www.ceotodaymagazine.com 27 primary level in 1996 albeit the hardships. I progressed to secondary school the following year. My earlier fears of affording education started to manifest at this level as I was always in and out of class and at some point even dropped out due to lack of tuition. With no other option, I resorted to all sorts of work - casual labourer on construction sites, artisanal work, bricklaying and occasionally offering support at my mother’s business. After missing a whole term, I shifted schools when a sports scholarship opportunity showed up at Mandela Secondary School. It was a milestone and a relief to my parents. Aware of my underprivileged life, I always craved to deliver on the sports scholarship since it was also a pathway to further my education. I did everything on the pitch to safeguard it while working hard academically too. My efforts paid off, as I excelled with a Division I during the national final examination in 2000, securing the opportunity again and enrolling for advanced level in 2001 on an academic and sports scholarship. These two years were always eventful - the scholarship was competitive, and one needed to earn it. But my hard work was rewarded in the end - I was honoured as the overall best-performing prefect for that year. As if that was not enough, my results in the final year sitting of Advanced National Examinations were outstanding and I was recognised by a National Newspaper as one of the top students in the entire district of Hoima. This was so exciting to me! These successes paired with the fact that I was heading to Makerere University alone made me believe that I was done with poverty. But life at university was very challenging too - I had to become even more focused, resilient, industrious and ambitious as well. But I wasn’t going to give up. I graduated in 2007, excelling at the top of my cohort. Moses Banduga THE CEO INTERVIEW “I also needed to defeat a common stereotype - that you can never start and succeed with your idea or any business venture unless you are from a privileged family, supported by the government or have powerful connections.”
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