Joseph (Muwa) Muwanguzi is the first orphan from a rural village to ever elected Head Boy at Budo Junior, Uganda’s elite primary school.
Age 13-years-old
School Budo Junior
Class Primary 6 (6th Grade)
Village Kalungi Village/Rakai
Family situation I am a total orphan. My Mum and Dad died of HIV/AIDS when I was 2-years-old, and left me under the parenthood of my 10-year-old sister Sanyu. Four of my siblings are supported by L.E.A.D Uganda. I am Head Boy of Budo Junior.
I want to be an engineer
Ambition I want to be the President of Uganda.
Hobbies, Soccer, computer games, and reading
My story
“I am always one of the five top students in my class at Budo Junior where I was elected Head Boy. I am the first orphan from a rural village ever elected Head Boy of this elite school. I feel like I am a hero. This is a school for (cabinet) ministers children and so on. They come from very rich families, but I am their leader. L.E.A.D Uganda showed me the right way to behave as a leader, how to stand in front of other people, not fearing them. I was proud today when I saw myself in front of the other students, praying for them.
I am a total orphan. My father died of AIDS in 1999, and my mother passed away from the same disease in March 2000 when I was three. After the death of my mum, I lived with my four siblings in Kalungi Village in rural Rakai where my sister Sanyu took care of me and my baby sister Sarah after my older brother and sister, Frank and Rose, were sent away to school. We never had enough food to eat, and struggled to remain in school. Sanyu worked in people’s gardens and washed clothes to earn money for food and milk, while I prepared dinner, our one meal of the day.
L.E.A.D Uganda put me, Sanyu and Sarah into the best schools. My parent’s death caused many tears for me — but my peers at L.E.A.D Uganda comforted me. They helped me stop thinking about my parents. Now I think about my future. Where I come from you only find poor people. The only job is farming. Now I can be whatever I want. My sisters are also at the top of their class. I want to study to be an engineer, and dream of one day becoming the President of Uganda.”
