Call for Applications for Commonwealth Scholarships 2026
October 6, 2025
Forum For African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda Chapter
From 8–12 August 2025, FAWE Uganda brought together 700 young women and men for the Extended Orientation Programme (EOP), a five-day training designed to equip students with the skills they need to thrive in higher education. The programme was held simultaneously at three Uganda Technical College campuses: Elgon, Lira and Kichwamba.
EOP is a flagship component of the Higher Education Access Programme (HEAP) which provides bursaries and support to students who might otherwise miss the chance to pursue university or technical studies. Beyond financial aid, The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) emphasizes personal growth, academic readiness, and life skills. This ensures that students enter higher education not just enrolled but prepared.
Facilitators from different professional fields; health practitioners, academics, motivational speakers, and successful entrepreneurs guided participants through a wide range of interactive modules. These included:
The sessions encouraged students to reflect on their personal goals, understand their health and well-being, manage finances responsibly, and build leadership capacity. With this holistic preparation, bursary recipients left the programme better equipped to adapt to new academic environments and seize opportunities for growth.
For FAWE Uganda, EOP is more than an orientation it is an investment in the future of young people who will go on to lead change in their communities.
Through the Higher Education Access Programme (HEAP) FAWE Uganda is opening doors to higher education for talented but economically disadvantaged youth across the country. The programme provides bursaries to young people from underserved communities, including refugees and persons with disabilities. Now in its second phase and reaching 63 districts, HEAP prioritizes equity by allocating 80% of bursaries to young women and encouraging their enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programmes. This focus is helping more young women, refugees, and learners with disabilities to pursue higher education and meaningful careers.
A key part of HEAP is the Extended Orientation Programme (EOP), which equips bursary recipients with skills that go far beyond academics. Over five days, students are introduced to personal development, financial literacy, leadership, and career mapping. The programme ensures that when they step into university or technical institutions, they are not only prepared for class but also ready to navigate life’s challenges with confidence.
For Olobo Shadrack, 22, from Kaberamaido district, the bursary represents a fresh start after years of financial struggle and the additional challenges of living with a disability. With FAWE Uganda’s support, he is now set to pursue a diploma in Medical Laboratory and Technology.
Receiving his bursary award letter from Dr. Martha Muhwezi, FAWE Africa’s Executive Director, was a proud moment. Olobo shared his joy during the EOP.
“I am very excited and grateful to FAWE Uganda for the opportunity. This bursary will transform my life, that of my family, and my community. I dream of opening a health facility in my home district to serve others as a way of giving back.”
Olobo’s journey reflects the broader impact of HEAP, which gives hope and opportunity to learners from vulnerable backgrounds, including those with disabilities, to achieve their full potential.
At the bursary awarding ceremony held at UTC Elgon, Mbale, FAWE Uganda’s Executive Director, Mrs Susan Opok Tumusiime, reminded students that FAWE Uganda’s commitment goes beyond paying tuition.
She urged the new bursary recipients to take their studies seriously, remain resilient, and use their education to make a meaningful contribution to their communities.
HEAP continues to prove that investing in education is more than providing access it is about building the confidence, resilience, and skills that young people need to create a brighter future. With every bursary awarded and every orientation completed, FAWE Uganda is nurturing a generation of leaders who will go on to transform their families, communities, and the nation.
FAWE Uganda was established in 1997 with the goal of accelerating female participation in education and closing the gender gap within the education system at all levels in Uganda.