Isimba Hydro Power Station Community Partnership

Gayaza High School (GHS) and Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) partnered in a project to provide Mathematics revision books for Upper Primary school pupils in schools supported by UEGCL at Isimba Hydro Power Plant (HPP). The Mathematics revision books are part of the Kadongo Math’s project, an initiative by Gayaza students to teach mathematics to pupils in primary schools, which started in 2007.  This project take students to the community to teach maths and as the Headteacher,Mrs. Robinah.K.KIZITO puts it “Our Senior one students teach mathematics, once a week, to Gayaza C.O.U (Kadongo) primary school in the neighborhood and this is one of the several ways, we are giving back and improving on the community in which we live and work.”

“This partnership with Gayaza almost came about naturally as the program espouses our essence of existence that is well captured in our tagline, “Generating for Generations,” said Dr. Eng. Harrison E. MUTIKANGA, the UEGCL Chief Executive Officer. “Promotion of especially science education at all levels is to us a futuristic insurance in the development of the requisite human resources to man our operations.”

The program that was initially within the precincts of Gayaza, has now extended to the Isimba area where UEGCL is operating and maintaining the 183MW Isimba hydro power station. Pupils in remote schools such as those surrounding Isimba deserve and should be exposed to such opportunities for them to harness their potential and realize their dreams.” Eng. Mutikanga said.

On 20^th February,2020, a team of 28 students and 5 teachers visited Isimba HPP and the schools supported by UEGCL under their Community Action Plan Program. The team visited St. Andrews Kiyunga Primary School, Kamuli and Nakatooke Primary School, Kayunga. Under this program, UEGCL has built classrooms and staff quarters and it was their desire to help these needy learners with materials to simplify their learning. Kadongo maths book that UEGCL helped to produce came in handy and we are hopeful that the learners will benefit from the book.

After the schools visit the team toured Isimba HPP with the guidance of UEGCL staff who explained to the team the genesis Isimba HPP and every step of Hydro power generation. The information shared with the team was more enriching and hopefully the students on the team hoping to become Engineers were enlightened and encouraged. There were many Engineering disciplines on the Plant like Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Telecommunication, etc, which can help the students to take a decision on which arm to study at the University. The plant had other professionals who talked to the students to like Environmentalists, Safety specialists, Communication and Relations, Sociologists, ICT, etc and all these were inspirational to the students.