St. Ignatius University Kabale (IGUKA) has intensified efforts to build a sustainable financial foundation through its Endowment Fund, as Church and civic leaders appealed for greater investment in the higher education to transform communities and expand educational opportunities in Uganda.
Speaking during a fundraising drive at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala on the Friday evening of July 31, 2026, Mr. Kagoro Nobert, interim chairperson of the IGUKA Assembly of Promoters emphasized that continued investment in infrastructure, staff accommodation, scholarships and research will be essential in enabling the institution to deliver quality education while creating a conducive environment for both students and academic staff.
Mr. Kagoro noted that the university has already made significant progress. During its inaugural fundraising launch in Kigezi last year, more than UGX 130 million was raised, with over 1,000 people attending the event. A comprehensive needs assessment conducted thereafter confirmed the strong demand for a Catholic university serving the Kigezi sub-region.
Uganda’s rapidly growing youth population presents a significant opportunity for higher education. More than two million students are currently enrolled in secondary schools, providing a substantial pipeline for universities. Yet access to higher education remains unevenly distributed. Only 19 per cent of Uganda’s higher education institutions are located in the Western Region, while the 2025 Baseline Education Census recorded only 249 education institutions in Kigezi compared to 2,065 in the Buganda region.
University officials said these figures highlight the urgent need to expand access to quality higher education in western Uganda. By responding to the increasing number of students completing secondary education each year, St. Ignatius University Kabale hopes to contribute meaningfully to the country’s educational development.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Kagoro underscored the importance of investing in students, describing them as future ambassadors of the university. “There are hundreds of secondary schools that provide a pipeline of potential students,” he said. “We must ensure that the students we enroll become ambassadors of the university and create a positive ripple effect within their communities.”
He added that while the university seeks to educate young people, it also aims to equip them to contribute to the institution’s growth and reputation. Recognizing that many prospective students face financial constraints, he called for the expansion of scholarships and bursaries to ensure deserving students have access to higher education.
Unlike many universities that establish endowment funds decades after their founding, IGUKA chose to begin building its financial reserves from its earliest years. Approved by the University Council in June 2024 and officially launched in August 2025, the Endowment Fund is intended to strengthen the institution’s long-term financial resilience while supporting its journey towards attaining a university charter.
At the heart of the initiative is the Corpus Fund, a permanent capital reserve whose principal remains intact while investment returns finance scholarships, research and infrastructure. Alongside the corpus are restricted funds, unrestricted funds and a quasi-endowment designed to honor the specific intentions of donors.
The university aims to raise UGX 800 million annually for the Corpus Fund over the next five years. To date, more than UGX 349 million has already been mobilized. Inviting wider public support, Mr. Kagoro encouraged benefactors to contribute according to their means.
“You can give capital to the endowment corpus. You can sponsor a student and close that gap one life at a time. You can support research or infrastructure. And if your financial resources are limited, you can still offer something invaluable—your expertise, your professional networks, your counsel, your advocacy and your voice wherever important decisions are made,” he said.
By the close of the fundraising drive on Friday, a total of UGX 217 million had been pledged.
The Chairperson of the Governing Council, Prof. Nazarius Tumwesigye Mbona, said the university is laying foundations that will sustain its mission for generations to come.
He observed that the institution’s journey has been marked by important milestones, including the initial launch, continued infrastructure development, recruitment of qualified lecturers, strengthening student support systems and promoting sustainable institutional growth.
“Our vision is clear,” he said. “We seek to build an institution that provides quality education, creates opportunities and leaves a lasting legacy for future generations.”
Representing the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, Hon. Jacqueline Kyatuheire, the National Resistance Movement Deputy National Treasurer, commended all those who had supported the initiative.
“There is nobody who will build for us,” she said. “We must do it ourselves. As we begin this journey, let us not grow weary because every contribution, however small, makes a difference.”
In a message delivered through his representative, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa praised the Bishop of Kabale Diocese, Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, for his visionary leadership, particularly in advancing education, healthcare, agriculture and economic transformation through sustainable development initiatives. He contributed UGX 50 million to the university’s Endowment Fund.
As Chancellor of St. Ignatius University Kabale, Bishop Rubaramira reflected on the Catholic Church’s long-standing commitment to education, noting that wherever missionaries established themselves, they built schools alongside churches because education remains central to the Church’s evangelizing and transformative mission.
The Bishop paid tribute to Fr. Vincent Kanyonza for his tireless efforts in promoting higher education in the region and helping lay the foundation for the establishment of St. Ignatius University Kabale. He stressed that educational transformation is indispensable for achieving lasting economic development.
“We have established this university not merely to imitate other institutions,” Bishop Rubaramira said. “We want to make a difference by providing practical skills in agriculture, tourism and other disciplines so that our people can transform their lives. Kigezi has experienced rising poverty levels, and education must become part of the solution.”
He also thanked all benefactors whose generosity has supported the establishment of the university’s Endowment Fund.
Licensed by Uganda’s National Council for Higher Education in 2023, St. Ignatius University Kabale admitted its first students in January 2024. The university currently enrolls more than 300 students against a capacity of 1,000 and offers ten accredited academic programs in education, agriculture, business, tourism, science laboratory technology and health informatics.
Its practical approach to learning includes student-managed agricultural projects and hospitality training placements in Bwindi and Entebbe. Students come from across Uganda—including Karamoja, Northern and Eastern Uganda—as well as neighboring countries, reflecting the institution’s growing national and regional reach as it works towards attaining its university charter.