Two university students are the first beneficiaries of an initiative spearheaded by Uganda Development Bank (UDB), in collaboration with the European Organization for Sustainable Development (EOSD). Dalton Bakisuula and Martin Mugisha, both undertaking undergraduate courses in Applied Electro-Chemistry at Kyambogo and Makerere universities, will receive a fully-funded 3-month internship at the prestigious Fraunhofer-Institut fur Chemische Technologie in Karlsruhe, Germany.
These scholarships are part of a larger agreement between UDB and EOSD to undertake cooperation in various areas, including enhancing local capacity for a smart and sustainable economy and supporting innovation and technology transfer.
Uganda Development Bank co-financed the project, committing over 6000 euros (about 28 million shillings), that being the cost of the return air tickets for the duo, and also provided a monthly stipend of 735 euros each for the entire duration of their residency in Karlsruhe. The training-related costs shall be covered by the Frauhofer-Institut.
At their send-off, Joshua Allan Mwesiga, the UDB Director of Strategy & Corporate Affairs, reminded the students of their responsibility as the pioneers of the scheme. “I want to urge you both to use this very rare opportunity to learn as much as you can. Remember that while you are in Germany, you are ambassadors of Uganda and of Uganda Development Bank. Do ensure you live up to these expectations and let your conduct and behavior lift Uganda high”.
UDB regards this as a worthwhile investment for fostering innovation and supporting promising young Ugandans to benefit from the much-needed exposure. The bank expresses hope that the students will return to Uganda with transformative ideas and with new ways of doing things.