Amadu Bwanali

" I live in Kasalika village. I am third born in a family of four. When I was young my mother earned a living selling bananas...and my father used to sell dried fish. My mother died in 1993 and later on my younger brother died too leaving two sisters and me. My father was no where to be seen after divorcing my mother two years before she died. My grandmother took over the care of my two sisters and me, but life was not good as my grandmother was old and weak. My sisters and I used to cultivate other peoples gardens to get food for the family. We often washed our clothes and hid in the house until they were dry. Our relatives boycotted us claiming that they had their own children to support.

At the time I was in standard 1. Most times we spent the day without food. Our house was thatched with grass...sometimes we spent the night in the corner to avoid getting wet, since the roof was leaking.

However this did not force me to despair, but encouraged me to work extra hard at school.

In 1997 my father died too, I had completed my primary school and was selected to continue my studies at Luchenza CDS School. However this posed another challenge for my future as there was nobody who could pay for my school fees at secondary school. I spent two terms at home due to unavailability of school fees. This happened five years after my sisters had dropped out of school.

With tears almost falling my weak grandmother advised my to sell our only two goats to pay for the school fees. By that time I had only one pair of trousers and two shirts.

In 2003 I applied for a bursary at Fochta and my application was accepted. I completed my secondary education in 2005.

I will be going to Catholic University to pursue a batchelors degree in education.

It's my ambition to help others through Fochta or outside Fochta.