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.