African Rural University (ARU)

Night Theopista's Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) Brings Over 30 Children Back to School in 7 months In March 2023, ARU Student Night Theopista embarked on a transformative journey of her internship as part of community engagement community aimed at keeping children at school in Nyakabira Village, Isunga Subcounty, Kagadi District. Through her Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) project, she worked closely with community members to set up visions, assessed their current reality driving students out of school and took action through visionary approach to enable them return to school with due dates. As a result of her efforts, over 30 students have successfully returned to school within just seven months and a mechanism has been put in place bearing socio-economic factors to keep them in school . For the start, the Primary requested well wishers to support students with Uniform, Shoes,Pens,books and functional fee all totaling to 500,000 Uganda Shillings The research revealed several key factors contributing to the dropout crisis, including financial challenges, early marriages, gender roles, domestic violence, and lack of support for slow learners. Night will be graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development in November this year to continue with her journey of rural transformation as an Epicentre Manager. Night's journey is a powerful example of how #ARU’s education model empowers students to become agents of change, impacting lives and shaping brighter futures in rural Uganda. 🌱 Join us in celebrating the inspiring work of ARU students like Night, leading the way in rural transformation . #RuralDevelopment #VisionaryEducation #AfricanRuralUniversity #CommunityImpact

  🌍 ARU Vice Chancellor Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, Senior Ashoka Fellow, on ARU’s #PracticalCommitment to Sustainable Development in 2024 Alone Our graduates, known as Rural Transformation Specialists, are implementing the Learn, Work, and Earn Innovation within the Young Africa Works Programme. This initiative provides both male and female youth with three months of training, equipping them with soft skills using the visionary approach. Through this model, participants not only learn but also work and earn as part of the program design. We are pleased to report that we are now active in 20 districts and two refugee sites and have skilled 57,869 Youth in Dignified Work. #LearnWorkEarn #VisionaryApproach #ARUGraduates #YoungAfricaWorks #DignifiedWork #SkillsTraining #EmpoweringYouth

Uganda National NGO Forum Explores ARU’s Visionary Approach to Community Development! This week, from October 23 to 26, 2024, ARU welcomed the National NGO Forum Board The purpose of the visit was to learn and engage with ARU’s Unique approach to development based on the visionary approach to development. The visionary approach is ARU’s staple methodology as it allows to effectively communicate and promote change while working with the members of rural communities. The Board saw how our programmes, like the Epicentre strategy and the Two-Generation approach, help local people create positive change in their communities. As part of this engagement, the NGO Forum Board together with URDT and ARU Team visited Artisan Groups and  Nyakashema Tukorehamwe   Farmer Family Learning Group in Rutete Town Council employing the visionary approach  to change their lives and those of the community At ARU Campus, the team were introduced to various pathways through which development is done including community engagement and Community based Radio Programming

  Public Urged to Return to Indigenous Practices on World Food Day In a bid to promote food security and sustainability, the public has been urged to embrace indigenous farming practices and traditional knowledge to combat modern agricultural challenges. This call was made by Ms. Rose Keishanyu, the University Secretary of African Rural University (ARU) during the celebration of  2024 World Food Day held at the Multipurpose Resource Centre Hall at ARU Campus in Kagadi District. In her remarks under the theme, right to foods for a better life and a better future, Ms.  Keishanyu emphasized the importance of reviving indigenous food systems that were prevalent in Uganda during the 1990s to the late 2000s. She noted that in the past, communities had access to healthier, naturally grown foods, many of which have now disappeared due to changes in agricultural practices and the destruction of indigenous plants. As part of ARU's contribution to food and nutrition security, Ms. Rose Keishanyu noted that the university is actively reviving indigenous practices through the Traditional Wisdom Specialists program. As part of the World Food Day celebrations, ARU hosted an exhibition showcasing sustainable farming practices that are being championed by the university and local farmers in the region. 

