On Wednesday August 2 2023, MakSPH hosted a team of five finance officers from KSPH for a 3-day learning visit aimed at strengthening the finance and grants management capacity for projects at KSPH.
The KSPH team, led by Dr. Joël Konde Nkiama Numbi the Deputy Director of KSPH highlighted that strengthening their management and financial unit will enhance their ability to attract funding and foster institutional development in research and training. Other members of the team included: Narx Navoka Npanda, Financial Coordinator, Coco Nukunaizie and Bionick Bola, Finance Officers and Kitoko Mukenzi Contant, Finance/Budget Officer from KSPH.
The team was welcomed by Professor Elizeus Rutebemberwa, the Deputy Dean of MakSPH who expressed gratitude and enthusiasm to carry the MakSPH-KSPH collaboration forward. He noted that over the course of 15 years, Makerere University and KSPH have formed a strong partnership, jointly executing numerous activities and projects including the ongoing African Leadership and Management training for Impact in Malaria Eradication project (ALAMIME), PERSUADE project, Covid-19 assessment, SDG Cap project under the CESH, the center of excellence for pandemic preparedness, among various other initiatives.
He added that the visit is not just a one-way exchange, but an opportunity to learn from each other’s’ experiences.
The MakSPH and KSPH teams engaged in in-depth discussions on grantsmanship for projects, financial systems and processes, audits and procurement for projects. The MakSPH team was led by CPA Elizabeth Nambi the Finance Manager, Amos Ashaba Dembe, the Internal Auditor, Monica Mudaaki, Procurement Officer, Jackie Nanteza and Stella Kakeeto, both from the Grants Office.
Dr. Joël Konde remarked “These discussions hold great value for us as KSPH. The opportunity to learn from MakSPH is key to shaping our efforts towards sound finance and grants management practices for our externally funded projects. We are taking back home many lessons that we believe shall yield positive outcomes for our department. We aspire to establish robust finance and grants management systems that will assure trust and confidence in our funding partners.
In the closing meeting, Ms. Elizabeth Nambi noted that hosting their fellow professionals was a privilege and an honor citing that the experience provided an exceptional chance for both parties to engage in meaningful sharing and learning. She added, “It is indeed great being part of a capacity-building journey for our colleagues and this helps us to further strengthen our own systems.”
By Davidson Ndyabahika
