ASSET BENEFICIARY LILLIAN N

Another new beneficiary of ASSET, Lillian N., is also a student at Uganda Christian University – Mukono. Lillian is an extremely hardworking and industrious person. She is pursuing a Bachelors degree in Community Health and just started the program in August 2009.

Here is what Lillian had to say when we talked to her.

ASSET: Tell me about your family and upbringing.

Lillian N: I am the first of four biological siblings; I have two sisters and one brother. My mother also supported three orphan cousins in addition to the four of us and we grew up with them as siblings; spending most of our childhood and adolescence years together.

Our father was killed during the Milton Obote political regime; I was only six years old and our mother raised us as a single parent. She is a trained nurse but didn’t earn enough money to pay for me to pursue a degree course at the university.

ASSET: How far have you gone in your education?

Lillian N: My formal educational attainment is a Diploma level certificate.

ASSET: Describe your educational goals.

Lillian N: I have two educational goals; first to obtain a degree in community health and become a trained community health worker, and then later, attain a master’s degree in Public Health to enable me to train as a community health specialist and professional, able to plan, design, implement and evaluate health interventions.

ASSET: Describe your career goals.

Lillian N: My goal is to work as a coordinator for rural based programs in community based health care in the next fours years. After attaining more experience I hope to manage community based health care services across health programs to include nutrition, family planning and infectious diseases, particularly HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

ASSET: How do you think this scholarship will help you achieve these goals?

Lillian N: Funding from this sponsorship will go towards my tuition to enable me obtain a Bachelors degree in Community Health. After that I will be able to earn more money and it will be easier to find employment so I can contribute to the health care of my community.

ASSET: Why do you think you are a good candidate for an ASSET scholarship?

In spite of my limited resources, I have always made use of every learning opportunity to better myself. I am a good candidate because I believe I will be able to put this opportunity to maximum use and I will work hard, like I have done in the past, to succeed.

ASSET: What other financial support do you receive for your studies?

None at this point in time

ASSET: Provide an estimate of the financing you need to get back on the path to completing your study program

Lillian N: UGX 1,193,000 (about USD 600) per semester

ASSET: Describe a challenge that you have faced in the past and what you did to overcome it.

Lillian N: I have two challenges to share; they are both about my work.

First of all, in the past I have worked with particularly competitive people. While, I appreciate that competition is healthy, I sometimes found it unhealthy and antagonistic. I talked to my colleagues and helped them realize that working, as a team instead of working against each other, would yield better results.

Secondly, there were times at work when my organization shifted work priorities and I felt overwhelmed. During such times I would re-prioritize my work, reorganize my schedule and mobilize my colleagues .to make sure we still met our goals.

ASSET: What are your interests? What do you do in your free time?

I am interested in working with people to solve their issues. I am interested in supporting local initiatives, and I like being part of social health research. My areas of interest are nutrition, infectious diseases, and family planning. I enjoy watching “action” movies, listening to gospel and traveling.

ASSET BENEFICIARY MONICAH N.

In the past, ASSET has found it challenging to attract female applicants demonstrating the potential for success fitting with its mission. A lot of this was mainly due to the organization’s own weaknesses in building local networks in Uganda and lacking an efficient system of follow up. However, the setting up of a Ugandan field office along with a competent admin team has changed all that.

ASSET is now proud to present to you its first in a long line of female scholarship beneficiaries.

Monicah N. is 24 years of age and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Economics and Management degree at Uganda Christian University – Mukono, Uganda. She is currently in her second year and is performing exceptionally well in her studies.

We had a conversation with Monicah and this is what she had to say.

ASSET: Tell us about your family and upbringing.

Monicah N: I am the first born out of six children. My grandmother brought me up because my parents didn’t have the means. When she died I went to live with my parents. They depend on farming activities for the little income they have. Most of the farming however is on a subsistence level.

ASSET: Describe your educational goals.

Monicah N: I would like to successfully complete my bachelor’s degree and after working for some time, go on to pursue a Masters degree in Economics.

