Changing Lives
Through Education
The Muljibhai Madhvani Foundation
At the heart of Uganda’s progress lies education, and for over sixty years, the Muljibhai Madhvani Foundation has been committed to making it accessible to those who need it most. Established in 1962 to honour the legacy of industrialist and philanthropist Muljibhai Prabhudas Madhvani, the Foundation continues to invest in the people shaping Uganda’s future.
Beyond numbers and milestones, the true measure of the Foundation’s work is seen in the lives it has touched — in doctors healing communities, engineers building infrastructure, entrepreneurs creating jobs, and scientists expanding the frontiers of knowledge. Each scholarship is more than support for one student; it is an investment in possibility, a spark that can uplift families, strengthen communities, and carries forward the spirit of progress for Uganda.
A Legacy of Vision
Muljibhai arrived in Jinja in 1912, just 18 years old and full of determination. What began as a small trading concern grew into one of Uganda’s largest business empires, accounting for over 10% of the country’s GDP. But his success was never just about business — it was about belief. In people. In potential. In Uganda.
“Muljibhai Madhvani believed in giving people a fair chance. That belief lives on in our unwavering commitment to merit-based support, open processes, and equal opportunity for all.”
The Road Through the Marsh
One of the most enduring symbols of his foresight is a simple row of trees.
In the 1940s, while walking through the marshes of Kakira, he told his sons he wanted to plant trees stretching across the land. They questioned it: there was no footpath, no road, no reason. But he stood firm: “Men are not stupid; one day there is going to be a road here.”
Years later, that very stretch became part of the Jinja–Iganga highway.
It’s this quiet belief in the future, in planting where others see nothing, that guides the Madhvani Foundation today. We support students who, like him, have the courage to dream ahead of their time. Those who see possibility in places others might overlook.
Education That Builds a Nation
Since the early 2000s, the Foundation has awarded scholarships worth hundreds of millions of shillings to Ugandan students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies. Our goal is to open doors, not just to classrooms, but to opportunity, leadership, and impact.
We look for graduates with vision: individuals who are not only ready to walk the path ahead, but who want to shape it for others.
The Madhvani Foundation stands firmly for transparency, merit, and fairness. Every application is assessed through a clear, open process designed to support students who meet our criteria and who are ready to contribute meaningfully to Uganda’s future.
We aim to inspire confidence in young people who might otherwise feel the system is out of reach, and to give them real reason to believe that their hard work and talent are enough.
More Than a Scholarship
Muljibhai Madhvani was offering free education, housing, and healthcare to workers and their families long before the term "corporate social responsibility" existed. His belief in shared prosperity lives on through every student we support — each one a reflection of his conviction that when you uplift people, you uplift a nation.
Students from across Uganda, pursuing degrees in fields that shape our future
UGX 12 billion+ in scholarships awarded since inception
2,849 bright minds supported through higher education
1 in 3 recipients is a female — and rising
In The News
Madhvani Foundation Announces Shs750m Scholarship Fund
The Madhvani Foundation Scholarship Program, established in 2003, has been instrumental in supporting Uganda's higher education sector.
Madhvani Foundation Offers Shs750m for Scholarships
“This program is an investment in the future of Uganda”
Minister Commends Madhvani Foundation as it Launches University Scholarships
“On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I would like to thank the Madhvani Foundation for the tremendous support they have rendered to the education sector in Uganda and for the role they have played and are continuing to play in the transformation of Uganda’s socio-economic landscape.”
Over 2,500 students benefit from Madhvani scholarships
The Madhvani Foundation has supported needy students from all walks of life to attain their education dreams by providing them with tuition to undertake undergraduate and post-graduate studies.