Perseverance, tolerance and endurance are key to success! By: Mr.Obed Kambasu

Have you ever heard of Kitholhu Secondary School? Is it your dream school? I would imagine it is not. Kitholhu Secondary School is a rural government school somewhere in the mountains of Kitholhu sub-county, Kasese district. It is one of those schools where you only go if your parents are very poor or when you are an orphan. Or maybe, when you have really bad grades! Am sure you know so many schools like this. The kind of schools you only go to as a last resort.

I completed my O’ level certificate from Kitholhu Secondary School. I only went to that school because my parents could not afford a better school. I even wanted to drop out of school because I thought I was wasting my time. I remember we were paying school fees of 30,000 Uganda shillings per term, but still they could chase me for not clearing my school dues. I was very desperate. However, I didn’t give up.

As you read this, I have already completed two Masters Degrees (one in India and another in Germany), and am on course for a PhD. Of course so many things have happened in between. I am not saying the journey has been easy, but as you can imagine, I never dreamt of coming this far. If someone had told me that I will get one degree, I would have thought that person is mad. But now I have three degree certificates in my names!

Does this sound like a dream? Yes. But it is very possible for you too. Your current situation does not indicate what you will be in future. You may be struggling to get school fees, or maybe you are not in school but you are suffering with poverty. Or maybe you are an orphan with no hope for the future. Maybe you are unemployed and you don’t see where a job will come from. Yes, it looks as if you have no future. But I tell you today, it is possible that your future will be brighter. Just never give up on your dream. And, never lose hope. Luck comes in different ways. Maybe you will get help from a stranger. Maybe you will get a scholarship one day. Or maybe you will do some small business and it will give you some good profit. Or maybe there will be a government program to support people like you. But also maybe you will get a job very soon. Why not? The most important thing is; NEVER GIVE UP.

Obed Kambasu

Berlin, Germany.