UCC management with financial support from MEM organized an end of year Children Christmas party on 10th December 2021. This gesture fulfilled a culture that existed in the organization since inception in 2000.Every end of year UCC organizes a children’s Christmas party to introduce them into the festive season, give them an opportunity to appreciate the importance of Christmas, celebrate together as a family and to shrug off stress, fatigue and other anxieties dominated the year. This year, the event attracted not only children, but included UCC staff, Board members, non-resident youngsters studying at UCC Vocational Training Centre hailing from the community and Alumni members. This decision was reached together with MEM particularly to recognize and thank the teams that stood strong with UCC to persevere the precarious and volatile situation caused by covid-19 that left everyone a victim.
During the event, two representatives of UCC Alumni Association namely Mercy Nakandi, Social worker and Andrew Sserubbo, graduate in computer engineering shared with participants their historical connection with UCC. They attributed their successes to UCC’s helping hands under the educational support programme. However, they cautioned current beneficiaries that their successes were not a walk over but rather through hard work and dedication.
Therefore, they appealed to the group to study hard, portray maximum discipline and the sky will be the limit. They gave a snapshot of the Alumni Association, highlighting its goals and objectives, current engagements, membership and future plans. They explained why there was need to start the WhatsApp group was started and has held several virtual meetings to discuss issues of development and support to UCC. They promised to share more about the updates of their engagements with UCC and MEM to seek for their guidance and support. Mercy was grateful for the
opportunity given to her to speak on behalf of other Alumni members.
As a Social worker, she was passionate about the girl child and other gender issues affecting girl children in the slums. She encouraged other girls to defend for their rights through seeking right and researched information from credible sources and organizations. Stella, the focal point person for Formal Education Programme, narrated to participants the journey so far reached with UCC’s scholarships program.
She expressed her appreciation to MEM for their continuous support to the initiative. She informed the gathering that COVID-19 affected the schooling of children due to intermittent lockdowns and curfews. However, she was happy that UCC supported children at home with homebased learning materials to keep them motivated. She was grateful that when schools reopen on 10th January 2022, UCC beneficiaries will be more than ready due to the support given to them. Josephine, the coordinator of UCC Vocational Training Institute, appreciated MEM for her continuous support to UCC. She thanked students who completed their end of year exams for being resilient. She appealed to them to continue being aggressive by yearning for more skills to make them outstanding in the job market.
Leonard, the principal of sister institution MAKSOD thanked students for making the right decision to train in vocational skills because such skills are the solutions to the increasing unemployment rates among the youth in the country. Fred Kakembo, the Director of UCC, thanked everyone for sparing time to attend. He was mostly appreciative to the beneficiaries who ably cooperated with UCC administration during the lock down. He thanked the Guest of Honour for responding to the invitation. He thanked MEM for their continued support to UCC.
He wished everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. The Chairman, Board of Directors thanked donors and UCC management for enduring the repercussions of COVID-19 that were able to organize a Christmas party amidst the pandemic. The Guest of Honour thanked UCC management for organizing the children’s party and for involving Alumni members to mentor and guide current beneficiaries. He thereafter launched the Alumni association and encouraged all old beneficiaries of UCC to join and give it full support. Drinks and eats were served and everyone dispersed thereafter. UCC overwhelmingly extend its appreciation to MEM for this opportunity accorded to it to organize such a big occasion for children, staff and Alumni members.