I went through thick & thin
Jun 15, 2010
TONDAY, the world marks The Day of the African child. The theme for this year is “Planning and budgeting for children: Our collective responsibility. “This comes at a time when the 2010/2011 national budget has just been read.
TONDAY, the world marks The Day of the African child. The theme for this year is “Planning and budgeting for children: Our collective responsibility. “This comes at a time when the 2010/2011 national budget has just been read. Although the Government has put in place strategies for free education at primary and secondary levels, parents still have a role to play in their children’s lives. A follow-up of every 100 pupils who joined P.1 in 1999 showed that only 25 reached P.7 in 2006. In Kenya, 84% of pupils reached P.7. Tanzania stood at 81% and Rwanda at 74%. This makes Uganda’s dropout rate the highest in East Africa. Recent studies show that multiple socio-economic factors in the community and the schools are responsible for drop-outs. In Uganda, economic factors as seen in lack of scholastic materials, or school fees have been partly responsible for the high drop-out rate. With proper budgeting and planning of financial resources, more children can be kept in school. In line with this year’s theme, Education Vision explores how some not-so-rich have managed to plan, budget and see their children through education
I sell charcoal to raise fees for my children
By John Agaba
My name is Maria Ssajja. I provide for my three daughters single-handed. Two of them are at university and my last born, Joanita Nakanyike, is at Buddo Secondary School. I sell charcoal and firewood for a living. I have been the bread winner for almost 11 years. I rent a house in Buddo, Wakiso district and live with my daughters
Allen Nakalema, my eldest daughter, was in P.5 when her father abandoned us and married another woman. I did not have a job, so I decided to start a charcoal business.
However, the business did not start off well because I did not have money. I would get charcoal on credit and pay my supplier after selling. I would wake up by 5:00am and leave for Kyengera to get the finest charcoal.
Gradually, my business picked. On a good day, I sell six sacks of charcoal. I make profit of about sh5,000 per sack. When Nakalema was about to join secondary school, I had to trim my budget by doing away with milk, sugar and rice to save for her tuition. I earned around sh30,000 a day. I would spend sh5,000 daily and save sh25,000.
Nakalema enrolled at Bishop John Nandere in Bombo. I paid sh250,000 for her O’level tuition. In 2003, Diana Nankasi, my second daughter, joined secondary school. I choked with expenditure and I could not raise her tuition.
I joined a women co-operative organisation at Kitemu Parish where I got three shares. Every Sunday I would deposit sh3,000 on my account and borrow from the co-operative any time I needed money. .
Throughout my daughters secondary education, I emphasised the value of appreciating their background. I would pack for them a kilo of sugar, a bar of soap and give them sh5,000 for pocket money.
Nakalema completed A’level in 2007 and scored 16 points. I had to think of another business to raise more money for her university education.
I decided to venture in firewood because it was profitable. In a month, I made sh400,000. Sometimes the demand was more than I could supply.
Nakalema joined Kyambogo University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Education. I was able to pay sh800,000 in time for the first semester.
Nankasi joined Ndejje University to pursue a degree in counselling, the following year and I paid sh1.5m. I also cleared Nakalema’s sh480,000 tuition. Nakalema has completed second year and is doing school practice, while Nankasi has completed first year and Nakanyike is in S.2.
I will support them.
I sell charcoal to raise fees for my children
By John Agaba
My name is Maria Ssajja. I provide for my three daughters single-handed. Two of them are at university and my last born, Joanita Nakanyike, is at Buddo Secondary School. I sell charcoal and firewood for a living. I have been the bread winner for almost 11 years. I rent a house in Buddo, Wakiso district and live with my daughters
Allen Nakalema, my eldest daughter, was in P.5 when her father abandoned us and married another woman. I did not have a job, so I decided to start a charcoal business.
However, the business did not start off well because I did not have money. I would get charcoal on credit and pay my supplier after selling. I would wake up by 5:00am and leave for Kyengera to get the finest charcoal.
Gradually, my business picked. On a good day, I sell six sacks of charcoal. I make profit of about sh5,000 per sack. When Nakalema was about to join secondary school, I had to trim my budget by doing away with milk, sugar and rice to save for her tuition. I earned around sh30,000 a day. I would spend sh5,000 daily and save sh25,000.
Nakalema enrolled at Bishop John Nandere in Bombo. I paid sh250,000 for her O’level tuition. In 2003, Diana Nankasi, my second daughter, joined secondary school. I choked with expenditure and I could not raise her tuition.
I joined a women co-operative organisation at Kitemu Parish where I got three shares. Every Sunday I would deposit sh3,000 on my account and borrow from the co-operative any time I needed money. .
Throughout my daughters secondary education, I emphasised the value of appreciating their background. I would pack for them a kilo of sugar, a bar of soap and give them sh5,000 for pocket money.
Nakalema completed A’level in 2007 and scored 16 points. I had to think of another business to raise more money for her university education.
I decided to venture in firewood because it was profitable. In a month, I made sh400,000. Sometimes the demand was more than I could supply.
Nakalema joined Kyambogo University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Education. I was able to pay sh800,000 in time for the first semester.
Nankasi joined Ndejje University to pursue a degree in counselling, the following year and I paid sh1.5m. I also cleared Nakalema’s sh480,000 tuition. Nakalema has completed second year and is doing school practice, while Nankasi has completed first year and Nakanyike is in S.2.
I will support them.