My name is Namuyanja Faridah born in 1999 and i live in Central Uganda. When I was growing up I did not get a chance see both of my Biological parents because they all died when I was still very young, I actually don’t remember seeing them physically, I see their pictures but that makes me miss them so much, since I did not get a chance to see them.

Just like any other child, I grew up and time came when I had to go to school, here in Uganda, children start going to school at the age of 4 years, to me it wasn’t the case because I would be sick most of the time and the money which would have been used for school fees was instead used for paying my medical bills. When I was making 8 years I started feeling a bit better and that’s when my half sister took me to school called Divine Mission School.

After two years of studying, life at home became difficult and my half sister wasn’t able to pay for me school fees anymore reason being, she was earning less and she had her own children whom she was taking care of.

Time reached and I was not going to school, I remember finishing a full month at home without going to school because of money, so when the owner of the school MR.MUSISI (Divine Mission School Salaama Road) got to know that I wasn’t attending school because of school fees, he asked my half sister to take back to school, she will be bring money in installments, but even with that offer, we would fail to pay the money.

So i continued to struggle with school fees up to 2010 when Mr. Musisi connected to the Organisation called EDUCATION MATTERS e.v that started paying for me school fees starting from primary one in 2010

From then, I had no more issues with school fees, this was the most exciting part, here in Uganda, and it means a lot to get someone who can pay for you school fees especially when it’s not your biological parents.

So I continued to study until I reached primary five, things were tough for me in class, i was not wise/bright in class, so most of the time I would not understand what the teachers teach, at some point the school made me repeat one class three times (3 years) instead of studying it once (1year).

So I got tired of repeating the same class without being promoted and I had no hope of passing exams anymore, it is from then when I asked the staff at Education Matters that I should study a Job of my interest CERTIFICATE HAIR DRESSING/COSMETOLOGY than repeating the same class over and over yet I was growing up.

In 2016 after Education Matters accepting to support me with the course (job) of my choice, we looked for the school with the help of Aunt Vici (Staff of Education Matters) and we finally landed on one of the best Hair dressing schools in Kampala (Victory School of Beauty). They paid my school fees and bought me all the course and school requirements (facial, manicure, hair, massage and many others) which were required, it was really expensive but I thank God they managed to buy me everything, so immediately I started studying something that I had desired for so long.

When I was growing up, I used to like combing other people’s hair and I desired to make them look beautiful and stunning, in fact on my first day to go to class, I felt like I had already made it in life.

So I studied the course for two years and I am so excited and happy to say that I graduated and I was awarded with CERTIFICATE IN COSMETOLOGY at Victory School of Beauty Kampala on 27th May 2018 with very good grades.

To add on the experience of cosmetology, I was given a chance by Education Matters to study Women’s Make Up as a short course which I am still studying.

Right now I professionally Plait hair, do facial Make up, Manicure, Massage and earn my own money for living

I have not yet got a saloon where I can work from, so I usually plait my clients from home, this helps me to earn money that I can use for personal necessities and even help my young siblings.

I have a plan to make my own saloon in the near future after securing capital and this will enable me to be self employed and also employ others plus teaching other people who have the same interest like mine.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to EDUCATION MATTERS e.v for putting a smile on my face, you did not only help me but you helped everyone who is around me, I can now see a great and bright future.

And still I would like to appreciate and thank my dear sponsor for supporting me from day one up to when I have become a responsible citizen with a profession.

And lastly I am humbled to thank all the committee members and all the sponsors, you are really doing a good job to help Ugandans. May God reward you all. THANK YOU SO MUCH.