By Shadrek Mweso 

On March 7, 2025, the Students' Representative Council (SRC) at MUST held its first-ever men's conference, focusing on discussions around mental health.
The conference was organized in response to an increase in mental health issues among students on campus.

In his opening remarks, Dr Kondwani Mkandawire, Dean of Students' Affairs (DoSA) at MUST, commended the SRC for the initiative, saying his office has been receiving reports of related concerns, and, therefore, initiatives like this would significantly help in addressing the challenge.

During the conference, students indicated that most of their mental issues primarily stem from financial hardships they face while on campus.

"With the current socio-economic situation, it is very difficult for us to sustain ourselves on campus throughout the semester. Even those on the Loans Board, lately the money for upkeep has proven to be inadequate with prices of commodities going up almost every other two weeks," explained Victor Kainja, one of the students.

It was highlighted that mental health issues are particularly common among male students on campus, as they currently receive less support, such as scholarships, compared to their female counterparts.

Gift Kamangira, a renowned human rights advocate, was the guest speaker at the event, and made a presentation titled: "Coping with Financial and Academic Stress". 

The presentation received applause from the students for its insightfulness and relevance to them.

Gomezgani Msowoya, SRC Social Welfare Director, said they are also organizing a similar conference for female students.