Nabwire Damalie’s Story
Hello- my name is Athieno Nabwire Damalie. I am 19 years old and I am an alumni of Buiga Sunrise School. I was brought to stay with my grandmother (Mum Betty) when I was two years old and when I started schooling she took me to Sunrise. I was totally green with no experience - I didn't know how to write, read or express myself. I did not interact with other children and I would stay alone even during play time.
All of this became my story as soon as I started schooling from Sunrise, where I met teachers who were like parents to me. They taught me how to read and write and introduced me books in the library. I learned how to express myself through the various extracurricular activities like reading competitions, debates and quiz competitions. As I joined different levels, they continued introducing different programs, like Girls Empowerment, which taught me how to take care of myself as a girl and how to make sanitary pads that I could use for my health and wellbeing. I also got a chance to learn how to make charcoal briquettes from the local available materials and these could be used to earn money or for cooking at home. I also got my first experience of using a computer and how it works. This uplifted my love for ICT and enabled me do computer classes in high school with ease.
Through all the highs and lows, ups and downs I managed to complete my primary level. It was now time to go to another level but things weren't easy. Things became tough and mum Betty could not support me through my academic journey. I felt I had nothing. I lost hope because I had no relative who I could run to for help. I was totally down and I couldn’t think of anyway to get hope. All I could see in myself was losing and I thought of myself as an academic loser. I lost all the good and happy days in my life whenever I remembered that I wasn't going to continue with my academic schooling and I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my dream of helping other children. Tears never stopped rolling from eyes.
I had no other way to go but to seek help from Sunrise. I asked help from Mum Nicole through Cate, Jovia and mum Betty who were there for me. They helped talk to mum Nicole because I had no way of getting to her. She heard my cry and replied to me. She brought back the happy days of my life and brought hope back into my life. I joined secondary school and was able to continue with my studies. During high school, I experienced many things and I got to know more and more about how to survive in this life. My high school experience was so good because I had no worries of being sent home because of unpaid school fees. Later on after some years, I graduated from high school and it was no vacation. Now I had to join a college.
I joined teacher's college in February and am in my first year. So far things are moving on well and I have gone for a teaching practicum to help children learn how to read and write and also to help them achieve academic success in their level.
Great thanks to Sunrise, which has enabled me to change my days from sad to happy. Am now going to be a teacher and this is my dream. Many thanks to Sunrise for always supporting and encouraging me in my academic journey. Appreciation to mum Nicole for the great work and big heart towards the children of Africa.
May the Almighty continue blessing you and the people who have always stood with you to support the people of Uganda .Thank you so much for the support in the journey from then until now.