Forum For African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Uganda Chapter
Lemokol attending to a client at his drug shop in Pader district. Currently employing his young brother.
Lemokol Felix Adupe, aged 25 is from Pader district, Pajule town council. He is currently in year 3, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Bio-social Engineering at Gulu University. Felix, grew-up in a family of 20 children with different mothers but same father, and other adopted children. He’s an orphan, and a first born child who lost a mother in 2013 and father in 2019
As a result of the challenges he was facing since childhood, Felix sat for his Primary 7 in Pajule town council; he didn’t perform well and scored 3rd grade. When he joined secondary school, ‘O’ level, he performed well as he scored 1st grade despite the poor rural school he was at – lacking text books and teachers. He attributes this performance to, hard work, personal struggle, determination and guidance received from people in his community, “I was the first person to get a 1st grade in that school and I left a legacy there.”
After staying home for one year due to lack of school fees, he finally secures a scholarship to join A’ level. A good Samaritan, school proprietor/head teacher neighboring us in the village accepted to pay my fees for ‘O’. In return, I had to mold bricks which were used to construct other buildings in the school in addition to doing some other domestic works. This was because I was brilliant, committed and hard working yet disadvantaged.
At A’ level, I scored 12 points, but the future was blick as I missed joining University on Government sponsorship. I could not enroll for engineering, which was my dream course; I was inspired by ‘Dr. Hillary Onek’ a former state for Finance, whom I had watched on TV. The situation was worsened by my poor family back ground, where I could not enroll under the private scheme at University. I was hopeless, got stranded, and just returned home to look for what to do, make myself busy during vacation than just idling and joining bad peer groups.
I remained home praying and hoping to further my studies some day. Amidst difficult challenges, I am always motivated by my names, Lemokole means ‘pray for life’ and Adupe ‘ God is with you’. These in addition to the slogan that says “good things follow a living man, not a dead man.” Keep me moving despite in situation I am facing. As I pondered my next move, I started teaching ‘O’ in four different schools; Pader College, Pader Girls Academy, Pader Comprehensive and the school I studied my ‘O’ at; this was a result of my better performance at both ‘O’ and ‘A’ level. This is where the news about the FAWE – mastercard scholarship found me.
The news about the scholarship from the District Education Officer (DEO), got me, when I was working very hard to raise money to pay for my tuition at university “My plan was to work hard for 2 years, join university for an Education course” but FAWE U rescued me, and that’s how my dream as an engineer was saved. I immediately rushed to the DEO’s office and was guided on how to apply, which I did. As a result, I was admitted to both Mbarara University of Science and Technology for Education and Gulu University for Engineering, and I opted for the latter.
Until this point, throughout my life time, I had suffered chronic financial challenges, and always needed funds to sustain my life and family. And because of the financial support and the Extended Orientation Program (EOP) – specifically on financial literacy we received from FAWEU, I decided to save and used part of the money and proceeds from other projects to build an iron sheets house. “We have never had any iron-sheet roofed house in our village home.” One time we suffered greatly, during holidays, after harvesting food, when fire gutted the grass thatched house and everything burnt to ashes. “We suffered for a whole year lacking what to eat and barely survived. This motivated me to work hard and decided to construct a three bed roomed iron-sheet house.
This dream was made reality by contribution from different projects including; the drugs shop I opened and currently employing my brother, opened a mobile money business, engaged in farming – growing food crops on 2 acres of land (beans, maize and soya beans) which we use for both subsistence and commercial purpose. I too grow sunflower and get cooking oil for selling, and onions for feeding at home. I too rear chicken on a free range system that generates for me some little money. I too use the proceeds from these enterprises to support pay school fees for my siblings. Most of the money, I get invest it in agriculture, and the profits from their sustain me, whole semester at school. I am currently planning to open a standard restaurant in Pader district as most of them are sub standard “These have helped create employment opportunities for the most of the youth who have dropped out of school, improving their condition. I am inspired to work hard because I don’t get money from anywhere but from the things I do personally to support myself, and those around.
