Mastula Namugambe is 14 year’s old and lives in Zirobwe, Uganda. She happens to be one of the first sponsored children who have just completed primary school from Empowered Leaders Academy.
Today, she is full of joy and is glowing at the realization that her dreams of being a doctor have been reawakened after God blessed her with a sponsor about a year ago.
Mastula describes her story from the days when she felt there was no hope in achieving her dreams, to a time where her hope was restored.
“First and foremost, I want to thank God for enabling me to complete primary school well, safe, and sound. I also want to thank God for my heaven-sent sponsors, whom I dearly love and am grateful to; that’s Mr. and Mrs. Jane Hindle.
I started primary school at Empowered Leaders Academy before Empower a Child purchased it. At the time, it was called Ebenezer Education Center. During my early school days, until I got a sponsor, life wasn’t easy for me with my studies and my parents too.
I was always irregular in school because I lacked scholastic materials and school fees, which always kept me out of school. Never in my childhood life did I think or hope that I will even finish primary school.
My story changed when I met one of Empower a Child’s volunteers, Porsche Dobinson, who happens to be a very close good friend of mine. I got to know Porsche after she picked interest in my little brother, whom she today sponsors, and after knowing what I was going through at home, she promised to get me a sponsor in 2013 and, indeed, it came to pass early this year when I was informed by the organization of how I had gotten a sponsor. That was the beginning of change in my life.
I am more than happy that I receive gifts from my sponsors, school and life’s basic necessities, which have made an amazing difference in my life. My hope has been restored and my dreams reawakened. I am more than happy that I have finished primary school and I am looking forward to what God has in store for me as I press on harder to be the best throughout my education.”
Empowered Leaders Academy has very good, loving, and caring teachers that we are proud of!
It has now been a year since Empowered Leaders Academy was purchased by Empower a Child. The school is the first thing your eyes see when you drive towards the training center in Zirobwe.
The school’s population has grown to approximately 450 children today, quite an increase from the previous 180 children who attended before Empower a Child took ownership.
The increase in the number of students was a result of the organization’s assurance to elevate the community school into a role model institution that builds leaders after God’s heart.
David Luwassa is a primary six student at Empowered Leaders Academy. He joined the school last year while it was still Ebenezer Education Center.
David has been in the top position in his class for the first 2 terms of the year, a spot he has maintained since joining the school before it became Empowered Leaders Academy. He tells of how different his experience has been at Empowered Leaders Academy in comparison to the previous school.
“There is a big difference between the two school that I’ve had the opportunity to study in. I might not mention everything, but I will share with you a few things from my observation.”
The very first amazing difference Empowered Leaders Academy has brought to our community is being examined. Using well-printed examination papers that we write on, and well-marked [by teachers], then our papers are returned. The very first time I received a marked printed examination paper, I was overwhelmed with joy because it’s a morale-boosting factor to my performance. In the previous school, we were always instructed to take out pieces of paper from our books and write the questions from the black board as we answered them. It was a very old fashioned. That I never appreciated.
Another humbling thing that desires me to come to school every day are our very loving and caring teachers. They act in a more professional way, they follow up on our performances regularly, and I attribute my good performance to their input, compared to the previous teachers who never used to care about students’ academics.
I am proud of the fact that our teachers encourage us to speak and express ourselves in English always, which was something that never existed before. We are always reminded to understand that English is the language we will always use throughout our education, especially in examinations. It’s a language used in work places so it’s for the good of our performance and always endeavor to speak even when I am not very fluent.
My experience with Empowered Leaders Academy is the good education we are being given, with well-dedicated teachers, is just good. My favorite experience is being able to play sports, especially soccer. We have ample space to play games, which was something we never had previously.
I am so much looking forward to returning next year and enjoying more of the school. Since I will be sitting for my final year in primary school, I am more than confident and determined to be the best student in the district representing Empowered Leaders Academy.”