30th June 2023 was my last day at Opportunity International where for the last four and a half years, I worked as an education specialist.
Before joining Opportunity International, I worked as a secondary school teacher with several organizations in mainly collaborative innovative educational programs and activities. They were incredible moments of learning experiences, and they helped me get some insight into dynamics of non-governmental organizations. Nevertheless, to some extend it was a leap of faith for me, crossing from the somewhat sheltered environment of a secondary school class teacher to the world of an education specialist in a reputable nongovernmental organization with a global dimension.
I feel very lucky to have worked with Opportunity International, giving me the opportunity to learn and put my competence and versatility to test. I saw many of the opportunities that I would dream of attaining in education falling into place for me. They were all mine to lose, being placed in a position to influence the path of educational institutions to improve quality of delivery in education. For a person driven by real impact on the ground, I find Opportunity International EduFinance’s model of sustainably transforming society to be an excellent benchmark for all in the business of changing society. With effective and sustained effort, its ongoing three-year program can gain grounds and momentum with incredible outcomes.
My experience with private school proprietors, their top school administrators, and teachers, particularly those in mentoring positions is hard to describe in a few words, but “Grit” is the word that comes to mind. I surely will find time to share more about these incredible men and women. They are the unsung heroes and heroines in Uganda’s education sector.
Because of the organization, I have met many incredible people all over Uganda, Africa, and the rest of the world, and learnt immensely from them. I am very grateful to them all, and in a special way, the many who believe, endorse, and support me and my endeavours. I am very grateful to Renee McAlpine, who leads the Global Edu Quality program for allowing me to have a very frank conversation with her. It left me with a taste for more of its kind.
If leap of faith out of the classroom to the world of NGO was scary, the next one is nerve-racking but, I am up to the occasion. In that mix lies the excitement.
Wish me luck!! 🙂
