Africa-Press – Uganda. The Church of Uganda Headteachers Association (COUHEA) has announced plans to establish a Church-owned industrial park in Mukono to strengthen its economic base and produce affordable scholastic materials for learners.
The association also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Shell to install gas systems in church-founded schools to address environmental concerns.
The industrial hub, to be built on diocesan land in Nakanyonyi, Mukono District, is expected to begin operations next year.
COUHEA leaders said the project will initially focus on producing essential items such as toilet paper, reams of paper, books, pencils, uniforms, and sanitary pads, which will be sold at affordable prices to Church-founded schools.
“It was discovered that many learners drop out of school because of expensive school requirements. Girls are especially affected due to the high cost of sanitary pads,” one leader noted.
The Group Chief Executive of Church Commissioners Holdings Company Limited, Rev Jasper Tumuhimbise, said the initiative aims to ease the financial burden on parents and learners.
“This hub will produce items such as books, reams of paper, pencils, pads, and toilet paper. Our goal is to make scholastic materials affordable and accessible to all learners in our church-founded schools,” he said.
Rev Tumuhimbise also revealed that the Church plans to invest in other sectors, including a bus company to provide affordable transport during school closing periods and festive seasons, and the mining sector, leveraging the natural resources on Church land.
The meeting also highlighted a partnership with Vivo Energy to help church-founded schools transition from firewood to gas systems, a move aimed at reducing deforestation and protecting the environment.
“This move will help mitigate the cutting of forests, which has been happening as schools collect firewood for cooking,” said the Bishop of South Ankole Diocese, Rev Nathan Ahimbisibwe.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian University, Prof Aaron Mushengyezi, praised COUHEA for improving the livelihoods of teachers in Church-founded schools and encouraged the establishment of an investment fund to support institutional development.
“I encourage you to set up an investment fund that we can use to develop our institutions through low-interest loans instead of depending on external financiers,” Mushengyezi said.
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