From Farm to Pharmacy: Wilson's Journey

At the beginning of the semester, I suggested to some friends that we organize a community outreach project to raise awareness about maintaining a healthy environment and reducing the spread of disease. It was great that my friends were on board, and we started planning. First, we had to identify a vulnerable population at risk of contracting diseases due to poor sanitation and hygiene. We chose a nearby market center that was overcrowded and quite dirty. We set a date, and I used some donated money to buy equipment for the cleanup: brooms, rubbish sacks, gloves, face masks, and so on. It cost me around 80,000 ugx. Early on Saturday, January 8th, we walked to the market center and got started. We swept with our brooms, and some of us picked up rubbish with our hands and put it into the sacks. Then we carried the full sacks to the designated disposal area. It was tiring work, but we were determined to make a difference in our community's health. A photo of me and my frie...

The email from the university arrived, confirming my return date for the start of the second semester: January 3rd, 2025. A tight deadline loomed, but I immediately contacted David, and we began brainstorming ways to raise the necessary funds. Time was short, but David miraculously secured some initial funding, enough for me to report to campus on the very first day. A wave of relief washed over me. Unlike many of my friends, still scrambling to gather tuition and fees, I was back at university, ready to begin. My second semester started smoothly. Within the first week, I’d paid the hostel fees in full and even made a dent in my food expenses. Classes began immediately, as scheduled, and I attended every lecture without the worry of outstanding payments hanging over my head. As my studies progressed, David launched another fundraising appeal. We aimed to cover the remaining balance for food and accommodation, but the generosity of the donors exceeded all expectations. We received enoug...

In early December, our first semester ended, and we had a three-week break before the start of the second semester. I took the opportunity to travel back to my village, Bupadhengo, to spend time with my mother and siblings. The break was a welcome change of pace, filled with both family time and the familiar activities of village life. Once home, I helped my mother with the farm work. We harvested the last of the dry maize, a staple crop in our region. Then, to prepare for the next planting season, I helped plough the fields under the hot sun. We also planted a variety of vegetables – things like spinach, tomatoes, and onions – which we would use in our family meals. With the dry season upon us, regular watering was essential, and I spent time each day carrying water to the newly planted seeds, ensuring they would germinate and grow. A photo of me in the garden picking the dry maize, which we usually do manually in Uganda. We always move around the whole garden picking from...

Chapter 5 : My life at KIU                               It was such a joyful moment when I found out that I've been accepted into university on a scholarship to study pharmacy. The hostel and feeding fee would have made it impossible for me to start university, but thanks to the generous donations, I was able to start at the university with a smile on my face! I jumped right into attending lecture classes and participating in different school activities. My mother was also so happy, and she was hopeful that things were going to get better for our family. A photo of me in a lecture room after attending an anatomy lecture  Life at campus has been such an interesting adventure for me since I'm doing my dream course! I'm so passionate about it, and I've learned so much. I've learned a lot about pharmacology and medicine identification, which is really exciting. I've learned so much about how to perform various ...