My name is Nabakooza Hajarah Katongole. I’m the second of four children in my family. In many families, the father provides for the household—but in ours, it has always been my mother. She supports us by selling charcoal and snacks at home, relying on passers-by in our small community road. Despite her hard work, the income was not enough to meet all our needs.

My father has been unemployed for many years, and the little money he occasionally earns is often spent on alcohol. That left my mother responsible for everything—school fees, food, medical care, clothing. I still remember being sent home from school because we couldn’t pay. Sometimes we missed exams. My younger brother even had to repeat classes because of it.

In 2017, our lives began to change. Jörg moved into our neighborhood, and shortly after, a man named Mukasa David came to introduce himself. He and Jörg were from Education Matters, and they told us about the organization’s work. During that conversation, my mother shared our situation with them, and they promised to help. A few days later, we met again to talk in more detail—and they kept their promise.

In 2018, I was enrolled at K. Garden Groove Secondary School and completed my studies there from Senior 1 to Senior 4.

I have always dreamed of becoming a nurse or a midwife. When I shared this with Vicky from Education Matters, she promised to support me on this journey. Unfortunately, I failed one of the required subjects for nursing school, but I was offered a chance to study Veterinary Nursing instead—with the option to later upgrade. I accepted and completed the 2.5-year program at Mubende Institute of Nursing and Midwifery.

After graduating in 2023, I began working in a drug shop as a helping nurse. I realized how many people in Uganda rely on both prescribed and self-prescribed medicine. That’s when I decided to go further. With help from a family member who offered to support me financially, I will now begin studying for a Diploma in Pharmacy at the Indian Institute of Health and Allied Sciences in Kampala, starting this July.

I’m deeply grateful to my sponsors and to everyone at Education Matters e.V. Without you, I don’t know where I would be today—maybe still selling snacks by the roadside. Thank you for giving me a chance and helping me build a future with purpose and hope.