A TURNING POINT IN MY LIFE ESSAY

Type :Personal Essay

Countries :Uganda

My name's Rehema Namuddu a female Ugandan aged 24yrs. I was raised by a single mother in kyazanga village in much poverty with no hopes of becoming an important person in the community where I stayed including my country as a whole. Through her hardwork tirelessly, she managed to put me and my syblings in a nearby school which she could afford in her capacity as a single mother. Since I had books and uniform, these were enough for me to school though I had no shoes in my feet but it was normal and very okay on my side coz there were alot of kids who were like me or worse than me in the school. My mother used to fry edibles like samosas, chapats and pancakes which I could take to school to sell to my fellow students during break fast time and lunch time so that we raise some money for rent,food at home and school fees. I remember school fees wasn't much in that particular school in kyazanga village coz I could pay 10,000 Ugandan shillings per term, but my mom could fail to raise that money coz she was handling all the responsibilities and my syblings had to attend school as well. Good enough, I wanted to study so much so that in future, I would help my mother and earn respect coz I could see respect is given to rich and educated people yet for us we were treated as garbage since we were very poor and not educated. There are times we failed to pay rent for the house, we became homeless, nothing to eat,no one could come for our rescue and even not attending school coz money wasn't there but thank God today we are able to put food on the table. Out of anger, my mother could tell us to go and find our father but honestly our father had lost everything of his and he had become homeless as well,drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes became his life upto today. Life became like hell to us,no one to run to,my mother could cry day and night asking God why only bad things happen to us,no moment of happiness just agony. Every body in the village could despise us because of our financial status. A turning point in my life was,I got a chance to be adopted by my aunty in Kampala city,a city everybody was admiring to step in. I never wanted to leave my mother behind in the village but nothing to do I had to study and to carry off some burdens from my mom coz she was struggling alot to see that her kids survive. Life changed so much coz my aunty was well off, I could have all meals on time,go to school when all school dues are paid to zero balance ,a thing I had never tested before. When I was in senior two at Makindye senior Secondary school, I got a chance to be mentored by MEMPROW (Mentoring and Empowerment Program for Young Women). From there, I gained too much strength and confidence, I became so assertive the person who used to be shy and never getting up and speak out what really bothered me. I began to open up and started sharing my feelings and I realized how important I was and that am loved and never to judge my self. MEMPROW did agood job me,I started to think big and have dreams as well coz I thought, my life was useless and there was no need for me to dream big things. I started helping my fellow girls who had low self esteem to always rise and discover the treasure in them. When I finished my senior four, my aunty advised me to go for a nursing course, a thing which I really never liked. I wanted to finish high school then go to the university and I acquire degrees, masters and PhDs not knowing I could inspire others and make a positive change in the community, my country in particular and the world as a whole even if I attend the university I admired or not. Finally, I accepted my aunt's advice and went for a nursing course and I achieved a certificate in midwifery. I became a midwife in my community ,helping women to deliver, helping adolescents who are sexually abused and they are being in clinics/hospitals coz sometimes they can be intimidated by medical facilities and authoritative figures around, preventing unwanted pregnancies and HIV/AIDs in adolescents, offering family planning services and so many other things but mostly related to health. I realised am now a very important person and inspiring alot of people out there, I kept on working hard and used my voice to make a change. I empower every adolescent I come across but mostly reach out to girls and young women. Currently, am working as home care nurse/bed side nurse but mostly taking care of cancer patients coz I do feel happy when a smile on someone's face and be part of their lives and share their sorrows. But still, I admire to go back to school and I achieve more and become a voice to the voiceless but it doesn't mean am going to stop chasing my dreams.