Fred, an LSP student, ready for a hands-on lesson in electrical engineering.
“You see light but you don’t know how. You can see wire, and you might not know that there’s electricity there. My aim was to discover and know more about it.”
Fred, a student in the Legacy Scholarship Program, remembers being fascinated by electricity from an early age. After finishing the first four years of secondary school (O Level), Fred had to decide if he would continue to A Level to take classes that would prepare him for university, or pursue technical training instead.
Fred talked to his LSP mentor, friends and family about the decision, and finally chose to pursue training at a vocational school for electrical engineering.
“Because after some years I’ll be able to take care of myself by making things out of my knowledge,” Fred explains.
Out of 12 siblings, Fred is the only one to have continued his education after primary school. The whole family was forced to relocate in the late 90s after Fred’s father was captured and injured by Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army. He was rescued by the army, and the family moved to Gulu town to stay with an uncle, who also helped support Fred for some of his schooling. The expenses became too much for his uncle to sustain, however, so Fred applied to LSP and was given a scholarship.
Fred is now learning his chosen trade at the Daniel Comboni Vocational Institute. He went from O Level classes of 80 students crowded into a single classroom, to a class at the vocational school of just 9 students. Their time is split between studying the theory of the trade and working closely with their instructors during practical lessons to apply their knowledge.
“I’ve discovered many things,” Fred says. “What I’ve learned now is installing, making things, fixing lights.”
At school, Fred has been given the post of Energy Minister. In this leadership role, he is responsible for monitoring other students while working with electricity to make sure that everybody is safe. During holidays, Fred has already started doing small electrical jobs, and plans to pursue advanced training to become an electrician.
The Legacy Scholarship Program currently has 21 students studying at vocational schools, thanks to our monthly donors. Find out how you can support scholarships here.
Learning the tricks of the trade during a practical lesson.
Students learn how to ground electrical wires from a building.
Catching up on homework in the library.
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