Orishaba Diana is a new female teacher at Rubanda Solidarity Nursery /Primary school. She is twenty five years old and one of the first fruits of our school’s sponsorship program that started in 2004. Diana is an orphan who unfortunately doesn’t remember both of her parents who died when she was still so little to recognize them in 1999. Her both parents died of sickness in the same period of time leaving her with her grandparents and no siblings to play with. She grew up looking to her poor grandparents for everything she wanted. As an obedient child she always listened to them most especially when it was to go to church. At the age of seven years Diana joined a public primary school deep in their remotest village. At the age of nine she learned how to serve at Mass and became an altar server which later on would provide an opportunity for her to be connected with the sisters of the OLGC (Our Lady of Good Counsel).
IMG_0204
Soon the sisters found out how helpless she was and how her social conditions needed intervention. They offered to host her in their community at Rubanda. Orishaba who had just completed her grade seven education in a public school had failed to qualify for higher education. And with the meager resources of the sisters they were helpless finding a solution for her for a better school. She had become the home little girl. Instead God had an answer in the making for her. A big surprise came in. In 2005 a group of three students from Roma Tre University in Italy including Fr. Dominic Tumusiime, arrived in Rubanda for their master’s research project.
This group was hosted at the sisters’ community where Diana was staying. She was the only child present all the time as the sisters had a busy daily schedule. Soon, these students found out the touching story of Diana and were moved to tears and compassion. Quality Education was the only way to go. This would provide her with a strong foundation of confidence, hope and future. And since Rubanda Solidarity was at its infancy and sisters did not have any coordinated sponsorship program, it was decided that Diana’s sponsorship be coordinated by Rubanda Solidarity. A project we have combined with our ongoing sponsorship program until the end.IMG_0202
In 2006 Orishaba relocated to Mbarara district in search for the better primary education opportunities. An interview was given to her but she failed due to her poor educational background. And that would imply that if she continued to sit for national exam she would still fail. The solution was to repeat two grades (two years back) which later proved to be providential to her future carrier. For in 2007 she sat again for her national exams and passed with Excellency qualifying for the awaited higher secondary education which she joined in 2008.
Four years later she completed with expectation to enroll for two preparatory years to university education as it was normally done and preferred by many young people. Instead, Diana chose to go to the college. Her shrewdness and passion is great. Whenever she is asked why she chose to divert from the normal procedure of many youth she always responds with a jolly face, “I want to serve and give back”. With her national teachers’ training profession, Diana has plenty of opportunities for better employment opportunities with pay and lots of benefits, but she has made a big difference to the community by her unique mind and passion to serve the community. She is now our new full time teacher and our new coordinator for E-Reader pilot project at our school.
Recent Comments