ASSET: Describe your career goals.

Monicah N: I would like to work in the banking, Non-Government Organization or public sector. I am interesting in policy and finance related work.

ASSET: How do you think this scholarship will help you achieve these goals?

Monicah N: The scholarship will help with tuition and lodging and enable me to complete my bachelors and acquire the skills I need to pursue this career path.

ASSET: Why do you think you are a good candidate for an ASSET scholarship?

Monicah N: I think I am a good candidate for the ASSET scholarship because am a determined, hardworking and committed student.

ASSET: What other financial support do you receive for your studies?

Monicah N: None.

ASSET: Provide an estimate of the financing you need to get back on the path to completing your study program.

Monicah N: UGX 1,154,000 for tuition and UGX 300,000 for accommodation per semester (approximately USD 600 per semester in total)

ASSET: Describe a challenge that you have faced in the past and what you did to overcome it.

Monicah N: When my father stopped working, I was in my senior three, completing my “O” level was a very big struggle but I worked very hard. I attended all the classes and consulted my teachers for help in areas where I felt weak. I also attended both morning and evening preps to do my personal reading and formed a discussion group of five people. My group met regularly to discuss various subjects. I trusted in God and was able to perform very well. Because of this, I was given a full bursary for my “A” level. In addition to studying, I used to go to my home village, in the countryside, every holiday and while there I would harvest different fruits to sell in the market; with the money I got I was able to have pocket money and also to buy books, pens and other necessities for boarding school.

ASSET: What are your interests? What do you do in your free time?

Monicah N: I am interested in singing, watching movies, traveling, and reading novels but in my free time I enjoy singing worship songs.

Alex Mpiima Joins ASSET as Admin Assistant

Exactly one month ago, a new staff member joined the ASSET team to fill the position of Administrative Assistant in the Ugandan office.

Today, having successfully made it through her one-month probation, we officially welcome Alex Mpiima as a full-time employee of ASSET.

Alex will be responsible for coordinating all operations in the Ugandan office including face-to-face interviews with applicants, background checks, relationship management between ASSET and the institutions attended by its beneficiaries and financial management as well as overseeing all activities pertaining to the “Bead to Read” program.

Alex has several years of experience in sales and front office management, accounting, secretarial and office administration. We have every bit of confidence in her abilities.

ASSET Beads Get New Look

Regular readers of this blog may be familiar with our "Bead to Read" program but for those who are new to the site, let me give you some background.

ASSET depends on donations from several partners to make its work possible. However, in addition to this, we also have a program called “Bead to Read” where we purchase beads, made from recycled paper by women in Uganda, specifically those from low income and low education backgrounds, to give as 'thank you' gifts to donors in the US who have donated at least $10 to the organization in order to encourage donations.

Until recently, these beads were delivered plain. Now however, thanks to the creativity of the ASSET team, they come with a tag bearing some facts about the state of higher education in Africa as well as some information about ASSET and the “Bead to Read” program. Take a look.

ASSET Beneficiary Update - Chris M

Here's an update from Chris M, one of ASSET's beneficiaries, who just completed his undergraduate studies with assistance from ASSET.

"With the tuition grant from ASSET, I was able to complete my bachelor’s degree in Procurement and Supply Chain Management in May 2009. My last semester at University consisted of five course units including strategic procurement, procurement contracts management, logistics and distribution management, human resource management, elements of taxation as well as an individual research project.

"I had some difficulty completing my research project however, because I had to look for a lot of information from the Internet, which is rather slow, and also to read many books yet I had to study for other course units too. My research was about inventory management information systems like the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and many other systems. Despite the challenges, I worked hard and completed the research well before my final exams so I was able to study for those as well.

"Completing this degree program required for me to be organized and focused. I learned to manage my time effectively and was committed to my goals.

"My next step is to pursue the internationally recognized certification by the Chartered Institute of Purchase and Supply offered at the Uganda Management Institute."

