Palma - Covid School Shutdown Fosters Entrepreneurship

Sometimes, we think that the purpose of education is to prepare students for a time way out in the future when they are adults and can get a job and make a living. But the benefits are far beyond the academics. Students learn discipline, hard work and focus if they apply themselves wholeheartedly to their schoolwork.

Here’s a really interesting story about a young lady in Northern Uganda who is in our LEAD education program. She has made the best of her situation after schools closed back in March due to Covid.  SOM Uganda staff member Moureen shares: 

“We experienced courage in action in the village of Odek during one of our visits to check up on Christine’s House girls. On our way to one a girl’s house, We saw someone familiar.  Palma, one of the education scholarship recipients, was preparing and selling food at a very busy stand! 

“She told us that she started her small restaurant when schools closed due to the lockdown. Even though the many customers kept her busy, she shared with us how she started with capital of 30,000 shillings (only about 8 dollars!) Business has grown to where she currently saves 20,000 shillings per day as profit for her future school needs.

“Palma, who is currently in secondary three (a junior in high school), is so happy to know that once school reopens she will have plenty of savings to purchase books, uniforms and other school needs, as well as some money to possibly go on to a college or trade school after she graduates.”

The village of Odek, by the way, was the home of the family of Joseph Kony, the murderous leader of the terrorist Lord’s Republican Army, responsible for the violence that caused millions of Acholi people in Northern Uganda to be herded into refugee camps from the late 1980’s until around 2007.