PAMELA ATUKUNDIRE

Pamela is a Ugandan aged 24 years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts with Education from Makerere University. She is an E-Learning support officer for the MasterCard Foundation Scholar’s Program E-Learning Initiative at Makerere University. She offers progressive transformative technical experience in developing and managing Instructional aids for learners, teaching, leadership, Coordination, Communication, Monitoring and Evaluation. Pamela is a professional teacher of Kiswahili and History whose passion lies in Inclusive Educational Technology. She wishes to see technology being used in teaching and learning of languages and all other disciplines.

“Effort must achieve”

Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings!

My name is Pamela Atukundire, a Ugandan aged 24 years who resides in Kampala-Uganda. I was born to two parents from a small village found in Ntungamo District in Western Uganda. We are nine children in my family and I am the second born and the first to attain university Education. I was born into a poor family what now people call humble background in a grass-thatched house. Life was good because we had access to food and all other basic needs since we lived in the village where items were cheap.

I was a good performing pupil and when I reached primary two, I was taken to live with my grandmother (my mother's mother) who lived in the city (Kampala) and who was working as a cook at a certain higher learning institution. Together with my cousins and other relatives, we lived in a single room that was partitioned by curtains. Four months later, I passed the interview and began school in the city. Being a quick learner, I did not face a lot of challenges because it took me little time to learn the language. I was a tidy and smart kid with good handwriting who found favour before the teachers. Right from childhood, I loved teaching and mentoring. I would teach, discuss with my peers what we had learnt in school, I would read stories for them which increased my favour before the teacher. Apart from teaching, I also loved being a leader and I would volunteer in many things. Whereby in primary three I volunteered to always keep the class duster, in primary four, I was elected the class Monitress and in primary five I became over ambitious and stood for post of being a Head Girl and in primary six I was the Prefect in charge of sanitation. I also loved playing football and I was on the school girls’ football team, I liked singing and dancing too which propelled me to join the school drama club.

After primary seven in 2010, I went back to my home village where I attained my secondary education During secondary school, I did not give up my leadership ambitions, I was elected Information perfect in Senior one and two and Prep organiser girls in senior three and four. I continued singing too and gave up on football since girls were not catered for at the school.

I got a school bursary for high school and I was awarded a University Scholarship by the Mastercard Foundation Scholar's programme at Makerere University where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Education honors-second class upper( teaching subjects: Kiswahili, history)

Due to my knowledge of different languages in Uganda, I carried out translations after my graduation because I could not teach since schools were closed due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. When schools reopened, I started teaching at a local small school. The pay was little and it could not cater for all my needs and my family. I applied for the MasterCard Foundation Graduate Internship which was a success. I was posted to a community where I taught, mentored and guided women and youths in entrepreneurship, business development and Education.

TodayIworkasan E-Learning Support Officer at Makerere University and I am a proud mentee of the GTF Mentoring programme 2023. I am looking forward to getting different study opportunities and scholarships to advance my education career as well as using my education to help my community.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

There have been rampant killings and shootings in Uganda in the recent months (March, April and May) and we do not know when they will stop. 

Corruption, embezzlement and theft. Due to climate change, there are relief items like food, Iron sheets (the iron sheet scandal) that were supposed to be provided to the people of Karamoja-Uganda. However, these did not reach their destination due to greed of some officials. 

A paralysed education sector is yet another problem in Uganda currently. It has been found that graduates cannot access further education and employment in places outside Uganda because of expired degrees. Most Universities and other higher institutions of learning are and have been offering courses not accredited and approved by the National Council For Higher Education (NCHE). More still NCHE has also failed to accredit and approve different courses despite learners paying its money every year.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them?

Lack of school fees. Because I was from a poor/humble background, my parents could at times fail to provide school fees and other necessities. I overcame this by working on people's gardens like digging and weeding for money. I would also fetch water and fetch firewood for sale. 

Unemployment. After graduation, I did not have a job since schools in Uganda were closed yet I needed money. I overcame this by starting up a small translation group due to my knowledge of different languages. From this, I started earning.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

I love to see people succeeding and overcoming obstacles. So it would be an honour if I guided, advised, supported and helped someone out there, to identify their purpose in life.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share?  

Yes, I do and the lesson is; "Social capital is one of the greatest things a person would ever have".

During the Covid 19 pandemic, I got pregnant yet I had not finished school. Universities opened when I had not given birth yet. I studied during my pregnancy and examinations happened to be in the weeks of my due date. I thank God, I managed to finish my examinations successfully. Because schools were closed, the University opted for Micro teaching. I gave birth through C-Section during the Micro teaching period which meant I could not work with others. By the time I healed, all learners had left the university and areas around the university. I was tasked to collect a number of students that were between 20-30 in order to carry out my Micro teaching if I wanted to graduate on time. Almost everyone I called was too far from the University but promised to inform a friend to come through.

And yes, people managed to come and in greater numbers, which enabled me to teach and graduate on time. 

Throughout the period of pregnancy to graduation, I had people's support, guidance, advice and counselling. That's when I learnt that social capital is one of the greatest things a person will ever have.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

The Mastercard Foundation.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Some of the problems faced by women in my country are; Domestic violence where they have been constantly beaten, sexual assault/harassment through rape, inappropriate touches etc. No ownership of property especially when the husband dies. Most of the time in-laws from the husband's side deny women ownership rights after the death of their husbands. 

The following are the efforts being made towards gender equality in my country;

• There is equal representation in courts of law.

• Women can access loans for development.

• Women can be elected in top leadership positions.

• Women can also access employment opportunities.

• Women have a right to education and there are a number of scholarships in place meant for them.

Q: Share with us a motto you live by.

Effort must achieve.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do?

I would start a vocational secondary school that offers quality and holistic education to the less privileged (orphans and other youths from humble backgrounds) who cannot afford secondary education and to teenage/young mothers who would wish to continue with their education at a low/affordable fee.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add? 

I am grateful to be part of the GTF Mentoring programme 2023!