Karungi’s inspirational journey from teenage motherhood to academic success

BY MOLLY KAMAKUNE

Raised by her maternal aunt after losing her mother at a young age, Rebecca Karungi faced early challenges that would have broken many. At the age of 13 in 2009, she became pregnant, and despite the hardships that followed, she never lost hope. “Because of that pregnancy, my aunt took me out of school for seven years while I gave birth to three more children,” she recalls with a smile that hides years of struggle.

Her educational journey resumed years later when a sponsor from Kampala stepped in, enabling her to retake her Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) at the age of 21, scoring 18 aggregates.

However, it was the kindness of Mr Steven Asiimwe, then former RDC Kabarole District, that truly turned her life around.

Through his intervention (Mr Asiimwe), Karungi found support from Christ AID, allowing her to enroll at Nyakasura School as a mature student at 22, alongside her children in 2018.

Life at Nyakasura wasn’t easy for her, she said balancing motherhood with studies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, presented overwhelming challenges.

“During lockdown, my youngest fell ill, and with no one else to care for her, I brought her to school, the school’s senior woman supported me by allowing my child to stay in the staff quarters, albeit facing inevitable curiosity and questions from peers.

She said at one point, she was almost giving up after her and her child became sick, and she found herself hospitalized, struggling.

“It was overwhelming, but what kept me going were the friendly teachers who acted as my counselors. They were always willing to listen, advise, and encourage me not to give up,” She said.

Despite the emotional and physical toll, these challenges inevitably affected her academic performance. She ended up with a third grade and 53 aggregates in her exams.

“I was heartbroken. I had high hopes for my favorite subjects but didn’t perform as well as I expected, when I got my results, I cried,” She said.

The Working Life

Karungi found solace and strength in the extracurricular clubs she joined, especially the Tax Club, where she served as president. “During tournaments, I would organize events and get paid well. I saved the money to pay my rent during the holidays,” she explains.

Thanks to two sponsors who regularly sent her school fees, now she has invested in creating designer bottle art.

After completing her Senior Four, she began making decorative flower vases, selling them for Shs 20,000 to Shs 40,000 per decorated bottle, with her family as her biggest market.

Now pursuing her national certificate in information technology at Bridge Institute, she is also preparing to sit for her UNEB Advanced Level exams at King of Kings College located in Fort Portal City.

Dreams, Goals, and Vision for the Future

Karungi’s dreams are far from over. “I still hold onto my dream of becoming a great lawyer because i want to go and study in Canada,” she says.

Inspired by her own life experiences, she says she is passionate about making a difference for others in the community such that they don’t meet similar challenges.

“I want to be a voice for women and girls who have gone through similar struggles. I dream of studying law in Canada and offering legal aid to the next generation, especially to single mothers, teenage mothers, and school dropouts—both boys and girls. These are the critical issues eating away at the future of our communities.”