Legkwo Felix Adupe
Legkwo Felix Adupe, aged 25, is from Pader district, Pader town council. He pursued a bachelor’s degree in Biosystems Engineering at Gulu University. Felix grew up in a family of 21 children with different mothers but the same father, and other adopted children. He’s an orphan and a first-born child who lost a mother in 2013 and a father in 2019.
As a result of the challenges, he was facing since childhood, Felix sat for his Primary 7 in Pajule P.7 School in 2009 Pajule town council; he didn’t perform well and scored 3rd grade. When he joined Achol-Pii Army Secondary School, ‘O’ level in Pader District, he performed well as he scored 1st grade in 2013 UNEB despite the poor rural school he was at – lacking textbooks and teachers. He attributes this performance too, 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 the first to score 100% in mathematics(UNEB) in the district and I left a legacy there.”
After staying home for one year due to lack of school fees, he finally secures a half bursary scholarship to join A’ level from A good Samaritan, a primary school proprietor/head teacher/director neighbouring us in the village accepted to pay my fees for half bursary for ‘A’ with a science combination of Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry/ICT in Dr Obote College in Lira District. In return, I had to mold bricks which were used to construct other buildings in the school in addition to doing some other domestic work. “And the other half payment I used to work in the school farm every weekend and trim school compound every evening to raise money to compensate for the half school fees” This was because I was brilliant, committed and hardworking, yet disadvantaged. “Live and study was never easy”
At A’ level, I scored 12 points in 2016, but the future was bleak as I missed joining University on Government sponsorship. I could not enroll for engineering, which was my dream course; I was inspired by ‘Dr. Eng. Hillary Onek’ a former state minister for Disasters and preparedness in Uganda, whom I had watched on TV. The situation was worsened by my poor family background, where I could not enroll on the private scheme at university. I was hopeless, got stranded, and just returned home to look for what to do, making myself busy during vacation than just idling and joining bad peer groups. “Dream nearly lost”
I remained home praying and hoping to further my studies someday. Amidst difficult challenges, I am always motivated by my names, Legkwo 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’-level in four different schools in 2017; Pader Town College, Pader Girls Academy, Pader Comprehensive and the school I studied my ‘O’ at and one primary school Pader Christ church junior school; this was a result of my better performance at both ‘O’ and ‘A’ level. This is where the news about the FAWE – MasterCard foundation scholarship found me. “Dreams yet to be re-awaken”
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 in July, 2017. “Engineering dream finally Re-awakened”
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 (my stipend from FAWEU) 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 them sustain me at the University for whole semester. I am currently planning to open a standard restaurant in Pader district as most of them are substandard “These will 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 out of my stipend to support myself, and those around, and used some part my siblings’ fees.
I am a graduate with a Second Class Upper (CGPA of 4.35) degree in Bachelor of science in Biosystems Engineering (majoring in the areas of food processing, water-both water quality analysis and Wastewater treatment, renewable energy, environment and health) who merged the best in the engineering class of the year 2017-2022. “Dream finally achieved”.
Yawning and dreaming for yet another opportunity to further my studies (Master Degree and Phd). So happy to be part of the FAWE Uganda family. “Engineering dream to be upgraded”.
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 District 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; safe and clean environment; clean, safe and sustainable energy utilization and food security; support girl child and boy child education in Uganda.
I highly and humbly thank FAWE Uganda and Mastercard Foundation for offering me the opportunity to achieve my dream in the engineering field, and giving hope back to me when it was lost, bringing joy to me and my entire family, loving me wholeheartedly, forever you shall never be forgotten and your footmark will always remain our family testimonies.