“Transformed people transforming the community” – the story of Felix Adupe Legkwo

Felix Adupe Legkwo is one of the young people whose lives have been transformed by the Higher Education Access Program. Being an orphan, and the firstborn in a family of 21 presented all manner of challenges for Felix, with education bearing the brunt. From the meagre family resources, he managed to study up to P.7 in a barely functional rural school and got a 3^rd grade in his Primary Leaving Examinations.

Getting a 3^rd grade did not deter him from taking a shot at O’ Level education at Achol-Pii Army Secondary School. His hard work and determination paid off when he scored a first grade in the 2013 UNEB examinations.

“I was the first person to ever get a first grade in that school and the first to score 100% in mathematics (UNEB) in the Pader district. I left a legacy!” Felix narrates with joy.

Unfortunately, excellence in national exams is not an assured path to accessing higher education in Uganda and that was the case for Felix. Due to lack of finances, he stayed home for a year after his O’Level exams. He then secured a half bursary from a good samaritan that enabled him to join Dr Obote College in Lira District where he did Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry/ICT. To raise the other half of the school fees, he molded bricks, cleaned the school compound every evening after school and worked in the school farm over the weekends. Felix scored 12 points and missed out on government sponsorship.

The future was bleak!

“I was brilliant, committed and hardworking yet disadvantaged,” Felix recalls.

“I could not join the university and enrol for engineering, which was my dream course, birthed from my admiration for Dr Eng. Hillary Onek, a former state minister for disaster and preparedness in Uganda.” Felix adds.

As Felix pondered his next move, he did not realise that his dreams were yet to be re-awakened.

The news about receiving a scholarship from FAWE Uganda, Mastercard Foundation scholarship came through the District Education Officer (DEO). Felix was elated and was back on course to become an engineer. He was admitted to Gulu University.

Throughout his life, Felix and his family had struggled financially and were always trying to survive the day. After attending the Extended Orientation Program (EOP) – specifically training on financial literacy that he received from FAWE Uganda, he decided to save and use part of his stipend to build a three-bedroomed iron sheet house in his village Kalalo West Cell, Pader Town Council.

“Until then, Kalalo West Cell had never had an iron-sheet-roofed house.” He narrated with great emotion, as he recalled a time when the family grass thatched house was gutted with fire and everything burnt to ashes.

Felix has since graduated from Gulu university with a Degree in Bachelor of Science in Biosystems Engineering, getting an impressive GPA of 4.3 and is on the road to being unstoppable.

As a result of the scholarship Felix received, he is transformed and in turn transforming others in his family and community. He employs his brother at his drug shop, runs a mobile money business, has two acres of land where he grows beans, maize and soya beans for both subsistence and commercial purposes. He grows sunflowers and sells the cooking oil extract. He rears chicken using a free-range system that also generates income for him and his family.

 “I use the proceeds from these enterprises to pay school fees for my siblings.” He says.

With the knowledge he has acquired, Felix plans to create a unique engineering project in Pader District to address some pressing community needs, including provision of safe and clean water, a safe and clean environment, sustainable energy utilization and food security.

He is also committed to supporting young people in Uganda to attain an education, just like he was given a chance by FAWE Uganda and The Mastercard Foundation.

His dream is “to become the President of the Republic of Uganda,” to support, guide, train, teach, educate and lead the citizens of this country.”