University Bound Sseko Designs

Name: Esther Jr.

Goals and Dreams for the future: Esther Jr. wants to attend Kyambogo University and study Accounting and Finance. Her dream is to be a bank manager and give out loans to people.

About: Esther Jr. is one fired up young lady, and quite the chatterbox. She lights up the Sseko workshop with her passionately delivered opinions, but makes sure that she’s always on task and focusing on her work at the same time. Esther Jr. loves playing sports and spending time with her friends. Esther Jr. lives with her aunt and uncle, but loves visiting her mother whenever she gets the chance. Esther Jr. is particularly proud of her country because it is known as the Pearl of Africa, with the source of the Nile and Lake Victoria in its abundance of natural beauty.

Name: Jackie Sr.

Goals and Dreams for the future: Jackie Sr. wants to attend Kyambogo Univeristy and study Social Work and Social Administration. Ideally, she will be able to combine her love of people with her love of music. 

About: Jackie Sr. has a big heart for her family and her friends. She loves to interact and take care of children, and gets lots of practice with her younger siblings. Jackie Sr. is inspired by her mother who gracefully bears every situation with humility and patience. Jackie Sr. is a delight to have on the strap team here at Sseko, and we love seeing little glimpses of her caring nature and her humorous side.

Name: Brenda

Goals and Dreams for the future: Brenda wants to attend Kyambogo University and study Accounting. She dreams of becoming an Accountant, and maybe a gospel singer on the side. She also dreams of having a loving and stable family.

About: Brenda is a friendly young girl, who dreams of being a gospel singer. “When I become a singer, I will wear fancy dresses, but not skimpy ones,” she says. Brenda likes to sing and read novels. Her favorite book is Romeo and Juliet. A natural romantic? We think so. Brenda’s parents have always motivated and encouraged her. Her mother attended and completed university, which inspires Brenda to work hard in her studies. In 2009, Brenda was diagnosed with kidney failure. Brenda managed to continue her studies, all while dealing with the pain and treatments for her diagnosis. She is excited about being a part of the Sseko program, and the friendships she has already gained.

Name: Juliet

Goals and Dreams for the future: Juliet wants to attend Makerere or Gulu University and study Logistics and Procurement. She wants to work with a Ugandan company when she has finished studying.

About:  Juliet, confident in her comedic skills, greeted me for the very first time with a joke about monkeys. She is one funny girl, and loves to make people laugh. “I don’t like to see people in a moody place, so I tell jokes to improve their spirits.” And what an inspiring girl. She is the first one in her family to have finished high school. Juliet likes to play volleyball and make friends. Even though she hasn’t travelled to other countries, she’s confident that Uganda’s beauty is a unique and wonderful quality. Juliet is inspired by her mother, who as a single mother, manages to provide for all her needs.

Name: Lillian

Goals and Dreams for the future: Lillian wants to attend Makerere University and study Procurement. Her dream is to build a home for street children.

About: Lillian is a social lady, always making friends. She believes, “the friends that you have, help you.” Lillian likes to cook, and her favorite dish is chicken and rice. Lillian enjoys the camaraderie at Sseko, as well as being part of a team. As a young girl, Lillian did not have enough money to attend school so she would sit on the side of the road and ask her friends for their school books so she could copy their notes and continue learning. The headmistress at her local school heard of her dedication to learning, and allowed her to continue her studies at school for free.

 Name: Dorine

Goals and Dreams for the future: Dorine wants to attend Makerere University and study Human Resource Management. She wants to be an HR Mangaer and form an organization that provides support to Ugandan youth. 

About: Dorine loves writing. Dorine loves to eat fish. And Dorine loves how beautiful her country is. The firstborn of a small family, Dorine is a quiet, contemplative girl. Dorine’s inspirational role model is her stepmother. “She is very nice and is the one who has inspired me the most. When I was still young, I thought all stepmothers were bad, but she has proved me wrong,” Dorine says. Dorine loves to dance, and she chuckles about a time in her childhood when she spied on a group of boys dancing. After being caught and reprimanded by the headmistress, she was made to clean bathrooms for the rest of the day. “It was worth it,” she says smiling. 