🌍 Happy World Food Day 2024! 🌾 At African Rural University (ARU), we are committed to transforming rural communities through sustainable agriculture and food sufficiency initiatives. Our work empowers women and youth with skills to promote sustainable food production, enhance nutrition, and contribute to the rural economy. Here’s how we are making an impact as #ARU 🌱 Hands-on training in sustainable agriculture through our Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Agriculture (BSSA) programme. 🥬 Kitchen gardens established across communities, promoting nutritious, balanced diets for children. 🌾 Collaborating with local farmers to improve crop and animal production for self-sufficiency. 🌍 Engaging communities through visionary approaches to enable them create sustainable food systems. On this World Food Day, let’s continue to promote sustainable food systems and rural transformation. #WorldFoodDay #SustainableAgriculture #Visionaryapproach #RuralTransformation #AfricanRuralUniversity #SustainableDevelopment

🌍✨ Happy International Day of the Girl Child! ✨🌍 At African Rural University (ARU), we take pride in being Uganda's first all-women university, dedicated to empowering girls and women through an education continuum  from primary to university together with our mother Organisation Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme (URDT) . 💪🎓 As part of our mission to create visionary leaders and change agents, #ARU nurtures girls through every stage of the education continuum instilling confidence, leadership, and a passion for human development and sustainable development in local communities. Today, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and limitless potential of every girl. Together, we continue to build a future where every girl has the opportunity to learn, lead, and thrive. 🚀💡 #ARU #InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild #EmpowerGirls #WomenInEducation #RuralTransformation #GirlPower #EducationForAll #Changemakers

Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe Presents on the Role of Higher Education in Sustainability of the Parish Development Model at the Uganda Vice Chancellors' Forum On October 4th, 2024, Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, Senior Ashoka Fellow and Vice Chancellor of African Rural University (ARU), delivered a transformative presentation on "Integrating Higher Education in the Sustainability of the Parish Development Model (PDM)" at the Uganda Vice Chancellors’ Forum, held at Best Western Hotel, Entebbe. 💡 Dr. Musheshe highlighted how ARU’s integrated education model aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDPIV), where students actively engage in PDM programs through practicums and internships. ARU students have been crucial in leading mindset change initiatives, promoting financial inclusion at the parish level, and using community radio to raise awareness about the PDM’s objectives and long-term benefits. 📻🌱 However, challenges like low awareness, insufficient research, financial indiscipline, and a lack of localization in PDM programs persist. Dr. Musheshe called for a stronger collaboration framework between higher education institutions and PDM stakeholders, urging the integration of PDM topics into university curricula to drive community empowerment and sustainable growth. 🚀 ARU continues to set the pace in using higher education as a tool for transformative rural development! 🌍✨ #HigherEducation #RuralTransformation #ParishDevelopmentModel #Sustainability #AfricanRuralUniversity #CommunityDevelopment #MindsetChange #Leadership #DevelopmentAgenda #AshokaFellow

🎉 Wishing all Ugandans a Happy 62nd Independence Day! 🎉 As we celebrate this day of freedom, African Rural University stands proud of its mission to create effective change agents within the African context for self-reliance. True independence is achieved when individuals and communities can shape their own futures with confidence, innovation, and resilience. At ARU, we are dedicated to empowering Ugandans through transformative education to drive sustainable development and rural transformation. Our graduates are at the forefront of building a self-reliant Uganda, where independence is not just a symbol but a lived reality. 🌱 Let's continue working towards a brighter, more independent future! 🌍✨ #HappyIndependenceUganda #SelfReliance #ARUMission #EffectiveChangeAgents #SustainableDevelopment #TransformativeEducation

🎓 Student Voices: ARU Students on Uganda’s Progress and the Way Forward Every year on October 9th, Uganda celebrates her Independence Day! This year, we asked African Rural University (ARU) students a critical question: Is Uganda moving forward? What’s the way forward? Enjoy watching as our students share their thoughts on Uganda's journey and how we can continue to grow as a nation. #9October #UgandaIndependenceDay #StudentVoices #WayForward #ARUVoices #RuralTransformation #YoungChangeAgents #CelebrateProgress

How can empowering women to become rural transformation specialists and change agents transform communities and contribute to national development? In a thought-provoking conversation featured in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies by Riane Eisler  , Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe Senior Ashoka Fellow, the Vice Chancellor of #AfricanRuralUniversity (ARU), shares insights into how ARU and its mother Organisation Uganda Rural Development Training Programme equips women with the knowledge, skills, and experience to drive rural transformation as per our vision. https://lnkd.in/dSx-yjft #RuralDevelopment #WomenEmpowerment #CommunityLeadership #TransformativeEducation #AfricaLeadership #ARU