News and Events

IUIU MOURNS H.E. YOUSIF JASSIM AL-HIJJI, FIRST CHAIRMAN UNIVERSITY COUNCIL.

• 30th March, 2020 12:00am
• 2 minutes read

The Islamic University in Uganda has lost her first chairman of the University Council, H.E. YOUSIF JASSIM AL-HIJJI who served between 1989 and 2003.

The IUIU Rector, Dr. Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo describes Dr. Yusuf Jassem Al-Hijji as a man who was passionate and committed towards the development of IUIU both during his time as the Chairman and also as the president International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO).

“Al-Hijji Yousif contributed a lot towards IUIU’s development in terms of infrastructure, human resource and academic progress” Dr. Sengendo explained with sadness.

The Al-Hijji Block (aka Education Block) is said to be one of the buildings Al-Hijji Yusuf helped IUIU to construct including but not limited to; University Health Centre, Vocational Training Center (VTC), Staff houses. He also constructed boreholes, and contributed tremendously in offering scholarship to needy students.

Dr. Sengendo revealed that Dr. Yousif’s contribution saw the establishment and construction of the Kibuli Muslim Hospital Nursing School in Kampala.

“Al-Hajji Yusuf helped build the Kibuli Nursing Schools and many other projects, not only in Uganda but world over” the Rector noted.

H.E. Dr. Yousif Jassim Al-Hijji was the Former Minister of Endowments in the Republic of Kuwait, founder and President of the IICO which continues to support IUIU.

He also chaired the Kuwaiti Relief Committee, which carried out relief work in affected areas in the Islamic world such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Somalia, Lebanon, Sudan and Iraq.

Dr. Yousif was the Vice-Chairman of the Kuwaiti Zakat House, Vice-President of the International Islamic Council for Call and Relief in Cairo (IICCR), and the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the IICCR.

Furthermore Al-Hijji also established or participated in the establishment and management of a number of charitable societies in Kuwait and other Islamic countries world over.

He dedicated  most of his life to Islamic charity work and this won him awards among which include the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam in 2006, and an honorary Doctorate from the Islamic University in Uganada.