My Name is Byaruhanga Denis. I lost my parents At the age of 4, together with my 7 siblings were transferred to village in Rukiga District , Western Uganda to stay with our grand parents. Our grandparents were old peasants, not able to support us beyond lunch and supper. They were not able to pay school fees and related needs. At the age of 11 I started realizing a strong need to have education. I remember most of the pupils in the village schools that finished P.7 would join casual jobs in the community as shamberboys, making bricks, burning charcoal, selling onions on streets, raising animals and girls would get married. I tried number of them and felt it was not at all worth it. It’s the time that I made up my mind to pursue education.

After P.7 I passed but there was no one to sponsor my secondary education. since I had already tested the situation in the community, I made up my mind to repeat P.7 until I score Aggregate 4 in 4 primary subjects. Hoping a good Samaritan would show up and sponsor my secondary school. Repeating was quite possible because government had introduced Universal primary education although scholastic materials were still a big challenge. So we would sell charcoal and fire wood in the trading center to get ourselves scholastic materials at the age of 12. In third world rural school in Uganda its almost impossible to achieve aggregate 4 in PLE so I strategized to shift to my aunt’s home that was near a better school where I joined P.7 the 3rd Time. This was my third attempt to get aggregate 4. During the course of the term I received good news that my big brother who stayed in the city had got a job and he had sent some school fees that I may join secondary school.

I got an admission at St.Pauls secondary school Bukinda where I started Senior One(S.1). The school was about 10 miles away from home Where I used to walk everyday on foot, morning and evening. Just because my brother was earning less and yet he was trying to support almost 6 kids, it was always hard to raise the school fees ( about $16 per term )on time and most of the time I missed classes and termly examinations. But Because I was bright, hardworking and disciplined, the administration of the school sponsored my hostel.

At S.4 I was the best in the school and my brother took me to a fair High school in the city. I did better at Alevel as Well and got a bursary from a government agency to Uganda's top Makerere University where I graduated with a Bachelors of science in Computer science in 2012. It’s about that time at the university that my concern for rural children developed stronger. I realized they could also make it if somebody inspired them and supported them. I have worked as systems developer with IT companies, Later admitted for Masters degree in Computing at Uganda Management and Technology University (UTAMU). I later worked with Computer Science departments of different Academic Institutions in different capacities where I got experience in training and skilling others. Its from there that I realized I was ready to get on ground and work towards my dream of supporting many other youth and AISMAC was born.

Today hundreds have gone through our doors and are now making a difference in their communities.