After school, I am committed to doing the same, to create a job for myself. I too dream of creating a unique engineering project in Pader following the knowledge I have acquired in it, to support address some pressing community needs in my village including provision of safe and clean water.
Today, I attribute all I have achieved to FAWE and mastercard foundation. Without them, I don’t know where I could be now. I have searched for words in the dictionary to appreciate them but have failed to get “My life wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for the two. It’s now clearer that through FAWEU I will achieve my dreams of becoming an engineer.” All I ask from FAWE Uganda is to continue supporting the needy and vulnerable children out there. Since FAWEU supported me, I too promise to extend the helping hand to other less privileged children. I appreciate the work of FAWE Uganda and upon completion of my studies, I want to work hard and support FAWE Uganda establish another office branch in Pader district to help uplift the standard of education here. I am very proud of myself and so grateful to FAWEU for having considered me.
Nancy Hope Tikolu, 22 years old is from Adjumani district, Ofua Sub-county, Tianyu Central Village. Hope is from a family of three children and she’s the first born.
She was raised by a single mother, following the separation of her parents. Her mother a peasant farmer did not have enough funds to support her further her education in university. She applied for the FAWE – mastercard scholarship program after hearing about it from her cousin. Before joining the program, “we had many family problems like fights – domestic violence. At this time, I was not in school and had lost hope of ever furthering my studies.”
As a result of the Corona Virus, COVID 19 Pandemic, the Government of Uganda declared a lockdown, resulting to the closure of learning institutions. At this time, I realized that I had much time in my disposal but had nothing to do. I was motivated to think outside the box, by someone I met and encouraged me to learn a skill and by being productive during this time. He noted that, this can help you earn a living even in case you failed to get a job immediately after school. That is when I came up with the idea of crocheting. I made/crocheted my first top in first year but I didn’t complete it, and I realized that I can do better.
Currently I make lots things including; female tops, skirts, baby booties and baby caps. My talent started when I was in Primary school, although I didn’t want to do the usual things that people do like door mats. I searched online for different designs of clothes that can be made. I saved some money to a tune of UGX. 240,000, sent it to my aunt to buy some threads. I received the items in August 2020, and I started making but on order as I didn’t want to waste my threads due to failure by people to pay. As a result, I made two off shoulder tops, where I sold one at 35,000/= and the other 30,000/=. I too make baby capes and shoes because the threads are cheaper. I calculate my profits according to the thread used.
The crocheting project has helped raise some money for myself and widened my network through meeting new friends. I have too learnt some new patterns and designs that I didn’t know before through online research.
I have too learnt that in business, the money or the profit you make from it; you don’t spend it all; you have to keep the capital and some profit to keep injecting in the business and make it grow. As a result of the financial literacy trainings I attended under the Extended Orientation Program (EOP), today; from all the money I get or earn, save 60% in my account and use the rest productively. I too commit and dedicate my time to make the items for sale especially during weekends and public holidays. As a result of the business skills I have acquired, in future I plan to start a whole sale shop of braids (hair products). Currently I am saving funds for this initiative.
After accomplishing my studies and in case I don’t secure a job for myself immediately, I plan on gaining experience by volunteering in professional field i.e. in any pharmacy or hospital. And to continue earning, will concentrate on my crochets too. I also have a friend with whom; we are saving together, to open a take away restaurant because there is none here in adjumani. I once thought of buying an ice cream machine but very many people have the same idea and the competition would be high. According to our assessment, there’s a huge opportunity in fast food as there are no people talking about it. We have planned to save UGX.1,500,000/- every semester in addition to another saving group I am currently part of and helping me raise some income to support people at home.
