The Muljibhai Madhvani foundation is a charitable trust that was set up in 1962 on the eve of Uganda’s Independence to honour the vision of the late Muljibhai Prabhudas Madhvani (14th May 1894 – 11th July 1958).
… we are looking for graduates with vision; individuals who are able to perceive the path to Uganda’s future and who not only want to travel the road but also actively participate in its development.
Muljibhai Prabhudas Madhvani arrived in Jinja in 1912 aged 18. Due to his extraordinary vision, personality and ability he was able to take a humble trading concern and create a business that would later account for 10% of Uganda’s GDP.
The following story best illustrates his ability to foresee the future development of Uganda.
On a sunny day in Kakira in the 1940s, on a hill overlooking the shores of Lake Victoria, Muljibhai Prabhudas Madhvani and his sons were having a heated argument. The senior Madhvani loved trees and although many had already been planted on his sprawling estate, he wanted to plant yet another mile of them – running through the marshes to the southern edges of his estate. The younger Madhvanis argued that while previously they had planted trees along estate roads, there wasn’t even a footpath in the marshes to justify this grandiose project. But to all their opposition, Muljibhai had one answer: “Men are not stupid; one day there is going to be a road here”.
Time would eventually bear him out. True to his vision, the section of the Jinja – Iganga highway that runs through Kakira Sugar Works today follows the line of trees that he planted more than fifty years ago.
Following his humble business beginnings there was no looking back and Muljibhai went on establishing industry after industry, laying the foundation for Uganda’s economic development. As his business prospered, Muljibhai was keen to care for the well-being and welfare of his employees and the community at large. He established many educational institutions throughout Uganda’s towns with a view to sharing his good fortune with the country that had been so kind to him. His workers and their dependants have long enjoyed free education, housing and healthcare, many decades before the term “corporate social responsibility” was even devised.
One of the Foundation’s primary objectives is to maintain and promote scientific and technical education among the people of Uganda. The scholarship programme is aimed at benefiting Ugandans pursuing either undergraduate or graduate studies at University level in Uganda and has been in operation since the 2003/04 academic year (after the repossession of the assets by the Foundation), awarding over Four Hundred Million Uganda Shillings to a selected batch of graduates for each year until graduation.
In keeping with Muljibhai Prabhudas Madhvani’s foresight we are looking for graduates with vision; individuals who are able to perceive the path to Uganda’s future and who not only want to travel the road but also actively participate in its development.
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What is the nature of the scholarship?
The scholarship shall be extended as a grant payable directly to the University/Institution on behalf of the beneficiaries.
Renewal of funding shall be subject to receiving satisfactory progress reports from the beneficiary’s Faculty/Institute/School.
Retakes in 1 or more subjects would entail withdrawal of Scholarship and shall not be funded by the Trust.
On completion of studies, it is expected that the awardees will, for the benefit of future scholars, make voluntary donations/contributions to the Foundation.
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What does the scholarship cover?
The scholarship covers tuition fees only from second year to completion for undergraduates; and, for the entire programme of study for graduate students from the time of application/award.
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What are the eligible disciplines?
The Board of Trustees have identified the following disciplines for sponsorship:
- Agriculture,
- Biology,
- Chemistry,
- Actuarial Science,
- Architecture,
- Veterinary Medicine,
- Commerce,
- Hotel Management,
- Pharmacy,
- Nursing,
- Engineering,
- Food Science & Technology,
- Information Technology,
- Environment, and
- Medicine.
*The Board however, reserves the right to revise this list periodically, to suit the relative importance of each of the disciplines in the wider framework of national capacity building.
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Who is eligible to apply?
- Undergraduate students, who have completed first year of studies at a Ugandan University; and, graduate applicants who have been either admitted and/or registered for graduate programmes (in any of the disciplines above), are eligible to apply.
- Students with CGPA Lower then 3.0 and/or having a retake in any subject in the First Year of study are not eligible to apply.
- Students already on sponsorship from elsewhere are not eligible to apply.
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What is the selection criteria?
- All applicants shall be required to provide proof of completion of First Year study for undergraduate applicants and proof of admission to a degree or postgraduate programme in a recognized University or Institution of Higher Learning in Uganda for post graduate applicants.
- Academic performance: the applicants’ Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and/or class of degree as well as academic references shall be among the variables to be used in determining successful applicants. The higher one’s CGPA, the better.
- The applicant’s age and character shall be considered.
- The financial status of the applicants themselves, their parents, families and/or spouses shall be scrutinised to assess their relative financial needs. Students already being sponsored by other organizations should not apply.
- The Board of Trustees has empowered the Scholarship Committee to use their discretion in considering the applicants and identifying those suitable for sponsorship. The Committee may use additional parameters, such as gender, regional balance and disability, where competition is stiff.
- Postgraduate Applicants with work experience in the relevant field of study will have advantage in award of Scholarship.
- The Foundation reserves the right to check and verify any information provided by the applicant.
- Any form of canvassing will lead to immediate disqualification.
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How do I Apply?
The Committee shall invite applications through print and other media during May/June every year for students who wish to benefit from the scholarship programme beginning September/October that year.
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