‘I need to continue. I’m not stopping.’
Supporters like you helped Daphine go to school in Kampala from nursery.
Today she’s in her second year at university. On Fridays she helps girls revise maths and chemistry.
Sometimes a girl comes with a question about her studies and stays to talk about something that’s worrying her. On Saturdays Daphine is back in class herself.
Daphine tells her story below, edited from our conversation.
Daphine in 2010
‘So I chose to do physics, chemistry and mathematics’
I remember I began my nursery with Awamu. Aunt Sarah, she’s my auntie. I prefer calling her my mum because I’ve grown with her ever since I was two. She sold vegetables at the market. At that time all of us were going to school, but there weren’t enough school fees to support everyone.
In primary school I wasn’t doing well in academics, but I could sing, dance, recite poems. When I finished primary, I was like, “Will I be able to pass to go to the next level, or should I branch from here and do other things?”
It was in that holiday, while I was waiting for my results, that I started learning to sew. Awamu had been helping me with my schooling, and now I had the chance to learn a practical skill too. I started by sewing reusable sanitary pads by hand. Then Awamu gave me a small sewing machine so I could practise and make more pads. Aunt Sarah showed me the basics.
When my results came out and I knew I could go on to secondary school, I was excited. But I had this one thing in my head. “What am I going to do to at least change my grade?”
From Senior One up to Senior Four, I used to be in first grade. In Form One I said that if I don’t become a doctor, I should become a teacher or an accountant. I had three of them! By the end of those four years I knew my strengths were in maths, chemistry and physics. So I chose those subjects. I could be a pharmacist. I could go into education and be a science teacher. And the maths could take me into accounting.
‘What do I have? What can I use to help me?’
I wanted a government scholarship. That was my aim. Things didn’t come out as I expected. I got nine points and I needed closer to fifteen. I thought, “Okay, I’ve completed Form Six, but I need to continue. I need to continue. I’m not stopping.”
I had to strategise. What else could I do to reach degree level? I found a one-year science course at Ndejje University. If I passed, I could go on to a degree course of my choice.
I spoke with one of my brothers. What if he gave me half of the tuition and I looked for the other half? God willing, he agreed. So I joined without knowing where the other part of the tuition was going to come from. Then I was like, “What do I have? What can I use to help me?”
I saw tailoring was coming back. I have a cousin sister doing tailoring in town. She’s called Shillat. So I called her and said, “I learned some basics in tailoring, so can I come and join you and do the tailoring and I learn?”
We studied Monday to Friday, but only up to three. From three until seven I could go into town and sew dresses for people. Shillat was good to me. She taught me how to make loose dresses, trousers and jumpsuits. And thank God I was able to raise that other half.
I graduated with my certificate in March 2025. I wanted to go on to do a degree in procurement and logistics management, but the fees at Ndejje were too high for me. I looked at Nkumba University. Same course, same time, different university. I started that August and now I’m in my second year. I live in Kampala and I can pay my own rent.
‘At least for them to be better than me’
I travel to Kayunga on Thursday night. On Fridays I help Senior Five and Six students revise maths and chemistry. Then I come back to Kampala for my own classes on Saturday and Sunday.
Sometimes the students know the concept, but the exam gives them a scenario. How to put what they’ve learnt into an answer is what they find difficult. And the girls do come and talk to me. They call me Madam there. They’ll say, “Now, Madam,” and we’ll be talking about what we’re studying, and then it’s “Okay, now I have this problem.” As a community mentor, what I do is more counselling and career guidance.
We asked Daphine whether she got that confidence from Sarah, who used to take her along on community health visits.
Partly from her and another part from me. One thing I learnt from her is that if you have confidence, you are able to say no to what you don’t want, yes to what you want. She’s a very straight person. If she says no, it’s a no. If it’s a yes, a yes.
When I teach or I mentor, I want that person to do even better. I feel good because I’m able to pass on the knowledge I have. Getting good marks more than me. At least for them to be better than me.
Help another girl finish school
Daphine wants the girls she supports to get even better marks than she did. This Christmas, you can help girls in Kampala stay in school and sit the exams they’re working towards.
Between 1 -8 December, every donation made through Awamu’s Big Give campaign page will be doubled while match funds last. Your £20 gift could become £40 to help keep girls in school.
