By Irene Best Nyapendi
She was born with a condition that could have easily stolen her dreams. Living with sickle cell meant many days of pain, weakness, and long hospital visits. Yet even in those moments, she dreamed of wearing a graduation gown one day.
But tomorrow, Shablinah Nazziwa will be awarded as Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) overall best graduate, proof of Wangari Maathai’s words that “You cannot enslave a mind that knows itself, that values itself, that understands itself.” She is graduating with a 4.76 CGPA.
“Balancing books and sickness was not easy,” she said softly. “But whenever I was well, I gave it my best. I befriended my books.”
Her education journey began at Uganda College of Commerce, Tororo, where she pursued a diploma in accounting. When she joined UCU for a Bachelor of Business Administration, also majoring in accounting, she didn’t know her story would one day inspire others.
At first, UCU wasn’t her choice; her family chose it for her. But soon, she fell in love with it. The lecturers, nurses, and staff understood her situation and supported her in ways that went beyond academics.
“When I got sick, they always helped. The nurses gave me first aid, and sometimes they connected me to hospitals for better treatment,” she recalls. “They understood and cared for me.”
Nazziwa didn’t walk the journey alone. She had a loyal reading partner, Jane Patricia Nakalema, who became her best friend.
They worked together from the first semester until the end, and Nakalema too got a first class scoring CGPA of 4.53. Their teamwork kept them motivated, even when tests were tough or when Nazziwa’s health slowed her down. Together, they reminded each other why they started, and that success would be worth the struggle.
While university life tested her strength, it was her father’s faith in her that kept her going. He believed in her even when resources were scarce, and that belief became her biggest motivation.
“The one who wanted it all is my dad,” she says, her voice warming. “I put in my effort to make my father proud.”
The 26-year-old planned her studies around her health and stayed optimistic about her future, and she advises the rest to do the same.
“If you feel like you’re not okay, then rest. You can rest even for a week. But when you’re well, give it your all,” she said.
Today, her story is inspiring many students who once doubted themselves. Some students have told her that she has inspired them to aim higher regardless of the situation they face.
Nazziwa dreams of becoming self-employed, one who manages her work and her health with balance. But before she launches out, she hopes to gain experience in the field as an accountant and sharpen her skills.