Never joke with the African when it comes to choosing names, from his ethnic attachment, the name ‘Suubi’ means HOPE, research indicates that hope can help us manage stress and anxiety and cope with adversity. It contributes to our well-being and happiness and motivates positive action. Hopeful people believe they can influence their goals, that their efforts can have a positive impact.
He left home with a dilapidated funny-worthless-metallic box full of lags, old shoes, and maybe books (in the mind of people who cyberbullied him) but to him, he was armed with catalysts that would help him achieve goals, desires, and dreams.
His head was loaded with words of power from his single mother, Rose Nalwanga, she spoke HOPE, its meaning, into (his) life. And hope does not disappoint. His journey from Mpigi District where he hails might have been rocky but it is safe to say he has found himself a soft and safe landing.
Rose Nalwanga, is a mother of eight children who are on a mission to collect a lorry full of firewood as a way of paying for their school fees. She survives on an avalanche of loans from banks, microfinance institutions, local SACCOs, and individuals who can bear with her.
Suubi Henry Kiyimba, a Makerere University fresher then who was attacked on social media for carrying a metallic suitcase to begin his university life, has been granted a full scholarship to study his dream course at Makerere.
The tweet said, ‘#HeyFreshers A rare picture of a fresher attached to University Hall (U.H) reporting today with his S.1 metal case and Osoufia (insert laugh emojis)’. It was the morning of August 6th, 2019.
Suubi captured the attention of many Ugandans on social media when a photo of him surfaced on Twitter being trolled for his metallic case and ‘Ousofia’ bag. Many pledged to turn his ‘misfortunes’ into success.
For the reporting period of first-time (freshers) MUK students, the hashtag #HeyFreshers was used on Twitter. All and miscellaneous ‘jumped onto’ it while sharing pictures of unsuspecting students and making unsolicited comments meant to provoke or for the fun of it.
One such tweet was of a male student carrying a black backpack, blue metallic suitcase, and a large shopping bag in his right hand making his approach to University Hall, one of the many halls of residence at MUK.
The tweet attracted the empathy of many, led in large part, by Ugandan journalist with the BBC’s, Allan Kasujja. In his quote of the mocking tweet, he asked if anyone knew who the student in the picture was stating, ‘We want to lay a table for him before his shamers!’ and calling on his friends from the media and other professions to join him in this. It was the afternoon of August 7th.
He was admitted on a government scholarship to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree of Science with Education (Economics) after attaining 17 points at UACE from St. Bruno Sserunkuma S.S Goli where he studied Physics, Economics, and Mathematics (PEM).
A campaign to find him ensued and in his words, Suubi said that his dream course would have been engineering but his parents could not afford to privately fund him for the course and that if it was not for the government which offered him a place at the university, he wouldn’t be able to join the tertiary institution.
He has since made a stint at Joadah Consult and Development Infrastructure, a construction company, offered Suubi a full sponsorship to his dream course in mechanical Engineering at Makerere University and the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between them, Makerere University, and Suubi.
“Joadah Consult and Development Infrastructure would like to give our official offer for a full scholarship for Mr. Suubi Henry Kiyimba for a course in Mechanical Engineering at Makerere University,” the letter reads in part.
Suubi made his first day at the School of Engineering on Monday, August 11, 2019, as he officially awaited results from his application for a change of course. He was admitted to do a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, one of the top 3 Engineering programs.
Before Bravo Shoes joined his wardrobe, Suubi shared his needs and among them was a school fees debt of Ush2 million owed to his high school where his UACE pass slip was withheld. By 11th August, Ush1.57 million had been collected from well-wishers. His other needs were a laptop, beddings, clothes, stationery, a suitcase, a mobile phone, and food which Ruth Aine, a blogger, published as Sssubi’s wish list. The 2 million school fees debt was cleared.
Suubi with 3 of his siblings, join a handful of those whose career has been fine-tuned by Bravo Shoes brand under its foundation.