A turning point for a girl child

January 13, 2023 5:31 pm

Published by Partners for Community Transformation

My name is Nanfuka Sophia and I was born in 1999. I have three biological brothers and two biological sisters and am the third born. I and my siblings didn’t get a chance of being raised by both our parents. My mother experienced a very tough moment living with a husband who wasn’t supportive at all. Being a Muslim, he was involved in polygamous marriages which my mother failed to handle without any support from our father.  We were staying in a very poor mud house with our mother but that was not the problem to us. Our mother’s biggest challenge was school fees, medication, feeding and clothing for her children. For that reason, many of my siblings didn’t go very far with their studies. Some dropped out in Senior four and others in senior six without any support from our relatives.

PaCT picked me up in 2008 when I was in Primary two and started paying my school fees. I completed my Primary level in 2013 with 12 aggregates which was a first grade. In 2014 I joined Secondary and completed Senior Four in 2017 with 40 Aggregates which is a second grade in UCE.

My dream since childhood was to become a midwife and thus help women when delivering therefore after my Ordinary level, I joined Mengo Nursing School in 2018 for a certificate course in Nursing and Midwifery for Two and half years. The course was very expensive however my sponsor supported me throughout until I completed.

I did my first internship training from Kisenyi Health Centre IV in 2020 and the second internship was at Butabika Hospital in 2021. During these internships training we were given an opportunity of helping expectant mothers, briefly them on childcare, proper breast feeding, and helping mother when delivering. This made me confident and to like my career more and more.

I graduated early this year and PaCT organised a graduation ceremony to celebrate our achievement.

Currently am working in a private clinic with my friend in Kalangaalo however we encounter a lot of resistance from the people because of our low level of education.

Iam so grateful to my sponsor Pam from the UK and PaCT for the support they rendered to me throughout my studies.