ASSET Beneficiary: Joseph W

ASSET’s third beneficiary is an extremely hardworking young man who has overcome great odds to make it through primary and secondary school and has finally been able to enroll in Makerere University to get a college education. His Name is Joseph W and this is his profile.

Name: Joseph W

Age: 21

Name of school / Institution currently attended: Makerere University Kampala

Portion of program completed: Bachelor of Population Studies – 1st year

We interviewed Joseph recently and this is what he had to say:


ASSET: Tell us about your family and upbringing.

Joseph W: Currently, I have only one of my parents; my mother. My father died in 2001 leaving behind 8 children. I am the 2nd last born. My mother is not employed but she sells vegetables in the market. She is HIV positive and is currently on anti-retro viral treatment, which she gets free from Joint Clinical Research Centre in Mengo. Most of my siblings are out of school due to school fees problems. My baby sister is currently in her Senior 6 vacation.

ASSET: How far have you gone in your education?

Joseph W: I attended 3 secondary schools because the school fees kept increasing. In Senior 4, I got aggregate 33 and in Senior 6, 12 points. I majored in History, Economics, Divinity and Art. I am currently studying at Makerere University and working towards a Bachelors degree in Population Studies.


ASSET: Describe your educational goals.

Joseph W: I want to finish my Bachelors degree. If I can get funding, I would like to get a masters degree in population studies. There is a government scholarship for high performing students that I am targeting.

ASSET: Describe your career goals.

Joseph W: I would like to work with Uganda Electoral Commission or the Ministry of Finance. These organizations interest me because my field of study deals with these organizations. I would also like to go in to business to help society. Plan International helped me in primary school but when I grew older, he aid was suspended. I too would like to help others.

ASSET: How do you think this scholarship will help you achieve these goals?

Joseph W: This scholarship will help me to meet tuition and housing payments. I currently live in Mpererwe, which is about 5 miles from the city, and this makes for a very tough commute. Living close to the university campus will help my academic performance since I will be able to spend less time getting to class and to the library and more time studying.


ASSET: Why do you think you are a good candidate for an ASSET scholarship?

Joseph W: I think I am a good candidate because I have achieved some education and I am now trying to achieve one just one more level of training before I can competitively look for employment and support my family. If I don’t finish what I have started, it will be a big loss for my family and I. I am a hardworking student and am currently working at an organization called Chrisams Designs; ironing clothes.

When school starts, I get to work at 8am and leave at 2pm. I try to stay organized by keeping a timetable. I do research and course work at night and try to always be prepared for class. I also look after some farm animals at home and try to help my mother around the house.

ASSET: What other financial support do you receive for your studies?

Joseph W: I have been helped with small loans / grants from family members and this is how I paid for my first semester.

ASSET: Provide an estimate of the financing you need to get back on the path to completing your study program

Joseph W: At beginning of year, we pay UGX 800,000 tuition. In the second
semester we pay UGX 600,000. Housing on average costs 250,000UGX per semester.

ASSET: Describe a challenge that you have faced in the past and what you did to overcome it.

Joseph W: In primary school, Plan International helped to pay my tuition. However, I needed books and other requirements that had not been provided but did not have the money to acquire these things. I started to fetch water from the borehole to supply different people and was paid for my services. This allowed me to get some money to buy what I needed. My Mum did not make any money and I didn’t want to burden her with these challenges. She provided shelter and food and I felt she was doing enough. Now to help meet university expenses, I work at Chrisams Designs, a job I got after I applied and was employed as casual laborer.

ASSET: What are your interests? What do you do in your free time?

Joseph W: I like music (hip hop, etc) and football (Chelsea) and watching football. Have read World Apart.

ASSET Beneficiary: Julius K

ASSET’s second beneficiary is a young man named Julius K. As is required for all ASSET beneficiaries, we interviewed Julius to learn about his life experiences, his motivations to study, and his educational and career goals.

This is Julius K’s profile

Age: 23
Name of school / Institution you attend: Kyambogo University
Portion of program completed: ¼
GPA: 3.67 GPA

Below are the highlights from our conversation with Julius

ASSET: Tell us about your family and upbringing.

