By Kefa Senoga
Architecture had long been a career dream for Patience Ankunda.
Thus, when she joined Gayaza High School in central Uganda for Senior One more than 10 years ago, Ankunda’s work was cut out for her. She focused on technical drawing because she believed it would prepare the groundwork for her to become an architect. By the end of Senior Six, she had performed so well that she earned a government scholarship to study a degree in architecture at Uganda’s Makerere University.
However, that is not the course Ankunda graduated in on October 22 last year. Makerere is also not the institution she graduated from. So, what happened?
A few months into the course at Makerere, Ankunda says she stopped feeling a passion for architecture. But she soldiered on with the course. After two years, she called it quits – not only walking away from a childhood dream but also abandoning government sponsorship and possible disappointment of her godfather who is a successful civil engineer.
She opted to study a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science under self-sponsorship at Uganda Christian University (UCU).. On October 22, 2021, Ankunda was among 95 UCU students who graduated with First Class degrees.
“I saw Computer science creating different opportunities for me in the future, which it is already doing now,” Ankunda says.
But the change in course and university did not come easy for Ankunda. She said many people branded her a failure because they thought she was switching from a more prestigious course. And many more people prophesied that she would not go far in life with a career in computer science.
Patience Ankunda narrating her education and business experience to an audience at the Ted talks
She says she often had to make the time to answer the question: Why did you change? Her answer always was a question of why not. She has written an article on her blog, explaining the reason behind her change in career.
As an individual, Ankunda had her own fears about the change of course. For instance, as a first-year student of computer science, she was to study with people who had been two years below her at secondary school. She believes that earlier, more proper career guidance would have saved her from all the challenges that her decision caused. She had to put challenges behind her. Engagement in out-of-class activities helped.
“After joining UCU, I got enough free time to engage in other activities, which I could not, while pursuing architecture at Makerere,” she said.
One such activity was an online business using the knowledge she had acquired from the classroom. In her first year, she set up a website development business. During the 2021 lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ankunda saw an opportunity to initiate an online fitness business to help people do exercises from their homes. Afrocanfit focuses on providing workout programs at home and selling fitness products.
“I use Afrocanfit to inspire individuals into living a healthy lifestyle,” she said.. “I also use the platform to grow a community of passionate individuals who are ready to make the necessary changes for the betterment of their health.”
She says to take her work more professionally that she had to get a certification in health and nutrition life coaching. With skills like those, Ankunda says she is better placed to expand her online business to the region and, eventually, to the continent.
Some of the products that Ankunda has developed are specifically designed for people at home with no fitness equipment.
Now that she has graduated from her course, her former department has retained her as a tutor in the department of ICT. From an achiever’s point of view, Ankunda has counsel for those who intend to attain First Class degrees. Many students do not put effort in take-home assignments, hoping to read hard and excel in the exams to compensate, but Ankunda advises against such a method of operation.
“Coursework contributes to the final mark, yet it is easier to pass than the examinations,” she said..
For now, as she juggles running her business and sharing knowledge as a UCU tutor, Ankunda is keeping an eye on studying more practical courses in technology and ICT to empower her to be able to grow more in digital entrepreneurship.
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