Twenty years ago in a small village in Rakai district, I came to the world. The last born of six, I should have had a perfect childhood; too bad that eluded me. In a country plagued by HIV|AIDS and a political insurgency in the north and north-east the issue of orphanages is no stranger. Until the age of ten- mine was a normal life, almost blissful, not even the absence of my a father could take away the happiness that we had. My mother although- did not go far in school took care of us to the best of her knowledge. Not even the fact that we were always struggling to make ends meet could take away what we had.

We were loved and it showed, our hearts were contented and back then, I could never exchange my life for one in a gold castle- for what is life without love? I rarely saw my father; only for Christmas and burials and I had failed to understand his indifference towards us and anything that had something to do with us. My parents’ differences were screaming and when they could not contain them any more, they separated.

It was in 1998. Hell broke lose. My father sold off everything that we owned! Mum; humiliated, beaten and broken went to her brother. Hard times were before us- without a job for sustenance I was left at the mercy of relatives who were too preoccupied with their own problems. The reality was too harsh- what with having to look for school fees. My siblings ended up falling out of school life did not give them too many options. I can never forget my mother’s tear-streaked face as she convinced me that something had to give- Back then, the future was too bleak to contemplate- as for hope; to luxurious to afford-hard!

In 2000 a friend told us about Children of Uganda, I applied for sponsorship and fortunately was given! Well- miracles do happen. At the orphanage I met up to 400 children. The Challenge was living apart from my mother and many times I cried my self to sleep but with time I got used to the environment and even loved it. In the same year, I sat for my primary leaving examinations which I passed highly thanks to my teachers. I joined secondary school in 2001, finished six years later and joined University in 2008. Am currently pursuing a bachelors degree in community psychology. COU has been that father I never had providing basic physical and emotional support.

Mine has been a struggle- a road full of portholes and distractions but God has led me this far and with all the love that surrounds me I believe the sky is the limit. Although this may seem like the end of a cumbersome journey, it is also the beginning of a life that always seemed a dream too big to achieve. I am scouting my horizons. I hope to make a difference in the world- maybe make the world a better place for children and am not waiting for tomorrow; today can make all that difference. I see a brilliant light at the end of the tunnel- not a girl too scared to run but a young woman ready to spread her wings and fly: one ready to take on the world. You too can make all that difference in a child’s life, your assistance might be all that matters.

RITAH NAMWIZA