On most school sports days, the loudest sounds are the cheers from the sidelines and the whistle that signals the start of another game. On August 8, however, every goal scored, every dance performed and every ticket purchased at the UICT Grounds in Nakawa will carry a much bigger purpose: helping build a new home for the next generation of girls who will one day walk through the gates of Trinity College Nabbingo.
For the Trinity College Nabbingo Old Girls Association (TCNOGA), the 4th Sports Gala is far more than an alumni reunion. It is the latest chapter in an ambitious UGX 14 billion campaign to establish Trinity Junior School Nabbingo, a project alumni believe will secure the school’s legacy by shaping girls long before they join the renowned secondary school. The vision is rooted in history.
Founded in 1942 by the Catholic White Fathers, Trinity College Nabbingo has spent more than eight decades producing women who have distinguished themselves in leadership, education, business, politics, public service and the professions. Beyond academic achievement, the school has long been recognised for instilling discipline, faith, integrity and service.
Today, the women who once wore the school’s uniform are determined to pass those values to future generations. “We believe the values we received at Trinity College Nabbingo are legacy values,” says TCNOGA President Marie Solome Nassiwa Lubowa. “If we can begin instilling those values in girls from an early age, we shall be contributing to building a better Uganda.”
The proposed Trinity Junior School is intended to become a feeder school to the college, giving girls an opportunity to embrace the Nabbingo culture from their formative years. The project, estimated to cost UGX 14 billion, is one of the most ambitious alumni-led education initiatives undertaken by the association. The annual Sports Gala has become one of the association’s flagship fundraising activities.
Since its introduction four years ago, together with fundraising dinners and individual donations, it has raised about UGX 150 million. While that is only a fraction of the total cost, the association says it represents the first steps toward laying the school’s foundation.Lubowa hopes construction will begin during her tenure as president.”It is my dream as president to see the foundation of the school before my term ends,” she says. “If we all come together, we can make that happen.
“This year’s event has been dubbed the “Legacy Gala” to reflect that shared mission.Although competition remains at its heart, organisers have deliberately broadened the programme to ensure that participation extends beyond seasoned athletes. Alongside football, volleyball and netball, participants will enjoy interactive activities such as archery, crate challenges and family-friendly games designed to encourage everyone to take part.”Our goal is to ensure that everyone who comes can take part,” Lubowa says.
“You don’t have to be a sports person to enjoy the gala.” The ever-popular dance competition, now a signature attraction of the event, will also return with a mix of contemporary and traditional performances expected to draw enthusiastic support from alumni and spectators alike. Yet behind the entertainment lies a philosophy deeply embedded in the school’s identity.
“Academic excellence is our foundation, but of course sports build character, leadership and resilience,” Lubowa says. “By organising this gala, the old girls are showing the current students that at Nabbingo we nurture well-rounded individuals — ladies of substance.”That message resonates beyond the school’s own alumni.What started as an event involving only a few boys’ schools has steadily grown into a national alumni gathering, attracting former students from girls’ schools, mixed schools and numerous alumni associations.
For many participants, the gala has become an opportunity to reconnect with classmates, expand professional networks and support a cause larger than themselves.”Sports bring people together in a unique way,” Lubowa says. “People come to reconnect with former classmates, build new networks, enjoy themselves and at the same time contribute to a meaningful cause.”The organisers expect close to 3,000 participants this year, including old girls, parents, corporate partners, families and members of the public.
Chairperson of the organising committee Stella Maris Amabilis says preparations are in their final stages to ensure participants enjoy a full day of activities beginning at 6:00 a.m. and stretching into the evening.”This is not just about dancing and having fun,” she says. “Every activity contributes towards one goal — raising funds for Trinity Junior School.”Corporate Uganda has also rallied behind the initiative.
Healthcare providers, banks, universities, insurance firms, beverage companies, media organisations and other private sector partners have committed financial support, health services, prizes, logistics, refreshments and entertainment, demonstrating growing confidence in the project’s long-term impact.Visitors will pay UGX 35,000 to enter the gala, with every ticket contributing directly to the construction fund.
Legacy jerseys, branded merchandise, exhibition spaces and additional donations will provide further fundraising opportunities. “There is no amount that is too small,” Lubowa says. “Every contribution is another brick towards Trinity Junior School.” The association also hopes to tap into its vast global alumni network. Thousands of Nabbingo graduates now live and work across Uganda, Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Australia, occupying influential positions in virtually every sector.
Organisers believe their collective support could significantly accelerate the project.When completed, Trinity Junior School will extend beyond preparing learners for secondary education. It is expected to provide bursaries and scholarships for academically gifted children, particularly those from surrounding communities who might otherwise struggle to access quality education.
True to the spirit of Trinity College Nabbingo, the school will remain open to learners of all faiths and backgrounds while maintaining the Catholic values that have shaped the institution for more than 80 years.In many ways, the Legacy Gala reflects the very lessons Nabbingo has sought to teach for generations: that leadership is measured by service, success carries responsibility, and those who have benefited from opportunity have a duty to create it for others.
On August 8, the old girls will return not simply to celebrate where they came from, but to ensure that countless other girls can begin the same journey.For them, the UGX 14 billion target is more than a fundraising figure. It is an investment in the next generation of women of substance, whose futures will be built one contribution, one game and one brick at a time. URN