Stephen Wasswa
Age 19-years-old
School Uganda Martyrs Senior Secondary School — Namugongo. Stephen is a Prefext.
Class Senior 6 (13th grade)
City Nakawa section of Kampala
Family situation I stay with my Mum and brother Paul Ntege. Our father abandoned my Mum for another women. We were left to fend for our selves, working in stone quarries and doing odd jobs until L.E.A.D Uganda found us.
I want to be a lawyer
Ambition I want to advocate against social injustices against children and women.
Hobbies I love chess, soccer, acting, debating, and traditional dancin
My story
“Our father abandoned my Mum for another women. We were left to fend for our selves, working in stone quarries and doing odd jobs until L.E.A.D Uganda found us in 2004. My brother Paul Ntege and I worked in a rock quarry to raise money for our school fees. It was a remorseful job. At times we were injured hewing stones but we had to endure it to raise money to keep us in school and also supplement what our mother earned so we could buy food.
My brother Paul and I performed well in the Primary Leaving Exams, We could have been admitted to any prestigious high school but we lacked school fees, so we were set to drop out. New Vision, a national newspaper wrote about Paul’s predicament. L.E.A.D Uganda saw the article and accepted Paul. I asked to be helped as well, After looking at my grades and talking to my teachers, my request was granted.
We were admitted to Uganda Martyrs’ — Namugongo which was my favorite school. I study history, economics, geography and Luganda language. I was elected the School Mess Prefect. I am proud to have students from middle and upper class families put their trust in my leadership. Last term I wrote a script, “Beefless Bone”, which was performed at Theatre Labonita.
I passed my ‘O’ level exams with an very high score, so I was retained by the school for my A ‘level studies. I only have one year left before I enter university. I am reading (studying) hard so that I can obtain a government sponsorship (scholarship) which only goes to the top students..
I want to pursue law at Makerere University and became the first lawyer in my family. I want to advocate against social injustices against children and women. As a lawyer I will always act for justice because I believe justice is for everyone and it should be granted when needed.”
