After a successful call for applications and an exhaustive selection by the jury, the Africa Regional Hub for Service-Learning held a ceremony to celebrate and congratulate the Uniservitate Award 2022 Winners and Honourable Mentions on 2nd September 2022. Headed by the Vice Chancellor Designate, Rev. Prof Apollinaire Chishugi, the guest speaker, the aim of the event was to recognize and reward the outstanding service-learning projects and experiences in the Catholic Higher Education Institutions.
The Africa Hub managed to win two Global Awards and two Honourable Mentions:
- Diploma in Civic and Development Education (DCDE) – Tangaza University College, Kenya.
DCDE is conceived as an outreach programme, bridging the gap between universities and marginalised communities. This has significant results on the logistic and ideological organization of the programme. DCDE has 3 dimensions; teaching and learning, research, and community service.
- Clean Village: Campagne, Action Citoyenne et Assainissement en Miliu Urbain – Catholic University of Central Africa, Cameroon.
The project is connected around sensitisation activities on environmental protection and sanitation. The population of the community surrounding our campus located in the Yaoundé IV district is very dense. The risk of flooding can lead to a cholera epidemic. Malaria develops in these unhealthy areas. It is necessary to communicate and organise with the community, the effective means to clean up the neighbourhood.
- Franciscan and Tangaza Lenten Ministry – Tangaza University College, Kenya.
Franciscan Commitment to Peace is a unit in the Franciscan Studies Programme at the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation at Tangaza University College. The course has a service-learning element that consists of challenging structural injustice in ministering to the urban poverty and contributing to their reflective processes.
- Development of a course on Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Adults – Tangaza University College, Kenya.
The project is on a course that was developed as a response to the Catholic Church’s efforts through the Call of the Holy Father to act on sad reports of (sexual) abuses on minors/children by clergy, religions, and society.
The Award-winning projects received 5,000 Euros each and their promoters will be able to participate in the III Uniservitate Global Symposium, which will take place in Rome, Italy from October 26 – 30, 2022. The global symposium will bring together participants and experts from the 7 regions that make up the global network of universities of the Uniservitate programme. The projects that were recognized as the Honourable Mention received 1,000 Euros each.
In Africa, the winners were selected by a jury composed of leading figures in the field of education. The project selection committee was composed of Alice Kaudia – Former Environment Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Bibi Bouwman – Development Practitioner and Service-Learning Expert, Daniel Mwangi – Global Business Coach, and Margaret Aringo – Senior Lecturer, TUC. All the jury and evaluators of the Uniservitate Award 2022 were recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation for their support in coordinating the Uniservitate Award in the region.
There were other applications for the Uniservitate Award 2022 that were recognised with a Certificate of participation. These include:
- Mirror of Hope – Social development project supporting the education of children and the empowerment of women and youth from the neighbouring informal settlement in Kibera – Kenya.
- Students Internships to NGOs – Tanzania.
- Friends of Love Kibera (FOLKS) – Kenya.
- Enabling communities and individuals for Socio-economic transformation, authentic leadership and sustainability – Kenya.
- Educating, shelter provision and counseling children from the streets and vulnerable families – Kenya.
- SL Tree Green Campaign for Schools – Uganda.
- Supplying sustainable energy to vulnerable and marginalised people – Cameroon.
The ceremony included the participation of the youth band “Kwetu Children’s Home” made up of children rescued from street situations. To end the celebration, a ceremonial cake cutting was held and shared with all those present.
For further information on the Uniservitate Award and the winning projects visit: https://www.uniservitate.org/award-winners/