During this lock down, we too formed an association called Adjumani Students Association where I am currently the serving secretary. We have undertaken a number of activities including; counsel people, visiting schools and giving career guidance talks to students, we hold radio talk shows creating awareness on several issues affecting communities including the urgent need to end child marriages and teenage pregnancies that have reached alarming rate during this time. We create awareness on COVID 19 and its management. This year before COVID 19 outbreak, we also successfully organized a leadership training where we invited different schools at the main purpose hall at Gulu University where we took them through career guidance, discipline and how to excel in their studies.
I would love to thank FAWEU for the scholarship opportunity and for all the support I have received; because it is really more than enough, I keep praying for them and God will surely bless them.
Anyidi Simon Vule, aged 23 is from Pacere Village, Ofua Subcounty, Adjumani district. He’s an orphan, living with a single mother. His dad passed on in 2009 living behind 8 children with him being the only boy.
He narrates that, “When dad died, life became very hard. We didn’t have school fees and had to directly engage in farming to raise money for fees. This affected my studies and performance so much, I could delay reporting to school for a period of two weeks due to lack of school fees. At times, I would report before paying and end-up chased away.”
My education experience has been a puzzle, full of challenges. I used to be a very bright student before ‘O’ level, I was ever the best in class. However, this changed at A- level where I performed poorly, because the school fees challenges worsened.
After Senior 6, I didn’t have any plans to further my education at either degree or diploma level as my mother couldn’t afford. “I knew I was headed nowhere as I couldn’t raise University fees.” As a result, I had planned to abandon studies and start a family (get married). Fortunately, I thank God this didn’t happen because I would be in a worse state and couldn’t be where I am today.
As I was figuring my next move, in May 2018, a friend I studied with at A’ level called and informed me about the FAWE Uganda Scholarship Opportunity. However, this information found me deep in the village. It got me without any money to travel to Gulu University and apply. I had to borrow transport funds to move there and apply for my education course.
After submitting my application at University, I filled in the FAWE Uganda Scholarship forms; I was selected, interviewed and awarded the opportunity. At this point I couldn’t wait to join University. Following my previous education challenges I must say, this was the first time ever I felt settled at school, with everything I needed provided for. This opportunity helped me a lot too, together with my family. Whatever I receive today (the little) I share it with my family and also support pay school fees for my sister now in S.4.
However, as a result of COVID 19, the Government of Uganda declared a national lock down, which involved shutting down of Schools and learning institutions across the country. Consequently, we were forced to return home pre-maturely before our semester examinations. While at home, I had much time in my hands and decided to engage in some income generating activities. I started with planting tomatoes. After a period of 3 months, I harvested, sold it and raised a total of UGX. 270,000/=. I used this money to start a small saloon at my home trading center (Kureku T/C). I added some money, from my savings and bought a battery. The other savings amounting to UGX.250, 000/= I used, it to buy a shaving machine. I had to look for another UGX. 210,000/= to purchase a solar panel, which I first got on credit and still paying for it now.
Currently the business is progressing slowly. From the time I commenced operating, I make an average of about UGX.10, 000/= per day and charge 2,000/= per head. Implying that in a month I make a total of UGX.240, 000/= and annually UGX.2, 880, 000/= and these include cost of servicing the machine, paying rent and buying lubricants.
I am currently saving the little money I make from shaving to start a bigger business like a hardware shop or selling electronic appliances; since there’s none in this centre. People here travel for a distance of 7 kilo meters to Adjumani district to buy hard ware materials including; cement and Iron sheets; I currently seeing this as an opportunity. Even the saloon, I did some research, and realized there was no saloon here, the reason I started.
I am not only doing business during this lock down, but take off time to give back to the community through teaching /coaching of some students in candidate classes (of S.4, S.6 and S.3) in secondary schools; on subjects like chemistry and physics to help them understand certain concepts. We currently conduct our lessons under trees. Besides all this, I am still continuing with the tomato farming enterprise because it greatly contributed capital for the saloon.
After finishing my course, I want to work hard, teach and there after further my studies by enrolling for master’s degree. I thank FAWEU very much for whatever they have done to me and changing my story, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today. I would have not continued with my education and even this business wouldn’t be here. “I would have remained in the village being called ‘a villager’, with nothing much to show. Married with children I couldn’t take care of.”
