Rose’s Journey Scholarship Fund (RJSF).

In 2009, Dr. Rose C. Nanyonga founded the RJSF (Rose's Journey Support Fund) with a clear mission in mind. The fund aims to assist nursing students who exhibit commendable qualities: those with financial need, deserving candidates, and individuals poised to reflect the defining ethos of Rose's Journey.

The fund's overarching goal is to support students who mirror the core values encapsulated in Rose's Journey. These values encompass a commitment to service excellence, a compassionate and selfless approach (a servant's heart), diligence and perseverance (hard work), a profound dedication to the field of nursing, a deep empathy for humanity, resilience in the face of challenges, and a demonstrated capacity to lead, inspire, and empower others.

Through the RJSF, Dr. Rose Nanyonga seeks to empower and uplift nursing students who embody these qualities, fostering the next generation of compassionate, skilled, and exemplary healthcare professionals.

Enrolled in a full-time undergraduate nursing program pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

• Typically, unless otherwise specified, students should be in their second year of the program.
• Display a clear track record of leadership and active involvement in community service.
• Demonstrate strong academic performance and achievements.
• Showcase a genuine need for financial assistance to complete their studies.

I strongly believe that at the heart of effective leadership lies the capacity to envision, motivate, and empower others to achieve their utmost potential. I've been fortunate to have someone guide me in this way, and I dedicate a significant portion of my time to passing that support forward. I am deeply committed to this cause because I recognize its immense value.

The focus on Nursing Education, Practice, Regulation, and Leadership in Uganda has received notable attention in recent months due to the global Nursing Now Campaign 2020 (NNC). This heightened focus is crucial. The objectives laid out in the NNC encapsulate the following key areas:

• Enhanced investment in elevating the quality of education, professional growth, standards, regulation, and working conditions for nurses.
• Amplified and refined dissemination of effective and innovative nursing practices.
• Heightened influence and involvement of nurses and midwives in shaping both global and national health policies, fostering a more inclusive decision-making process within healthcare.
• Amplified representation of nurses in leadership roles, coupled with expanded opportunities for growth across all hierarchical levels.
• Increased generation of evidence for policymakers, addressing critical aspects such as identifying areas where nursing can have the most significant impact, recognizing barriers hindering nurses from realizing their full potential and proposing solutions to overcome these obstacles.

In Uganda, nurses constitute a significant 73% of the healthcare workforce (MoH, 2017). Despite this substantial representation, there has been minimal expansion in the nurse workforce required to attain universal health coverage. The density ratio of nurses/midwives to patients showed little progress between 2004 and 2015, standing at 0.70 (in 2004) and 0.65 (in 2015) per 1000 individuals, respectively (Trending Economics, 2019). These figures suggest a concerning trend, persistently falling well below both national and global recommended standards.

Uganda's population, standing at approximately 45,160,468 and exhibiting an annual growth rate of 3.26% (United Nations Estimates, 2019), significantly surpasses the capacity of its existing healthcare workforce. The nurse-to-patient ratio, reported at 1:11,000, falls far below the WHO's recommended standard of 1:1000. Although Uganda graduates an average of 3000 nurses annually from its various training institutions across the country, the total count of nurses stands at 101,068 (UNMC, 2022)[1].

However, a substantial nation's workforce, totaling 101,068 according to UNMC data1[2], is heavily skewed in terms of nursing and midwifery qualifications. The majority, around 70%, hold Enrolled Nursing / Midwifery certifications, that limit their ability to engage in evidence-based practice or meaningfully contribute to healthcare reforms. A moderate percentage, nearly 25%, possess diplomas. There's a notably smaller proportion with baccalaureate degrees, accounting for 2.3% in Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNS) and 2.1% in Bachelor of Science in Midwifery (UNMC, 2022). These statistics highlight a pressing need for not only augmenting the quantity of available nurses but also enhancing the quality and competence of the existing and future nursing workforce.

The disparity in educational qualifications underscores the imperative to improve both the number and capabilities of nursing professionals. Furthermore, aspiring nursing students often encounter significant financial hurdles that impede their pursuit of a nursing degree. This barrier exacerbates the challenge of bolstering the nursing workforce and cultivating a cohort capable of meeting Uganda's healthcare demands effectively.

[1] UNMC (2022). UNMC’s 100th anniversary. November 2022. Centenary Magazine

[2] Of the 101,068 registered nurses and midwives, those with active practice licenses=73956; Those with expired practice licenses =27,112

HOW TO GIVE

In the USA:
Narrow Road International Aid: https://www.narrowroadintl.org/Narrow_Road__One_Time_Donation.html (Indicate Purpose RJSF)

In Uganda:

Clarke International University
Account number: 6000164850
Bank Name: Absa Bank Uganda Limited
Bank Location: Tank Hill Parade Muyenga

Swift Code: BARCUGKX

Purpose (RJSF)

 Please email Dr. Nanyonga when a donation is made nanyogaclarke@gmail.com

 Thank you for your shoulder to the wheel.

Download the application document below. Fill it out fully and clearly

After filling it out upload your complete application below

• All Applications must be e-marked August 15th or January 15th of the year of submission.
• Scholarship awards will be announced September or February 15th respectively.