My name is Lilian Atholere from Ntoroko District. I was born in a middle-class family and therefore primary education, especially in a rural setting was not a challenge for my parents. I went to Margarita Primary School in Kasese for my primary education. I grew up with a passion to study and that zeal enabled me to top my class academically. The same passion also enabled me to score 6 aggregates in my Primary Leaving Examinations.
At the time, the Woman MP for Kasese District was looking for girls to sponsor for secondary education and I applied. Because girls were a priority to her, I got the scholarship and was able to join St. Mary’s College Lugazi for my O’ Level. It was the first time for me to leave my district and definitely the first time to be in Kampala. The scholarship provided only half school fees and I had to cater for the other half as well as the rest of the school requirements.
There was no room for failure as they repeatedly told us that they would revoke the scholarship in case of poor performance. This encouraged me to work very hard and in my senior four, I got 13 aggregates which is a first grade. I was able to get another scholarship because of my good performance. I took on sciences at my A’ Level but things were not very easy which made me miss a university scholarship from the government.
During my senior six vacation, I took on a job working at a secondary school. They would give me UGX 100,000 which I saved for my university admission as my parents could no longer support me financially. They had already struggled through O’ Level where they had to provide 50% of the school fees.
My mother likes to read newspapers and one day she told me about an organization called FAWE Uganda that was advertising for scholarships at the university and she asked me to apply.