I pray for FAWEU and mastercard foundation to continue with the good work of helping vulnerable and needy children. The need though is too much, our village has many orphans without help; parents produce many children they cannot support especially after P.7 and S.4. Many of them drop-out and remain languishing in the villages as parents are unable to pay fees. And it’s for this reason, that we have high cases of child marriage and teenage pregnancies here in the West Nile region.
KEVIN ACHAYO OKENY is a 24 year old young lady from Aporo Kito, Lamogi Subcounty in Amuru. She’s from a family of 5 children; 3 girls and 2 boys, and currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Education at Gulu University.
Life was very hard; my mum used to suffer from chronic asthma and high blood pressure, and getting treatment used to be difficult. My dad is a police officer and all his earning’s would go towards treating mummy; as a result he was not able to pay school fees for our education. This greatly affected education of my elder siblings as most of them ended in only S.4 with their studies. Their situation is worse now as they were forced to marry early and are currently struggling to raise children they are unable to support fully.
To change the statusquo, they paid much attention to me, and amidst all challenges struggled to push me above S.4. My auntie supported me then, I sat my ‘O’ level examination in Kampala, but auntie could not afford ‘A’ level. So I returned home in Gulu, and mum had to sell everything she had for me to proceed with my studies to ‘A’level.
In 2017, after my last paper at ‘A’ level, I knew that was the end of me as mummy and dad could not afford to pay University tuition. I just settled in the village with mum who told me to forget about education and instead prepare to get a man and marry.
When all the hope had vanished; one evening, my uncle came home and told me about the FAWE Uganda scholarship program he heard on radio. After getting the information, I looked for transport and went to pick the forms at the district. I filled and submitted to the District Education Office (DEO). It’s unfortunate that during this time, I didn’t have a phone; the one of mummy was spoilt – on and off. As a result, I missed the call for interviews, as they were unable to reach me.
By God’s luck, a week later, on a Sunday evening, I decided to get the phone, checked and got several missed calls from the District Education Officer. I called her back and she communicated that I had missed the interview’s that were conducted by FAWE Uganda. As a result, I was shuttered, disappointed and lost hope. I cursed myself, cried a lot, and wished not to have even applied for it? I went to the DEOs office crying, and she promised to call me the next day.
It was then, when the FAWE Uganda team was holding home visits, that they called me too. They visited our home and I was interviewed right away. After the interview, somehow life returned, my lost hope was regained.
A few days passed and I was called with my parents to the district, where the bursary award letter was handed over to me. Thereafter, we were told to report to school. When I reported to campus, everything was fine. Nothing else was pressing me, “everything was provided to me and I couldn’t ask for anything or complain because I had all I needed to focus and concentrate in school for the first time and I thank God for this opportunity.”
In February 2019, while at campus, I hatched the idea of making liquid soap for sale. I had learnt how to make it way back at school in ‘A’ level; I was part of the ‘Educate Club’. I used to make according to the orders available. Started with 5 liters at 10,000/=, 10 liters 20,000/= and 20 liters 35,000/=. In a month, I would collect a total of UGX. 200,000/= from the sales. I used to supply people, shops and supermarkets in Gulu town.
However, following the outbreak of COVID 19, Campus was closed, I returned home and finished about four month without going to Gulu. I had stocked the product and left it with a friend to sell. It’s sad he rebranded it and would sell as his own. I got to know, when I received complaints from my customers about the poor quality of the product, he used to dilute it, by adding water. I then realized that something was wrong. I travelled to Gulu collected the balance which was 60 liters, it had over stayed and I sold it at a give a way price of UGX. 180,000/=.
For the 100 bottles of the hand wash, I sold it at 7,000/= and got about UGX.700, 000/-. From the time I started in February 2019 to July 2020, I have got about UGX. 1,000,000/= expenses inclusive and profit of UGX. 500,000/=. I have saved this money in a fixed deposit account. I intend to keep saving and construct a house for my parents.
