‘Rajiv’s Spirit Lives On’ – Prof. Muganga Praises Ruparelia Family at RR Eye Camp Launch

Hundreds of people living with preventable blindness in the Teso Sub-Region will have their sight restored later this month when the Ruparelia Foundation rolls out the RR Eye Camp Bukedea, an initiative that Victoria University Kampala Vice Chancellor Prof. Lawrence Muganga says is proof that the late Rajiv Ruparelia’s legacy continues to change lives.

The camp, which will run from March 27 to March 29 at Bukedea Teaching Hospital in Bukedea District, is expected to screen at least 2,000 patients and perform hundreds of eye surgeries. It was officially launched at Kabira Country Club, where Prof. Muganga delivered an emotional address connecting the medical outreach to both Rajiv’s memory and the broader humanitarian work of the Ruparelia family.

“These are the things Rajiv would have loved to see,” Prof. Muganga said. “Who knows, tomorrow the child who cannot see today might become one of our students.”

Prof. Muganga said restoring sight to a child in rural Uganda is not just a medical act but a life-changing intervention, arguing that poor vision silently keeps many children out of classrooms and away from opportunities they deserve.

“You need the eyes to carry the heart somewhere. You need the eyes to guide your legs and to direct everything you do. Without sight, many opportunities become unreachable,” he said.

Victoria University will play a direct role in the camp, with Prof. Muganga announcing that 80 nursing, midwifery and pharmacy students will be deployed to Bukedea to work alongside the medical teams during the three-day outreach. He said the arrangement would give students valuable hands-on experience while strengthening the capacity of the camp to serve more patients.

“The people who will be doing the checkups, the people assisting in surgeries, dispensing medicine and supporting patients will include our students,” he said.

Prof. Muganga also highlighted the university’s existing ties with Eastern Uganda, saying 473 students from the region, most of them nurses upgrading to degree level, are currently enrolled at Victoria University. He said the Ruparelia family has been central to making university education accessible, pointing to 100 scholarships offered to bright but vulnerable Ugandans during last year’s graduation ceremony.

“I personally don’t know what to say about this family. As Victoria University we are very appreciative and we pray that God continues to bless them,” he said.

He closed by reflecting on what the eye camp says about a young man who is no longer alive to witness its impact.

“To see Rajiv touching so many people even in his absence is something powerful,” Prof. Muganga said. “And if even one child regains their sight, pursues education and eventually comes to the university, then that will be a legacy worth celebrating.”