Name: Jackie Jr.

Goals and Dreams for the future: Jackie Jr. wants to attend Makerere University and study Microfinance. Her dream is to combine Microfinance and ministry and become a pastor.

About: Jackie Jr. is from a very large extended family. After the death of her mother in 2008, Jackie Jr. has been living with her guardian, who she calls her auntie. “My auntie is so good to me. She’s like a relative. I aspire to have a heart like she has.” Jackie Jr. had lost hope after her mother’s death, because she had no money for school fees, which is why she is so thankful that she was accepted into the scholarship program to study. Jackie Jr. likes making friends, loves her country and dazzles us daily with her beautiful smile.

Name: Sharon Jr.

Goals and Dreams for the future: Sharon Jr. wants to attend Kyambogo University and study Accounting and Finance. Her dream is to be an accountant and work in a bank.

About: Sharon Jr. portrays a reserved dignity only gained through gracefully weathering life’s challenges. Along with her three sisters and cousins, Sharon Jr. lives with her aunt and uncle. “I treasure my sisters and my friends,” she says. Although she is quiet, we know she can be talkative amongst friends. Sharon Jr. loves reading, as well as being creative through art. Her favorite color is green. Sharon says that going through her education was a challenge, and she prays that university will not be as hard. As a child, Sharon Jr. was very reserved. “When you are young, if a big person sends you to do something, you don’t hesitate. But I would get so busy playing that I would refuse. Thankfully my mother didn’t punish me.”

Name: Robinah Jr.

Goals and Dreams for the future: Robinah Jr. wants to attend Kyambogo or Makerere University and study Engineering or Education. She wants to study and establish her career before she starts her family. “Then, I will get married and I want to adopt children first and then have 5 of my own. I plan to have a happy and loving family.”

About: Robinah Jr. loves being the firstborn of 10 children, and can’t suppress her smile as she describes herself as “social and friendly, hardworking, and always ready to give a smile.” Upon meeting Robinah Jr., she immediately had me laughing with a story from her childhood. One time when she was about 7, she spilled boiling water while making tea, burning her arms. He mother put sugar over the burns to stop the pain, and sent her off to pick up groceries. On the way to the store, Robinah Jr. licked off all the sugar, satisfying her sweet tooth. She’s a girl after my own heart! Robinah Jr. is from the village of Lira, near the South Sudanese border. When she was 14, the LRA attacked her village, killing many relatives, and her family was forced to live in other villages, and wait for the government to provide food. “It was scary, and the places we stayed were always crowded with people. It really affected education for a lot of people.” Robinah Jr. is so inspired by her parents. “My mother is so loving, and treats all of us (even my cousins who live with us) the same. My dad is very hardworking.”

Name: Loyce

Goals and Dreams for the future: Loyce wants to attend Makerere University and study Social Work and Administration. Her dream is to be a business owner. 

About: Loyce is 19 going on 40. She is a recent secondary school graduate as classically refined and graceful as a dignitary. Loyce is from Arua, an area in northernmost Uganda, and has persevered through the loss of both her parents, She lives with her uncle who she considers the most inspiring person in her life. “He is generous, hard working and is always giving money to help people. I want to be just like him,” she comments. Loyce is thankful that she was able to find the funds to attend school over the years, as she had to deal with many situations where she lost hope because of a lack of funds. She says that her introverted personality and quiet tendencies have kept her out of trouble.

Name: Immaculate

Goals and Dreams for the future: Immaculate wants to attend Kyambogo University and study Business. Someday she would like to be an Accountant. She also dreams of having a family and two children.

About: Immaculate is a feisty 19 year old, ready to take on any challenge. After losing both of her parents at a young age, she was determined to not let her siblings drift apart. Now, she happily boasts of the joys of a united and cooperative family. Immaculate describes herself as “humble and respectful” and well as “extroverted.” She admits that she likes to joke around, and her spirited personality simultaneously keeps us in line and keeps us laughing.