“Whenever I could raise my hand to say something, they called Charity Boy Alina Kyagamba….”
Friday 10th June, Bravo Shoes Community Support (BSCS) Team and Henry Ssuubi Kiyimba took a surprise visit to Kiswa Village, Kammengo, in Mpigi district, Mawokota North Constituency.
It all started from here and the renowned Ssuubi is now a student doing his bachelor’s degree of Science in Mechanical [Engineering] and he is in 3rd Year hoping to finish next year from Makerere University.
Ssuubi was an innocent freshman who was mocked on Twitter by a fellow student while reporting on the first day of university with a metallic suitcase more associated with boarding schools in 2019. However, the mocker turned out to be a blessing in disguise after the photo went viral and made Ssuubi an overnight star and inspiration.
#HeyFreshers A rare picture of a fresher attached to University Hall (U.H ) reporting today with S.1 metal case and Osoufia 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂👐👐 pic.twitter.com/yGbGUtIBMX
— Aupal Emmanuel 🇺🇬 (@AupalEmmanuel) August 6, 2019
His Usofia Bag has since turned into a museum of old clothes while his famous metallic box is sheltering old past papers and old long-man pamphlets.
When we reached Kammengo, Ssuubi, a quiet and reserved campasser went direct to the door of the entrance of his house, He called Madam! as he usually refers to his mother but she had already stepped out of the house.
Ssuubi knew where he could be and straight away headed to the coffee garden just next to the house.
“Why didn’t you inform me that you’re coming with visitors…?!,” asked the jolly mum; “This is home, I can come in anytime…” Ssuubi replied calmly before they exchanged greetings.
Like the lonely chicken taking care of its chics, we caught up with Rose Nalwanga also a teacher by profession at St Mary’s Sana Primary School. She was collecting a few of the ripe coffee to supplement her firewood and avocado vending business which is harvested at home.
A single mother of eight children with Ssuubi being the third-born and the oldest boy, Nalwanga strives to take care of her family tooth and nail.
“The challenge we have is it rains in bits and the place is hilly. It is really hard to fend for a big family if you are a woman. I struggle hard but I ask myself; Who is going to help me? I do a lot of work like for 4 men and the work of a woman but I trust in God,” she said
Nalwanga who doubles as a mother and a father says she has tried and is grateful that at least she has tried to train them to be good people in the community.
On one of her busy days, Nalwanga took us through her motherly and her fatherly skills to her babies.
“After supper, I retire to bed at 11:30 or Mid-Night. Some wake up in the middle of the night to revise books because they are inspired by their brother (Ssuubi). I wake up as early as 5:00 AM to take care of the pigs,” she said.
From her small garden of coffee, a few trees of Avocados, vending firewood, and brooms, Maama Ssuubi takes care of her 7 children and manages to raise school fees though paid in installments and also take care of domestic needs.
“Every time I feel I have to be with money then my pocket is dry, I go to a certain island, get somewhere to sleep and I spent 3 days collecting grass -tops to make brooms for sale before I embark on another errand to collect firewood. As I come back, before anything else, someone is asking for money,” she said.
Maama Ssuubi said that sometimes, she calls on Ssuubi for rescue and is glad he is most times available with something.
However, she says that many things have changed because of Ssuubi.
“When he got some little money, we got electricity. We were overjoyed. I no longer worry about shoes; Bravo Shoes came into the picture and now even the community benefits from what we get from Bravo Shoes. Am really grateful.” She appreciated.
Time for Snacks
After a long chat with Maama Ssuubi, it was time to have a snack, being the good mother she is, we got served with a pasted cassava and plain cassava in the good company of avocado. The meal was such delicious and some of the Bravo Community Support Organisation Team could not stop asking for more.
During snack time, Maama Ssuubi took us through the fateful days of the Covid-19 pandemic, It was a time she had just gotten relief after her son got an engineering Course at Makerere University courtesy of the fully sponsored by Joadah Consult and Development Infrastructure.
It was a very good opportunity that came up in time, however, not so many people who promised to stand with her maintained their position and they couldn’t be traced.
This was the time Maama Ssuubi says the evil spirits visited her and the community thanks to Radio Maria.
Ssuubi Inspires his former School, A Science Block is Under Construction
At St Bruno Sserunkuma Secondary School, Ssuubi attended his O and A-level since 2013. He is described as a very humble and disciplined being and his magic in the academic field has elevated the community and the school to a popular spot since its establishment 38 years ago. And that’s where I came from to join Makerere University.
On an abrupt visit, Ssuubi led us to his former school and took us on a tour even to his former classroom. In the class which has now attracted15 students (10 boys and 5 girls) a fully-fledged laboratory.
The Senior 6 class which attracted only 4 students at the time of Ssuubi was a candidate, it has 18 doing sciences and the number is doubled in Senior 5. The students we spoke to were surprised of seeing the celebrated Ssuubi and couldn’t hide their excitement and the inspiration picked from Henry Ssuubi Kiyimba.
“I was in another school in O Level but I decided to come here because of Ssuubi,” said a girl doing Physics Economics and Math (PEM). While NsereKo John said that because of Ssuubi, he got inspired that he can make it through sciences.
Speaking to the Director of Studies, Joseph Busuulwa, a new block of science studies has been erected due to increased performances since Ssuubi raised the bar high.
“One of our best students Ssuubi is the one who encouraged us and inspired us then the management decided to put up a block to accommodate at least 300 students doing sciences,” he said
“Ssuubi joined in 2013 from Senior 1, very good student, disciplined, and academically oriented. He has encouraged fellow students and they have attained good grades. Ssuubi didn’t have school fees but when we looked into his discipline, the school decided he will pay whenever he could afford it,” explained Busuulwa.
Visiting Ssuubi’s Siblings
At Mother Elizabeth Learning Centre and Delivering New Bravo Shoes to her Senior Six Sister Mukisa Justine Najjuuko at Fisher Branch- Kalagala High School. Najjuuko is doing sciences with BCN/ICT as a combination.
After leaving St Bruno Sserunkuma SS, Ssuubi paid a courtesy visit to his 3 siblings, the two siblings Ssebuufu Herman in Primary Seven and Takerewa Hillary in Primary Six have a school-long footwear sponsorship from Bravo Shoes Community Support Organisation.
Ssuubi told his calm-looking siblings to appreciate whatever they have and always use the opportunity before them.