MTN Uganda has for the past years kickstarted youth rewarding campaigns as a path to upraise talent, and in 2020, the telco introduced a Youth Empowerment Program(YEP) under its MTN Foundation arm. Now, the program is skilling over 100 Youths in Uganda with the practical knowledge to help them achieve their dreams in the fast pace digital generation.
Well, among the beneficiaries of the YEP program is Julius Tusingiwre– a medical practitioner with strong passion for computing. Julius’s bond with computers was kickstarted by a Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) visit to his primary school where eligible students received a free thorough computer training session.
Since then, Julius discovered a new passion for computers and when MTN Uganda’s call for YEP submissions in 2020 arose, he submitted a 1-minute video of his dreams and received a mass appeal from the public.
“Computers are my passion and I love using them to solve problems.”
– Said Tusingwire
Heeding a friend’s advice, Tusingwire recalls that he decided to enroll for a nursing course as a sure way of securing employment. However, he held onto his passion for computers that eventually uncovered programming as his key field of interest – something he simultaneously does with his health work profession.
For a while, computer programming supplemented his nursing salary before he lost his job in the health sector. This compelled him to concentrate on his passion-driven programming career. He enrolled in several computer programming courses, and eventually became a certified web programmer.
Now, he has merged his medical career with a computer programming career by starting an online pharmacy dubbed “Your Dawa Online Pharmacy” which he is sure will be a big business in future as online businesses continue to grow popular.
More so, as a winner from the YEP campaign, Tusingwire will receive support from MTN Uganda in form of Mobile Money to boost his business and free monthly data for 6months. Additionally, the telco will offer him a comprehensive business mentorship program that covers a wide area of business essentials needed to manage his company in a professional way.
According to Tusingwire, he has been able to achieve this new milestone by working for what he wants since nothing is ever free. He also advises youth to diversify their sources of income by acquiring more than one skill.
“I thought my future was secure because I was a medical practitioner but when that caved in, my passion for computers kept me on board,”
Said Tusingwire