During COVID 19 lock down period, I have continued making liquid soap and engaging in some farming. I planted a garden of ground nuts and expect to harvest about 8 bags hence earning an average of UGX. 400,000/= which monies, I will add to my savings.
After finishing studies, I will teach in my home district and also continue with the farming and liquid soap making as a business. I thank FAWEU and mastercard foundation so much. I can’t even express my gratitude enough for what they have done for me. I pray someday I can be able to do something big for FAWEU. I thank FAWEU and pray to GOD to continue blessing them.
Anzoa Phionah Evening, aged 23 is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Education, Literature in English at Gulu University. She hails from Adjumani district in the West Nile Region.
I had a challenging beginning; my dad and mum separated when I was 13 years old, they had 2 children together. I used to stay with mum before but moved to dad because he was the one paying my school fees. He paid my fees up to S.6, second term. Unfortunately he fell sick in 2018, the situation worsened and he died the same year. The money collected from the funeral is the one they used to pay and complete my S.6 fees. After ‘A’ level, I had no hope of continuing with my studies. I was only left with my brother a peasant, mummy, and other relatives who couldn’t help.
As a result, I started working in computer centre where I earned UGX.80,000/= per month. It was in March 2019, that I heard about the FAWEU and mastercard foundation Scholarship advert through a friend who was already part of the programme. I filled in and submitted the forms, fortunately I was considered. I was called to Gulu University for the Extended Orientation Programme (EOP), where we were trained in leadership, believing in yourself, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and confidence building among others.
As a result of the leadership training, I was inspired to join institutional leadership at Gulu University where I am serving as a coordinator (Focal Person) for year 1 student’s cohort 3. In this capacity, I coordinate all student meetings, gatherings/events and collecting information from students and at the same time passing it to them. And because of the leadership experience I gained at Gulu University, I was convinced to vie for the position of Secretary for Women Affairs in my village; as the experience at Gulu University emboldened me. I became brave, confident, strong and learnt a lot.
Today, I go out creating awareness and talking to girls about how to control themselves and making right decisions including the urgent need to end teenage pregnancy, child marriage, avoiding bad peer groups and proper menstrual hygiene management.
I haven’t ended there, I have gone ahead to join national politics. I am currently contesting for the position of the Female Youth District Councilor in Adjumani district. We are 3 contestants and the campaigns are ongoing. Two independent candidates including me and the third candidate is affiliated to the National Resistance Movement (NRM). I am working hard and I am confident that I will win. When I win, I plan to be a role model to all the girls out there and empower them to achieve all their dreams despite of the challenges around them. In addition to creating awareness about sexuality education and life skills as the lack of this is responsible for the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy.
I will also talk to parents to pay much attention to the language they use while communicating with their children i.e. not to insult them, but engage in a friendly manner and counsel them. This is because insulting doesn’t change a child, they instead get used to it.
Besides my leadership growth; through my savings, I have been able to start a business, a goat rearing enterprise and I use proceeds from this to pay school fees for my brother who is now in S.4. FAWE Uganda also taught us about community give back; where I personally practice it by supporting vulnerable and needy children in my community. I am currently helping a 6 year old girl. She’s from a humble family, not growing normally and stunted for long. I visit her after every fortnight and provide support inform of clothes, shoes, sugar and soap. She is also out of school and together with the grandmother we agreed to enroll her in nursery school.
After completing my course, I plan to return and continue giving back to my community by teaching here. With my experience of community give back, I plan to do much, start a project where we shall pay school fees for needy children and encouraging them to be disciplined. I too plan to enroll for my master’s degree. I appreciate FAWEU and mastercard foundation for what they have done for me. I am grateful, and pray that they continue supporting and encouraging other vulnerable children and girls to pursue their dreams. In addition, to continuous build our capacity as this makes us stronger.