Julius K: I was brought up in a big family. I am one of the youngest. I lost my mother when I was about 12 years old; I was in primary seven at the time.

ASSET: How far have you gone in your education?

Julius K: I have a Diploma in Procurement and Logistics Management from Kyambogo University and am now pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in the same field. I intend to achieve even more professional qualifications in this and other fields.

ASSET: Describe the circumstances that have caused you to need assistance

Julius K: Being part of a very big family, there are a lot of responsibilities and priorities to be considered; this leaves my chances of getting enough support for my higher education and career development initiatives thin.

ASSET: Describe your educational goals.

Julius K: I intend to successfully complete my degree, after which, I intend to attain certification from CIPS, an internationally recognized procurement institution based in Denmark and affiliated to Multi-Tec Accountancy Program in Uganda. I think this will help make me more competent in my profession at an international level.

ASSET: Describe your career goals.

Julius K: I intend to practice my profession in organizations that help the poor and reduce poverty; organizations like the United Nations. They all need the value adding abilities of professional Logisticians in their operations. I would also like to someday run my own procurement agency to help organizations realize the value and cost minimization abilities that could be attained by properly managing a supply chain.

ASSET: How do you think this scholarship will help you achieve these goals?

Julius K: It will provide me with the financial support I need to finish my degree and pursue a career in procurement and supply chain management.

ASSET: Why do you think you are a good candidate for an ASSET scholarship?

Julius K: I am a hard working individual and I try to use a wide range of strategies to achieve my goals. For example, in my degree program at Kyambogo University, I keep a very organized schedule, do all my assignments on time and have cultivated a wide network of strong relationships in and outside school to enable me to successfully complete my studies and prepare me for the professional world. My only hindrance is the financial need, which this scholarship can meet.

ASSET: What other financial support do you receive for your studies?

Julius K: I receive housing (hostel) and up keep allowances.

ASSET: Provide an estimate of the financing you need to get back on the path to completing your study program?

Julius K: Ushs 2.75million inclusive of hostel fees for the next three semesters.

ASSET: Describe a challenge that you have faced in the past and what you did to overcome it.

Julius K: Before I moved in with my Dad, I lived with my Mum, a single mother who didn’t have a lot. When I was 12 years while in my first term of primary seven, she passed away. This affected my performance in both the primary leaving finals exam (PLE) and the initial stages of secondary school. When I went live with my Dad, my stepmother was not very nice to me. This led to a loss of self-confidence and motivation on my part. My mother has always taught me to be strong and courageous. I took on sports and this allowed me to make friends take my mind off my circumstances. I also took an interest in history and economics and started to work harder at my studies. My self-confidence and motivation returned and I excelled in my secondary school studies to successfully make it to University.

ASSET: What are your interests? What do you do in your free time?

Julius K: I love to travel, watch and play football and hang out with my friends.

ASSET Beneficiary: Chris M

We recently sat down with Chris M., our first beneficiary, to learn about his life, his motivations to study, and his educational and career goals.

Chris M’s Profile:

Age: 23

Name of school / Institution attended: Makerere University Business School

Portion of study program completed: ¾ of Bachelor’s Degree in Procurement and Supply Chain Management

Current GPA: 4.16

Highlights from our conversation with Chris M appear below.

ASSET: Tell us about your family and upbringing.

Chris M: I come from a broken family. My parents divorced when I was very young and I have grown up with only my dad. We are seven children, three girls and four boys. I attended good schools, for example Namilyango College, Old Kampala SSS and Katikamu SDA Wobulenzi where I completed my “A” Level. I benefited from a few scholarships due to my good performance and I am now at in University.

ASSET: Describe the circumstances that have caused you to need assistance

Chris M: One of the major circumstances that caused me to need assistance was that my dad could not provide for all of us due to the fact that we were a large family and his income was very low.

ASSET: Describe your educational goals.

Chris M: After my degree, I would like to pursue a professional course called CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supplies). Thereafter, I would also want to pursue a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management.

