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The Hamu Mukasa Library is the single most significant development project being planned for Uganda Christian University. Uganda is becoming one of the most successful countries on the continent of Africa for a variety of reasons—education being one of them. One of the greatest success stories has been the founding in 1997 of Uganda Christian University, 25 kilometres east of Kampala, in Mukono. The University has grown from 120 students to over 7,000 students in 2008/09 academic year. We are dedicating the new library in honor of Mr. Hamu Mukasa, who gave the land in 1905 on which the University sits. Mukasa was one of the first educated Ugandans and wrote: “A great city is not built in one year. Let us then go ahead slowly and surely; perhaps our grandchildren will be much wiser than we are, but we should encourage our children daily to learn all they can, that they may teach their children after we have gone, and so they may go in increasing in wisdom both in mind and in handicrafts.”
I am sure Hamu Mukasa would be amazed and delighted to see the progress of Uganda Christian University these past years. But I also think he would say: “A great university deserves a great library.” So let’s build it. Over the past ten years, the University’s partners abroad and in Uganda have helped with many projects including the building of new halls of residence, lecture blocks, water treatment plant, a sports complex, sewerage treatment plant; supporting academic and spiritual programs; and offering about 1000 scholarships this year worth over Ush1.2billion. And while these building projects and programs have helped, there has been a major deficiency: a place where students can study and have access to resource materials. We are very excited about this project! The Hamu Mukasa Library will be centrally located to accommodate about 2000 students and faculty each day with an additional study space in an open courtyard inside the complex. Already UCU has received major donations of textbooks but most are stored until a more adequate space is completed. Most notable was a gift from World Vision of 10,000 new text books covering many topics of the more than fifty academic programs that are offered. We hope you will share our vision and help us with this new Library! As you will see in the enclosed materials, the new Library will be a state of the art building with wonderful space of independent research, group study space, and computer access. It is certainly a challenge but one that will change the lives of thousands of students not only in Mukono district but in Uganda and all of Africa. We are in the business of helping to educate young Africans for Christ and believe that God will bless all of us in seeing this come to a reality! A great university deserves a great library! Warm regards
Prof. Stephen Noll
Vice Chancellor |
