,” she said.
The day’s activities concluded at Kampala International University and Kampala University, where students welcomed the initiative. At Kampala International University, Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammed Ngoma described the outreach as timely and beneficial to students during Ramadan.
“This initiative strengthens our students during the fasting period and reflects meaningful collaboration between the university and the community,” Prof Ngoma said.
In her closing remarks, Namyalo said the ONC would continue engaging students in higher institutions of learning, including guiding them on how to access government wealth creation and empowerment programmes.
She added that the Ramadan charity drive reflects the values of compassion and responsibility that define the holy month.
The university outreach forms part of ONC’s broader Ramadan charity programme aimed at supporting vulnerable communities and institutions across the country during the fasting period.