Meet one of our students, Javira.

Mulindwa Javira is an ex-St Denis student who is now in his second year of college at Mbuye Farm School, about 1 hour from Makondo. Having received sponsorship from Into Your Hands for college as well as his O Levels at St Denis, he is studying a certificate in animal husbandry and is due to graduate this year.

Javira and his mum with their IYH pig.

Javira with his pig and appropriate T-Shirt!

Mulindwa Javira is one of 9 children supported by his single mum, and they all live in a village called Ndeeba, about 20 mins motocycle ride from Makondo. In order to support her family, Javira’s mum practices subsistence farming alongside a goat rearing project, assisted by her son’s expertise in animal husbandry. Javira is also a beneficiary of the Into Your Hands Send A Pig Home Project, and his pig, now extremely large, has given birth twice to a total of 18 piglets, and is now pregnant again! 14 of the piglets have been sold at around 20,000 UGX each (about $9) bringing the total income of his piggery project to 280,000 UGX each (about $120) since 2009. This is a huge boost to a family of 10 whose average monthly income is below 30,000 UGX (below $13). The extra income is used to cover school fees as well as home needs and family sickness.

IYH Piggery project manager Kulungi with Javira.

When Javira graduates in a few months, he intends to use income from his piggery project to invest in a small business for himself. As he now has expertise in animal husbandry, he says it is likely that he will invest in more animal projects and expand the piggery project. He said to me that he wants to create his own job, rather than becoming another job seeker like so many of the other young men in the area.

I was struck by the commitment and ambition I saw in Javira, and he serves as an ideal role model for his peers and the younger students currently studying at St Denis. I asked Javira what he misses the most about St Denis and he said being able to use the computers (also donated by Into Your Hands) and his computer teacher, Mr Fred.