Many female university students are silently battling mental health challenges due to the hardships they face while on campus.
Being female, some feel restricted in what they can do out of fear of judgment and ridicule based on their appearance and gender.
Surprisingly, most female students only receive tuition and hostel fees from their parents, leaving them to cater for their daily survival needs, including food and personal upkeep.
As a result, many are forced into desperate means to survive. Some turn to sex work, while others frequent bars, hoping to attract men who can buy them a meal or offer financial support.
This struggle has exposed many to serious risks, including health issues such as HIV and other diseases. Cases of gang rape have also been reported, leaving lasting trauma in the lives of victims.
While male students also face challenges, they often find alternative ways to earn money through simple jobs, although even these are not always reliable.
One of the most affordable meals on campus is “kikomando” (chapati mixed with beans), but due to societal pressures and fear of being mocked or photographed while buying it, some female students opt to go hungry instead.
A student, James Kakumba (not his real name), shared his experience.
He recounted an encounter at a Kololo bar where he invited a girl from an empty table to join him and his friends for drinks.
After several rounds, he asked her to accompany him to his rental in Kyanja, an offer she accepted.
However, upon arrival, she revealed that she had only gone to the bar in search of someone who could buy her supper.
“When she told me she accepted my invitation just to get food, I felt low. I asked about her friends we had left in the bar, and she said, ‘We all have the same mission—whoever gets lucky eats; if not, then I don’t know,” Kakumba says.
He says he got touched by what he had just heard and gave her some money so she could buy food for herself and the friends.
“ I even gave her my number and told her to call me whenever she needed help,” he added.
Joan Nangozi, a Makerere University graduate, revealed that at one point, she contemplated commiting suicide due to the immense hardships she faced both academically and socially, with no one to turn to for help.
“There was a time I felt like I had no reason to stay alive because I had no hope for tomorrow. My parents back in the village could only afford to pray for me, but they couldn’t offer any financial support. I was fortunate that my priest paid my tuition, but beyond that, my parents couldn’t help,” she shared.
She recalled a near-death experience caused by hunger.
“I went two days without eating. The only thing I had in plenty was water. One day, I started vomiting, and a guy from a nearby hotel noticed. When he approached me, I told him the truth. He and some fellow students came together to offer me food and a little money, even though they were also struggling.”
Nangozi adds that she once thought she was suffering alone until she heard of a student who collapsed in a Kikoni hostel due to severe hunger.
She further revealed that many female students, despite their struggles, wake up, shower, dress well, and walk around campus and nearby towns, hoping to attract men who might provide them with financial support.
“Their goal is to have at least one person in their contacts who can assist them in times of need,” she added.
Recently, reports have emerged of university students nearly losing their lives due to hunger.
Surprisingly, the most affected students are those on government sponsorship, especially those whose parents are unable to provide additional financial support.