ASSET: Describe your career goals.

Chris M: Since I am studying a business course, I would like to be a successful businessman and also get involved in charitable activities of helping the needy like orphans and other disadvantaged people. This would be my way of giving back to the Society, since the same thing has been done to me.

ASSET: How do you think this scholarship will help you achieve these goals?

Chris M: Since one of my dreams is to be a successful businessman, this Scholarship will help me complete my business degree. This will equip me with business skills; ideas and experience, which in turn will enable me to make money and attain the financial stability I need to meet my goals.

ASSET: Why do you think you are a good candidate for an ASSET scholarship?

Chris M: I think am a good candidate for an ASSET Scholarship because of my good performance in school and my will to continue with my education despite my circumstances.

ASSET: What other financial support do you receive for your studies?

Chris M: I have received funds to buy textbooks that I use in my studies as well as other scholastic materials like pens and calculators.

ASSET: Provide an estimate of the financing you need to get back on the path to completing your study program

Chris M: Since this is my last Semester, I need about 1 Million Uganda Shillings, which is equivalent to USD 500. This would cover tuition, research project fees, transport and textbooks.

ASSET: Describe a challenge that you have faced in the past and what you did to overcome it.

Chris M: I faced the challenge of peer pressure, which used to force me to make wrong decisions. I used to disobey my teachers and parents and I was very proud over nothing. I took advantage of my friends, which was really very bad because it was destroying my reputation in school and at home. I overcame this by adopting Godly values, consulting my superiors and reading books or novels of great authors. This changed my life.

ASSET: What are your interests? What do you do in your free time?

Chris. M: My interests are readying novels, magazines and newspapers. I also like playing and watching football.

Donations and beneficiaries: an update from the ASSET team

Today ASSET received a $25 donation from Maurita Goodman. In addition, Shara Haq has continued to sell beads for ASSET’s Bead to Read program along with a social worker named Barb Anderson. ASSET is grateful to all these wonderful people for their donated time, effort and resources.

We have been busy at ASSET selecting our first two beneficiaries. The donations received to date have already been used to help cover tuition and other educational costs for two intelligent young men. In the coming weeks, we will introduce Chris M. and Julius K. to our blog readers. We will be posting highlights from the intake interviews, which were a central component of the beneficiary selection process. We hope that you will enjoy learning more about our beneficiaries and their lives and goals.

To help our donors and blog readers stay informed on progress, we will be posting messages from ASSET beneficiaries from time to time.

Beneficiary Selection Process

In selecting the recipients of scholarships, ASSET considers a wide range of factors to obtain a holistic view of the circumstances faced by each applicant. We consider such things as academic performance, educational and career goals as well as personal experiences in dealing with life challenges. All applicants are given a chance to show why they believe they are best qualified to receive assistance and how this assistance will help them meet their stated goals. It is important to note however, that ASSET does not select the recipients of scholarships on the basis of tribe or gender. What we seek to identify are students who are genuinely interested in finishing their studies and whose performance indicates a promise of solid returns on the investment made by ASSET and its partners.

Beads, beads, beads!

In December 2008, ASSET Uganda launched the Bead to Read program. The Bead to Read program sells beautiful paper-beaded necklaces and other jewelry from Uganda to directly benefit the ASSET program.

What are paper beads?
Paper beads are made from recycled magazines and other paper products. All of ASSET's Bead to Read beads have been hand-made by Ugandan women and men as part of an income-generation project. The beads come in all sorts of colors, sizes, and styles. Many people can't believe they're made from recycled paper!

Why buy beads from ASSET?
When you buy beads from ASSET, you can take comfort in knowing that all proceeds are invested back into ASSET. Thus, your purchase of beads directly supports the education of students in Uganda. In addition, ASSET purchases its beads from low-income Ugandans, many of whom have been displaced by war or are living with HIV/AIDS.

For more information about the ASSET Bead to Read program, please send us an email at info.assetuganda@yahoo.com