CONTINOUS SUPPORT FROM TEACHERS ENABLED ME SUCCEED
Niyikiza Jerome is a 22-year-old Congolese living in Basecamp IV, Nakivale Refugee settlement with his parents. He is the third born among nine children. His family moved to Uganda in 2002.
He joined Nakivale secondary school in 2016 as a student in senior one to purse secondary education. In senior four, he scored 34 aggregates which put him in division two. He then went back to Nakivale S.S for the advanced level of secondary education and scored 18 points emerging as the best 2022 UACE candidate within Nakivale Refugee Settlement. He credits his success to his hard work, the continuous support he got from the school administrators and his fellow classmates and to God who enabled him remember all that he was taught.
He appreciates WIU/ UNHCR for all the support given to him since he was on partial scholarship from S.2 to S.4 and it helped him complete the ordinary level of secondary education and also join Advanced level to study the combination of History, Entrepreneurship, Kiswahili and ICT. “I appreciate WIU/UNHCR for all the support given to me and my community and I request that they may continue supporting our community,” remarked Jerome.
He intends to join the tertiary institute to pursue a career in human resource or project planning and implementation.
EXCELLENCE IN MY ACADEMICS IS THE ONLY WAY TO BRING HOPE TO MY FAMILY
Gutama Darartu is a 20-year-old female Ethiopian living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. She comes from a family of four people and her parents are struggling to make ends meet for their children most especially educating and feeding them. Gutama Darartu pursued her ordinary level of secondary education at Nakivale secondary school where she sat for the Uganda Certificate of Education in 2019 and emerged the best female student scoring 29 aggregates.
Since she was among the best five students at Nakivale S.S, WIU/UNHCR offered her a scholarship to pursue a science combination in a school outside the settlement. She was then admitted into Citizen High school to do MEE/ ICT (Mathematics Economics Entrepreneurship and Information Communication and Technology). She again emerged among the best candidates in her school and the best female student in Nakivale Refugee settlement by scoring 19 points.
“If WIU had not given me the scholarship to study at a fully established secondary school with supportive teachers and good facilities, I do not think I would have performed this well. I really appreciate WIU and UNHCR for the support they gave me,” said Gutama.
Gutama Darartu credits her excellence to her desire of making her parents proud, bringing hope to the family despite the struggles they are going through, setting a pace for her little brother and the scholarship provided by WIU/UNHCR. She notes that the scholarship enabled her to study in a good school outside the settlement. Additionally, the good supportive teachers and facilities at Citizen High School that enabled her to maximise her abilities and excel.
“As a refugee, life is not easy. there are very many struggles and I thought that me excelling in my academics would uplift/bring back the lost hope to my family especially my parents and set a pace or standard for my young brother,” remarked Gutama.
She wants to join the university and pursue a bachelor of statistics or bachelor of commerce so that she can achieve her dream of becoming an economist. Gutama is grateful to WIU/UNHCR for all the support given and believes she will achieve a career plans/dreams.
SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY IN A SCHOOL OUTSIDE THE SETTLEMENT ENABLED ME TO EXCEL
Mulonda Bahati Michel is a 20-year-old Congolese living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. He is the fourth born in a family of five children and he lives with his parents in Base Camp. Michel and his family moved to Nakivale in 2013 after he had completed his primary education back in DRC.
He then joined Nakivale Secondary School in 2016 as a student in senior one for secondary education. He sat for Uganda Certificate of Education Examination in 2019 and scored 24 aggregates emerging the third best student in Nakivale S.S. With his good performance, WIU/UNHCR enrolled him into Mbarara High School to study a science combination of PAM/ICT (Physics, Fine Art, Mathematics and Information Communication and Technology). He then registered and sat for UACE in 2022 at Mbarara High School and scored 19 points emerging as the best male student from Nakivale Refugee settlement.
He credits his good results to the scholarship provided by WIU/UNHCR that enabled him to study in a conducive learning environment with supportive, very knowledgeable and kind teachers. Additionally, he attributes his success to his effort or hard work and his mother who always encouraged and prayed for him.
“The scholarship has given me exposure and it has helped me complete the Advanced level of secondary education. I now have hope that I shall achieve my dream career of becoming an Architect,” remarked Bahati.
Mulonda wants to join university so that he can pursue the architectural course and achieve his dream. Mulonda appreciates WIU/UNHCR for supporting his education journey through secondary school.
“When I was at Nakivale S.S, I was put on partial scholarship in S.3 and then full scholarship in S.4 and then awarded a scholarship to study a science combination in a school outside the settlement,” said Mulonda. Adding, “This enabled me concentrate in school and study hard.”