My sister raised me from a tender nine-months-old

What you need to know:

  • Life journey. Humphrey Nabimanya is the founder and team leader of Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU), a change agent and presenter of a youth show on NBS TV.
  • He talks to Sunday Monitor’s Joseph Kato about the inspiration in his life.

“I attribute my success to my elder sister, Jessica Rwami. She is the reason for everything I have today. I described her as the star of my life.
Rwami is a mother to me. From childhood until recently, I thought she was my biological mother. I am 28 years but I learnt that Rwami is not my real mother about a decade ago. She pampered me and made believe I was living with my mother until I was in my teenage years.
Rwami took care of me from when I was nine months old after my mother lost the battle to cancer. Had she not picked me up I would probably have died an infant. I don’t know whether I could have survived in Kitereza village [Mbarara District]. When I look around, I don’t see anyone who could have toiled to bring me up like she did.

Loss of her husband
Rwami resorted to tailoring and vending to raise money for our welfare. My lovely sister was married off at 19 years old. She unfortunately lost her husband to HIV/Aids less than a year into her marriage. Despite the tragic incident in her teenage, Rwami did not let her dreams get shuttered. She dreamt big for my future and I am the dream she dreamt.
She spent days and nights working for my betterment. I wonder how she was balancing vending drinks and tailoring. She slept very late and woke very early to make drinks and snacks for sale.
When I started school, Rwami informed me how she was HIV positive. I could not really understand the magnitude of HIV but I understood it better due to her continuous discussions. That could scare me because I thought she was going to die just like her husband and leave me helpless.

Back to school
I recall her carrying me on her back to school. Rwami took me to a boarding school when I was just six years old and visited me at school every week. Even when the teachers told her I was fine she still came to make sure for herself. I could not wait to see my mother Rwami coming to check on me.
When I was about seven years old, Rwami sat me down and informed me about the dangers of HIV. She explained to me how HIV is transmitted from one person to another. That sunk deep into my mind and I started passing the same message to my peers. I could inform my peers about HIV scourge using the knowledge I got from her. What started like an imitation of her message developed into a bigger dream. By the time I completed secondary school, I had made up my mind to start up my own non-profit organisation to teach teenagers and youths on issues related to reproductive health and sexuality rights.
Rwami, with her financial incapacitation befriended people who counted in our life. She was closer to people who could help her when she needed assistance to get me school fees.
She supported me up to university. She did what she could to make sure I completed university.

Had she not picked me from the village and taken me to school I would perhaps be dead or a nuisance in the village. Her picking me from the village and giving me chance to study is something I treasure with zeal. She is a hero of my life.
Another thing I applaud my sister for was encouraging me to start up RAHU. Had she not guided me on how to make my dream real I could probably have delayed or not achieved the dream. I am a graduate in psychology because of Rwami. Rwami gave me the courage, guidance, advice and support I needed to kick start.
I remember when I approached her and I shared my dream to start up RAHU. She told me that my dream was a good one but warned me that without honesty, self-respect and respect for others I was bound to fail. She always reminded me that she has lived longer with HIV because she was open and accepted the situation. She warned me to always be open and be fast at saying ‘sorry’ where I have gone wrong.

Big dreams
My sister is that person who encourages me to have big dreams. She tells me to shun people who have an ‘I can’t do it mentality’. Day in day out she warns me to distance those who despise others and those who have negative thinking about projected dreams. Rwami, my lovely sister would park for me left over food but could tell me that the situation was temporary. She often challenged me to concentrate on my studies, to be confident and trust my heart’s decisions and desires. Today I am living my dream and I no longer feed on leftover food.”