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Janet Museveni, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, launched the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and commissioned the first cohort of SAFE champions at Makerere University last month. During the event, she urged the new champions to serve as role models and use their training as a moral guide. The ELP was developed to address challenges faced by students, such as substance abuse and corruption, aligning with the national vision for an Anti-Corruption and HIV/AIDS campaign.

The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, officially launched the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and commissioned the first cohort of SAFE champions at Makerere University on Friday, September 27^th 2024.

“It gives me great pleasure to commission you as Emerging Leaders Program Champions. I charge you to become role models. Please take the training you have received as your moral compass at the University and beyond,” Janet Museveni said amidst applause from the audience.

The event, held at Makerere’s Freedom Square, was graced by various dignitaries including Lorna Magara, Chairperson of the University Council; Dan Fred Kidega, Deputy Chairperson of the Council; Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe; Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, Program Chairperson; Barbara Kaija, Co-Chair; and Bishop Joshua Lwere, Board Chair of the Global Leadership Summit.

The program’s formation stemmed from discussions between Museveni and Makerere University Council members on February 2, 2023, to tackle students’ challenges such as substance abuse, corruption, and the risk of HIV/AIDS. The ELP aligns with Hon. Museveni’s vision to launch a national Anti-Corruption and HIV/AIDS campaign in Uganda, with the SAFE initiative standing for Sexually Fortified, Addiction Free, Financially Faithful, and Education Focused.

Kaija noted that the ELP aims to support students and parents who invest heavily in education. “Parents take a lot of risks to educate their children. Our objective is to remove barriers that hinder them from becoming valuable contributors to society,” she explained.

Highlighting the importance of nurturing the next generation, Mrs. Kaija emphasised that university students are at their most productive age. “We must make sure they are safe. The ELP will help them in character development. While students graduate with academic degrees, they need the right values and character to succeed in life,” she stressed.

The ELP is a life skills and behavioral intervention, coded “The SAFE Campaign,” targeting issues like addiction, corruption, and risky behaviors. The program’s wider goal is to enhance students’ well-being and academic performance, ultimately benefiting the workforce.

During the launch, Janet Museveni expressed her hope that the program would expand beyond Makerere to other Ugandan universities, focusing on building values and character to shape the nation’s future leaders.