CAMPUS LUNCH DAY: MAKERERE UNIVERSITY RECAP

Field notes from the team

This recap expands on our initial Campus Lunch Day at Makerere story with operational detail useful for campus partners, volunteers, and donors who want to understand how the program works on the ground.

Pre-event checklist (what actually happened)

48 hours before

• Confirmed meal count with food partner (+10% buffer)
• Printed queue signage and faculty-specific break schedules
• Briefed 24 volunteers via a 20-minute group call

Morning of

• Site setup began at 9:30 a.m.
• First meal served at 11:45 a.m. (aligned to Sciences faculty break)
• Mid-event supply check at 1:00 p.m.

Volunteer roles that worked

Rather than a single "general helper" role, we assigned four clear functions:

1. Queue lead — keeps line moving, answers timing questions
2. Server — plates meals, tracks portions
3. Runner — restocks from the back station
4. Feedback collector — hands out short cards, collects responses

Volunteers rotated every 45 minutes. Several said the rotation prevented fatigue during the busiest window.

Student feedback themes

We grouped 112 feedback cards into four themes:

• Academic impact — "I stayed for my afternoon lecture" (mentioned 41 times)
• Financial relief — "Saved money I needed for printing" (mentioned 29 times)
• Community — "Felt supported, not judged" (mentioned 23 times)
• Logistics — requests for shade and earlier start time (mentioned 19 times)

"Please do this during exam week. That is when we skip meals the most."
— Anonymous feedback card

Photo gallery

Links and references

• Makerere University: mak.ac.ug
• Follow event photos: Learn N' Lunch on Instagram
• Support the next campus event: Donate