A Rich Desert; The hustle for food in Cavendish University.

Cavendish University is an international university that brings together various cultures all over the world both internationally and locally.

Distinct from other universities, it has two campuses along Gaaba road. The Siyani campus as the main campus plus kings gate campus with the business faculty and the one of social and economic sciences . In addition to the above the two faculties posses only one canteen.

High cost of Food outside Campus.

Restaurants around campus such as Great burgers, Tastebudz and KFC are expensive. The restaurants were designed to sell junk food stuffs to people in the community as compared to students. this then makes it very expensive for a students whose budget may not be able to facilitate the menu prices.

With high valued menus around Kabalagala, students are forced to look for food stuffs around the community. this forces them to enter the slummy areas of Kabalagala and market places in search of cheap food stuffs. these areas include Kikubamutwe, Nsambya Kamwanyi zone and the market area.

Student Reactions Towards This Effect.

This deducts on concentration since many students go back home to eat lunch or have to endure hunger till they lessons are done just to access affordable food. At times its very hard for they go back home and find it hard to make a return journey for just one remaining lesson hence recording a limited attendance of students after lunch. due to hunger concentration levels are very low which affects the students attention and grades. On sad note some are even prone to food poisoning in slums they visit to have affordable meals.

The struggle to get food.

So many students and staff members have been observed to ignore lunch time as others carry a fruit or packed food in order to curb the hunger they get to go through while at school. lessons usually run from 8am-5pm for most students so it is not surprising if they find themselves in need for food. this has forced them to extreme measures like dodging lessons or having to endure over priced menus in order to survive.

Recommendations.

• Set up a food restaurant with pocket friendly prices for students
• Encourage the Canteen suppliers to be innovative with food.
• The administration to look into the food supplied at the school premises
• Liaise with service providers as it is with medical insurance of students to see that students access good food.

Conclusions

So many students and staff members have to go through so much just to access food. the one available at the campus premises is too little to cater for the population. it gets worse when the food is made horribly because of the monopoly they enjoy. Students have to fathom monotonous junk which gets boring to eat every day. its to this effect that i urge the Dean in charge of student welfare to look into this matter as it is parallel to ones excelling. ‘A happy stomach makes a sharp brain’.